When permits for the Classic Inca Trail sell out, or if you simply prefer to escape the heavy crowds, the Peruvian Andes offer spectacular alternatives. These routes feature dramatic glacial passes, high altitude turquoise lakes, hidden ruins, and deep cultural immersions.
1. The Salkantay Trek
- What Makes This Trek Special: It offers an incredible diversity of ecosystems, shifting from towering, sub-zero glacial peaks to lush, subtropical banana and coffee plantations in a matter of days.
- Duration: 4 to 5 days with Macchu Picchu, 1 to 2 days without Machu Picchu.
- Difficulty: Challenging.
- 1-Day Humantay Lake Tour A high-intensity, single-day alpine trek that targets the turquoise waters of Humantay Lake. It features a tactical, steep ascent into the glacial basin right below Mount Salkantay before returning directly to Cusco.
- Humantay Lake & Salkantay Trek 2 Days Trip A focused 22 km alpine circuit designed specifically for hikers who want the physical challenge of the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass and views of the hidden Salkantay Lake. This itinerary intentionally skips the standard cloud forest paths to Machu Picchu, routing you back to Cusco on the second evening after an overnight stay in luxury insulated Sky Domes.
2. The Lares Trek (The Weaver’s Route)
- What Makes This Trek Special: It provides unparalleled cultural immersion, allowing hikers to visit authentic Quechua villages, witness ancient textile weaving traditions, and soak in natural volcanic hot springs.
- Duration: 3 to 4 days.
- Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult.
- The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu | Travel Guide & Information, Peru While this comprehensive informational guide lists the standard commercial packages that head to the citadel, it explicitly states that the hike can be customized and completed as a standalone 2 or 3 day standalone trek focused entirely on the remote mountain communities and the Lares Hot Springs before returning directly to Cusco.
3. The Inca Jungle Trek
- What Makes This Trek Special: It is a high-octane, multi-sport adventure tailored for thrill-seekers, combining downhill mountain biking, river rafting, and zip-lining through jungle canyons.
- Duration: 4 days.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Active).
- Inca Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu – Biking, Rafting & Trekking While their flagship multi-day adventure is built to finish at the citadel, it is structured entirely around distinct adrenaline phases. If you want the physical thrill of descending from the 4,350-meter (14,268-foot) Abra Malaga pass by mountain bike, rafting the Urubamba River, or ziplining through the cloud forest without visiting the ruins, this is the core itinerary you would use to build a custom-shortened private trip.
- Amazon Trip and Machu Picchu Tour – 9 Days If you want a pure jungle experience that completely excludes the mountain passes and the citadel, they offer a completely separate multi-day package focused on the Amazon basin.
4. The Choquequirao Trek
- What Makes This Trek Special: It leads to a massive, majestic Inca citadel that is double the size of Machu Picchu but sees only a fraction of the tourists because it is only accessible via a grueling canyon trek.
- Duration: 4 to 9 days.
- Difficulty: Strenuous / Very Hard.
- Choquequirao Trek 4 Days – Classic tour from Cusco A direct, fast-paced expedition across the rugged Apurímac Canyon. This itinerary gives you a dedicated afternoon guided tour of the main palaces, ceremonial platforms, and terraces of the Choquequirao citadel before tracking back to Cusco on Day 4.
- Choquequirao Trek 5 Days – Adventure Trekking An expanded version of the classic hike that lowers the daily physical toll by adding a full, uninterrupted day to explore the uncrowded ruins. It features deep wilderness camping right next to the archaeological site, allowing you to thoroughly visit hidden sectors still covered by cloud forest vegetation without continuing to any other ruins.
5. The Huchuy Qosqo Trek
- What Makes This Trek Special: It is the fastest, most family friendly path to view historic ruins, featuring a beautifully preserved Inca palace perched dramatically right above the Sacred Valley.
- Duration: 2 to 3 days.
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.
- Caminata Huchuy Qosqo a Machu Picchu 3 días While this official 3-day/2-night package includes full transit, entry, and a guided tour of the Machu Picchu sanctuary on the final morning, it breaks down the exact layout of the initial mountain pass and the homestay with a local family near the Huchuy Qosqo ruins.
- Custom Optimization Tip: Because the actual trekking portion of this itinerary takes place over the first 2 days (covering roughly 20 kilometers of trails before dropping into the valley floor), it is highly adaptable. If you require a pure wilderness trek that returns directly to Cusco without the train or citadel tickets, you can use their baseline itinerary to coordinate a private vehicle pickup at the Ollantaytambo station termination point.
6. The Ancascocha Trek
- What Makes This Trek Special: Officially named by National Geographic as one of the world’s best hidden hikes, it offers total solitude, untouched alpine lakes, and dramatic views of Mount Veronica.
- Duration: 4 to 5 days.
- Difficulty: Challenging.
- Ancascocha Trek to Machu Picchu with Humantay Lake Included While this 5-day / 4-night itinerary concludes with a private, guided morning tour of the Machu Picchu sanctuary, it is heavily focused on raw wilderness exploration. It takes you across seven remote alpine passes above 4,600 meters (15,091 feet), tracks past original Inca stone highways few tourists ever see, and features wild camping right next to the icy blue waters of Ancascocha Lake.
- Custom Optimization Tip: Since the actual trekking section of this route concludes on Day 4 when you descend out of the high peaks into the cloud forest near the railway lines, it can easily be tailored. If you are designing a pure mountain expedition that completely avoids the archaeological park, you can use their itinerary as a blueprint to request a private package that transfers your group back to Cusco on the fourth evening.
7. The Inca Quarry Trek (Cachicata)
- What Makes This Trek Special: It functions as a living history lesson, taking hikers directly through the ancient archaeological quarries where the Incas cut and transported their massive building blocks.
- Duration: 3 to 4 days.
- Difficulty: Moderate.
- Inca Quarry Trail to Machu Picchu – 4D/3N Avoid the crowds of traditional trails while focusing heavily on architectural engineering. Hikers get to trace the exact stone-handling paths used by the Incas to transport massive pink granite blocks from the Cachicata quarries down to the Ollantaytambo Fortress. It also features sweeping views of Mount Veronica and historical elements like original Inca sun gates and waterfalls.
- Custom Optimization Tip: Since the actual mountain trekking portion of this itinerary finishes on Day 3 when you descend into the valley floor at Ollantaytambo, it is highly customizable. If you wish to experience the ancient quarries and high passes without continuing to Aguas Calientes or purchasing entry tickets to the sanctuary, you can use this baseline layout to coordinate a private package that provides a direct vehicle transfer back to Cusco on the third evening.
8. The Wilderness Salkantay & Short Inca Trail Combo
- What Makes This Trek Special: It masterfully connects two iconic landscapes by navigating the high, crowd-free passes of Mount Salkantay before joining the final day of the Classic Inca Trail to enter through the Sun Gate.
- Duration: 5 days
- Difficulty: Challenging
- What Makes This Trek Special: This is one of the most popular and highly sought-after itineraries because it masterfully connects two iconic paths into a single journey. It allows you to conquer the high, crowd-free glacial passes of Mount Salkantay before transitioning directly onto the original stone steps of the historic Short Inca Trail.
- The Machu Picchu Circuit Advantage: The core reason this specific combo is featured on the top 10 list is its premier access to the citadel. Because this itinerary incorporates the Short Inca Trail permit, hikers have the unique privilege of exploring both Circuit 1 and Circuit 3 at Machu Picchu. This gives you the absolute best of both worlds: the iconic, sweeping panoramic views from the upper terraces (Circuit 1) and up-close access to the lower agricultural and residential ruins (Circuit 3).
- SAM Travel Peru Official Packages: SAM Travel Peru operates this specialized combo across two distinct durations depending on your preferred pacing:
- Wilderness Salkantay Trek + Short Inca Trail 5 Days
- Salkantay Trek & Short Inca Trail 6 Days
9. The Ausangate Trek (2 Days with Upis Lake & 7 Lakes)
- What Makes This Trek Special: While flagship Ausangate treks are massive mountain loops, this specific itinerary is a focused, standalone wilderness trek that does NOT include Machu Picchu. It is ideal if you want high-altitude glaciers, hot springs, and alpine lagoons without the long journey to the ruins.
- Duration: 2 Days
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- The Core Itinerary: Ausangate Trek 2 Days with Upis Lake and 7 Lakes Trek A fast-paced 2-day circuit taking you straight to the thermal pools of Upis village and through the famous 7 Lakes basin before returning directly to Cusco.
- Single-Day Alternatives: If you want similar scenery on a tighter schedule, these day trips also skip the citadel entirely:
- Rainbow Mountain 1 Day Hike A direct single-day trek to the mineral ridges of Vinicunca.
- Humantay Lake 1 Day Tour A steep day hike to the turquoise glacial lagoon below Mount Salkantay.
10. The Q’eswachaka Inca Rope Bridge & 4 Lakes Circuit
- What Makes This Trek Special: This is a culturally focused standalone expedition that does NOT include Machu Picchu. It targets living Inca engineering and high-altitude lake ecosystems rather than the standard cloud forest valleys.
- Duration: 1 to 2 Days
- Difficulty: Mild / Moderate
- The Core Itinerary: Full Day Qeswachaka Inca Rope Bridge Tour A single-day expedition south of Cusco exploring four high-altitude lakes before reaching the last remaining hand-woven Inca grass bridge spanning the Apurímac canyon.
- Multi-Day Alternative: Four Lakes Circuit 2 Days A 2-day camping package exploring the scenic southern valley, remote lakeside communities, and the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain range without adding the citadel.
Quick Reference Comparison Table
| Rank | Trek Name | What Makes This Trek Special | Duration | Difficulty |
| 1 | Salkantay Trek | Dramatic shifts from sub-zero glaciers to lush coffee jungles | 4 to 5 Days | Challenging |
| 2 | Lares Trek | Authentic interaction with local weaving communities and hot springs | 3 to 4 Days | Moderate to Difficult |
| 3 | Inca Jungle Trek | High-energy multi-sport action with biking, rafting, and zip-lining | 4 Days | Moderate (Active) |
| 4 | Choquequirao Trek | Massive, uncrowded archaeological ruins double the size of Machu Picchu | 4 to 9 Days | Strenuous / Very Hard |
| 5 | Huchuy Qosqo Trek | Fast, family friendly hike to an elevated Inca palace | 2 to 3 Days | Easy to Moderate |
| 6 | Ancascocha Trek | National Geographic vetted path offering total wilderness solitude | 4 to 5 Days | Challenging |
| 7 | Inca Quarry Trek | Rich archaeological focus tracking ancient stone masonry sites | 3 to 4 Days | Moderate |
| 8 | Wilderness Salkantay & Short Inca Trail | Blends high glacier passes with the historic Sun Gate entrance | 5 Days | Challenging |
| 9 | Ausangate Trek | Intense high-altitude alpine route featuring Rainbow Mountain | 4 to 6 Days | Strenuous / Expert |
| 10 | The Q’eswachaka Inca Rope Bridge & 4 Lakes Circuit | Immersive, cultural, highlighting living Inca engineering and alpine lake ecosystems | 1 to 2 Days | Mild / Moderate |
Frequently Asked Questions Exploring Cusco Beyond Machu Picchu
Q: I couldn’t get a Machu Picchu permit. Is it still worth visiting Cusco?
A: Absolutely. Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and the gateway to some of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the world. Many of Peru’s most spectacular landscapes and archaeological sites, like the towering glaciers of Mount Ausangate, the massive canyon walls of Choquequirao, and the living salt mines of Maras, require completely separate permits and offer a fraction of the crowds.
Q: What is the best multi-day trek that completely avoids Machu Picchu?
A: The Choquequirao Trek is the ultimate wilderness alternative. Often called the “sister city” of Machu Picchu, Choquequirao is a massive Inca citadel buried deep in the cloud forest above the Apurímac Canyon. Because it is only accessible by foot, it sees fewer than 30 visitors a day compared to Machu Picchu’s thousands, giving you a raw, uncrowded archaeological expedition.
Q: Are there shorter, 1 or 2-day alpine treks that don’t involve the citadel?
A: Yes, the southern and western valleys near Cusco offer incredible short-form alpine escapes.
- The 2-Day Ausangate & 7 Lakes Trek: Takes you right to the thermal hot springs of Upis and through a basin of vibrant glacial lagoons.
- The Full-Day Q’eswachaka Bridge Tour: A fantastic cultural day-trip where you can see and cross the last remaining hand-woven Inca rope bridge spanning the Apurímac River.
Q: Can I do adventure sports like biking or rafting without booking a Machu Picchu package?
A: Definitely. You can book day-trips or custom private loops through the Sacred Valley and the Abra Malaga pass. These allow you to mountain bike down from 4,350 meters (14,268 feet), raft class III and IV rapids on the Urubamba River, or zipline through the canyon canopy without ever needing to buy a train ticket to Aguas Calientes.
Q: How many days should I spend in Cusco to acclimatize before tackling these high-altitude treks?
A: We recommend spending at least 2 to 3 days in Cusco (3,400m / 11,152ft) before starting any trek. Routes like the Ausangate or Ancascocha treks cross mountain passes well above 4,600m (15,000ft). Use your acclimatization days to explore the cobblestone streets of San Blas, visit the nearby fortress of Sacsayhuamán, or take a gentle day-trip to the Pisac ruins.
