Luxury Inca Trail Tours – 4 Reasons To Hike to Machu Picchu In Style

If you want to hike to Machu Picchu in style, luxury Inca Trail tours are the way to go.

These glamping experiences combine the classic four-day Inca Trail with hotel-style benefits. This is the type of 5-star service you won’t find on a group tour.

Spoil yourself with an unforgettable Inca Trail experience.

A Luxury Inca Trail to Machu Picchu comes with all the bells and whistles. Think gourmet meals, cozy sleeping arrangements and other special surprises. These tours are an ideal way to celebrate a special occasion.

Luxury Inca Trail Hiking Tours

What Is A Luxury Inca Trail?

There is only one classic Inca Trail.

Everyone will be walking the same route whether you are hiking the Inca Trail on a budget or paying top dollar.

However, there are definitely some big differences between Inca trail price tags. The difference is in your options for camping arrangements, food, and travel services.

The more budget-friendly tours will stick you in small tents at crowded Inca trail campsites. Bathrooms are filthy and most nights, you will be lucky to find a cold shower.

Luxury Inca Trail tours or Inca Trail glamping experiences are a whole different experience.

You will still be walking the same distance each day and sharing the trail with other hikers. The true difference in experience comes when you reach camp. If you have paid for the luxury Inca trail, your ‘tent’ will feel more like reaching a lodge at the end of the day.

Luxury Inca Trail tour operators go out of their way to arrange the best sleeping arrangements. Expect private bathroom facilities and restaurant-quality meals.

Obviously, there are some limitations to luxury. There are no actual hotels along the route and you won’t be airlifted up the steep passes. However, you will get an exclusive experience with options to customize your trip.

What Makes a Luxury Inca Trail Tour?

There are several things that make a trip down this famous route a luxury Inca Trail tour:

• exclusivity
• comfortable accommodation
• fine dining
• high-quality services

Exclusive Inca Trail

Booking a private tour ensures you a level of exclusivity you won't find on group hikes. Higher-end tour operators offer a fully inclusive Inca Trail with a private guide. Move at your own pace and receive special attention along the way.

You won't feel rushed to keep up with a group or worry about holding people back. Explore the Inca Trail ruins at your leisure. You may even visit other ruin sites that aren’t on standard itineraries.

You will also have the best options for transportation. A private car will pick you up from your Cusco hotel. Luxury tours also include riding to and from Machu Picchu in the classy Hiram Bingham train.

Top Camp Set Up

Luxury Inca Trail tours go out of the way to create a camp that is the next best thing to a hotel on the Inca Trail.

Forget sleeping on the ground on thin, roll-up mattresses. Luxury trails are all about glamping experiences - sleeping in style in spacious tents at quieter campsites.

When you reach camp at the end of the day, you will be in for a treat. Beautifully decorated tents furnished with stretcher beds and comfortable air mattresses await.

In place of sleeping bags, you will find cotton sheets and thick duvets.

Small touches like bedside lanterns, throws, cushions, and even mats make your ‘room’ extra cozy.

Luxury Inca Trail camps include your own personal bathrooms. Your amazing porters will set up portable chemical toilets and shower stalls with hot water.

Gourmet Meals

Just because you are hiking, doesn’t mean you need to survive on trail mix and dehydrated meals. If you are paying for an exclusive Inca Trail, you can expect top-quality dishes 3 times a day. Before you embark on your journey, discuss dietaries and preferred meal options with the tour organizer.

Luxury Inca Trail tour operators employ excellent chefs and use fresh ingredients. You will receive the whole fine dining experience. There's no plastic crockery on these expeditions too. Tables are set with white linen, flowers, and silverware.

On these glamping tours, care is taken with the presentation of meals. Food is plated beautifully with sprigs of fresh garnish. You would be forgiven for forgetting you are not in a restaurant.

Enjoy afternoon tea service every day between lunch and dinner. Choose from a variety of teas, coffee and cocoa, and snacks like cheese and crackers.

You will also have access to your preference of refreshments. Your team will pack wine, beer, and soda and can even prepare Pisco sours, a citrus cocktail which is a Peruvian favourite!

Luxury Services

There are many exclusive benefits to booking a luxury Inca Trail. For instance, most operators include massage therapists in your package. These experts will help relax sore muscles after a long day of hiking.

With some tour companies, there is also an option for a yoga session. This is usually held on the third day. If you are interested, it’s best to enquire with the company when you make your booking.

Hike The Inca Trail In Luxury FAQs

How much does a Luxury Inca Trail tour cost?

Luxury Inca Trail tour prices start from $2000 per person to around $7500 per person for an exclusive couples' hike.

Is it worth booking a Luxury Inca Trail tour to Machu Picchu?

If you can afford the steep price, a luxury Inca Trail Experience has a lot of benefits. From my personal experience hiking the most famous routes in Peru, this is definitely the most comfortable way to do the trek.

Who should book a Luxury Inca Trail tour?

The luxury Inca Trail is a great option for honeymoon couples. It is also suitable for hiking enthusiasts who don’t enjoy basic camping.

How Do I Book a Luxury Inca Trail tour to Machu Picchu?

You need to book your luxury Inca Trail tour well in advance. You can do this online through the tour operator’s websites. We recommend contacting tour operators directly for advice, price and discussing inclusions.