Alternative Inca Trail Hike 4-days
Stunning hiking tour in Peru
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Haku Expeditions’ Alternative Inca trail hiking tour in Peru is an off-the-beaten path trip full of local encounters, Incan ruins and adventures in the cloud forest. This Peru hiking tour combines local homestays, organic coffee farms, hot springs, hiking an Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu! This 4-day hiking trip combines a taste of the Andean backcountry with the luxury of a warm bed each night.
Alternative Inca Trail Hiking Tour Description:
This hiking adventure takes you from the Incan capital of Cusco all the way to the hidden city of Machu Picchu. You will enjoy a private tour of the historical and cultural treasures of the Sacred Valley, where you will explore ancient ruins and local weaving markets. After spending a cozy night in Ollantaytambo, the jewel of the Sacred Valley, you’ll make your way to the spectacular cloud forest of Peru. This journey will take you up to 15,000 ft while passing villages made of stone huts and thatched roofs, waterfalls and scenic mountain views. We will then descend into the lush Peruvian cloud forest where we will take a dip in the Cocalmayo hot springs before heading to an organic coffee farm for the night. Here we will experience the world of an organic coffee farmer in Peru firsthand. We then hike along the famous Qapac Nan, otherwise known as Inca trail, to the ruins of Llactapata. At this point we will be overlooking Machu Picchu and get to enjoy a view of this ancient site without the push and shove of thousands of tourists. We will take a short train ride to the town below Machu Picchu where we will sleep again in another warm bed for the night. On the last day of this Peru hiking tour we will explore the Machu Picchu citadel before heading back to Cusco for the night.
Why Choose Haku’s Alternative Inca Trail Hiking Tour?
At Haku Expeditions we believe in small tours, often private, to give you the adventure vacation you deserve. In Peru you will find many companies who cut corners and try to provide the cheapest product out there in order to get lots of bookings. However, those bus tours with loads of tourists are not the type of hiking vacations we provide. We want you to have an up close and personal adventure where you will meet locals, get to know your guide and explore places at your own pace. An amazing adventure holiday will make lifelong memories and a story to tell the grandkids!
Day by Day
Today, we’ll pick you up and begin the journey to the Sacred Valley for the first day of our hiking tour.
Our first stop is the Chinchero weaving market. Here we will meet women who spin, dye and weave wool for a living, a traditional lifestyle that’s common among the Quechua women of Peru. From here we will head over to the Moray ruins. These ruins are a sight to behold. These unusual ruins were most likely used for agricultural purposes. The difference between the upper terrace and the lower ones is a whole 15 °C/27 °F. Close by is our next stop, the salt pans of Maras. These small pools of salt are all individually owned by locals of the area. They are passed down for generations and worked by hand. Next we’ll head to Ollantaytambo, referred to by many as the “living Incan village.” Ollantaytambo, and famous for having preserved the designs of many ancient Incan buildings — in fact, the stones from which the village is built are original Incan stones. Here we will visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo and sleep for the night.
The bike ride is virtually the same without the Chinchero weaving market. The ride starts at Cruz Pata and takes you on a dirt road mixed with single track past the salt mines of Maras. Epic views!
Peru Hiking Tour Stats:
Stats: Hiking time: 3-5 hours
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Lodging: Hotel in Ollantaytambo, Tunupa Lodge
Meals Included: Lunch
Not included: B, D, Tourist Ticket (70 soles)
Note: All hotels are based on availability
Today you’ll start early — your tour guide will pick you up in the morning and take you on a beautiful drive up to a 4570 m/15,000 ft mountain pass, then down into the lush cloud forest near Machu Picchu. You’ll stop in the small town of Santa Teresa, which is right on the banks of the raging Vilcanota river. After lunch and a dip in the crystalline Cocalmayo hot springs, your guide will take you to an organic coffee farm where the local farmers will welcome you and introduce you to their world of planting, harvesting, and roasting coffee beans. The tour of the farm will include you taking part in the whole process — picking the beans, seeing how the age-old machines peel the coffee, roasting them over an open fire in clay vessels, grinding them, and, finally, tasting the result. Everyone says it’s without a doubt the best cup of coffee they’ve ever had!
Tonight, you’ll sleep in simple lodges provided by a local family. They’ll cook both dinner and breakfast for you (and provide one last cup of coffee from the farm before you leave!)
Peru Hiking Tour Stats:
Stats: Car drive, hot springs, Ruta del Cafe tour
Difficulty: Easy
Lodging: Simple homestay lodge
Meals Included: B,L,D
Wake to the smell of coffee and breakfast cooked entirely from ingredients grown locally. Today you’ll hike with your guide up an ancient Inca trail to the ruin of Llactapata. Archeologists believe Llactapata was an important religious stop and roadside shrine for Incans on the journey to Machu Picchu; from it, you’ll have unrivalled views of Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. Often, we have the ruins to ourselves — just you and the ghosts of the Incas. Once you’ve explored the ruins, it’s just a quick 20 minute walk to a local’s lodge where you’ll have a delicious home-cooked Peruvian lunch overlooking Machu Picchu.
After lunch, it’s a downhill hike to ‘el Hidro’, the hydroelectric station that supplies electricity to towns all the way to Cusco. Here you’ll board a train (we provide the tickets!) that runs beside a river to the town of Aguas Calientes — also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. Your guide will take you to your hotel and brief you on the next day’s Machu Picchu trip before you end the day with a luxurious 3-course meal that we’ve arranged for you at a top restaurant.
Peru Hiking Tour Stats:
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Lodging: Hotel Machu Picchu Pueblo, Wiracocha Inn*
Meals Included: B,L,D
*Hotels based on availability
You made it! Today you’ll experience Peru’s historical holy grail — Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas.” If you wake up early enough, you’ll get to see the sun rise on Machu Picchu, a sight you won’t soon forget. Haku will provide a two-hour guided tour of the ruins and, if you would like, we can add on a hike to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain as well.
Most people spend upwards of five hours here. Explore the ruins, take lots of photos, or just enjoy the views. At some point, however, you’ll have to make it back down in time for your return train to Cusco or Ollantaytambo, which will sadly be the end of our 4-day Alternative Inca Trail hiking tour. You’ll say goodbye to your guide, take one last picture, and head back to either continue your Peru vacation or head home.
Peru Hiking Tour Stats:
Hike to Machu Picchu, Historical Tour of the Ruins, Hiking at Machu Picchu
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Meals Included: B, Boxed Lunch
Not Included: Lodging, Dinner, Tips for guide
General Information
What’s the price of this 4-day Alternative Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Hiking Tour? And, what’s included?
3 Trekkers $1075 pp
4+ Trekkers $995 pp
Private Trip: $1375 pp
Price includes:
Not included:
Peru’s currency is called the Nuevo Sol. You’ll be able to exchange US currency for the Sol easily in Cusco. The exchange rate often fluctuates between 3.7 – 4 sol per US dollar.
We recommend you bring cash. Peru is still a cash society. Most people don’t have bank accounts as Peruvian banks charge up to $15 per month just to have the account open. So, services like Venmo, Pay-Pal, and Apple Pay aren’t used here. Most local stores, taxis, and local restaurants are cash only.
ATMS charge around $8 to take out $60-200. Banks only allow a small withdrawal daily. Thus, it’s probably a good idea to withdraw a good sum of cash before you come to Peru unless you have a bank that returns the ATM fees. You can also try the app called ATM hero and do a little research before you come to decide if an ATM card or cash is best for you.
The USD, EURO, CAD cash you bring should be non-ripped bills. Small rips or bills that are written on are not accepted for exchange.
Seeing as Peru is a cash society and it is difficult to withdraw large amounts of cash, we require your balance be brought in cash.
TIPPING: Local restaurants generally do not require a tip, however, leaving a few soles is a nice gesture. Tourist restaurants are generally a 10% tip.
Tipping your guide in Peru is generally 10-15% of the price you paid for the tour. Drivers are generally the same amount in soles. (If you tip a guide 200 USD the driver would get often 200 soles) Tips should always be based on performance and are never obligatory.
Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.
You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.
We do not provide refunds. If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip, or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.
Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!
For this 4-day Alternative Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Hiking Tour, you should have a hiking/trekking skill level of novice to adventure trekker:
Novice Trekkers:
Adventure trekkers (You can add additional hiking days on to this trip to make the tour more demanding):
Your fitness level should be a 3/6
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a regular schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a very active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. You are relatively fit and have no trouble taking part in some kind of active sport.
All international flights require a layover. Most layovers will be through Lima, Peru or Bogota, Colombia. In the case of flying through Lima most flights will arrive late at night in Lima and flights to Cusco will fly out in the morning. Many people get arrivals at 3-4 am and flights out around 5-6 am.
Your options for layovers in Lima, Peru.
Things to note when arriving in Lima:
As you can see there is a lot that you must do on arrival to Lima. You will need a bare minimum of two hours (if you have only carry-on luggage) in between flights.
Packing list for this Peru Hiking Tour:
This itinerary begins and ends in Cusco. It does not include airport pickup or dropoff.
Meals:
Meals on this trip will be at local restaurants and with local families. They are home cooked and nutritious. They often include a large bowl of soup plus a hearty main course of meat, rice and veggies. Breakfast at hotels are generally simple Peruvian breakfast that consists of coffee, tea, juice, bread, butter and jam.
Diet Restrictions:
We can accommodate:
If you have dietary restrictions please let us know so we can accommodate you.
Reviews
"If your looking to Travel away from the beaten path of life, Haku Expeditions is able to arrange your wildest fantasy. We signed up for a 3 day/2 night expedition in search of the Andean Condor. The trek was masterly arranged by Haku Expeditions !!! Prior to departing Cusco, we were educated by this wonderful outfit on what to expect along the way. We ventured off into the Andes Mountains with a pair of binoculars and not a worry in the world. I can not describe the scenery nor the emotions which flooded our senses throughout every minute of this expedition. It was truly Amazing and my soul yearns to get back asap and do it all over again. I can not praise Nicole and William Koch (Owners of Haku Expeditions) enough, they are true experts in their field and super knowledgeable about this entire area. This boutique outfit has something very special to offer for any inquiry or requests you might have. They have changed the way we look at life going forward:) "
"Bill & Nicole organized a spectacular trek for us. From arranging all of our transportation, guides and accommodation during our hike to recommending fabulous places to dine while we acclimatized, we felt like we were in very good hands. The local people we met through their connections: the lodge owners, guides and drivers were very gracious and accommodating. Haku's attention to all the small details and their eagerness to meet customer needs is a winning combination. I also enjoyed staying in their B&B and interacting with their young family. It felt like were were seeing a more authentic side of Peru we wouldn't have had by staying in hotels. But the option to stay elsewhere is available for those who prefer. "
This 4-day Alternative Inca Trail Hiking Tour in Peru is perfect for those looking to do multiple days of hiking while enjoying the comforts of a bed each night. The hiking on this trip ranges from 3-6 hours per day. This allows for an adventure tour without the excessive 8 hours of hiking that many other Peru treks provide such as Choquequirao or Salkantay.
This 4-day hiking adventure in Peru is a wonderful option for families or people with only minimal trekking experience. On the other hand advanced trekkers will still enjoy the breathtaking beauty and cultural experiences that this hiking tour provides.
Our 4-day Alternative Inca Trail Hiking Tour in Peru is ideal for you if:
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What’s the price of this 4-day Alternative Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Hiking Tour? And, what’s included?
3 Trekkers $1075 pp
4+ Trekkers $995 pp
Private Trip: $1375 pp
Price includes:
Not included:
Our Cross Country MTB tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next. On these, you’ll cycle literally across whichever country you’re visiting. For instance, check out our Andes to the Amazon tour, where you travel from Cusco to the Peruvian Amazon.
Our current XC vacations are made up of long-distance rides on backcountry roads. If you are looking for XC singletrack, get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a one-of-a-kind MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define XC: Anywhere from old logging or fire roads to rolling singletrack, Cross Country trails are generally long distances with both ascents and descents. While trails may be somewhat technical with rock gardens and tight switchbacks, they generally do not have intense steep rock gardens like those you might find in DH or Enduro racing.
An XC bike is often lighter with a slacker head tube angle for better climbing ability and tends to not have a dropper post although the trend is changing. Usually it will be a hardtail or a full suspension bike with a smaller amount of suspension — 100-130mm.
Most XC riders do not wear pads such as elbow or knee pads and wear a half-shell helmet.
Our MTB expeditions are multi-day trips that involve camping, hiking and/or local home stays in the mountains with cooks and porters. At the moment Haku Expeditions offers one complete mountain expedition and also two packages that combine an MTB vacation with a smaller expedition nestled in it.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
At the moment we do not offer a 100% DH trip. Contact us and we can make a custom trip for you! Below, you’ll find our Enduro MTB tours listed that are mostly all downhill and can be done either with a DH bike or an Enduro bike.
How we define DH: DH riding – or Downhill riding — is regarded as an intense, extreme kind of cycling, made for advanced riders who love to navigate roots and rocks and huge drops with furious downhill speed. It requires a stellar sense of balance and technique and a bike with slacker geometry.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
Our Enduro/All-Mountain MTB tours are by far our most popular trips to date. While some of them focus more on descent like Ecuador and Peru, others include plenty of pedaling such as those in Colombia and Nepal.
How we define Enduro/All Mountain: Enduro mountain biking, also known as All-Mountain biking, emphasizes technical ability. If you’re looking for a more adventurous ride, this is the kind of ride for you; usually, an Enduro/All-Mountain trail will involve adrenaline-pumping downhill mountain biking along with sustained climbs.
Enduro riders need bikes that can take burly drops and rugged technical obstacles efficiently while still being light enough to climb with; they almost always use full-suspension bikes with wide tires and longer rear and front suspension travel. Dropper post is a necessity and standard. The front suspension can be anywhere from 140mm to 170mm. Full-face enduro helmets and body amour are a must for Enduro racing.
1 – The Haku Christmas Drive, which includes yearly clothing giveaways, shoe drives, and a public hot chocolate panettone lunch.
2 – School supply giveaway for children of the High Andes.
3 – Bringing bread and fruit to kids living at elevations where none is available.
4 – Facilitating connections between local organic farmers and local restaurants.
5 – Affordable MTB classes for locals taught by professional coaches.
6 – Sustained commitment to hiring out locals to work as drivers, office workers, etc., allowing a great amount of flexibility for family commitments, and paying them fair, livable wages.
7 – Donating 1% of all profits to help educate children in a technical field such as carpentry.
8 – Helping young adults begin a small business working in their technical field or purchasing products from them to help them get started after high school.
1 – Getting your heart rate up isn’t really your thing, and you rarely (if ever) exercise. Your idea of a perfect vacation is total relaxation: sitting on a beach, sipping a mojito, and just generally vegging out.
2 – You don’t necessarily work out regularly but you aren’t averse to the idea of doing something active. Although you don’t exercise that often, you don’t necessarily consider yourself out of shape.
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are active. For biking: you enjoy climbs that are are moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
5 – You exercise at least 4 times a week and are an avid athlete that is consistently in good shape. You’re more or less game for any kind of adventure. For biking: you’re comfortable with being on your bike for 5-7 hours a day.
6 – You live and die for exercise, sweat, and suffering. You only want to climb higher, go farther, and prove how much of an animal you are. Steep climbs, long descents and big days are something you are looking to do more of and you can’t wait for your next adventure.
Beginner:
You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving doubletrack. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but relaxing mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate:
You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
Intermediate Tech:
You’ve got three plus years of riding on singletrack trails of all sorts with features such as rock gardens, steep sections, rolls and drops, roots, and small jumps. You are confident on the bike in most situations. You’re constantly looking to improve your riding skills and enjoy riding for extended periods of time climbing and descending in terrain of all sorts.
Advanced:
Ten plus years of experience riding single-track, freerides and biking of all sorts. You live for steeps, jumps, rock gardens, techy trails, long descents, big ascents and discovering new terrain. Mountain biking is one of your passions and you are ready and confident to do what you love in a new and challenging place. You can handle anything we throw at you — jumps, rock gardens, steps, technical descents, tough ascents, etc. Biking is a central part of your life. For you, the bigger the challenge, the more excited you get.
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"In mid september a group of 4 good female friends (ages 58 to 62) worked with Nicole to have a hiking and touring trip from Cusco to Macchu Picchu. Nicole set up a terrific trip of being tourist in Cusco, hiking Huchuy Qosgo trail -so beautiful, staying in Ollantayambo, enjoyiing the hot springs , hiking the Llactapata Inca Trail and of course Machu Picchu. The food provided by Haku on the hikes was very delicous and the guide did a great job! He really made our trip. The hotels were clean and the staff very warm. We all want to go back to Peru to see and do more! "