4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Written by: Sam Travel | 12 July, 2019
Machu Picchu Inca Trail 2021

If you’re thinking about the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in 2020, you don’t have too much time left to plan and book your tour.

This magical adventure is the most popular hike of South America, allowing you to walk in the footsteps of the Incas on a trail that dates back almost a millennium. This scenic hike leads directly through the Sun Gate and into the legendary seat of the Incan Empire, the majestic Machu Picchu Citadel.

A 4-day trek on the Classic Inca Trail provides the most immersive experience and a sense of accomplishment that almost defies description. However, unless you research your options and choose the right tour company for your adventure, you could miss out on some of the most significant experiences of the trek.

Machu Picchu Inca Trail 2020

Highlights of a 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek

The archaeological treasures and ecological diversity of the Inca Trail are unparalleled in the world.

On your adventure, you will experience ten different ecological zones, ranging from tropical forests to glacial peaks. The Machu Picchu historical sanctuary is home to more than 200 different species of orchids and more than 450 bird species. In addition to dozens of archaeological sites, the area is crisscrossed with ancient Incan travel routes and majestic rivers.

Along the way, you will have the opportunity to camp in small villages that you would otherwise never have the chance to experience. You will gaze out over life-changing views of snow-capped mountain peaks, canyons and even a cloud forest!

Look for a High-Quality Inca Trail Trek Experience

Take the time to really compare what you will be getting before you book your adventure, because not all Inca Trail adventures are created equal.

Small groups are key to having the best possible experience. More than eight people per tour group and your ability to have a truly personal experience begins to dissolve. You’ll also want to choose a tour operator with a focus on safety and convenience. Satellite phones for safety, English-speaking guides and porters are all features that indicate you’re on the right track.

Booking a high-quality trek doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, you can find exceptional adventure tours to Machu Picchu for less than you might expect. The secret to having a truly memorable trip isn’t in the cost of the adventure, but which guide you choose to lead your trek.

Choosing a Tour Company for Your 2020 Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu

Look for a locally owned and operated Peruvian tour operator. This ensures that your booking costs stay in the local area and provide economic benefit to the community. Your tour operator must also be intimately familiar with the new Machu Picchu access restrictions and regulations. Otherwise, you could reach your destination only to find the bitter disappointment of not being able to visit the Citadel or hike Machu Picchu Mountain or Wayna Picchu Mountain.

SAM Travel Peru, a preferred local tour operator based in Cusco, provides high-quality adventures that are unique to our company. Our college-educated, English-speaking guides are trained in CPR and place their primary focus on the safety of our guests. Our bookings are filling up quickly right now so don’t delay. Contact us or visit our website to learn more, or to book your 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu today.

Join the thousands of satisfied customers who rate us #1 on TripAdvisor

Bernie s 2023/03/02

Had a great trip with our guide Ray Herrera and driver Alfredo. Lots of good experiences in a short period of time 4 days. Learnt a lot not just about the main tourist destinations but Peru in general by Ray. Ray has a passion for Inca history and local produce. Ray knows all the good photo spots and we managed the sun out every day .. Good culture and if you want to get on a tour ask for Ray at Sams Travel = amazing

Tanya H 2023/03/02

Ray was our Tour Guide and Alfredo was our driver for a 4 day tour we did with SAM Travel Peru. Ray's knowledge of the history of Cusco and Machu Picchu was outstanding. Ray was very accommodating with all our needs. He stayed alongside us when trekking and helped where he could. His sense of humour was pleasant to be around. Ray spoke very good English. He is such a nice guy. I would strongly recommend Ray to be your tour guide to visit Machu Picchu. Ray explained everyday what the plans were for the next day, which was reassuring what we needed to take etc

Captanjack 2023/01/012

Our 1 day tour thru the Sacred Vally with Danny was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions in detail. I would recommend asking for him personally if you are able.

Sherry 2022/12/26

We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.

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C Clark 2023/01/20

Wow. We had such an incredible experience in Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Our guide, Dayvit, is the most knowledgeable guide we have ever had. He has such an extensive knowledge of the history and is very friendly and helpful. If you are planning a trip to Peru, I highly recommend SAM travel and be sure to request Dayvit!

Emma Dinzebach Clark 2023/01/10

2 day tour sacred valley / Machu Picchu highly recommend! David was the best tour guide. He knows an incredible amount about Incan culture and is personable and funny. He also kept us up to date on a political situation happening when we were there and was informative. Overall, this tour checks all the boxes. Thank you!

Nupur Joshi 2023/01/02

We used SAM Travel for a 2D/1N trip from Cusco to Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu on Dec 25-26, 2022. The team was good with communication from the start - both Saul and Junior were very helpful and professional with answering any questions and clearing up any misunderstandings. Our guide, Miguel, was prompt, pleasant, and quite knowledgeable. We enjoyed his company and insight over the 2 day trip and recommend him to anyone booking with SAM Travel.

Xueying Chen 2022/12/20

We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.

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Brandon Slater 2022/09/30

My wife and I just completed two excursions with SAM Travel Peru and we absolutely loved them. We did the 4 Day Salkantay Wilderness + Machu Picchu and then the 2-Day Rainbow Mountain + 7 Lakes trek with guide Carlos Estrada, chefs Nerio & Lucio, and horseman Unarato. Over the last 6 days we have learned so much about the Inca culture, discovered some of the most incredible sights, and ate delicious food every step of the way. We would definitely recommend SAM Travel (especially with Carlos!) to anyone that wants an incredible Peruvian adventure. The Wilderness trek is a much quieter trail than the standard Salkantay and goes a bit higher elevation, but camping at the base of Salkantay was incredible. Carlos's guided tour through Machu Picchu was so informative. We would have missed so much without him taking the time to share his knowledge.

Kellie Taylor 2022/04/06

Big thanks to David he was an amazing tour guide who really cared for our group. He allowed us to go at our own pace and was a brilliant photographer He was really funny and is full of interesting information & his passion for his inca ancestors is very obvious and warming. He also brought us to great restaurants! This company are very good and from what I can recall were cheaper than most. Thank you!

Mike Geelhoed 2021/06/10

They took care of everything! Saul the owner is very responsive and helpful. Johnny our guide was fantastic, as were our chef, assistant chef and horsemen. I can’t recommend them highly enough and will definitely use them again if we return to Peru!

Janice-Kaneki Chen 2020/01/28

Three of us decided to choose Sam Travel Peru, reason being is it is a local travel company that help indegenious communities. We picked Lares Trek 4D3N to have cultural experience while hiking. Good foods provided by talented Mario Chef! Johnny is our tour guide, very helpful tour guide. He even helped me to carry my daypack as I was too exhausted to carry it on day 1 hiking. Strongly recommend to those like to have local experience while hiking.

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Why you should travel with SAM Travel?

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