Hiking the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is on every hiker’s bucket list, but should you do it? Access to the 4-day Inca Trail is limited to 500 people per day, including the staff. For this reason, the number of available spaces available is 40% of the total number for trekkers and 60% is for the trek staff. The 2-day Inca Trail is limited to 250 people per day and 100% of spaces are reserved for trekkers. To find out if space is available on your desired travel date, please click here.
It is indeed challenging, but it has been completed by thousands of people. Chances are good that you can do it too, provided you are reasonably fit and you don’t have any health issues that preclude you. Depending on your level of fitness, it will be challenging for some people and quite moderate for others.
Day Tours to Help You Get Acclimated
3. To help with altitude sickness, drink the coca tea (caution: this could cause you to test positive if drug tested) or visit the local farmacia and get a box of Acetek or get a prescription for diamox from your doctor before you travel.
4. Stay hydrated! This is important in helping with altitude sickness and obviously during the hike. Two liters of water is probably enough to carry because there are many opportunities to refill, but you should also carry a container of Gatorade or some sort of electrolytes beverage.
5. Hike at a slow and steady pace and take breaks when necessary. It’s not a race to get to Machu Picchu.
So what do you say? Are you ready to check this off your bucket list? Inca Trail Permits go on sale in January and sell out far in advance (sometimes six months in advance). The sooner you make the decision to trek the Inca Trail and book your trip, the more likely you’ll be able to secure a permit.