Inca Jungle To Machu Picchu – The Inca Jungle Tour

Your Inca Jungle To Machu Picchu experience begins at 0600 AM. We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. We will embark on a three hour drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the highest point of the trek, Malaga Pass. Also known as Abra Malaga, it sits at (4,316 meters above sea level).

The Inca Jungle Tour begins here. Our local expert will be briefing you on the day’s itinerary. We will also share some safety tips on biking down the hill. Our crew will be giving you the mountain bike and safety gear. 

Mountain Biking:

Once you are kitted with all appropriate gears, we will begin the three hours of downhill mountain biking. We will be heading to the town of Humanmarca (about 34 miles or 55 km).

During the bike ride, you will be rewarded with staggering views of the beauty of snow-capped peaks at a distance. The climate would be varied, changing from dry, colt to humid heat.

Our minivan will be trailing to make sure that everyone is safe and comfortable biking down the hill. At any point, if you are not comfortable with biking, you can stop our minivan and hop in for the onward trip.

Our downhill mountain biking experience comes to an end in the small town of Humanmarca.

From Humanmarca, we will continue our journey in our minivan for approximately 30 minutes to the town of Santa Maria. Our crew will be serving a native meal for lunch. 

Water Rafting:

After relishing the local meal, you will have the option of experiencing river rafting. It is categorized as level III and IV, from April to November in the Urubamba River. It crosses through part of the Inka jungle. The rafting price (100 Soles) is not part of the tour price. 

Please note that according to local regulations, you must know how to swim to be able to participate in Water Rafting Activity in Peru.

After breakfast, at 0600 AM, we will be trekking to Santa Teresa town. The first part of the Inca Jungle trek is up the hill. We will be ascending gradually for around two hours. 

On the way, we will have many stops to catch up with your breath. Our guide would give you an insight into the rich flora and fauna that are exclusive to the region.

We will also be stopping in a local community house. Here you could refill your water bottle and savor some tropical fruits.

We will then cross a section of the renowned Inca Trail to Machu Picchu that connects Machu Picchu to Vilcabamba city. Our guide would give you more insights into the Incan history and would explain the communication system that existed during the Incan empire. Here you will also be rewarded with amazing views of Huancarccasa Canyon.

From here, we will begin our descent to a small town, Quellomayo. Here, we will stop for lunch and you can also wink a nap on the hammocks. We will then continue trekking for two hours to Cocalmayo. It is an Andean village popular for the natural hot springs, Cocalmayo Hot Springs.

Here you can take a dip and rejuvenate. From Cocalmayo we will continue further to Santa Teresa where we will have dinner and spend the night.

After an early morning breakfast, you will have the option of doing canopy zip-lining (100 Soles). 

We will be hiking to Aguas Calientes town which serves as a base to reach Machu Picchu citadel. It is a three hour walk through Aobamba Valley to the Intihuana area. Here we will be passing a checkpoint.

Along the way, we will stop for lunch in HidroElectrica. The route to Aguas Calientes would reward you with a series of waterfalls and sights of Machu Picchu and Huyana Picchu.

After lunch, we will embark on a three hour hike to Aguas Calientes along the railway tracks. This is somewhat a long but scenic hike. Retracing the footsteps of Hiram Bingham III, the renowned American professor who rediscovered Machu Picchu, you will be rewarded with views of tropical jungle. 

Once in Aguas Calientes, our crew will be accommodating you in an ensuite hotel room for the night. The town is named after its hot spring. You can spend the evening taking a refreshing dip in the thermal waters. 

You can also take a walk on the narrow cobblestone streets and shop for some souvenirs. Our local expert will be meeting you later in the evening to brief you on the following day’s itinerary.

Check out our post on things to do in Aguas Calientes.

We will begin the day at 0430 AM with an uphill hike to Machu Picchu citadel from Aguas Calientes.

On this section of the Inca Jungle to Machu Picchu trek, you will have two options. 

1. Hike the 1500 Inca steps dotted with lush tropical vegetation.
2. Take the 20 minutes bus ride to Machu Picchu citadel (USD 12). 

Our local expert will assist you in clearing the security control. Your original passport will be verified against the Machu Picchu entrance ticket. 

As you enter the citadel, you will witness the rays of the morning sun lighting up Machu Picchu  as the blanket of clouds would unveil it. 

We will be giving you an immersive tour for two hours. We will be visiting the main plaza, remains of the farming terraces and royal quarters, ceremonial sites, remains of Inca temples, and more. 

After the guided tour, if you have pre-booked your ticket to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, our local expert will be directing you to the respective trailhead. Please note that you will need permits to hike which are often sold five to six months in advance. 

Alternatively, you can hike to the sun gate to relish a panoramic view of Machu Picchu citadel. Only those hiking the renowned Inca Trail to Machu Picchu enter the citadel through the Sungate. It takes around 45 minutes to reach Sungate and requires no permit to access. 

At an agreed time, we will be taking the bus back to Aguas Calientes town. You will have some free time to stop for lunch or go shopping. 

In the evening, we will be meeting at the train station in Aguas Calientes where you will be boarding the train to Ollantaytambo. Our representative will meet you on arrival and will transfer you back to Cusco city. We will be reaching Cusco by 0930 PM.