Inca Trail

The classic four-day walk to Machu Picchu, on Inca stone laid across three high passes in the Cusco region. It leaves the Urubamba at km 82, climbs out of the cloud forest to Warmiwañusca — Dead Woman's Pass — then runs from ruin to ruin along the ridges and drops through Intipunku, the Sun Gate, with the citadel below. [Route details] Start: km 82, Piscacucho · End: Machu Picchu 33.3 km as mapped · 2,687 m to 4,178 m at Dead Woman's Pass (16 km) [The three passes and the ruins] - Warmiwañusca 16.0 km, 4,178 m — the high point - Runkurakay 19.5 km, 3,943 m · Sayaqmarca 20.7 km - Phuyupatamarca 24.5 km, 3,605 m - Intipata 27.7 km · Wiñay Wayna 28.8 km - Intipunku 32.0 km · Machu Picchu 33.3 km [Good to know] - Entry is capped, permits sell out months ahead, and the trail may only be walked with a licensed operator. It closes every February. - The trail is usually quoted at about 43 km. This line measures 33.3 km because the mapped geometry smooths the switchbacks and stairways, so distance and climb both read low. - It ends at Machu Picchu; the descent to Aguas Calientes is in the source but is not part of the trek. - Elevation is sampled from a terrain model.