How Long Is The Inca Trail? Machu Picchu Hike FAQs
Machu Picchu is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. To get there, a lot of people walk the Inca Trail.
Built by the Inca during the earliest stages of their empire, the Inca Trail was part of the Qhapac Ñan: an extended network of roads throughout the Inca Kingdom in Peru.
Much of the Qhapac Ñan was built in the mid-1400s. In the last 500 years, after the fall of the Inca Empire, many of those roads fell into disrepair.
Yet, the Inca Trail still stands. This ancient roadway crosses mountains, includes over 70,000 stone stairs, and guides any traveler upon it to Machu Picchu.
Unfortunately, to preserve the trail and maintain a degree of safety, the Peruvian government limits how many people can walk the Inca Trail. Only 200 non-Peruvian visitors are permitted to walk the trail per day, 11 months out of the year (that’s about 64,000 people total).
These limits mean a traveler needs to decide well ahead of time whether to try the hike themselves or not.
Fortunately, these kinds of decisions don’t have to be guesswork. With this guide, you’ll have answers to the most frequently asked questions about walking the Inca Trail.
How Long Is The Hike To Machu Picchu? (Miles)
The classic hike to Machu Picchu starts at Piscacucho, then follows the Inca Trail all the way to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly Aguas Calientes).
Machu Picchu Pueblo is the town at the entrance of Machu Picchu.
By that route, the Inca Trail is 26 miles (42 km) long.
However, there are shorter routes.
The quickest hike starts at Chachabamba, an archeological site on the left bank of the Vilcanota River. From there, it follows the Inca Trail by way of the Wiñay ruins. It reaches Machu Picchu at its Sun Gate (Intipunku).
Fittingly, this route is called The Short Inca Trail. It’s just over 8 miles long (13 km).
How Steep Is The Inca Trail’s Elevation?
The elevation of the Inca Trail ranges from 7,382 ft (2,250 m) above sea level at its lowest point, up to 13,829 ft (4,215 m) above sea level at its highest.
The increase is steep. Altitude acclimation must be built into the ascent.
How Fit Does A Person Need To Be To Hike The Inca Trail?
To walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, a person should be in good physical condition overall. They must also have the following physical capacities:
- Enough stamina to hike for 4-6 hours at a moderate pace, on uneven terrain
- Strength to carry a backpack filled with ~4 kg worth of supplies
- Balance to navigate uneven, sometimes wet or slippery paths safely with trekking poles
- Resistance to altitude illness (given reasonable overnight acclimation periods during ascents).
Both resistance and susceptibility to altitude sickness are, in part, genetic. They cannot be easily tested for ahead of time. However, certain medical conditions make a person extremely susceptible to altitude sickness.
Other medical conditions significantly increase a person’s risk of falling, which can be deadly at these heights.
Hiking the Inca Trail with these categories of medical condition is dangerously high risk. The following conditions render a person unfit to hike the Inca Trail safely:
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Coronary artery disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Epilepsy
- History of stroke
- Ischemic attacks
- Anemia (other)
- Diabetic neuropathy
If you experience any signs of altitude sickness, please take emergency action.
Training To Hike The Inca Trail
Training regimens to prepare your body to hike the Inca Trail focus on cardio.
Initial workouts are done with an empty backpack. As training continues, weights are added to the bag to improve strength and stamina at once.
How Long Does It Take To Trek The Inca Trail?
The Classic Inca Trail usually takes 4 days and 3 nights to travel.
The Short Inca Trail is completed in 6-8 hours by an adult hiker (on average). It’s just over 8 miles long, and hikers climb 1,544 ft (to a maximum altitude of 8,924 ft) while traversing it.
The Lares Inca Trail typically presents a 3- to 5-day trek, depending on the exact route chosen. The combined Lares Inca Trail is just over 20 miles long (33 km).
The Salkantay Inca Trail Route takes 5 days to traverse normally. It’s 46 miles (74 km) long.
Alternate Ways To Visit Machu Picchu
Hiking the Inca Trail is far from the only way to visit Machu Picchu.
You might find you’d rather get to Machu Picchu by taking the IncaRail or PeruRail train. These trains cover the length of the Classic Inca Trail in about three hours.
Another option is to split your travel between trains and buses. This is less expensive, and it involves taking a long bus ride to Hidroeléctrica station, then taking the train or simply walking the final leg of the journey.
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Caravan’s Tour of Peru With Machu Picchu lets our guests do it all. Explore Machu Picchu, hike in the Andes mountains, and ride the luxurious PeruRail.
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