Hike, Cycle and Raft to Machu Picchu

A permit is required to visit Machu Picchu, and this is included in the price of your trip. Your host in Peru usually secures entry permits for around 09:00 or 10:00 in the morning to help you avoid the crowds, with each permit pre-purchased in your name and passport number. For late bookings, permits may only be available for a later time slot, meaning you could enter separately from the group. To increase your chances of securing a permit with the group, we strongly recommend booking early and providing your host with your full name, passport number, nationality, and date of birth as soon as possible (preferably at the time of booking). The permits are limited, and once purchased they are non-refundable and non-transferable. If your passport details change after they've been purchased then it's no problem, please just let your host know and bring your old passport with you to access Machu Picchu.

Your local host will handle the booking of your Machu Picchu permits which are booked using your passport details, so please provide your full name, nationality, passport number and date of birth at the time of booking — at time of booking or as early as possible. If these are not provided then your host is unable to book the permits once bookings are open with Peru’s Ministry of Culture and the dedicated time and circuit will be sold out quickly. Once issued, permits are non-refundable and non-transferable. You’ll need to travel with the same passport you booked with. If your passport changes after booking, just let your local host know and bring the original one with you for entry.

The one-day Inca Trail hike begins at KM104, known locally as Chachabamba. The name KM104 refers to the distance along the railway line from Cusco. The trail ascends to the Wiñay Wayna ruins before contouring along the hillside, passing through the Sun Gate, and eventually arriving at Machu Picchu. This final section of the Inca Trail is less crowded than the main route or Machu Picchu llaqta itself. The hike is not technically challenging and should be manageable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. The journey starts with a 200m uphill section before the path winds around the mountain. Over the course of the day, there is a total ascent of 550m and a descent of 250m.

You'll need a permit for hiking along KM104, which will be arranged by your host and is included in your booking. There are 250 permits available each day (and sometimes they don’t all sell out), so it’s relatively easy to spread out along the hike and avoid getting too close to other groups. On this trip, you'll take the earliest train possible, ensuring that you’re among the first on the trail. Arriving at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate is a spectacular experience filled with great energy. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's a popular destination and you'll encounter many others, but the shared excitement only adds to the moment. When you finally arrive, the view will make every step of the journey worthwhile.

For each person on this trip a $99 contribution to the Positive Impact Fund will go directly towards the following:

1. Fully offsetting the carbon footprint of your time in Peru, via a carbon sink project in Manu National Park run by Regenera Peru

2. Planting a guaranteed minimum of two native queuña polyepolis trees per person, per day, in the high Andes — helping to protect vital water sources, support hundreds of local farming jobs and regenerate the land

3. Supporting initiatives like Green Hero Peru, which provide sustainability education for up to 3,000 children each year, run clean-ups along riverbanks and public spaces, and aim to establish a new container library annually in a local community

On this trip, you’ll visit Palcoyo, the 'alternative Rainbow Mountain,' which offers everything we love about adventure travel: breathtaking scenery, an off-the-beaten-path experience, and a connection with nature that feels authentic and unspoiled. It’s a quieter, yet equally stunning alternative to the more famous Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain: at Palcoyo, you can soak in the vibrant beauty of Peru’s multicoloured landscapes without the crowds. The hike here is pleasantly accessible – it has all the rewards of a high-altitude trek without the intense challenge, balancing exploration with a bit of ease. But accessible doesn’t mean any less spectacular – Palcoyo offers an incredible visual experience with its three colourful peaks: Montaña Palcoyo, Cerro Colorado, and a third unnamed mountain. The reds, oranges, yellows, and greens of these mountains are the result of unique mineral deposits, painting a landscape that feels almost otherworldly. What truly sets Palcoyo apart is its untouched, wild feel. With less tourism infrastructure, the landscape remains unspoiled by heavy foot traffic, allowing for a more personal and profound connection with nature.

Clean drinking water will be regularly provided for you to fill up your water bottles. In an effort to eliminate plastic waste we recommend that you bring your own water bottle with you and regularly fill up. If you are concerned about the water quality, please feel free to bring additional water purification tablets.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Peruvian cuisine is one of the most diverse in South America, shaped by a remarkable geography that spans coastal fisheries, Andean highlands and Amazonian jun…Peruvian cuisine is one of the most diverse in South America, shaped by a remarkable geography that spans coastal fisheries, Andean highlands and Amazonian jungle, alongside centuries of influence from Indigenous, Spanish, African, Japanese and Chinese communities. The result is a varied and ingredient-rich food culture, where fresh produce, seafood, grains and tubers feature prominently across different regions. Most travellers with dietary requirements will find Peru relatively accommodating, as the breadth of the cuisine means plant-based, gluten-free and pescatarian options are commonly available. It helps to communicate requirements clearly in advance, and your guide will be well placed to assist with this throughout the trip.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian -Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Peruvian vegetarian dishes rely heavily on native Andean ingredients like quinoa, potatoes, corn, and yellow chilies.

Vegan -Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Kosher -Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. The Host is unable to guarantee a separate, certified cooking/preparation area or the use of certified kosher products. They can, however, provide meals that exclude non-Kosher ingredients (such as pork and shellfish) and avoid mixing meat and dairy. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal -Certified Halal supply varies by location and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) -Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free -Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as grilled meats, rice and vegetable dishes.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip.

This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

The one thing you can say for sure about the weather in Peru is that it is difficult to accurately predict. You can have beautifully clear hot days in the middle of the wet season and hail storms in the dry season. In the Andes, there are two distinct seasons – wet and dry. The dry season runs from May to October and you can expect clear skies, sunny days, with daytime temperatures of around 18-25ºC. The nights tend to be colder, and temperatures can drop significantly, so it's advisable to bring layers. The wet season runs from November to April and the weather can be unpredictable. Daytime temperatures are relatively mild, and it tends to be cloudier, with a higher chance of rain. Rainfall is usually heaviest from December to March. If you want to avoid Machu Picchu at it's busiest, you might want to consider travelling in November, when crowds are fewer and rainfall is still not nearly as much as in the following months.