The place

The Sacred Valley on Foot

Machu Picchu is one stop among several; the trip spends most of its time in the Sacred Valley itself, at villages and ruins most visitors never reach. Altitude is the real planning constraint, so the route builds up gradually from Cusco before the four-day trek. It suits fit walkers rather than trekkers chasing personal records, and travellers with a genuine interest in Andean history rather than a checklist.

How it runs

Three acclimatisation days in the Sacred Valley precede a four-day trek on a quieter alternative to the Inca Trail, with porters and a cook supporting a small group. Nights alternate between valley guesthouses and trailside camps, ending with the approach to Machu Picchu at dawn before the day-trippers arrive.

What you do

• —Three days acclimatising in the Sacred Valley below 3,000m
• —Four-day trek on the Lares route, away from Inca Trail crowds
• —Dawn arrival at Machu Picchu ahead of the gate rush
• —Weaving demonstration with a Quechua cooperative
• —Full-moon night at a high-altitude trail camp