4-Day Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu: Bike and Hike

Sixty kilometers of downhill mountain biking through the cloud forest, then Inca stone paths on foot.

A 4-day hiking and biking tour from Cusco to Machu Picchu that combines a 60-kilometer mountain bike descent from Abra Malaga at 4,350 meters through changing terrain (dry highlands to temperate forest to jungle) with trekking on original Inca trails, a soak in the thermal springs at Cocalmayo, and a dawn arrival at Machu Picchu. The route includes three nights in lodges, all transport, a professional guide in English or Spanish, and park entry. You start in Cusco and finish back there by train after a guided tour of the ruins.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Cusco to Santa Maria

• Meet at Cusco Srl office
• Depart Cusco with city views
• Travel via Chinchero and Ollantaytambo
• Ascend to Abra Malaga at 4350m
• Pay land fee at Abra Malaga
• Start downhill biking from Abra Malaga
• Observe changing vegetation zones
• Visit Wamanmarka Inca ruins
• Bike to Santa Maria lodge
• Dinner and day summary at lodge

Day 2: Santa Maria to Santa Teresa

• Breakfast with local fruits and juices
• Begin trekking through vegetation trails
• See coffee and coca cultivation
• Walk original Inca roads
• Visit Santa Teresa thermal baths
• Arrive at Santa Teresa lodge
• Lunch and rest
• Dinner and next day briefing

Day 3: Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes

• Breakfast with vitamins and juices
• Start walking at 9:45 am
• Cross suspension bridges and Vilcanota River
• Enjoy local wildlife and butterflies
• Visit Inti Watana solar clock
• Lunch with avocado and local soups
• Arrive at Aguas Calientes
• Dinner and final trip briefing

Day 4: Machupicchu to Cusco

• Early wake-up for Machu Picchu visit
• Hike from 1980m to 2450m altitude
• Breakfast on the trail
• Guided Machu Picchu tour for 2 hours
• Free exploration of Machu Picchu
• Descend to Aguas Calientes hot springs
• Take train back to Cusco

The experience

Day one starts at your Cusco office at 7:45 am, heading toward Abra Malaga via Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. Once you reach the pass at 4,350 meters, you leave the van and mount a mountain bike for what the itinerary calls one of the world's most beautiful downhill runs. The 60-kilometer descent takes you through five hours of riding as the landscape shifts, from high-altitude scrub and grassland into temperate cloud forest, then into the humid jungle canopy. You'll stop halfway to see the Inca ruins of Wamanmarka and eat lunch, then roll into Santa Maria at 1,430 meters, where you sleep in a lodge surrounded by forest.

Day two is trekking. After a breakfast of regional fruit and juice, you walk trails through coffee plantations and coca cultivation, staying on original Inca stone roads where the path itself is the history. By afternoon you reach the thermal baths at Cocalmayo near Santa Teresa, where you can soak before dinner and rest. Day three takes you from Santa Teresa toward Aguas Calientes on foot. You'll cross the Vilcanota River (sacred to the Incas) via an oroya suspension bridge, spot butterflies and parrots in the canopy, and visit Inti Watana, the Inca solar clock, before descending to Aguas Calientes for your final night.

On day four you wake before dawn. The hike from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu starts at 5:10 am so you can watch the sun rise over the ruins. The climb takes about an hour and ten minutes to reach 2,450 meters. You eat breakfast on the trail. Once at the site, your guide leads a two-hour tour of Machu Picchu itself, then you have time to explore on your own before descending back to Aguas Calientes and taking the train to Cusco.

What’s included

• Private minivan transport on day one with mountain bikes.
• three nights in lodges (Santa Maria, Santa Teresa, and Aguas Calientes).
• all bike equipment.
• entrance to Machu Picchu.
• a professional guide fluent in English and Spanish.
• the thermal springs at Cocalmayo.
• minibus return from Machu Picchu to Cusco.
• meals and accommodation throughout the four days.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English, Spanish or French06:30 and 07:00

Guide in English, Spanish or French06:30

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30 and 07:00

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Child (12 to 17 years) · Under 12: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 27 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Reserv Cusco

Is this one for you?Choose this route if you want to combine adventure sports with archaeology and don't mind physical exertion over four days. The biking and trekking demand moderate fitness and some cycling comfort, but the mix of downhill riding, Inca stone paths, and thermal springs makes it a different experience from the standard multi-day trek to Machu Picchu.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (12 to 17 years). Under 12: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What's the Inca Jungle Trail route like compared to the standard Machu Picchu trek?

The Inca Jungle Trail combines mountain biking and hiking instead of hiking alone. You bike downhill for 60 kilometers through three different climate zones (from high grassland through cloud forest into jungle), then walk original Inca stone paths and visit thermal springs, ending with the dawn hike to Machu Picchu.

Do I need to be an experienced cyclist to do the 60-kilometer bike descent?

The route is a downhill ride on brand new mountain bikes from Abra Malaga to Santa Maria, so it does not require climbing. You do need moderate cardiovascular fitness and comfort on a bike. The operator recommends this tour for travelers with at least moderate physical fitness.

What happens on the last day before we return to Cusco?

You start hiking at 5:10 am from Aguas Calientes to reach Machu Picchu for sunrise, climbing about 470 meters in roughly an hour and ten minutes. Your guide leads a two-hour tour of the ruins, then you explore on your own before descending back to town and taking the train to Cusco.

Are the lodges comfortable, and what's included in the nights?

You stay three nights in lodges along the route: Santa Maria Lodge in the jungle, Santa Teresa Lodge near the thermal springs, and a moderate hostel in Aguas Calientes with a private room. All three nights are included. The lodges offer basic services and meals.

What's the Cocalmayo thermal bath experience like?

Cocalmayo is a natural hot spring near Santa Teresa where you soak after a day of trekking. The springs are considered medicinal. You'll have time to bathe and rest before dinner on day two.

Is the train ride from Aguas Calientes to Cusco included in the price?

Yes, the minibus back from Machu Picchu to Cusco is included after your guided tour and personal exploration of the ruins.