Waking up on Day 3 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu we felt like we had completed the hardest part! Day 2 and Dead Woman’s Pass was behind us as well as the pouring rain. We woke up to a very foggy but not raining morning and we were all thankful. Here is our experience from the Inca Trail to Machu Day 3 including visiting the mini Machu Picchu and our last night of camping.
With Alpaca Expeditions, our trekking company, day 3 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was a relatively short day compared to our first two days. Each company breaks up the days slightly different but for us day 2 was extremely long in order to make day 3 much shorter.
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Waking up on Day 3
We slept in a little and woke up at 6:00 AM at about 11,800 feet. Our camp site for day 2 called Choquicocha or day lake, had a few other groups nearby. While our hiking boots were dry, a lot of our other clothing items were still wet from the rain and hail yesterday because it was so cold overnight. So we put on our damp clothes and did the best we could!
- Our boots were actually surprisingly dry that morning and we were very thankful in that moment to have waterproof shoes! I have the Merrell Moab 2 WP Hiking boots and Dave has the mens version.The rest of our clothes dried quickly after we warmed up a bit from hiking.
Breakfast on day 3 consisted of apple pancakes, omelettes, fresh fruit, bread, coffee and tea. Our last breakfast was a bit bittersweet but also exciting as we all felt so close to being at Machu Picchu.
Day 3 was also the first day when we woke up sore! So far we had hiked about 30 kilometers and we were all starting to feel it in our legs. Our knees were sore on the downhill steps and our quads and calves were feeling tight from all the uphill of day 2. Doing squats and lunges to prepare for the hike was definitely good practice for our legs.
- It’s really important both with how much you’re hiking each day as well as the altitude to make sure to drink a lot of water. Dave brought this Nalgene bottle so he always had plenty in between breakfast and lunch. I prefer the sport top of this one because it’s easier to drink while you’re moving.
Starting Hiking on Day 3
We started hiking at 7:30 AM and it was very foggy for the first 3 hours or so. It was foggy because at this point we were in the jungle or the cloud forest as they call it. Day 1 was very dry and desert like while day 3 was very humid and wet. If you’re lucky during your first hour you can get a view of the Salkantay Mountain, however, for us all we saw was fog.
We hiked for an hour and half before getting to our last pass, Phuyupatamarca at 12,073 feet. It was about 9:40 AM when we got to the top and had an opportunity to rest and use the bathroom. This was by far the least clean bathroom we had gotten to throughout the trail.
Check out my Female Packing List for Hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu for a big tip for bathrooms along the way!
Archeological Site #1
After hiking for about thirty minutes we got to Phuyupatamarka or the town in the clouds. We got there around 10:15 AM and spent an hour learning about this Incan town. We had some llama visitors and took plenty of pictures!
- Our guide did a really good job of explaining how the sites were used and some of the traditions and customs of the Incas.
Read More: Day 1 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Archeological Site #2
We hiked for two hours down stairs and through some really interesting caves. As we kept going the fog lifted and more and more of the surrounding mountains came into view. Except for the first part of the day, the third day is primarily downhill because Machu Picchu actually sits lower in elevation than most of the Inca Trail.
At 1:00 PM we got to our second archeological site of the day, Intipata or terraces of the sun. By now the fog had lifted and we had some amazing views! Intipata features rows and rows of terraces and it gives you such an appreciation for the work of the Incas.
- Sometimes you can get a view of Machu Picchu mountain at this point although you can’t actually see the sites at the top.
- At this point in the day the sun was out and was so welcomed! It was warm enough for me to hike in just this Fleece and no jacket. Layers are definitely key in this area!
Need More Convincing? 100 Photos to Inspire You to Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Done Hiking for Day 3
After taking lots of pictures, we hiked for another 30 minutes before getting to our last camp site of the trek, Winay Wayna. This camp site sits at 8,792 feet which means we went down about 3,000 feet in elevation throughout the day. This was the lowest altitude we had been at since Lima so it felt like a breeze!
- This camp site is very popular because it is about 5-10 minutes from the first Machu Picchu checkpoint. For that reason it felt much more crowded than our first two did. We had a smaller area where our tents and kitchen tent were. There was a fair amount of noise from other nearby groups and a not so great smell coming from the nearby bathrooms. If we’re being honest this was our least favorite campsite because the feeling of being secluded in the mountains was no longer there.
Lunch on Day 3
Day 3 was the only day where we ate lunch, finished hiking for the day and set up camp all at the same place. So when we got to camp at 2:00 PM we were done for the day!
Lunch that day consisted of lomo saltado (a traditional Peru dish of steak stir-fry), mango ceviche, potatoes, avocado salad and rice. It was delicious and we were all sad for it to be our last lunch together!
The Mini Machu Picchu
After a short break, we walked about 10 minutes to the Winay Wayna site. Not only is this camp popular because of it’s proximity to the checkpoint but also to it’s location to what is considered the mini Machu Picchu. Winay Wayna was by far the most impressive Inca site we passed throughout our trek. The sheer size of it was amazing.
Read More: Day 2 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
We spent about an hour learning about the significance of this site including why certain features were included. It was nice to have so much time at this site without having to get back to hiking again.
Ending Day 3
Around 4:00 PM we were back in our tents. We had a “shower” (baby wipes and one of these towels), changed clothes and had a chance to think about what we had done throughout these last 3 days. After three full days
We had our regular happy hour around 5:00 PM along with dinner around 6:00. Dinner that night included pizza, spaghetti with sauce, vegetable fritters and a homemade cake to celebrate the wedding anniversary of two people in our group. Seriously the chef made pizza and a cake on the side of a mountain using only some pots and a small camp stove.
Day 3 ended with a thank you ceremony with the porters and chefs. They would leave early in the morning to catch their train back to Cusco while we would continue on to Machu Picchu and return later at night.
- Together our group discussed how much to tip all the porters and chefs. The average is 60 Soles per porter (we had 20 total) as well as 150 Soles for the chefs. The guides are more individual but an average is about 20 Soles per day per person.
- These are just averages we were given and depends on your experience and your group but we felt it was most effective to pool together as a group to thank the people that helped us make it here!
Read More: Day 4 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Was Day 3 of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Hard?
5 Things We Wish We Knew About Hiking to Machu Picchu
Day 3 of the Inca Trail was an easy day for a few reasons! The first reason being that we only climbed uphill for about an hour. The second reason being we just hiked for fewer hours and finished significantly earlier than any of the other days. Being done and at our camp site between 1:00 and 2:00 PM meant we could relax and recover more than we had throughout the last 2 days.
By day 3 you are really close to completing the trek and should be really proud! But day 4 comes with a very, very early wake up call so after dinner and thanking all the porters and chefs, we had an early bedtime. We set our alarms for 2 AM in order to be some of the first ones at the checkpoint.
Great writing, great photos and a great adventure.