Inca Trail 4 Days vs 5 Days

Written by: Sam Travel | 17 May, 2024
inca trail 4 days

The Inca Trail is a popular trek in Peru that leads to the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. The main difference between the 4 day and 5 day Inca Trail treks is the amount of time spent on the trail.

Inca trail 4 Days

The 4 day trek covers a distance of approximately 42 kilometers and involves hiking for 4 days with the final day being dedicated to exploring Machu Picchu. The trail begins at Km 82, where trekkers cross the Urubamba River and then ascend to the ruins of Llactapata, followed by Dead Woman’s Pass, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, and Wiñay Wayna. On the fourth day, trekkers wake up early to hike to Machu Picchu and arrive at the Sun Gate in time to see the sunrise over the ruins.

4 Days / 3 Nights trekking to Machu PIcchu 4 days

Inca Trail 4 Days Trek to Machu Picchu

Overview Classic Inca Trail 4 days hike to Machu Picchu –  One of the World’s Ten Best Hikes The 4 day Inca Trail Hike  is famous for being one of the world’s best hikes, discover the ....

From $757 USD

Inca Trail 5 Days

The 5 day trek covers the same distance as the 4-day trek, but it is spread out over 5 days. This means that there is less distance to cover each day, and trekkers can take their time and enjoy the scenery along the way. The fifth day includes the same visit to Machu Picchu as the 4 day trek.

The main advantage of the 5-day trek is that it offers more time to acclimate to the altitude and adjust to the physical demands of the trail. This can be especially beneficial for those who are not used to hiking at high altitudes. The slower pace also allows for more time to rest and explore the ruins along the way, making it a more relaxed and immersive experience.

5 Days / 4 Nights Inca trail 5 days

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu- 5D/4N

The 5 day Classic Inca Trail is 43-km that combines visits to mysterious and religious Inca cities, amazing mountain scenery and lush cloud forests rich in Andean flora and fauna.  The trek is an ex ....

From $947 USD

In summary, both the 4-day and 5-day Inca Trail treks are great options, and the choice between them depends on personal preferences, physical fitness, and time constraints. If you have the extra day and prefer a more relaxed pace, the 5-day trek might be the better option. However, if you are short on time or prefer a more challenging hike, the 4-day trek might be a better fit.

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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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Cheri Buccino April 21, 2024
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Powerful! This journey tests your humanity and leaves you in awe of yourself and the beauty that Pachamama provides. April 2024 We conquered the Inca trail and it was only made possible with the help and guidance from our expert guides Jean Pierre (JP) and Jimmy. The knowledge these gentlemen shared was admired by all of our group and the envy of other trail hikers who stopped to listen. The hike has many layers of challenges including language barriers, altitude sensitivities and food specifications. The team at Sam travel exceeded the needs and went above to ensure our comforts were met. A special mention must be made to Mario, the Chef who somehow performed magic with nutritious flavourful meals to satisfy even the pickiest consumers and Francesco who was our lead porter who orchestrated the harmony that happened behind the scenes to get everything done. Nothing less than marvellous from this team. Thank you to each of the group who made our trek a remarkable experience.

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Bhavana Lalwani April 18, 2024
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Jose and Henry were great guides for our first time exploring machu pichu! They were very attentive and kept everything on a smooth schedule. Highly recommend!

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Ryan April 9, 2024
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The whole experience was amazing. Ray, our guide answered all of our questions and definitely had our best interest in mind the whole time. Timothy the cook made fantastic food and somehow found a way to prepare a birthday cake with no notice! Boni our head porter and his whole crew were kind, accommodating, and had such upbeat attitudes which really made the experience great!

Isabel Batteria April 17, 2024
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I spent two days with Sam Travel’s guide Raymier, who guided us through the one-day 12-km stretch of the Inca trail and then took us to Machu Picchu the next day. In my group, I was always the last one on the trail because I come from the coast and I’m not used to altitudes, and honestly I could also have prepared physically a little better. Raymier respected my pace, never rushed me, and supported me throughout the ardous trail. He had much knowledge to share. I speak Spanish, but ended up in an English tour, and Ray’s English was very good. He was funny, respectful, and versatile. He knew where to take all the best photos and patiently took photos of all of us. I would trust Sam Travel again especially if I was lucky enough to have Ray as a guide again.

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