Alternative Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

The Short Inca Trail (2D/1N) tour exceeded my expectations. TreXperience had great organization/coordination and handled all the logistics of the many pieces involved with visiting Machu Picchu. I felt safe knowing that they handled and thought of everything. The hike was amazing. JJ and Pepe took care of us, managing everyone’s different paces and needs, and teaching us about the Incan hike and culture. They are clearly experts in hiking and all things Machu Picchu. On top of that, they are kind, fun, and professional in their work. Unforgettable experience. Thank you to JJ, Pepe, and the team! Highly recommend.

The 4-day Inca Trail was an incredible journey, filled with breathtaking views and delicious food. Our guides, Pepe and Maribel, were exceptional. They not only led us safely through the trail but also shared their knowledge, making the trek a learning experience. Their care and attention to everyone's needs made the journey even more enjoyable. The entire experience was worth every step, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable adventure.

We did the Lares Trek to Macchu Picchu 4 days with TreXperience and it was an amazing experience. During the hike the emphasize was given on enjoying the time with no time pressure on reaching a given point, which allowed us to enjoy the views. Manolo also took the time to tell us a lot about the history of Peru and of the trek we walked specifically. The food was plentiful and awesome for every meal, thanks again Orlando! The preparation was smooth and simple. Thanks to the TreXperience team!

10/10. Pepe and Johny was super professional. Well planned and fun trip! We did the 2 day Inca trail. The trek is easy, but with some steep sections. The views are amazing!

We came to hike the Inca trail and it was an amazing experience. It is a very difficult trip, but well worth it. For our trip we had Carlos as our guide. He is a fantastic guy. Polite and helpful. He has a lot of knowledge of the history and culture and his animated explanations made it more exciting. Our chef Alejandro cooked amazing meals. During the trip, while chatting with Carlos, we mentioned we just got married. On our last night they made us home-made chocolate cake to celebrate. How awesome is that, that 1) they could make a cake while camping and 2) he had the ingredients. We never mentioned our marriage when we booked the trip. The food was great and had a lot of variety. They also accommodate special needs (vegetarian, pescatarian, etc) Finally, the porters were amazing. The head porter, Jesus, runs a tight ship and everything is ready to go. Our tents are ready for us, food is timed to come out when we arrive. The trip was hard, but an amazing experience. A few tips 1) when they suggest to get the hiking poles, GET the hiking poles. Just do it. 2) most of this trip are stone "stairs". Some of these "stairs" can be 30 inches high. For sure they are absolutely and not even remotely close to being uniform. 3) make sure to have 100% waterproof gear (goretex), altitude medicine (before you arrive to Cusco), and layers.

What can I say, GREAT COMPANY! We booked this 4 day hike to Machu Picchu, glad we did. This company was great all the way around. We had all information in advance, picked us up at our hotel the morning off, porters/sherpas carried all the main gear, you just had to carry your daily pack. This was tent camping. Food was absolutely amazing for being carried up the mountains and prepared in a tent. The chef made great food with vegetarian options, as long as he’s made aware before heading out. The porters, man, these were hard working guys and gals. They made the hike look easy, and trust me, it was anything but easy! The hiking guides were great and knowledgeable. They provided stories at each stop and ruins along the way. If you’re looking for something easy, this isn’t it. If you want to challenge yourself, learn some history, view amazing sites that only those hiking will see, and make some friends along the way…this is for you. The views were just incredible! They provide the tents, sleeping matts, sleeping bags, and hiking poles. However, I recommend you bring your own bag. These bags get used by many people and have a funky smell. Bring change and cash on the hike. You will find people in small towns selling drinks, gloves, caps, and many things you probably didn’t think of in advance. The coins are needed for the bathrooms along the route. Most places charged $1 sol to use the facility. They don’t have much change so bring coins for that. PS: Bring extra money to tip the porters/sherpas well. You’ve never seen harder working people in your life! I was amazed.

We had an unbelievable experience doing the Inca trail with our guides Abelardo and Sergio, who were incredibly knowledgable about Inca history as well as local flora, chefs Valvino and Julio, who cooked the most delicious Peruvian food, not to mention the team of 20+ porters who worked around the clock carrying all our kit and setting up camp. Cannot recommend highly enough - a once in a lifetime experience done right.

I can begin to even describe what a wonderful and life changing experience the 4 day Inca Trail with Trexperience was. The views were beyond anything I could have imagined, but what really made this experience the best of my life were our tour guides Amadeo and Plinio, along with the entire amazing team of porters, chef, and assistant chef. Amadeo's in depth archaeological knowledge and first0hand experience working on the restoring parts of the Inca Trail gave us all so much insight into the ancient ruins and history of Inka culture. Throughout these 4 days, I met such an amazing group of people and formed lifelong friendships, and the fun lighthearted and special dynamic that Amadeo and Plinio helped create made this possible. I am so grateful to Trexperience and everyone in our group who made this possible, you truly cannot get a better team and guide to lead you through this amazing journey that feels like you're flying through the clouds.

We did a 3 days hike with our family, 4 adults, very well guided by Filio and taken care of his team. We hiked to Humantay lake, Salkantay pass, and finally ended with a visit to Machu Picchu. The cook Bertram made delicious meals for us and Filio shared a lot of information about the region and the Peruvian culture and history. He put Peru into a different light for us. Everyone should make sure he is well informed about fitness required and all other relevant aspects of such a trip to avoid misunderstandings. I recommend to Filio to keep learning English, much more of your interesting knowledge can be shared. Definitely recommend such a trip for any visitor to Peru ready for an adventure creating memories for a lifetime!

Myself and a mate absolutely loved our 6-day Salcantay/Inka Trail combo for his 40th birthday! Led by super puma & experienced tour guide Leo and the team assisted us in having us a seamless trip from booking enquiry through to dropping us back at our accomodation. We can’t recommend Trexperience more highly for your adventure tour operator based in Cuzco. Our trip commenced with a hotel pickup by private transport to the start of our trek. From there we were supported by horseman Mario who carried our gear, food and kitchen equipment. Masterchefs Augusto & Esteban creatively entertained our tastebuds for breakfast, lunch & dinner in the comfort of a shared kitchen-dining tent. The 3 course meals were perfectly paired to the temperature and that of our energy requirements ahead. Most importantly cleanliness and hygene was of a high standard & our tummies were in tip top shape. The salsa garnish is a must try while in Peru, although this may result in additional exhaust emissions! Tour guide, Leo was an Inca race champion back in the day with over 1000 Inca trail runs and is a walking encyclopedia on the Inca history, flora and fauna of which you will pass a great variety. Leo’s experience enabled us to make the most of the trip, see more, rest a little at times & drink Momma’s beer by optimising the schedule to suit our interests & the weather when the “super kangaroos” were ahead of schedule. Our first stop to Humantay Lake was serene and a good walm up for the following days. Camp sites were in some amazing places, a highlight was overlooking the snow capped Salcantay mountain and witnesssing a couple of avalanches from a more than safe distance but could still hear and feel the power of the event. This camp site was at an altitude of about 15,000 feet and we woke to a powdering of snow in the morning. The treks in the whole area are rocky and at times steep and my Keen ankle boots looked after my ankles and feet. Walking poles are an option which we would recommend taking up to assist with uphill and downhill step downs. Upon entering the Inca trail horses are forbidden so we were joined by a fantastic porter crew consisting of Cerilo, Santos, Ruben, Fortunato, Marcelino, Porfedio. We had a great time with our chefs and porters and if you include them in your trip it will really make the experience better. So dont be snobby - we shared plenty of laughs, music, food and stories with them sometimes through translation as we didnt speak fluent Espanol. Along the way there are the occasional stall to buy drinks or if things workout you may get to stay in a village and try some locally made Inca beer of which we helped make the night before. Tipping is optional but don’t be a tight arse - the support team work in exceptionally hard conditions, carry up to 25kgs on their backs compared to your 6kgs if that and run a fantastic operation. Tipping was by separate envelope to ensure funds go directly to the chef, porters & to guide. On weight keep your packing to a minimum - spare jocks and socks for each day & you’ll get a number of days out of pants and shirts, a couple of sets thermals/compression gear, warm jacket, rain jacket - follow the packing instructions provided and you’ll be fine. I bought a garmin watch which lasted 2 days GPS tracking our route, heart rate & O2 saturation & charged with a powerbank. There are some opportunities for showers but most are cold and most camps are next to a crystal clear creek to ice bath your legs in and make things easier for crew. Altitude sickness wasnt an issue although we could feel the effects of the thin air. A mate put us onto Diamox tablets(sourced through your doctor) which assisted with this, otherwise just taking it easier and focussing on solid breathing helped get us through without having additional things to deal with. Its an incredible trip which you will have a great time if you do a little homework and preparation. If an 80 year old can do it or a guy with a kevlar knee im sure you can do it too! Thank you for a once in a lifetime experience, Trexperience 😘