Choosing a Machu Picchu Tour

Everyone wants to see Machu Picchu, and honestly it's worth the hype. There are many ways to see Machu Picchu with tours ranging from one day to 7 days! Some tours include activities like hiking, zip lining and riding a scenic train. All tours offer a unique experience that combines adventure and culture. In this post find a summary of some of the best ways to visit Machu Picchu and notes from the author on what to expect.

A day trip

Taking a train through the mountains to the gate of Machu Picchu is the most time efficient way to check this monument off of a bucket list. A day trip is perfect for someone with very little time in Peru or who may not like to hike. While it is also the cheapest route, it is still a very expensive day and one reason to keep reading this post.

The Classic Inca Trail

The Classic Inca Trail is only a small portion of a great network of roads and trail systems the Incan people built through the mountains, with ancient ruins to visit along the way to Machu Picchu. During the trek, hike over Dead Women Pass, see views of Salkantay Mountain and be there to watch the sunrise at the Sungate. Overall, the trek takes 4 days and 3 nights to complete and reaches elevations over 13,800 (4,200m). To complete this trail, hire a company with porters to carry your belongings. Find a company with all inclusive meals, gear rentals (if needed) and an indigenous guide to give detail about the trek, ruins and local floral and fauna.

The Salkantay Trek

The Salkantay Trek is a bit longer than the traditional Inca Trail hike with a 5 day, 4 night tour. The Salkantay passes by Humantay Lake, goes over the Salkantay pass, hikes along the Inca Trail and is overall bit more remote than the Inca Trail. Be prepared to reach an elevation of over 15,000ft (4,600m) while hiking through these mountains. When hiring a tour guide, ensure the tour is all inclusive with eco tour guides, meals and place to stay.

Multiday tour adventure

For people who are active, but aren't looking for an intense hike into Machu Picchu, there is an option for a multi-day adventure tour leading to Machu Picchu. All inclusive tours provide a total of four days worth of activities with one day zip lining, one day of biking, one day of rafting and a history tour of Machu Picchu on the last day. When booking a tour, find an all inclusive with meals and lodging for the best deal.

Important notes from the author:

After spending time around Cusco and Peru, we learned a lot about different tours for Machu Picchu and it seemed very important to note the labor employees go through for little wages. We had heard rumors that a few years ago (maybe still now), there was an issue with tour companies not paying their employees enough. Guests visiting Machu Picchu are highly recommended to have a guide, and porters are very common to have with the package. Make sure when purchasing a tour, to find a tour that seems reasonably in price and tip your guides!

We trekked the Inca Trial with a company called Alpaca Adventures and they were amazing overall. The food was some of the best we had in Peru, and homemade on the trial! The porters, lead historical guides and team just made our time spectacular. During the time of our trip (spring 2022) tours costs were around $600-$700 USD with tips.