Features

Regulations

Only 500 people a day are permitted to trek the Inca Trail. Many of the spaces are used up by guides, porters and cooks, leaving about 200 places for trekkers.

Tourists must book through authorised agencies, to who they pay a non-refundable £150 deposit. Visitors are advised to book the Inca Trail about six months in advance.

The trail closes in February for maintenance.

What you need to take

Clothing

Sunhat
Waterproof clothes
Two t-shirts
Two pairs of trousers
Two pairs of shorts
Two long-sleeved shirts
Fleece

Footwear

Comfortable footwear, preferably walking boots

Essentials

Sleeping bag
Toilet paper
Water bottle
Torch

Health and wellbeing

Water purification tables
Insect repellent
First-aid kit

When to go

The Inca Trail can be wet and dangerous during the winter. The best time to go is during the dry spring and summer months, from April to October, although waiting times can be four months or more.

Sample product

Cox and Kings offers the 10-night Inca Trail private journey, featuring the three-day trek, plus stays in Lima, Cusco and at the Machu Picchu Inn, for £2,595 per person, including flights, accommodation with most meals, transfers and excursions (020 7873 5000).