What to Expect on the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Day 4

In a series, I did a day-to-day account of my experience hiking the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. In case you missed it, here are the links to Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. This post covers Inca Trail Day 4 – the final push to the famous Machu Picchu!

Inca Trail Day 4: Final Checkpoint, Intipunku (Sun Gate) and Machu Picchu

The final stretch…

Wake up call on this day was at 3 am. As this was the final leg, I changed into a fresh outfit that I saved specifically for Machu Picchu. I also triple checked that I did not leave anything in my sleeping bag and tent.

The Chef had prepared a simpler breakfast in comparison to our previous ones. He had also made cheese sandwiches for us to pack and eat later at the Sun Gate.

The porters started leaving camp a little before 4 am while us trekkers were brushing our teeth and filling our water bottles for the day. We waited around camp for about 20-30 minutes before heading to a waiting area before the final checkpoint.

The Final Checkpoint on the classic Inca Trail

The checkpoint opened at 5:30 am. I stared up at the Milky Way which was directly above us while we waited. The Sacred Valley’s position in relation to the Milky Way played a huge role as to why the Incas chose to build their empire from here outwards. The brightest object in the sky that morning was Venus. It competed with the Sun which was slowly starting to rise in the horizon.

The last toilets until Machu Picchu are located in this waiting area. Being the last toilets, you can imagine that they were probably the dirtiest on the Trail. I closed the door on one of the toilets almost immediately after I opened it and gagged. A guide had watched THAT all go down. He pointed out that just at the next building over are bathrooms that are much cleaner. He was correct.

These set of toilets were probably the cleanest I’ve seen in days. I guess most people don’t see them and line up for the ones closest to the waiting area? The doors had broken locks here, so this could also explain why no one was using these toilets. Thankfully, I came to the toilets with a friend who blocked the door for me.

I don’t quite know what the cue is, but after waiting for a bit, our guides all collected their group and we headed towards the final checkpoint. We were going to pass the toilets on the way to the checkpoint and our Guide told us to hold our breath. Not everyone got that warning and I remember hearing the ripple of gags behind me as people passed through in waves.

Checkpoint to the Sun Gate

Since there is a mandatory check for everyone’s passports, there was a bit of a wait at the checkpoint. Sunlight was starting to stream across the lush, green mountain range and it just added to the anticipation of seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. The Wiñay Wayna camp was 5 km away from Intipunku – also known as the Sun Gate. The Sun Gate is believed to be the control gate for those coming from and going to Machu Picchu during the time of the Incas.

In comparison to the previous days, Inca Trail Day 4 is a lighter trekking day. Nevertheless, my group hiked for 2 hours straight from the final checkpoint to Intipunku (known as the Sun Gate in English). Unlike the other days when I hiked at my own pace, I had to keep up with the guys. The objective for every Inca Trail trekker is to watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate. At this point, the Sun was quickly rising.

There was one last hurdle to climb before reaching the Sun Gate… literally. Just meters away from the Sun Gate, you’ll find a set of SUPER steep stairs affectionately known as the “Gringo Killer.” These steps are so steep that most people ditch their trekking poles and use their hands to climb the steps like a ladder. I have super small feet that fit on the steps perfectly so I challenged myself to not use my hands on the steps.

The Sun Gate (Intipunku)

I was very lucky to have had clear visibility on the day I reached the Sun Gate.

My favourite memories from the Inca Trail took place right before passing through the Gate and to THAT famous view of Machu Picchu. I was setting my backpack and trekking poles aside for pictures when trekkers who recognized me from the previous days came over to give me a hug. They congratulated me for making it to the end of the trek.

I looked around and nearly everyone present was hugging a stranger, congratulating each other for completing one of the famous treks in the world. This scene was so disarming that for a minute there I almost forgot why we were at the Sun Gate. I was just in awe of everyone’s collective happiness.

I needed a moment to get over all the feels from when I was hugging and congratulating everyone. After all the hugs, I finally got my first glimpse of Machu Picchu. It was so surreal seeing one of the new Seven Wonders of the World from that vantage point. After all the preparation and all the anticipation and all those stairs, I made it. It felt like a dream.

Onwards to Machu Picchu

The guys and I made our way down to Machu Picchu. I stopped often just to take the same picture over and over again of the ancient citadel. Somehow I was hoping that these pictures would capture the feelings of triumph and jubilation I had at that very moment.

We crossed paths with people who took the early bus to Machu Picchu. I’ll refer to them as the “Early Risers”. They were heading towards the Sun Gate. Only those who completed the classic Inca Trail trek have the privilege of entering Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate. Some of the Early Risers had overheard my group’s conversation about looking forward to a hot shower and asked us where we were coming from. We explained that we were reaching the end of our four day trek through the Andes. The Early Risers congratulated us on a job well done though, understandably, none of them wanted to give us a hug.

The guys and I were supposed to meet a bigger group at Machu Picchu. We were meeting up with the five ladies that we were travelling the rest of Peru with. They had booked the Lares Trek instead and their trek ended the day before and were bussing up from Aguas Calientes.

The closer we got to Machu Picchu, the more visible the long lines to get into one of the most visited places on Earth got. There were probably hundreds of people in line before 8:00 am (or maybe it was after 8 am, I didn’t have a sense of time).

Entering Machu Picchu in style

Right before we reached Machu Picchu, we paused for a final group huddle away from the crowds. I don’t remember what was said exactly but we were taking a moment to reflect on all the amazing things we saw and did on the classic Inca Trail. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu truly is an attraction all on its own and I was elated to have experienced it all.

We thanked our Guide and each other for being part of this journey. Then we went around the group giving individual hugs. For people who haven’t showered in days after doing some intense hiking, we sure hugged a lot.

Then we continued onwards towards Machu Picchu and the end of the Inca Trail.

Summary of Inca Trail – Day 4

Excited for your upcoming trek on the Inca Trail? Do you have a favourite Inca Trail memory? Tell us about it in the comments below!