Into the Andean Cloud Forest

Stretching 42 km (26 mile) from the Sacred Valley to the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu, the classic Inca Trail traverses some of the most riveting landscapes in all of Peru.

Campsites, high passes, and archaeological ruins offer stunning views over mountain ridges as far as the eye can see. 500-year-old stone steps pave the way up and down impossibly steep mountains and into the Andean cloud forest. 

At night, the sky is set ablaze with the flickering of more stars than we city-dwellers could ever imagine existed. The sights along the Inca Trail are the stuff of dreams, a balm to sooth aching limbs and lungs as you tackle one of the toughest and most rewarding experiences of your life.  

Photographer: Clement Taquet