The Inca Trail is the main route that united the principal cities of the Tahuantinsuyo or the Inca Empire, the largest empire in the world at its peak. Tahuantinsuyo (or “Tawantinsuyo”) literally translates as “4 Regions Together,” which speaks to the 4 major regions of the Inca Empire that included the following countries of today:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador, and
- Peru
That’s how extensive the Inca Trail was – in fact, it covered a span of over 30,000 km! When you hike the Inca Trail, you’ll be hiking along the same route that the chasquis (messengers) ran along to deliver messages or gifts between cities. In its time, the Inca Trail was known as “Qhapac Ñan,” which literally means “The Path of the Powerful” or “The Path of the King” but is often translated as “Royal Road” or “Principal Route.”
Today, the most famous portion of the Inca Trail that has been conserved is the one that links up with Machu Picchu, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
As part of its conservation, there’s a limit to the number of travelers who can hike the Inca Trail per day, and all travelers need a permit to even enter the Inca Trail. Permits are only granted to authorized travel agencies who promise to abide by certain rules for the sustainability of the tourist attraction.
There are two ways to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu:
Both tours include a photo stop at the Sun Gate, which gives you an unforgettable view of the entire Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
PS: Curious about the Sungate? Dive into an unforgettable journey through Inca culture and heritage in this post!
Don’t forget that we recommend booking any Machu Picchu tour at least 3 months at advance not only to give us sufficient time to reserve all the components of your Inca Trail Hike and Machu Picchu Tour, but also because entrance tickets to both the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are highly competitive and sell out fast!
