Standing above Machu Picchu in the golden morning light, looking down at that iconic view, I nearly cried. Not just because it was beautiful, but because I had actually done it. I had hiked four days through the Sacred Valley, tired, weary, and often a little afraid.
At times, I doubted my ability to keep going, to sleep on another trail, to wake up and put one foot in front of the other again. To think, I had almost given in to fear and backed out the night before.
I chose to hike the Inca Trail solo, not fully knowing what that would feel like, only that I wanted to see Machu Picchu and I wanted it to be an experience, not just a destination. I wanted, arriving on the Summer Solstice, to feel something like the Incas must have felt. Awed and humbled by it’s impossible magnificance. I got both.
What I didn’t expect is that you are never truly alone on the Inca Trail. It is a community of travelers moving together toward the same goal. At the same time, the journey feels deeply personal and sometimes isolating in its intensity.
The Sacred Valley and the Milky Way
The area known as the Sacred Valley is not just one valley. It stretches roughly 62 miles between Pisac and Machu Picchu. The Incas believed that all people shared a common origin in the stars and that the Sun, Moon, and constellations held power over life on Earth.
Many believe the Sacred Valley reflects the Milky Way, with its rivers and landmarks mirroring the celestial river in the sky. This connection between Earth and cosmos is woven into the entire journey.
Before the Trail: Ollantaytambo, the Last Living Inca City
The night before the hike begins in Ollantaytambo, a vibrant town with deep historical roots and modern tourist infrastructure like restaurants and hotels. I use the term “modern” loosely. Still, as one of the best-preserved, continuously inhabited Inca settlements in the world, it’s worth spending extra time here.
Unlike many ancient sites, including Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo was never abandoned. It still follows its original Inca urban design, with narrow cobblestone streets, trapezoidal doorways, and water channels that continue to flow just as they did centuries ago.
A highlight of the town is the Temple of the Sun, an extraordinary example of Inca engineering and cosmology. Built as a ceremonial and astronomical site dedicated to Inti, the Inca sun god, its placement and structure were designed to align light, stone, and landscape.
Fun fact: Across from the Sun temple, the mountain face forms what is believed to be the profile of Wiracochan, also known as Tunupa. He’s often described as the man of knowledge and the knower of time. It looks like an angry Inca face.
While in Ollantaytambo, I seriously questioned whether I could complete the hike. With asthma and a recent struggle at Rainbow Mountain, the altitude felt like a real risk. I considered canceling, but ultimately decided at the last moment to go.
Day 1: Realizing What You Signed Up For
The trek began early with a 6:30 AM pickup for the classic 4-day, 3-night Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu.
After breakfast near the trailhead, we met our group. There were about a dozen hikers, two guides, and 22 porters who would carry everything except our day packs. Some of the porters, who do this hike 100+ times a year, were able to run up the trail!
The trail begins along the Vilcanota River, leading to the first checkpoint where permits and passports are required. The Inca Trail strictly limits the number of hikers allowed each day.
The first two hours were relatively easy, leading to Patallacta, an ancient Inca site that once served as a checkpoint to Machu Picchu. From there, we continued for several more hours to our campsite at Ayapata, over 12,000 feet above sea level.
Along the way, we passed small homes. Families still live along sections of the trail and sell snacks, drinks, and essentials to hikers.
Fun fact: You can buy whiskey and cigarettes if you need. I debated the whiskey, but I’d probably be buried on the trail had I drunk it.
At camp, the porters had already set up our tents and prepared a full meal. Despite carrying loads of up to 50 pounds, they somehow created warm, family-style dinners each night.
Personal Reflection
Day one was considered the easy day, but it did not feel easy to me. I was already questioning what I had signed up for and what the next day might bring.
Day 2: Dead Woman’s Pass, the Hardest Hike I’ve Ever Done
Day two is widely known as the most difficult day of the Inca Trail, and it earns that reputation.
We climbed from roughly 12,000 feet to over 14,000 feet at Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the trek. The ascent took hours, and the trail, made of uneven Inca stone steps, felt like a relentless stair climber at altitude. However, if you fall off this stair climber, you die. No worries!
There were moments I genuinely questioned whether I could continue. Breathing was difficult, and I relied on my inhaler just to keep moving. I took a lot of two-minute breaks! I should note, I’m from the Midwest. Elevation = 0.
Once you reach the top, you realize you are not done. You descend about 1,000 feet and then start climbing again.
Despite the difficulty, the landscape was breathtaking. Mountain lakes, waterfalls, and ancient ruins like Runcu Raccay and Sayacmarca appeared along the way.
Fun fact: The Inka didn’t consider this trail just a path, but a pilgrimage ritual aimed at elevating the traveler, leading to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), a portal to the sun god.
Personal Reflection
Though the trek was undeniably difficult, I don’t believe that anything worthwhile comes easily. We suffer for art, endure for beauty, and somewhere in that effort, meaning takes shape. The Incas did not choose this route because it was simple. They chose it because it led somewhere extraordinary. To reach places few ever will, you must be willing to endure what most will not.
Camp and Night Sky
That night at Chaquicocha, the sky opened above us. The Milky Way, the same celestial river the Incas mirrored in the Sacred Valley, stretched across the darkness.
Wrapped in layers against the cold, we stood quietly as our guides pointed out Inca constellations. It felt ancient, still, and deeply connected.
Fun Fact: Yacana (the Celestial Llama) is a “dark cloud” constellation important to the Inca. It’s formed by darkness within the Mikly Way, rather than bright stars. This Andean constellation is a mama llama and her baby. Find it between Scorpio and the Southern Cross, with Alpha and Beta Centauri as the llama’s eyes.
Day 3: The Most Beautiful Day
Day three is often described as the most beautiful part of the Inca Trail. After surviving day two, I finally believed I would make it and that was a beautiful thing. The sites were nice too.
The terrain shifts into the cloud forest, a high-altitude ecosystem where the Andes meet the Amazon basin. Mist clings to the trees, orchids and ferns line the trail, and the air feels thick and alive.
Fun fact: Cloud forests are high-altitude tropical or subtropical forests with a persistent, low-level cloud cover that blankets the canopy. (Read misty/rainy) Typically found between 3,900 and 8,200 feet, these ecosystems have constant moisture, high humidity, and unique flora such as epiphytes, mosses, and ferns. SO PRETTY.
Though the guides called this section “Inca flat,” the trail continues its pattern of constant ups and downs. It is easier than day two’s constant up, up, up, down, down, up, but still demanding.
From the trail, we could see sweeping views of the Vilcabamba range and even catch a distant glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountain, though the city itself remained hidden.
We ended the day at Wiñay Wayna, one of the most stunning Inca sites along the trail.
Personal Reflection
By the end of the day, exhaustion settled deep, but so did exhilaration. It was still difficult, but it no longer felt impossible. The fear had faded, replaced by a quiet certainty that I was going to finish this.
I found myself longing for a real bed and a hot shower, but at the same time, a sense of calm took hold. Despite the circumstances, I wasn’t planning or worrying. I was simply present, moving forward, knowing it led somewhere meaningful.
Day 4: Sun Gate to Machu Picchu
The final day began at 3 AM. By headlamp, we made our way to the last checkpoint, waiting in the cold and dark for the final checkpoint gates to open. Because so many people wait at this checkpoint, the trail gets clustered. People are also moving quickly to beat the sun and get to Machu Picchu before it rises. It’s a good thing you’ll have three days of endurance until you belt so you can keep up.
The reason we get up so early is so the porters can pack up the tents and get to the service train when it leaves at 5:30 am
We speed hiked through the last several miles of this “Inka flat” trail and as dawn approached, we arrived at the Sun Gate, Inti Punku. Here, we have the first full view of Machu Picchu.
Personal Reflection
My first view of Machu Picchu from above quite literally took my breath away. I had drifted slightly ahead of the group, unaware that the next rise would reveal it, and then suddenly, there it was, the Lost City of the Incas.
There were no crowds, no noise, only morning mist and the first light of Inti spilling across the mountains. A deep, almost physical sense of pride filled me. I had nearly canceled this hike. So many times, I doubted I would make it. And yet, I had.
There is a bus that will take you to Machu Picchu. You do not have to hike. But this view, the one from above, comes only after giving up comfort and choosing effort over ease. In that exchange, something within is refined, clarified, and quietly made whole again. The hike was hard, but I 100% recommend you choose it if you’re able.
Entering Machu Picchu
After the Sun Gate, it is about an hour hike down into the site itself. Inside, the quiet is replaced by crowds, and the stillness of the morning gives way to the energy of tourism.
Fun fact: The Sun Gate, perched above the city, frames Machu Picchu in a dramatic way at sunrise. It likely served both as a checkpoint and a ceremonial entrance, where the first light would illuminate the city below in a symbolic reveal.
Machu Picchu’s construction remains astonishing. Massive granite stones are precisely cut and fitted together without mortar, creating seams so tight they appear seamless.
Certain structures are aligned with astronomical events.
- The Temple of the Sun is positioned so that sunlight hits specific points during the solstices. The Intihuatana stone likely functioned as a solar clock.
- Intimachay (the “Sun Cave”) is a small, carefully carved cave with a narrow window positioned so that during the December solstice, the rising sun shines directly into the cave.
- Temple of the Three Windows has three trapezoidal windows that face east toward the sunrise. Their orientation also frames the horizon in a way that connects the structure to daily solar movement.
Aguas Calientes and the Journey Back
We took the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch before beginning the journey back by train to Ollantaytambo and then bus to Cusco.
Returning to civilization felt jarring. It was loud, busy, and chaotic.
The shower in my hotel room felt like a gift from the gods.
What It’s Really Like to Hike the Inca Trail Solo
- You are surrounded by people, but much of the experience is internal. You’ll meet many people and make friends along the trail, even from other groups.
- The mental challenge can be harder than the physical one.
Practical Tips for Hiking the Inca Trail
- Prepare for altitude. It is challenging for everyone unaccustomed. Coca leaves and medication are your friends.
- Dress in layers. You’ll get hot and cold repeatedly.
- Bring extra essentials such as medications (even those you don’t think you’ll need), layers, and snacks. You’ll want to trade and share.
Final Reflection: Was It Worth It?
It was physically exhausting, mentally challenging, and at times overwhelming. But standing above Machu Picchu after four days of hard effort made all of it worth it.
Doing it solo made it unforgettable and gave me mental space to absorb the best of it without conflicting energy from any partners. Being solo made others gravitate to me in friendship and that was invaluable.
Would you hike the Inka trail?
