Essential Inca Trail
Essential Inca Trail
Essential Inca Trail
7 Days Starting and ending in Cuzco
Visiting: Peru
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TPE
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Vegans
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
Pressed for time? This express version of our eight-day Inca Trail trip cuts through the same amazing Andean landscapes, but with some challenging longer trekking days and pre-dawn starts. Our goal is the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the New Wonders of the World, and we’ll wake early on our visiting day to beat the day trippers from Cuzco. Better yet, we’ll be led by some of the most experienced guides on the trail, who will help unravel the mysteries of the Incas.
Please note: A permit is required to walk the Inca Trail. These are strictly limited and highly sought after; therefore, we strongly recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
Highlights
What's Included
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Meals
6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners.
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Visas or vaccinations
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Single accommodation (available on request)
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Sleeping bag (hire locally from US$20)
Food
All breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners are included.
Peruvian cuisine is loved for its flavors and originality; it’s well worth digging into the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry), and various hearty soups including the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca steak. To drink, there’s pisco sour, the national beverage.
Drinking water is included throughout the holiday as the tap water in Peru is not safe to drink; boiled and filtered drinking water is provided on the trek; elsewhere your leader will buy large water containers from which you can refill your bottle.
Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffet-style affairs, usually including bread/toast, preserves, cereal, sometimes eggs or cooked dishes, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. Regrettably, we cannot guarantee that wheat-free or gluten-free products will be available for breakfast in all locations – if you have an intolerance you may wish to bring your own breakfast food.
Where lunch and dinner are not included in Cuzco, we’ll visit a variety of cafes and restaurants.
During the Inca Trail, hearty breakfasts are served and good-quality cooked lunches and dinners are provided. They usually consist of soup to start, a main course with meat/fish and some carbohydrates; followed by a dessert. Some snacks between meals are also provided. Tea/coffee is brought to your tent each morning and juice or hot drinks are provided with all meals during the trek.
Accommodation
Our Essential Inca Trail trip starts and ends in Cuzco, where we enjoy the comfort of our three-star hotel. Our Inca Trail is offered on a full-service camping basis with full porterage, meaning our camp staff put up and take down the tents for you, cook, and do all the camp chores. You need only carry your backpack for the day and enjoy your time on trek.
Cuzco: Royal Inka 1 Hotel (nights 1, 2 and 6)
The three-star Royal Inka 1 is conveniently located on Plaza Regocijo, two blocks from Cuzco’s central plaza, providing easy access to shops, cafes and restaurants. The 300-year-old Spanish-style hotel has an open courtyard, plus a restaurant and bar in which to dine and relax.
Inca Trail: Full-service camping (nights 3-5)
We sleep and dine in good-quality four-season tents. We also have a toilet tent set up both in camp and during lunch stops. Boiled and filtered drinking water is provided in the mornings, at lunch and dinner times so we can refill our water bottles. A bowl of warm water for washing is provided each morning and evening. We stay in official campsites where additional bathroom facilities are available.
Worth knowing
Single accommodation (including tents) can be arranged, subject to availability. Please request this at the time of booking.
Check out our Q&As
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Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.
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Are flights included in this tour?
International flights are not included with this tour.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, our local guides are English speaking.
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Who is Exodus Travels?
At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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