Inca Trail Elevation Gain Day by Day and the Total

INCA TRAIL ELEVATION GAIN

The elevation gains on your Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu will depend on what trail you want to take. There are a few variations of the Inca Trail that you can follow to get to Machu Picchu depending on the route you follow and the time you have. You can hike The Classic Inca Trail 4 days or the short Inca trail 2 days or Inca Trail 7 Days.

Inca Trail 4-Day Elevation Gain Map

Below you will find a detailed elevation gain map for the classic Inca Trail 4-Day Trek, illustrating the gradual ascents and descents along the route. This map highlights the daily elevation changes, campsites, and significant Inca archaeological sites encountered during the journey to Machu Picchu.

Details

Inca Trail 4-Day Total Elevation Gain: 2507 m/8225ft.
Inca Trail 4-Day Total Elevation Loss: 2937m/9635 ft.

Inca Trail 4-Day Itinerary with Daily Elevation Gain

Day 1: Cusco – Piskacucho – Km 82 – Wayllabamba

We will leave Cusco at 06:00 am to start the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu .we drive for about an hour and a half to Ollantaytambo where we will stop briefly to buy last-minute gear, and personal needing and eat breakfast which is not included, then we keep driving to Piskacuchu (Km 82) Inca Trail check Point .once passing the checkpoint we start our trek of classic Inca Trail to Wayllabamba(first camping site). along the way, we are going to have lunch at Miskay which is a Quechuan village, and have a siesta before walking to our first Archaeological site of Patallacta or Llactapata (the biggest Inca Site) after an explanation of your guide about Llactapata, you will keep walking for 2 more hours to get Wayllabamba (first Inca Trail Camping spot 3,000 m/9,842 ft.).

Elevation Gain: 607 m / 1,991 ft.
Elevation Loose: 340 m / 1,115 ft.
Distance:12 km/7.45 miles.
Time: 5-6 hours on average
Start:Km 82(trailhead of Inca trail)2,657 m/8,717 ft.
End: Wayllabamba Campsite 3,000 m/ 9,842 ft.

Day 2: Wayllabamba – Warmiwañusca – Pacaymayo

We’ll start our Inca Trail day, early in the morning, just to take advantage of the shade of the mountains. It is much better to hike up to the first Inca Trail passes (Warmihuañusca which means dead woman pass 4,195 m.a.s.l) the highest point of the Inca Trail. Here, we can literally see the various Inca Trail ecological zones and microclimates, which make up the area, mapped out in front of us. We will cross the Warmiwañusca pass and once we are on the top. we are going to see many snow-capped Mountains around. Later on, we take our group picture, we keep going down to Pacaymayo (second Inca Trail Camping spot 3,595 m.a.s.l) where we have our lunch and then we will have a free afternoon to explore by ourselves.

Elevation Gain: 1274 m / 4,179 ft.
Elevation Loose: 628 m / 2,060 ft.
Distance:8 km/4,97 miles.
Time:7-8 hours on average.
Start:Wayllabamba Campsite 3,000 m/9,842 ft.
End:Pacasmayo Campsite 3,595 m/11,794 ft.

Day 3: Pacaymayo – Chaquicocha – Wiñaywayna

Inca Trail begins with a nutritious breakfast and then a 45-minute hike up to Runcurakay Pass (second highest pass on the Trail 3,950 m.a.s.l). Along the way, we will visit the Runcuracay archeological site. During the day’s hike, we will also visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca Quechuan archeological sites of the Inca Trail. After lunch, we will head to the Wiñaywayna site, where we will spend our last night on the Inca Trail, and then we will have a celebratory dinner to then say goodbye to our Inca Trail porters.

Elevation Gain: 632 m / 2,073 ft.
Elevation Loose: 1518 m / 4,980 feet.
Distance: 13 km/8.07 miles.
Time: 8 – 9 hours on average
Start: Pacasmayo Campsite 3,595 m/11,794 ft.
End: Wiñaywayna campsite 2,679 m/8,789 ft.

Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Machupicchu – Cusco

After an early breakfast, we begin the final leg of the Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu. First, we will hike to Inti Punku (“Sun Gate”), Gate of the Inca Trail where we will take in an inspiring and panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel. After a short hike down to Machu Picchu, we will register and then enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of the sanctuary-city. After the tour of Machupicchu, we will take the bus down or walk part of the Short Inca Trail to Aguas Calientes where we will enjoy lunch and free time to enjoy the town before returning to Ollantaytambo by train and then bus back to Cusco.

Elevation Gain: 185 m / 606 ft.
Elevation Loose: 451 m / 1,479 ft.
Distance: 7 km/4.34 miles.
Time: 2-3 hours on average
Start: Wiñaywayna campsite 2,679 m/8,789 ft.
End: Machu Picchu 2,450 m/7,956 ft.

Learn more about Inca Trail here

Inca Trail 2-Day Elevation Gain Map

You will find a detailed 2-day Inca Trail elevation gain map that illustrates the number of meters you ascend and descend during both hiking days. This map helps you clearly understand the level of difficulty and altitude changes along the route. It also highlights the Inca archaeological sites you will visit on each day, allowing you to visualize your journey through the ancient trail and appreciate the historical and natural beauty of this remarkable trek to Machu Picchu

Inca Trail 5-Day Elevation Gain Map

The Inca Trail 5-day trek follows the same total distance as the classic 4-day Inca Trail hike; however, what makes it different is the way this distance is distributed across the days. The 5-day itinerary is designed to offer a more relaxed pace, allowing trekkers to enjoy the journey with shorter walking hours each day and additional time to explore the archaeological sites along the route. The elevation gain and loss also vary daily, as the extra day helps reduce the intensity of the climbs and descents. Below, you will find a detailed Inca Trail 5-day elevation gain and loss map, which illustrates the gradual ascent and descent of the trail, along with the main Inca sites and designated campsites visited during the trek.