Your dates on the Classic Inca Trail are gone. Before you settle for a train-and-bus day trip, know this: there are good ways to still walk to Machu Picchu — and one or two that get you very close to the real Inca Trail experience. Most “alternatives” lists put every trek on equal footing. We rank them instead by how close they feel to the Inca Trail, and we are honest about the one thing most of them can’t give you.
Step 1: check the other Inca Trail quota
The Short Inca Trail from Km 104 has its own quota of 250 people per day, separate from the Classic route, so it often has spaces when the 4-day is full. Switch to the 2-day tab in the calendar below before you look at anything else. Also try moving your start date two or three days in either direction — flexibility is the single most effective fix.
The alternatives, ranked by how close they feel to the Inca Trail
| # | Trek | Sun Gate | Inca ruins on foot | Max altitude | Days | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short Inca Trail | Yes | Wiñay Wayna | ≈2,720 m | 2 | US$520 |
| 2 | Lares Trek + Short Inca Trail | Yes | Wiñay Wayna + Andean villages | ≈4,420 m | 6 | US$910 |
| 3 | 1-Day Inca Trail | Yes | Wiñay Wayna | ≈2,720 m | 1 | US$435 |
| 4 | Inca Quarry Trek | No | Inca quarry and lesser-known sites | ≈3,900 m | 5 | US$550 |
| 5 | Salkantay Trek | No | Few; mountain scenery instead | ≈4,600 m | 4–5 | US$440 |
| 6 | Lares Trek to Machu Picchu | No | Few; weaving villages and hot springs | Up to ≈4,700 m | 4 | US$580 |
| 7 | Choquequirao Trek | No | Choquequirao, a huge Inca site with few visitors | ≈3,200 m (out and back) | 4–5 | US$430 |
| 8 | Inca Jungle Trek | No | Few; biking, rafting and zipline | ≈4,350 m (by bike) | 3–4 | US$390 |
| 9 | Huchuy Qosqo + Machu Picchu | No | Huchuy Qosqo ruins above the Sacred Valley | ≈4,200 m | 3 | US$560 |
Prices per person with Terra Quechua. Altitudes are the highest point of each itinerary. None of the treks from #4 onward needs an Inca Trail permit.
1. The Short Inca Trail (2 days)
It is not an alternative so much as the last section of the same road. You start at Km 104, climb original Inca stairways to Wiñay Wayna and reach the Sun Gate in the afternoon, then sleep in a hotel and return to Machu Picchu for your guided visit. If your goal is “walk into Machu Picchu like the Incas,” this is it. Our 2-day vs 4-day comparison covers the differences in detail.
2. Lares + Short Inca Trail: the combination most people miss
This is our favorite answer when the Classic is sold out and you have almost a week. You spend the first days crossing the Lares valleys — high passes, glacial lakes, llama herds and Quechua weaving communities — and finish on the Short Inca Trail through Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate. It uses the Km 104 permit, not the Classic one, so it is often available when the 4-day is not. It is also a more authentic cultural experience than the Classic route.
4. Inca Quarry Trek: Inca history without the crowds
If ruins and history matter more to you than the Sun Gate, this quiet route above Ollantaytambo visits the quarries where the Incas cut stone, waterfalls and viewpoints over the Sacred Valley, with a high point of about 3,900 m. You meet very few other hikers.
5. Salkantay: the most spectacular mountain scenery
Salkantay is the most popular alternative for good reason: you walk beneath a snow peak of more than 6,000 m, past turquoise Humantay Lake, and cross a pass of about 4,600 m before descending into cloud forest and coffee country. It is harder than the Inca Trail on altitude, so allow two or three days in Cusco first. There are camping, hut and dome-lodge versions.
6–9. Lares, Choquequirao, Inca Jungle and Huchuy Qosqo
- Lares (4 days): the cultural trek — remote communities, alpacas and hot springs, with fewer hikers than Salkantay.
- Choquequirao (4–5 days): the toughest and most rewarding. You descend into the Apurímac canyon and climb out to an Inca city that sees only a handful of visitors a day. The longer 6- and 8-day versions continue to Machu Picchu.
- Inca Jungle (3–4 days): the active option — a downhill bike ride from about 4,350 m, optional rafting and zipline, then a walk along the railway to Aguas Calientes. Easy on altitude after the first morning.
- Huchuy Qosqo (2–3 days): the gentlest — a short trek to Inca ruins above the Sacred Valley, with the option to continue to Machu Picchu by train.
Which one fits you? A 30-second guide
- “I want the Sun Gate” → Short Inca Trail, or Lares + Short Inca Trail if you have 6 days.
- “I want the hardest, most epic trek” → Choquequirao, or Salkantay if you prefer big mountains.
- “I’m worried about altitude” → Short Inca Trail or Huchuy Qosqo.
- “I want culture more than scenery” → Lares.
- “I’m traveling with teens who get bored walking” → Inca Jungle.
- “I want ruins and no crowds” → Inca Quarry or Choquequirao.
Don’t forget your Machu Picchu ticket
Alternative treks don’t need an Inca Trail permit, but they do need a Machu Picchu entrance with a fixed time and circuit, and those tickets also sell out in the high season. Book your trek early enough for the operator to secure the entrance on the day you arrive. If you’d rather keep trying for the Classic route next time, read how far in advance to book the Inca Trail and follow our 2027 permit release tracker.
Frequently asked questions
What can I do if the Inca Trail is sold out?
Which alternative is closest to the Inca Trail?
Is Salkantay harder than the Inca Trail?
Do alternative treks need permits?
Can I get a cancelled Inca Trail permit?
About the author
Raquel Sánchez co-founded Terra Quechua Peru in Cusco in 2012 together with Edwin Medina, both with extensive trekking experience. She writes our Inca Trail guides from the day-to-day work of securing permits and organizing every departure with our guides, cooks and porters.