The classic 4-day Inca Trail hike is one of the most legendary multi-day hikes in the world. There are just so many things about the Inca Trail that make it one of the world’s best hikes – the incomparable Andes scenery, the Inca ruins along the way, the challenge of Dead Woman’s Pass, and of course, passing through the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. You may be wondering – is it possible to hike the classic 4-day Inca Trail with kids?
We have traveled the world with our kids and have tried many different styles of travel. One of our most favorite things to do while traveling as a family are hiking tours. Over the years we’ve hiked to the Lost City in Colombia, hiked the Portuguese Coastal Camino and done hut-to-hut hiking in Slovenia. We knew we would do the Inca Trail with our kids one day, so when our 11-year old daughter came home from Grade 6 one day and informed us she was learning about Peru, we knew it was time.
We ended up going to Peru and Bolivia for a month during their summer vacation. We saw many amazing things on this trip, but the Inca Trail was the definite highlight. To help you decide whether to do the Inca Trail with kids, here is our account of our family journey to Machu Picchu.
Sneak Peek: Here is the 4-day tour we booked for the Inca Trail.
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Day 1 – Inca Trail with Kids – Depart km 82
Getting to the km 82 Trailhead
The first day of our Inca Trail family adventure day began in the dead of the night with a 3:30 am alarm. After a quick scramble to finish packing our bags, our guide picked us up at our Cusco hotel at 4:00 am.
We all tried to sleep on the 2 hour drive to Ollantaytambo, but were unsuccessful as we were too excited. Upon arrival we had a hearty breakfast at a local restaurant, before driving the final 45 minutes to the Inca Trail km 82 trailhead.
After passing the Inca Trail checkpoint, we stopped in the interpretive centre where our guide talked to us about the history of the ancient trail we are hiking to Machu Picchu. Then, just that quickly, we were finally on our way! Then we immediately stopped… for photos at the famous km 82 sign that is!
Starting the Inca Trail
The Inca Trail begins with a fun, bouncy bridge over the Urubamba River. The first section of hiking is uphill, before you can stop and admire the surroundings at a viewpoint of some terraces.
The Inca Trail is surprisingly very arid here with lots of large cacti and Spanish moss hanging from flowering trees.
The First Inca Sites
The next 3 km / 1.8 miles of trail is reasonably flat. We stopped at a viewpoint of our first Inca site. Here our guide began teaching us some Inca history, including the kings who were responsible for the Sacred Valley.
At the 4.7 km / 2.9 mile mark there’s an incredible viewpoint at a bend in the Urubamba River below. Looking back towards the start, there’s a massive glacier capped mountain, while looking ahead is a feeling of adventures to come.
Our first real challenge while hiking the Inca Trail with kids was an extended uphill section with rock steps. Slow and steady, we all got to the top and were rewarded with a shaded rest area, where a friendly dog came over to say hi.
At the 6 km / 3.7 mile mark, we reached Llactapata, our first significant Inca ruin site. Viewed from high above, Llactapata (also known as Patallacta) is a very impressive site, with a cluster of stone buildings and a snake shaped terrace next to a river. Seeing our first major Inca sight was a rush, and got us all excited for what’s to come!
Next we explored the ruins of Willkaraqay, a collection of rock buildings overlooking Llactapata. Archaeologists believe that Willkaraqay was a military outpost guarding the entrance to the Sacred Valley and the lower terraces of Patallacta. Our kids had fun running between building trying to scare us and each other.
From here we descended for about an hour to our lunch site. After a full morning of hiking the Inca Trail with kids, we were starving. Lunch was amazing with soup, salad, mushroom chicken, tilapia ceviche and more.
Afternoon Hiking – Glaciers and Communities
The first stretch after lunch was “Inca Flat” – a joke our guide uses to describe a trail which goes up and down, but never really gains or loses any net elevation.
The rest area at 9.5 km / 5.9 miles has an excellent view of the beautiful Veronica Glacier. Shortly after, we passed through the final community along the Inca Trail. The communities are fun as there are often little kids and dogs to play with.
The final leg of our first day on the Inca Trail was a bit challenging. We had just finished putting our jackets back on in the rest area, but with some late afternoon sun, and an extended steep climb, we were all sweating in no time.
On our final steps of day 1 of hiking the Inca Trail with kids, the views of the valley ahead in the dying light of the day was so beautiful. We arrived at our first campground at 4:30 pm, with big smiles and high fives all around.
First Inca Trail Campground
Between the four of us we got two 4-person tents, each adult slept with one child in each tent. In addition to the included camping equipment, we had rented air mattresses and sleeping bags from our tour company, which were worthy investments. The tents were spacious, and we had lots of room to put our stuff and still be comfortable.
Shortly after arriving, we all got settled in our tents. The porters brought us each a bowl of hot water to wash ourselves after a dusty day of hiking.
All washed up, we went to the food tent for afternoon tea. The chefs had prepared some hot water so we could have tea, hot chocolate etc. We also enjoyed crackers with jam, and big plates of popcorn. After a big day of hiking the Inca Trail, the snacks didn’t last long!
We all stayed in the food tent until dinner arrived. For dinner we had a starter of pumpkin soup, followed by chicken with mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, yucca quiche and rice. As with lunch, it was delicious!
We were in our beds by 7:30, exhausted after a beautiful and rewarding day of hiking the first leg of the Inca Trail. With an early wake up call upcoming, we were all eager for a good night’s sleep.
Day 2 – Dead Woman’s Pass
Morning came early on the second day of hiking the Inca Trail with kids. Our guides woke us up at 4:30 am, with a bowl of hot water outside our tent for freshening up before hitting the trail. The steaming bowl of water was a nice touch on a chilly morning.
After a little time to pack and freshen up, we went to the food tent for breakfast. We appreciated the hearty breakfast of Quinoa portage, scrambled eggs, pancakes, bread and fresh fruit.
The Hike to Dead Woman’s Pass
By the time we hit the Inca Trail trail at 6:15, the sun was just starting to poke through the valley above.
The hike up to Dead Woman’s Pass is infamous for being the hardest part of the Inca Trail, and it lives up to its reputation. The next three hours of hiking to the top of Dead Woman’s Pass is a real grind – gaining 900 m / 2,950 feet in elevation in just 3.7 km / 2.3 miles.
You’ll spend most of your time watching your step all the way up, but I encourage you to take the time to admire your surroundings whenever you take a break. The views behind you are especially beautiful, but there are also many amazing micro details along the way. I especially liked all the different coloured flowers, including some surprise purple lupines.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see some of the colorful birds in the area. We saw a giant hummingbird and a couple of brilliant orange birds.
Around 8:45 am, we emerged from the shade and into the sunshine. It was instantly 10 °C / 18 °F warmer, so we had to take a few layers off.
Reaching Dead Woman’s Pass
Exactly 3 hours after leaving the campground, we arrived at the top of Dead Woman’s Pass. What an amazing feeling! Looking back at where we came from was a great feeling of accomplishment – we were so proud of our kids! And looking ahead, getting excited for what is still to come.
We took a nice long break at the top of Dead Woman’s Pass, soaking in the incredible Peruvian Andes scenery and waiting for the rest of our group to reach the top. The atmosphere at the top was jovial and everyone would cheer when members of their group would reach the top.
The Descent From Dead Woman’s Pass
The descent from the summit of Dead Woman’s Pass is a steep downhill. Most of the trail is made of uneven rocks, so watch your step carefully.
Speaking of watching your step, there are hardly any tall trees on the far side of Dead Woman’s Pass, so the scenery ahead of you is absolutely spectacular. The steps are very uneven, so take a moment and rest your knees and admire the views.
We stopped for lunch at the bottom. After such a hard morning of hiking the hardest section of the Inca Trail, we eagerly ate our hearty meal of beef and potatoes, pasta, quinoa salad and eggplant.
The 2nd Big Climb of the Day – Runkuraqay Pass
What people don’t talk about is that there is a second steep climb on Day 2 of the Inca Trail. Runkuraqay Pass is not as high as Dead Woman’s Pass, but your legs will really be feeling it by the time you start.
The first 15 minutes of hiking after lunch were a grind, with lots of steep, tall steps. The payoff is a flat viewpoint where you can see back to the lunch site as well as far into the valley beyond. The Veronica Glacier is especially impressive from here.
Another 15-minute uphill slog takes you to the Runkuraqay Inca ruins. A small site, with the usual amazing views, this was a resting place for Inca messengers.
The final stretch of the second pass is challenging hiking, as the steps are steep, uneven and long. As you near the top, the views disappear a bit, but soon enough you are at the top of Runkuraqay Pass! It’s time to celebrate for real as it’s (basically) all downhill to Machu Picchu from here!
As amazing as it is at the top of Runkuraqay Pass is, you can’t see the other side. If you want to see it, there’s an optional steep scramble to a viewpoint. You may be tired, but in my opinion, the views are worth it.
The Final Descent to Camp
The final descent of the day was also quite steep. The trail starts off on a fun fashion with a small rock cave you walk through. Although you really need to watch your step, the views ahead are exciting and new.
The ecosystem seems to change on this side of the pass. The bushes are a lot more robust and there’s a wide variety of flowers, including some beautiful yellow orchids.
Eventually you will come to a viewpoint for the impressive Sayaqmarca Inca ruins. It’s a big complex perched up high on a hill – a pretty impressive sight!
It’s just a small detour off the Inca Trail to see the Sayacmarca ruins. Our kids were getting pretty tired by this stage of the game, so we almost skipped the ruins. Instead, we left the kids at the junction while we went up and took a very quick peek at the ruins. The rest of our tour group was still behind us, so the kids had company.
Inca Trail Campsite #2
After the Sayacmarca ruins, we made our final push to our campsite. The change in the ecosystem is really pronounced here, with a real jungle feel, especially with bamboo growing all around. Along the way we passed the smaller Conchamarca ruins (Qunchamarka), which we admired from above.
We had great views from our Inca Trail campsite again. We all relaxed for a bit before tea time and dinner. On the menu tonight was rice and beef, chicken, mashed sweet potato and a veggie stir fry!
Day 3 – The Final Full Day on the Inca Trail
After a very cold, humid and frosty night we were woken up at 5 am for another day of hiking the Inca Trail with our kids. Breakfast today consisted of omelettes, plantains, toast, yucca and sausage.
After breakfast we did a meet and greet with our team of excellent porters and chefs. During this fun session, we all introduced ourselves and said where we were from.
Puma Shadows
At 7:10 we were back on the trail for our third day of hiking the Inca Trail with our kids. After all the uphill hiking yesterday, we all groaned when the trail started as a steep uphill again. But, It actually turned out kind of nice as we were all so cold from standing still during the meet and greet with the porters.
After 15 mins we stopped at a viewpoint, where we could see the Inca ruins from yesterday all lit up in the morning sun. On the adjacent mountain, there’s a massive shadow which looks like the head of a puma. Our guide has done an outstanding job getting us at the right place at the right time – we really appreciated his attention to these important details.
This stage of the hiking trail is pretty exciting as it’s 90% original Inca trail. The trail follows a side slope with beautiful, colorful moss on the mountain side and incredible valley and mountain views on the other. The Salkantay Glacier comes into view for the first time.
At 8:20 we stopped at an amazing viewpoint where you can seen four glaciers at once.
The trail continues on in an “Inca flat” pattern. It’s basically flat, but with many smaller ups and downs.
Portions of the Inca Trail are amazing; for example, there’s one section on the side of a mountain which has a nearly vertical drop-off. The Incas carved a walking path into the side of a sheer cliff. Amazing!
Our next stop was a campground with 270° views. It was an amazing place to rest and soak in the scenery. Tame llamas roamed the grounds, and some even didn’t mind when our kids went up to (cautiously) pet them.
Phuyupatamarca
The descent from here was very steep down some small rock steps, leading to Phuyupatamarca, a large Inca ruin with a 500-year-old Inca fountain which still functions today.
Walking around the perimeter of Phuyupatamarca was very scenic. There’s a viewpoint at the bottom where you can see Machu Picchu Mountain with the sun terraces on the back.
The downhill trend continues though a lush bamboo forest. At the 4.7 km / 2.9 mile mark you pass an old Inca house, followed shortly by another fun tunnel over the hiking trail.
Intipata Sun Terraces
Nest stop were the Intipata Sun Terraces, which are so much more impressive up close. There’s plenty of spots to kick back, take off your shoes and socks and soak in the extra incredible scenery.
From here you can see up the Urubamba River to a spot close to where we started hiking the Inca Trail. It was a nice moment to reflect on three days of hiking the Inca Trail as a family. We already had made many great memories, and made wonderful new friends, with plenty amazing experiences to come.
Campground & “Little Machu Picchu”
A short downhill walk later and we were at our campground, ready for lunch and a well-deserved break.
After a nice break we headed out for our short afternoon hike at 3:30. It’s a short 5-minute flat walk from our campground to reach Wiñay Wayna, also known as “Little Machu Picchu”.
What an incredible sight Wiñay Wayna was! The first glimpse is from above and you are immediately impressed by the staggering number of agricultural tiers.
Halfway down the agricultural tiers, there are ruins of a residential area, truly reminiscent of a little Machu Picchu. Topping it all off, is a beautiful waterfall in the background.
After our guide gave us the history and background of this place, we were free to explore. Our kids still had a ton of energy, so they had a blast playing hide and seek in the buildings of the residential area.
Day 4 – Reaching Machu Picchu
Hiking in the Dark
Finally the last day of our classic 4-day Inca Trail hike was here! It didn’t take long to start the day with a 3:30 wake up! Hiking in the jungle in the dark is a lot of fun. We have the kids wearing our headlamps, while Celine and I used the flashlights on our power banks.
Thankfully, most of the distance that we hiked in the dark was pretty easygoing. It’s reasonably flat with good footing, so hiking in the dark is a lot of fun, with very little stress.
Gradually, the sun rose and we could put our lights away. I just love the sound of the jungle at sunrise as the birds sing to start their day.
The Sun Gate
The big exception to the flat easy trail are the monkey steps leading to the Sun Gate. These 50 steps are very steep, but with the Sun Gate at the top, I guarantee you’ll find the energy!
Stepping through the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu is a moment we will never forget. Over the course of 4 days, our kids hiked 42 km / 26 miles on the Inca Trail to make it to the Sun Gate to see Machu Picchu. The kids felt great about their accomplishment, and we couldn’t have been more proud of them!
Starting with the views from the Sun Gate, there are nearly endless series of family photo opportunities. Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most photogenic sites and you’ll just feel compelled to take more and more. One of the best things about hiking the Inca Trail with a group, is that there is always someone available to take a family picture for you.
After slowly working our way through every single photo spot, we had reached the official end of the Inca Trail. It was with immense pride and a bit of sadness that we walked through the gates to leave the Inca Trail and join the masses of day trippers to Machu Picchu. Here, we took a few moments to freshen up before beginning our 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu.
Visiting Machu Picchu with Kids
Walking through the famous stone structures of Machu Picchu felt surreal. After days of hiking to this singular goal, we were finally here and enjoying the rewards for all of our hard work.
There are three circuits which tour groups must follow when visiting Machu Picchu. Our tour group was assigned to Circuit 3, which visits the lower terraces and urban sector. It’s calmer down here, closer to eye-level with the stonework.
Our first stop was the agricultural terraces, where our guide explained how the Incas layered soils and built drainage so these mountainsides could feed a city. This was followed by the channels and fountains, where after 500 years, the water is still running!
Down in the royal / ceremonial zone, we viewed the Temple of the Sun, and the space often called the Royal Tomb beneath it, with beautiful, precise stonework tucked into shadow. Even after days on the Inca Trail, the perfect masonry is still a sight to behold.
Next up was the Temple of the Condor, where natural rock becomes sculpture: a stone “head” on the ground, wings formed by great slabs behind. It took us a while to see it, but after a while the shape of the condor just magically appears.
Compared to the hours we put in hiking the Inca Trail, our 2-hour tour of Machu Picchu seemed like it was over in an instant. We were sad to leave, but elated that our experience hiking the Inca Trail with kids was so successful.
Final Thoughts on Hiking the Inca Trail with Kids
There are few things our family enjoys more than a multi-day hiking trip, and there are not many better than the Inca Trail. We had always wanted to take our kids to Peru and hike the Inca Trail, so we knew the time was right when she started learning about it in school.
The Inca Trail is a legendary hiking trail, with so much mystique and lore attached to it. Everyone knows the Inca Trail and now, when my kids tell people they have hiked it, people are immediately impressed! You can just see what a big confidence booster this is for the kids – they can see how genuinely impressed people are.
The great thing is that most kids should be able to hike the classic 4-day Inca Trail. As long as they properly acclimatize in Cusco, are in decent shape and get regular exercise back home, the Inca Trail should be doable for most kids. You know your children best, so the decision is up to you, but hopefully my account of our 4-day on the Inca Trail with kids will help you decide whether this adventure is right for your family.
We loved hiking the Inca Trail with our kids, and we hope you can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience with your family as well!
Recommended Tour
We booked our 4-day Inca Trail tour through TreXperience on Viator. As you can see by the incredible ratings, we are not the only ones who thought they did an exceptional job. We highly recommend TreXperience for your family trek on the Inca Trail.
Follow Along on our Family Trip to Peru & Bolivia
We visited Peru & Bolivia during the summer break the year after our daughter learned about Peru in Grade 6. We began our family adventure by acclimatizing for three days in Cusco with kids. We then jumped over to Bolivia, beginning with a few days in La Paz with kids, before enjoying a family-friendly tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats.
After Bolivia, we returned to Peru to hike the Inca Trail with kids, and we finished our trip deep in the Amazon Jungle with a visit to Manu National Park with kids.
Our Travel Journal for Kids
Based on our family travels, our kids helped us design this Travel Journal for Active Kids! This engaging travel journal encourages kids to document their adventures, spark creativity, and stay entertained on the go – grab yours now on Amazon!
Dan Brewer is an intrepid family travel blogger with a passion for exploring the world's most captivating destinations. With 62 countries under his belt and a sense of wanderlust that knows no bounds, he has made it his life's mission to share his travel experiences and insights with fellow families who love to travel.
When Dan isn't traveling with his wife and kids, he's either out enjoying the Canadian Rockies he calls home or working on one of his three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Travel Banff Canada and Ultimate Sports Road Trip).