Our porters will wake us up nice and early with a hot cup of coca tea. Today is the longest and most challenging day, so we’ll need that early start. We’re going to hike for about four hours to reach the highest point of the whole trek: Dead Woman’s Pass, at an altitude of 4,215 meters (13,829 feet).

Once we get to the top of the pass, we’ll take a quick break to enjoy the amazing views and snap some photos. After that, we’ll start our descent into the next valley, called Pacaymayu (the “Hidden River”). It’s a bit of a hike, about an hour and a half down to our lunch spot, where we can finally fill up our water bottles.

After lunch, we have to start climbing again to reach the second pass, which is a two-hour hike. Along the way, we’ll stop to explore the Inca site of Runcu Raccay and see some huge waterfalls cascading down the other side of the valley. From the second pass, it’s another hour of hiking downhill to get to the incredible Inca site of Sayacmarca.

We’ll take a break there to tour the site, and if we time it right, we can watch the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. It’s only another 25-minute walk to our second camp, Chaquicocha (which means “dry lake”), at 3,600 meters. If you’re not too exhausted after dinner, we can even observe some stars and check out the Inca constellations. The night sky is truly magnificent, especially in the months of June and July, far away from all the city lights.

• Walking Distance: 9.94 miles / 16 km (7–8 hours)
• Campsite Altitude: 3,600 meters
• Difficulty: The hardest day (you’ll have survived the two highest passes)
• Area: Andes and Cloud Forest
• Weather: Cold and rainy

We’re waking up early again, at 6:00 AM, to start what many say is the most beautiful day of the trek. We’ll hike for about two hours along what we call “flat Inca.” It’s actually a mix of gentle ups and downs, but it feels easy as we start to enter the jungle, known as the Cloud Forest.

As we hike, you’ll get to see the majestic Salkantay, which is the second-highest snow-capped peak in the whole Sacred Valley. The Veronica glaciers are also stunning. We’ll also have a fantastic panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range. Toward the end of our climb, we reach the last peak at Phuyupatamarka (3,600 meters), where you’ll get magnificent views of the Urubamba River and your first glimpse of Machu Picchu mountain—though the actual ruins are still hidden.

From Phuyupatamarka, we’ll start a three-hour hike down a long flight of steps to our final camp, which is near Wiñay Wayna (“Forever Young”). This is the most spectacular Inca site on the trail besides Machu Picchu itself and is a popular campsite because it’s so close to the final destination. On our way down, we’ll get to see two more Inca sites: Phuyupatamarka (“City in the Clouds”) and Intipata (“Terraces of the Sun”).

We should arrive at camp around 1:30 PM for lunch, and then you have the rest of the afternoon to just relax. This is a great time to rest up for the final day. Around 3:30 PM, the guide will give a quick orientation and we’ll visit the amazing ruins of Wiñay Wayna for about an hour and a half. The guide will connect all the information from the trek to this site, so you’re fully prepared to see Machu Picchu tomorrow.

In the evening, we have a traditional ceremony to introduce the whole team—the porters, the chef, and everyone else—so you can thank them for all their hard work and give them a tip if you want to. After that, it’s a good idea to go to bed early so we can get up in the pre-dawn hours to get to Machu Picchu in time for a hopefully beautiful sunrise over the ruins.

• Walking Distance: 6.2 miles / 10 km (5 hours)
• Campsite Altitude: 2,600 meters
• Difficulty: Easy day (mostly downhill)
• Area: High Cloud Forest
• Weather: Warm and very humid

Today, we’re getting up really early, at 3:30 a.m. We’ll have a box breakfast at 4 a.m. while we wait in line at the checkpoint. The goal is to be one of the first on the trail when the doors open at 5:30 a.m. We’ll say our goodbyes to our amazing team of porters and chefs, and then it’s off to the Sun Gate, or Inti Punku.

From the Sun Gate, we’ll get spectacular, sweeping views of the mountains, and we’ll finally see Machu Picchu in all its glory. We should get to the Sun Gate around 6:30 a.m., and then it’s just an hour’s walk down to get to the Lost City of the Incas. As we get closer, the views of the city just get better and better.

We’ll arrive at the final checkpoint around 7:40 a.m. and enter Machu Picchu to start our two-hour private guided tour. After the tour is over, we’ll give you your bus tickets to go down to the town of Aguas Calientes. You’ll have some free time to explore on your own or even climb one of the neighboring mountains like Huayna Picchu, but that has to be arranged ahead of time.

Unless you’ve picked a different train, we’ll have the Expedition class train ticket for you, departing from Aguas Calientes at 4:20 p.m. You should be at the platform at least 30 minutes early. The train ride takes about two hours to get back to Ollantaytambo, where our transport will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco.