• A professional and qualified tour leader
• Inca Trail permit fee and entrance to Machu Picchu
• Cusco Airport transfers (on Day 1 and Day 13)
• All land transport required in the itinerary
• Hotel accommodation as described
• Meals as detailed in the Meal Plan
• Guided sightseeing tour of Cusco
• A full service on trek including food and all equipment (excluding personal equipment)
• Thermarest camping mat whilst camping

• Travel Insurance
• Tips for porters and other trek staff
• Some meals as described in the Meal Plan
• Miscellaneous personal expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc.

The group will meet at the hotel in Cusco.

Airport transfers are provided for all clients.

Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

All breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners and included in the holiday price. Where there are a wide range of dining options to suit all tastes and budgets it is sensible to leave this choice to you and therefore we have not included meals (other than breakfasts) while staying in Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo). You will need to pay for a total of 6 lunches and 6 dinners. While trekking a full trek services included all meals is provided.

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

On trek the food provided will be a mixture of local and worldwide favourites, with all ingredients purchased in Peru and cooked for us by highly trained staff cooks.  The food our cooks are able to produce on trek will be a taste sensation! Lunch is usually a picnic - fresh fruit, salad and bread, cheeses, cold meats, avocado and plenty to drink. Dinners will be three courses and the menus will be flavoursome and varied. There will be no problem catering for vegetarians.

In Cusco, Ollantaytambo and in Aguas Calientes there is a wide range of restaurants cafes and bars serving excellent and varied cuisine! Meals, apart from breakfast, are not included here so you are free to make your own choice of restaurant and menu. If you are looking to sample some traditional Peruvian fare we can recommend trying Ceviche, a dish of raw fished marinated in citrus juice (the acid in the citrus juice effectively ‘cooks’ the fish), which is the unofficial national dish of Peru! The name Ceviche actually comes from the Quechua word ‘siwichi’, meaning fresh fish. Guinea Pig or ‘Cuy’ is also a common delicacy in the Andes and has been eaten at special occasions since the time of the Incas! Usually served roasted or barbequed, Guinea Pig meat has a gamey taste. It is very high in protein and low in cholesterol.

When it comes to drinks, before and during your trek we can recommend drinking Mate de Coca. It takes a little time to acclimatise to Cusco’s 3400m elevation and one of the things that is said to help acclimatisation is supping this mildly stimulating, greenish and unusual tasting ‘tea’ made by steeping fresh coca leaves in boiling water. Those looking to celebrate the end of their holiday with an alcoholic beverage (best saved till post trek when you are fully acclimatised!) should seek out a ‘Pisco Sour’. This classic South American cocktail, made by mixing the Peruvian liquor Pisco with lime juice, egg white and bitters, is incredibly moreish!

During the holiday there are a total of 4 nights in a comfortable and well located 3* hotel in Cusco, which is a beautifully converted old colonial house and just a short walk from the Plaza de Armas. We will also spend 1 night in a comfortable and well located hotel in Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley and 1 night in a comfortable and well located 3* hotel in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo).

Whilst trekking there will be a total of 6 nights camping where your will receive a full service from our friendly camp crew. You will sleep in roomy 2 man dome tents, with a porch, and inflatable camping mattresses are provided. All the camp equipment and luggage will be transported between camps by horses on the extended trek, and by porters on the Inca Trail, so you need only carry your day pack each day. Our camp crew will erect and dismantle the tents for you, cook, and take care of all the camp chores.

During walking days, having stayed behind to collapse camp, it is usual for the crew and the porters and/or pack animals to overtake the group during the day and you will usually arrive into camp to find it already established and the kettle on!

In camp, as well as the tents used for sleeping, there will also be a mess tent, with chairs and tables, where the group will dine (and socialise into the evening) and a toilet tent. Hot water for washing will also be provided to you in the mornings and when you arrive at the camp each day.

All accommodation is allocated on a twin-sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. It is possible to hire a single tent while on trek for an additional cost. This must be arranged ahead of departure and is subject to availability (please note that single tent hire does not include single rooms in hotels). Depending on availability, it may also be possible to pre-book single hotel rooms. For additional hotel prices and single supplement costs please refer to the dates and prices page of the trip on our website.

The group will be led by a professional and qualified tour leader. Whilst on trek the group will be supported by a trek crew including cook, baggage animals (additional 3 day trek) and porters (Inca Trail).

This holiday involves going to high altitude. During the course of your trip you will reach altitudes in excess of 3500 metres. This is not something that you should worry about; the human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of altitudes, but it is important that we follow some simple rules in order to acclimatise successfully. Before coming on this holiday you should read the advice on trekking at high altitude on our website which can be viewed via the link below. You can also talk to one of our trekking experts if you have any concerns about altitude. www.keadventure.com/page/altitude.html

The cost of your permit for the Inca Trail is included in the trip price. Please note that the Peruvian Authorities strictly limit the amount of Inca Trail Permits issued for each day and that permits are issued on a first come, first served basis. The permits are only issued against a name and a passport number. Once issued they cannot be amended, cancelled or transferred. In order to ensure your place on the Inca Trail, KE will purchase your permit as soon as the trip is guaranteed to run or when you make your booking if the trip is already guaranteed. To cover this you will be asked to pay an additional deposit at the time of booking. Once the trip is guaranteed to run, the cost of your Inca Trail permit cannot be refunded (unless we cancel the trip).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PASSPORT AND INCA TRAIL PERMITS: 

Please note that Inca Trail permits are highly restricted and sell out, months in advance. Your permit will be tied to your passport details and you will need to have this with you when you join the trek.

If you change passport between booking and travelling, you must bring your old passport with you, as your ticket will be linked to the passport details you booked with.

Machu Picchu Permits

New regulations for visiting Machu Picchu came into force in 2022.

Daily visitor numbers are limited and visitors must be accompanied by a guide on one of five designated 'circuits' that are walked in a one-way direction, with a maximum of 4 hours allowed with in the site.

A ticket, issued by the Peru Ministry of Culture, and included in your trip cost, needs to be purchased in advance of your visit. The ticket will stipulate an entry time and one of the 5 circuits. KE will aim to book the most comprehensive Machu Picchu tour available.

Tickets are linked to your name and passport number and usually sell out 2-3 months in advance. It is therefore important for you to supply us with your passport details at the time of booking to allow us to secure the required tickets.

If you are completing the Inca Trail, a set Machu Picchu circuit is included with your Inca Trail Permit.

IMPORTANT: If you change passport between booking and travelling, you must bring your old passport with you, as your ticket will be linked to the passport details you booked with.

We estimate that $300-$350 (or equivelant in £/€) will be sufficient to cover your requirements including the non-included meals and incidental expenses, as well as tips for drivers, trek crew and local guides. There are a total of 6 lunches and 6 dinners which you will need to pay for directly and we recommend you budget $10 - $25 dollars per meal. There is no need to purchase local currency prior to travelling. It is possible to withdraw your money in local currency from ATMs in Cusco. If you are bringing your travel money with you we recommend you bring it in the form of US dollars in cash as this provides for the easiest exchange and in emergency can even be used to purchase goods. Credit cards can be used to purchase goods and to pay for meals in Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes.

Tipping is common in Peru, however you must remember that it is voluntary, and how much you give depends on how you feel about the service you have received. Airport baggage carriers are the only exception and tipping is compulsory. These people are unwaged and make a living by carrying your luggage. The general rule is 1 or 2 soles per bag. For hotel staff, tipping is not expected, but is welcome. For hotel porters 1 or 2 soles per bag is reasonable. Drivers of standard taxis do not usually expect a tip. As with most countries, it is usual to tip in restaurants and 10% is expected for good service. For the support crew on trek (guides, cooks, porters etc.), it is recommended that each client contributes around £50 to £60 to a group tipping pool.

For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. Pack animals are not allowed on the Inca Trail and all baggage will be carried by porters, though we may use pack horses for the trek though the Silque valley. Each group on the Inca Trail is restricted to a maximum number of porters designated by the park authority. The limit is imposed by the Peruvian National Park Authorities and is designed to minimise the impact on the Inca Trail from the many visitors it receives. Before starting on the Inca Trail you will be provided with an ‘approved’ Inca Trail kit bag. Whilst trekking, the packed weight of this bag INCLUDING your sleeping bag, should be around 8 - 10kgs. It is possible to leave clothes and other items not required on trek at the group hotel in Cusco. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in the ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.