Peru · Trekking

4-Day Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu Hike and Bike Adventure

4 Days Round trip from Cusco Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Admire the scenic beauty of the Andes Mountains
  • 02 Hike and bike along the Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu
  • 03 Enjoy ziplining in Santa Teresa
  • 04 Explore archaeological sites and learn about Inca history and culture

Experience the legacy of the Incas, who created a vast trail network of more than 40,000 km across the Andes Mountains. This unique journey combines hiking and biking from Santa Maria to Machu Picchu, passing beautiful landscapes, remarkable stonework, and archaeological sites along the way. Enjoy the adventure of the Inca Jungle Trail, including ziplining in Santa Teresa, before reaching the marvellous Machu Picchu Citadel.

Enjoy the adventure of the Inca Jungle Trail, including ziplining in Santa Teresa, before reaching the marvellous Machu Picchu Citadel.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Moderate
Accommodation Included · Budget
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Cusco, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Cusco to Santa Maria via Abra Malaga by Bike

  • Leave Cusco at 7:00 am in a private vehicle and drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, passing Chinchero, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo.

  • Reach Abra Malaga and change into the kit provided by your tour operator, including gloves and helmets, after a 20-minute briefing by an experienced tour guide.

  • Begin your bicycle tour to Santa Maria, riding downhill and cross-country.

  • See archaeological centres such as Huamanmarca and Inca Jail, along with incredible landscapes. You will also be able to appreciate tropical birds and medicinal plants in the cloud forest.

  • Pass through many exotic fruit plantations, including mango, pineapple, papaya, avocado, coffee, and coca plants. You can sample them and enjoy the different flavours of the region.

  • Observe cocoa and coffee plantations and see local families going about their daily routine.

  • Have lunch and dinner in Santa Maria town near the river, where you will spend the night in a small family hostel.

Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

NOTE: River rafting begins after lunch and lasts about two and a half hours, followed by a return for an overnight stay. This is an optional activity; you can also go rafting on the Vilcanota River.

2
Day 02

Santa Maria to Santa Teresa on the Inca Jungle Trek

  • Have breakfast at 6:00 am and then trek along the banks of the Vilcanota River.

  • Walk part of the Inca Trail through the jungle.

  • Climb up to Inca Jail from San Pablo to see waterfalls and archaeological centres from Inca times.

  • Be mesmerised by the surroundings and the indescribable beauty of the jungle.

  • During this part of the trek, pass through towns and experience their serenity and peace.

  • Spend the night at a small family hostel in Santa Teresa town.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

3
Day 03

Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes via Patallaqta

  • Wake up early and take a 30-minute transfer to the Lucmabamba community.

  • Start walking along the Inca Trail and visit the forgotten archaeological site of Patallaqta.

  • Get your first view of Machu Picchu.

  • You may also do optional ziplining in Santa Teresa in the morning. The Peruvian government is currently working there to rediscover and clean the forest along this Inca Trail.

  • Arrive at the Hidroelectrica train station for a delicious lunch.

  • Continue for 2 more hours to Aguas Calientes town, where you will spend the night in a comfortable hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

4
Day 04

Machu Picchu Guided Tour and Return to Cusco

  • Enjoy an early breakfast and take the 20-minute bus ride to Machu Picchu to visit the Machu Picchu Citadel.

  • Proceed with four hours of guided touring and time to explore the ruins individually.

  • Learn in depth about the marvellous Machu Picchu Citadel and the Intiwatana.

  • Return to Picacho at 9:30 pm and then take a bus to Cusco at approximately 12:30 am.

Meals Included: Breakfast or box lunch

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Cusco 3 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Certified English-speaking Machu Picchu tour guide (two guides for groups over 10 persons)

  • Bus transportation for transfer from Cusco to Abra Malaga

  • SCOTT/MOSSO/steppenwdll mountain bikes (aluminium frame - full disk brake - scoots, cona, moso)

  • Helmet and windproof gloves

  • Local family lodge in Santa Maria and Santa Teresa

  • All meals on the trail (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners)

  • Tourist bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and back to Aguas Calientes

  • Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley)

  • Tourist bus from Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) to Cusco

  • Entrance fee to Machu Picchu

  • First aid kit with oxygen

  • Zipline and rafting

What's Not Included

  • Lunch on the last day after the guided tour at Machu Picchu

  • Tips and gratuities

  • Entrance to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes (town of Machu Picchu)

  • Any personal expenses

What to bring

  • Backpack

  • Sturdy hiking shoes

  • Warm clothes, including a jacket, fleece, sweaters, and one pair of socks per day

  • Rain jacket or a poncho, and waterproof trousers, especially for the rainy season from November to March

  • Plastic bags to store your spare clothes

  • Camera

  • Water bottle, preferably metal so it is more heat-resistant

  • Hat and/or beanie to protect you from the sun and the cold

  • High-factor sunblock and insect repellent

  • Toilet paper

  • Some extra snacks, such as biscuits, energy bars, and chocolate

  • Swimsuit, recommended for the hot springs

  • Personal medical kit

Know before you go

  • Overnight accommodation in Aguas Calientes is in a hostel. If you want a specific hotel, please ask the agency.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Cusco, Peru
Tour start
Cusco, Peru
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 4 days finish where they began, in Cusco.

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