Hike + Coffee Tour to Machu Picchu – 3 Days

Most people reach Machu Picchu by train from Ollantaytambo. This 3-day hike and coffee tour goes the long way: from the high Andes down into Cusco’s cloud forest, with a night at a coffee farmer’s home, a morning learning how coffee is grown and processed, and a hike along the old Inca path of Huacayupana toward Hidroeléctrica and Aguas Calientes. On the third day, you visit Machu Picchu with a guide. Coclatours has been building this coffee route to Machu Picchu with coffee-growing families since 2009.

On day one, you cross Abra Málaga at over 4,300 m, have lunch in Santa María, and hike for about two hours to the farmer’s house, where you have dinner and sleep. On day two, you spend the morning on the coffee farm, then hike for two to two and a half hours along the original Inca Trail to the road. A vehicle takes you through Santa Teresa to Hidroeléctrica, then you can walk along the railway to Aguas Calientes or take the train. On day three, you visit Machu Picchu and return to Cusco.

The Huacayupana hike is part of the mountain route that the Inca Jungle tours use, but this is a different experience: there is no biking, rafting or zip-lining. Here the farm is not a short stop; it is the heart of the program. You share a night and a morning with a coffee-growing family, and the program is built for small groups. It suits travelers who enjoy walking, have no fear of heights, and want to meet a rural family rather than just see a landscape.

The Huacayupana hike and the old Inca path

On day two, you leave the farmer’s house and walk along the original Inca trail, deep in the mountains, with incredible views of the valley and the river. About 1 km of the path is stone steps of the Inca trail itself. The way also passes through coffee farms and native cloud-forest trees. The walk takes between two and two and a half hours and ends at the road.

Because of the narrow path and the steep slopes, this hike is not suitable for people who have vertigo.

In 1998, floods and landslides destroyed the town of Santa Teresa and left many farming families in the area cut off from the roads. Looking for other ways through the mountains, the local producers explored the slopes and found an old Inca path. They opened it up and have kept it in use since then, and today it lets travelers walk toward Machu Picchu through coffee plantations.

Want to go deeper into coffee? Read the history of coffee, or see our coffee and cacao experiences.

Prefer a longer version with more time on the coffee farm, or a walk to the Cocalmayo hot springs? See our Coffee Farm Trek to Machu Picchu 3 Days.

Highlights:

• Cross the Andes by private vehicle, with a stop for coffee at a specialty coffee shop at 4,300 m
• Leave flowers as an offering at the chapel of the Señor de Puerto Málaga
• Spend the night with a coffee-growing family and share dinner and breakfast with them
• Follow coffee from the plant to the cup on the farm
• Hike along the original Inca trail of Huacayupana, through coffee farms and cloud forest
• Hike along the railway to Aguas Calientes, or take the train
• Guided visit to Machu Picchu

Coclatours and the host families

Coclatours began as part of the COCLA cooperative network, with a clear goal: to involve member families in tourism. In that project, the families received training, financing, and promotion to welcome visitors in their own homes. Today Coclatours is a private company, but the work continues: we promote the families and their activities, and we bring in families from other areas. Read more about our story on our About Us page.

Please note: all times are approximate. This route calls for some flexibility: we adjust the schedule to the road conditions, the weather and your group’s pace, so we can reach the trail and the train on time. The road between Santa María, Santa Teresa and Hidroeléctrica is being improved, and travel times may change.

Day 1: Cusco – Abra Málaga – Santa María – The farmer’s house

We pick you up around 7:00 am from your hotel in Cusco, or around 8:30 am in the Sacred Valley (Calca, Urubamba or Ollantaytambo), and cross the Andes by private vehicle. The road climbs to Abra Málaga (over 4,300 m), then drops into the cloud forest. We go slowly: there is time for photos of the landscape, for llamas and alpacas along the road, and for flowers to leave as an offering at the chapel of the Señor de Puerto Málaga, asking for protection on the journey and honoring the Pachamama.

We also stop at the specialty coffee shop El Abra, at about 4,300 m. Its owner, Rosmel, is a young adventurer who one day decided to open a business at 4,300 meters above sea level, where there was nothing. It is a great place for a good cup of coffee with the mountains around you.

We reach Santa María around midday and have lunch (included) at a local restaurant. After lunch, we drive to the end of the road and hike for about 2 hours to the farmer’s house.

In the afternoon, the family welcomes you. After some rest, we share dinner with them and spend the evening at their table.

Overnight: farmer’s house, simple rooms (some with private bathroom, some with shared bathroom; no hot water at the moment).

Day 2: Coffee Farm – Huacayupana – Hidroeléctrica – Aguas Calientes

We start with breakfast with the family. Until about 10:00 am, you follow coffee from the plant to the cup: the farmer’s story, a walk through the plantation, the harvest (depending on the season), and the process at home.

Harvest depends on the season. Most of the year there are ripe cherries to pick; if there are none, the rest of the experience runs as usual.

At 10:00 am, we leave the farmer’s house and start the Huacayupana hike, along the original Inca trail, deep in the mountains, with incredible views of the valley and the river. It takes between 2 and 2.5 hours, includes about 1 km of Inca stone steps, and passes through coffee farms and native cloud-forest trees until we reach the road, around 12:00 pm. (Not recommended if you are afraid of heights.)

A vehicle then takes us to Hidroeléctrica, passing through Santa Teresa, arriving between 1:00 and 1:30 pm. We have a buffet lunch there (included). From Hidroeléctrica, you choose how to reach Aguas Calientes:

• Hike along the railway (recommended): about 10 km, around 3 hours (approximate, depending on your pace), with your guide. It is a beautiful route. We recommend leaving Hidroeléctrica as soon as possible after lunch, and by 3:00 pm at the latest.
• Take the train (optional): the afternoon train leaves at 2:50 pm and takes about 1 hour (10 km). Available on request, at an additional cost. Tell us when you book.

In Aguas Calientes, your guide explains the plan for Machu Picchu, and you have the evening free, with the hot springs if you want them.

Overnight: hostel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom and hot water.

Day 3: Machu Picchu – Return to Cusco

We take the bus up to Machu Picchu in the morning and tour the citadel with your guide. Then you have free time to explore and take photos on your own. Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain can be added if you book in advance, as spaces are limited.

After lunch outside the site (food is not allowed in the citadel), we take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, then the bimodal service: the train to Ollantaytambo and the bus from there to Cusco. On arrival, a transfer takes you from the bus station in Cusco to your hotel. You will know your exact train schedule as soon as we buy your tickets.

Includes

• Private transportation from Cusco or the Sacred Valley to the trailhead, and from the road to Hidroeléctrica (the driver does not stay overnight)
• Bilingual guide (Spanish – English)
• Lunch on day 1 at a local restaurant in Santa María
• 1 night at the farmer’s house with dinner and breakfast (2 rooms with private bathroom and 4 with shared bathroom; no hot water at the moment)
• Coffee experience with the family
• Buffet lunch at Hidroeléctrica on day 2
• 1 night in a hostel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom and hot water + breakfast. The one we include is Terrazas del Inca Hostel or similar
• Round-trip bus ticket to Machu Picchu
• Machu Picchu entrance ticket (circuit subject to availability at the time of booking)
• Guided visit to Machu Picchu (shared or private, depending on your request)
• Bimodal service from Aguas Calientes to Cusco: train to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco
• Transfer from the bus station in Cusco to your hotel

Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes: the program includes the hike (about 10 km, around 3 hours, along the railway). If you prefer the train, tell us when you book, and we will add the ticket at an additional cost.

Does not include

• Breakfast on day 1
• Lunch on day 3 and dinner on day 2 (in Aguas Calientes)
• Train ticket from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes (optional)
• Additional costs caused by changes due to weather or road conditions
• Snacks, water, and personal expenses
• Entrance ticket to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, upon request and subject to availability
• Tips
• Services not mentioned

How demanding is it?

This is a moderate trek for people who are comfortable walking for several hours. You do not need technical experience, but you do need a reasonable level of fitness:

• Day 1: about 2 hours of hiking from the end of the road to the farmer’s house.
• Day 2: 2 to 2.5 hours along the Inca Trail to the road, including about 1 km of stone steps, and around 3 more hours (10 km) along the railway if you choose to hike to Aguas Calientes.
• If you prefer, you can take the train for the last stretch to Aguas Calientes.
• This hike is not recommended if you are afraid of heights.

Altitude

Cusco is at about 3,400 m, and the road crosses Abra Málaga at over 4,300 m. We recommend arriving in Cusco at least one or two days before the trek, to adapt to the altitude. Drink plenty of water and take it easy on your first day. The farms are lower, in a warmer area with mosquitoes.

What to bring

• A small daypack
• Hiking shoes or boots with good grip
• Rain jacket or poncho (even in the dry season)
• Light layers for the walk and a warm layer for Abra Málaga and the evenings
• Long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, to protect against mosquito bites
• Sun hat and sunscreen
• Insect repellent and an antihistamine: repellents do not always work, and bites can itch and swell
• Headlamp or flashlight (the walk along the railway can end near dusk)
• Reusable water bottle and some snacks
• Cash in soles for small purchases and tips
• Your passport (needed for Machu Picchu)
• Swimsuit, if you want to use the hot springs in Aguas Calientes
• Any personal medication you need

Best time to go

The dry season, from April to November, is the time we recommend for this route. We do not recommend it at other times of the year because of the mud and the risk of landslides on the road. Weather in the cloud forest can change quickly: even in the dry season, a heavy downpour can fall without warning, so we stay flexible and adjust the plan to the conditions of the day. Ripe coffee cherries are available most of the year, with fewer between December and March.

If the plan has to change

Weather and road conditions in the cloud forest can force changes to the plan. If this happens, we will let you know and look for the best option to meet the goals of the trip. Any additional costs caused by these changes are not assumed by Coclatours and must be covered by the traveler. See our Terms & Conditions for details.

When you book

• Book as early as you can: Machu Picchu entrance tickets and train seats are limited, especially in high season (about June to August).
• Send us each traveler’s full name and passport number exactly as in the passport, to issue the tickets.
• Tell us about any dietary needs or health conditions that may affect the walk.
• Times in this program are approximate: we confirm the plan with you before the trek and adjust it to the road and weather conditions.