Day 1 Depart London Heathrow for Lima. Overnight in hotel in Lima.

Day 2 Early flight from Lima to Cusco. Bus to the Sacred Valley for lunch and a short flat walk (approximately half an hour) to camp at Cachicata (2,910m).

Day 3 Bus to Ollantaytambo. Tour of the ruins and this old Inca town. Bus to Rapcca (2,965m) for a picnic lunch. Then a walk up to our overnight camp at Soqma (3,205m) on a small village football pitch. Expect a cold night.

Day 4 We will climb past dramatic scenery and a waterfall to the Perol Nyoc ruins at 3,520m. After lunch there is another steep, but short, climb to our camp at the Inca Terraces at Corimarca (3,740m).

Day 5 A challenging day trekking over a long, steep, zigzagging route to Charca Huaylla Pass (4,395m) and then the highest point of the trek at Chanca Chuco Pass (4,445m). Spectacular views of snow peaks and the Sacred Valley. Lunch. Long walk on a rising and falling trail to a cliff path that then descends steeply to a stream crossing. Overnight camp at Ancascocha School (3,958m). Expect a cold night.

Day 6 A long, easy descent through a canyon into the orchid and humming bird habitat of Elfin Forest. Lunch at a natural outcrop that forms a fantastic viewpoint (3,365m). A further descent into the Sacred Valley and our overnight camp at Camicancha (2,960m).

Day 7 A relatively short morning's walk to a eucalyptus forest close to Chillca Bridge (2,888m). Our trail passes through Arid Montane habitat including Cactus forest and takes us to our lovely campsite at Piscaycucho known as Kilometre 82 (2,736m).

Day 8 Board the train for the journey from Kilometre 82 to Kilometre 104, which will take 40 minutes. Following checkpoint formalities, we will climb the Inca Trail to the waterfall and on to the ruins at Huina Huayna for a packed lunch. Passing through a second checkpoint by 3.30pm, we will then move on to Machu Picchu. Once we have admired the view from Sun Gate we will descend into the viewpoint area in the ruins for a brief talk. Bus to the town of Aguas Calientes and our hotel. Celebration Meal.

Day 9 Morning at Machu Picchu. Lunch in Aguas Calientes and then an afternoon train to Cusco. Free night in Cusco to visit the local restaurants.

Day 10 A free day to explore the local sights. Evening meal is at your own expense.

Day 11 An early morning flight back to Lima will leave us with some time before our flight to London. In Lima, you can have lunch and perhaps a last minute shop at the Indian Market or in the centre of Lima. Bus to the airport for our flight home.

Day 12 Arrive back in London.

Please note: Itinerary, dates and flight schedules are all subject to change. We do require that your passports are valid for at least 6 months after the return date of your trip. Please provide us with full, valid passport details at point of registration as these are used to purchase individual permits for the trail.

Please visit the facts pages for more information about this trek. Or, to sign up for this fantastic challenge, download a registration form (PDF) today.