The 5-Day Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu is an extraordinary historical and adventure expedition, designed for travelers looking to explore one of the most remote, authentic, and culturally significant routes in the Andes. This itinerary, operated under the quality standards of Vilcabamba Tours, connects the mystical high jungle with the legacy of the Inca resistance, traversing original Inca trails that pass just beneath tropical glaciers and crossing the legendary Vilcabamba region, known as the last capital of the Incas following the Spanish conquest.
Throughout the journey, with the assistance of our professional team, you will explore the impressive ruins of Vitcos (residence of the last Inca ruler) and the ceremonial plaza of Ñusta Hispana with its carved monolith, then descend into dense cloud forests and local farms, culminating in a guided visit to the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu and an excellently coordinated train return to Cusco. With Vilcabamba Tours, every stage is strictly structured to ensure safety, comfort, and unparalleled historical immersion.
Short Itinerary
- Day 1: Cusco – Huancacalle – Vitcos: Early pickup at your hotel in Cusco by the Vilcabamba Tours team, travel via Ollantaytambo and Abra Málaga to Huancacalle. 6 km hike (3 hours) exploring the archaeological sites of Vitcos and Ñusta Hispana, and first camp on the route.
- Day 2: Vitcos – Racachaca: 12 km hike (7 hours) along an impressive original Inca trail. Descent to Totora Huayco, ascent to Paso Jasutina for lunch with views of snowy mountains, and final descent to the Racachaca camp with views of Lasoma peak.
- Day 3: Racachaca – Mutuypata: Challenging 14 km (9 hours) day crossing three mountain passes: Yanococha Pass (next to the lagoon of the same name), Tullutacanca Pass, and Mojón Pass. Lunch en route and steep descent to the camp in the Mutuypata forest.
- Day 4: Mutuypata – Aguas Calientes: 10 km hike (5 hours) in a gentle descent through warm valleys and coffee, yucca, and granadilla farms. Vehicle transfer from Yanatile to Santa Teresa for lunch (with an option to visit the Cocalmayo hot springs), final hike to Aguas Calientes, and overnight stay in a hostel.
- Day 5: Machu Picchu – Cusco: Morning bus transfer to Machu Picchu for a 2.5-hour guided tour with our expert guide, optional free time to explore or climb Huayna Picchu, lunch in town, and return train trip with final private transfer by Vilcabamba Tours to your hotel in Cusco.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Huancacalle – Vitcos
The adventure begins early in the morning with pickup at your hotel in Cusco to embark on the trip by private transport to the start of the trek. The route crosses the Sacred Valley via Ollantaytambo and ascends the imposing Abra Málaga before descending to the Huancacalle sector. After enjoying a restorative lunch, the trek begins with a first stop at the historic ruins of Vitcos and the ceremonial center of Ñusta Hispana, famous for its detailed carved stone blocks. Subsequently, with the help of the local Vilcabamba Tours team, you will continue marching for about two hours along a stretch of original Inca trail until establishing the first camp of the route after completing 6 kilometers.
Day 2: Vitcos – Racachaca
After an early breakfast, the day resumes traversing a spectacular and well-preserved Inca path. After approximately four hours of walking, you will descend to the Totora Huayco sector (1,890 m a.s.l.) and then undertake a one-hour ascent to Paso Jasutina, the chosen place to rest and have lunch facing an impressive panoramic view of snowy mountains. In the afternoon, you will begin a three-hour descent through the Andean geography until you arrive at the Racachaca community, where the second camp will be set up under the imposing silhouette of Lasoma peak, completing 12 kilometers in total with the logistical support of Vilcabamba Tours.
Day 3: Racachaca – Mutuypata
This 14-kilometer day represents the greatest physical challenge of the trek due to the successive crossing of three high passes. Leaving Racachaca, you will ascend for two and a half hours toward Yanococha Pass, bordering the beautiful lagoon of the same name, and then continue climbing toward the second pass in Tullutacanca. The trail advances through alpine meadows and high Andean lagoons for two more hours until conquering the last pass of the day, Mojón Pass, from where a one-hour descent begins to the lunch spot. The final section consists of a steep two-hour descent to the Mutuypata camp, an environment surrounded by tropical vegetation and constantly monitored by our security personnel.
Day 4: Mutuypata – Aguas Calientes
In the morning, you will walk for about three hours along a gentle and flat descending trail that enters an increasingly warm, semi-tropical, and lush environment, crossing small local farms dedicated to growing coffee, yucca, and granadilla. Upon arriving on the outskirts of the town of Yanatile, our private transport will be waiting to take the group to Santa Teresa for lunch. If time permits, an optional visit to the relaxing medicinal hot springs of Cocalmayo can be made, before undertaking the final two-hour hike (completing 10 kilometers in the day) to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town), where you will spend the night in a comfortable hostel managed personally by Vilcabamba Tours.
Day 5: Explore Machu Picchu – Return to Cusco
After an early breakfast at the hostel, you will board the bus (a 20-minute ride) to the mystical citadel of Machu Picchu with the goal of entering in the early hours of the morning, taking advantage of a calmer and clearer atmosphere. You will enjoy a professional 2.5-hour guided tour of the main sectors of the archaeological wonder, then have free time to explore on your own or take optional hikes reserved in advance, such as the ascent to Huayna Picchu mountain or the visit to the Temple of the Moon. In the afternoon, you will return by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch and board the train back towards the Sacred Valley or Ollantaytambo, where our private driver will wait for you at the station to take you directly back to your hotel in Cusco, successfully completing the exclusive services of Vilcabamba Tours.
Includes
- Private transport from Cusco to the start of the trek in Vilcabamba provided by Vilcabamba Tours.
- Bilingual certified professional guide service (English and Spanish).
- Private chef and preparation of fresh and healthy meals throughout the hike.
- Muleteers and pack mules to transport logistical and camping equipment.
- Emergency riding horse and logistical support on the route.
- Transport of up to 8 kilograms of your personal belongings on the mules.
- Complete camping equipment (except sleeping bag).
- 1 night of accommodation in a hostel or 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes (based on double room).
- Official entrance ticket to the Machu Picchu citadel with professional guided service.
- Round-trip bus tickets between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.
- Return train tickets to the intermediate station.
- Final private transfer from the train station to your hotel in Cusco by our staff.
Not Included
- Personal sleeping bag (available for rent upon prior request).
- Trekking poles and inflatable mats.
- Lunch on the fifth day in Aguas Calientes after finishing the circuit.
- Optional entrance permits for the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain.
- Local entrance fees for the Cocalmayo hot springs.
- Personal adventure travel insurance.
