Chinchero to Urquillos Hike: A Sacred Valley Inca Trail
An 8 km downhill Inca trail hike from Chinchero to the quiet village of Urquillos.
The Chinchero to Urquillos Hike follows a genuine Inca trail — not a paved tourist path, but the same route Andean families have used for centuries to move between the highlands and the Sacred Valley floor. Starting at Chinchero’s ruins, the trail descends roughly 8 km past the Poc Poc waterfall and a scattering of smaller Inca ruins, ending in Urquillos, a village most visitors to Peru never hear about.
The route’s defining feature is its direction: almost the entire hike goes downhill, dropping from Chinchero’s 3,762 m down toward Urquillos at roughly 2,980 m. That makes it one of the gentler full-day hikes in the region — genuinely useful as an acclimatization day for travelers preparing for a longer trek, since the body works with gravity rather than against it for most of the route.
| 💰 From | $61 USD per person (group of 10) |
| ⏱️ Duration | Full day (~3.5 hours hiking + transport) |
| 📏 Distance | ~8 km / 4.9 miles, mostly downhill |
| ⛰️ Altitude range | Chinchero 3,762 m down to Urquillos ~2,980 m |
| 🚶 Physical level | Easy to Moderate — mostly downhill, uneven terrain in places |
| 📅 Season | Year-round (drizzle possible even in dry season) |
| 👥 Group size | Private, 1-10 travelers (10+, contact us) |
| 🎂 Minimum age | 8+ with a guardian over 21 |
A genuine Inca trail, walked downhill from an Andean highland town to a quiet valley village. – Start at the Chinchero ruins, exploring the terraces, plazas, and ritual altars before the hike begins. – Follow roughly 8 km of original Inca trail, almost entirely downhill. – Stop at the Poc Poc waterfall, one of the trail’s most photographed points. – Finish in Urquillos, a small village most Sacred Valley visitors never reach. This is the Chinchero to Urquillos Hike, start to finish.
Most Sacred Valley itineraries treat Chinchero as a five-minute photo stop on the way to somewhere else — that’s the case with tours like the Chinchero Sacred Valley Tour, which pairs it with Moray and Maras. This hike does the opposite: it uses Chinchero as a genuine starting point, exploring the ruins properly before setting off on foot along a real Inca trail that drops down into the valley below.
The trail itself follows the same route Quechua families have used for generations to move goods and livestock between the highlands and the valley floor — not a route built for tourism, but one still in everyday use. Along the way, hikers pass the Poc Poc waterfall and a handful of smaller ruins before the trail eases into Urquillos, a small village on the banks of the Urubamba watershed that sees a fraction of the visitors nearby Ollantaytambo or Pisac receive.
Because the route runs almost entirely downhill — from Chinchero’s 3,762 m to Urquillos at roughly 2,980 m — it’s a genuinely different kind of day than the region’s uphill treks, similar in spirit to the Pumamarca Ruins Hike. It works well both as a standalone cultural hike and as a low-impact way to spend a day moving your body at altitude before a longer trek later in the trip.
The Chinchero to Urquillos Hike is a single, continuous descent, which simplifies its altitude logic considerably. The day’s highest point, Chinchero at 3,762 m, is also where it starts — meaning the body’s hardest work (adjusting to elevation) happens passively, on the drive out from Cusco, rather than through physical exertion on the trail.
From there, every step of the hike moves toward lower ground, ending in Urquillos at roughly 2,980 m. That steady descent is what makes this route a genuinely useful acclimatization day: travelers spend hours actively moving at altitude, without the cardiovascular demand of an uphill climb.
Your guide picks you up from your hotel at 9:00 AM, then drives approximately 50 minutes to Chinchero. The morning starts at a local textile center, where Chinchero families demonstrate traditional weaving — spinning, natural dyeing, and the techniques behind their textiles — before a guided walk through Chinchero’s Inca ruins: agricultural terraces, ceremonial plazas, and ritual altars, using the partial Sacred Valley entrance ticket.
From the ruins, the hike begins in earnest, following the original Inca trail down toward the Sacred Valley — the same route local families have used for generations to move between the highlands and the valley floor. Roughly partway through the descent, the trail passes the Poc Poc waterfall, one of the route’s most scenic points, and continues to the Machu Qolqa viewpoint, with sweeping views over the Sacred Valley below.
The trail eases into Urquillos, a quiet village where the hike officially ends, before private transport carries you back to Cusco, arriving at your hotel by approximately 4:30 PM.
Day 1 stats
None
Moderate
8km (4.9 miles)
3.5 Hrs.
Chinchero Ruins: 3,800m (12,467 ft)
Urquillos: 3,295m (10,810 ft)
A standard Chinchero tour stops at the ruins and moves on. This one uses Chinchero as a starting point for an 8 km hike along a genuine Inca trail, ending in the village of Urquillos.
Almost entirely downhill — the trail drops from Chinchero’s 3,762 m to Urquillos at roughly 2,980 m, making this one of the gentler full-day hikes in the region.
Around 3.5 hours of walking, depending on your pace and how many stops you make, plus transport time to and from Cusco.
Yes — because the route is downhill, it lets you spend hours moving at altitude without the cardiovascular strain of climbing, making it a genuinely useful lower-impact acclimatization day.
A scenic waterfall along the trail, roughly partway through the descent, and one of the most photographed points on the hike.
No — many travelers stop for a buffet lunch in Urubamba on the way back, but this isn’t included in the tour price.
The recommended minimum age is 8, accompanied by a guardian over 21, given the uneven terrain and steady descent.
Yes — this is a genuine section of Inca-built trail, still used by local families today, rather than a route built specifically for tourism.
Trekking shoes with solid ankle support are important — the steady downhill grade puts real strain on knees and ankles, especially on uneven or muddy sections.
Yes — for an extra charge, we can drop you off in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo instead of returning to Cusco, useful if you’re continuing on to Machu Picchu.
Yes — the path is a well-established local route, and your guide leads the way throughout, so navigation isn’t something you need to worry about.
Facilities are limited along the trail itself; Chinchero has bathrooms at the start, and Urquillos has basic facilities at the end.
Yes — many travelers pair it with a Sacred Valley hotel stay the same evening, continuing on to Ollantaytambo or Machu Picchu the next day.
| Persons | Price (p/p) | |
| 1 | $ 253.00 USD | |
| 2 | $ 154.00 USD | |
| 3 | $ 119.00 USD | |
| 4 | $ 98.00 USD | |
| 5 | $ 87.00 USD | |
| 6 | $ 79.00 USD | |
| 7 | $ 72.00 USD | |
| 8 | $ 68.00 USD | |
| 9 | $ 64.00 USD | |
| 10 | $ 61.00 USD |
Chinchero to Urquillos Hike
Chinchero to Urquillos Hike
Chinchero to Urquillos Hike
