We pick you up from your hotel at 5:00 am and drive about four hours to the village of Cachora (2,880 m / 9,449 ft) for last supplies, then another 40 minutes to Capuliyoc (2,945 m / 9,662 ft), the starting point of the trek on the edge of the Apurímac Canyon. Here you meet our horsemen and enjoy views of the snow-capped peaks of Padrayoc and Wayna Cachora. A descent of about three hours brings us to Chiquiska (1,850 m / 6,070 ft) for lunch. Afterwards, we continue for about 1.5 hours to Playa Rosalinas (1,550 m / 5,085 ft) on the Apurímac River, where we spend the night. Today you cover 12 km (7.5 mi) in 5–6 hours of hiking.

Early in the morning, we start the climb of about four hours via Santa Rosa (2,095 m / 6,873 ft) to Marampata (2,900 m / 9,514 ft), where we have lunch with views of Choquequirao. In the afternoon, a two-hour walk brings us to our campsite near the Inca site of Choquequirao (3,100 m / 10,171 ft). Keep an eye out for Andean condors and the many orchids along the way. Today you cover 13 km (8.1 mi) in 7–8 hours of hiking.

After breakfast, you spend about four hours exploring Choquequirao with your guide before returning to camp for lunch. In the afternoon, we climb along a ridge for about an hour to the Choquequirao Pass (3,300 m / 10,827 ft) and then descend to the Inca site of Pinchiunuyoc (2,470 m / 8,104 ft). We visit its terraces before spending the night at the nearby campsite – on a clear day, one of the most beautiful campsites of the trek. Today you cover 6 km (3.7 mi) in 4–5 hours of hiking.

After a hearty breakfast, we descend for about two hours to the Río Blanco (1,920 m / 6,299 ft), where you can cool your feet in the river. From here, a strenuous zigzag climb of about four hours leads up to Maizal (3,000 m / 9,843 ft), a small clearing with fields on the mountainside – for many, the most challenging part of the trek. After lunch, you have the rest of the afternoon to relax. Today you cover 8 km (5.0 mi) in 6–7 hours of hiking.

Around 7:00 am, we climb for about three hours through cloud forest, past the old Victoria mines, to the Victoria Pass (4,100 m / 13,451 ft) – one of the best viewpoints of the trek, often with condors circling above. Well-built Inca steps then lead down to the village of Yanama (3,700 m / 12,139 ft) in about two hours. The hardest part of the trek is now behind you. From Yanama, local transport takes us in about three hours to Lucmabamba (2,060 m / 6,759 ft), with its warm high-jungle climate, waterfalls and views of snow-capped mountains. Today you cover 11 km (6.8 mi) in 6–7 hours of hiking, plus about 3 hours of driving.

We hike for about three hours along an original Inca path through the cloud forest to the viewpoint of Abra Qelloqasa (2,860 m / 9,383 ft) and on to the Inca site of Llactapata (2,700 m / 8,858 ft), directly opposite Machu Picchu – a unique view of the citadel from afar. A descent of about two hours leads to Hidroeléctrica (1,890 m / 6,201 ft) for lunch. In the afternoon, a pleasant three-hour walk at the foot of Machu Picchu brings us to Aguas Calientes, where you check into your hotel. Today you cover 18 km (11.2 mi) in 7–8 hours of hiking.

After breakfast at 5:00 am, we take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu (2,400 m / 7,874 ft) to experience the citadel at sunrise. Your guide then leads you on a comprehensive tour of its most important buildings and temples; our entry slot is between 6:00 and 10:00 am. Afterwards, you take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then the train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transport brings you back to your hotel in Cusco.