Quick answer: The Inca Trail is the bucket-list original: stone stairways, ruins en route and the dawn Sun Gate arrival: permit-capped, book 4-6 months out, ~$700-900. Salkantay is the wild, flexible alternative: higher passes, glacier lakes, no permit scramble, ~$350-550. History and the iconic arrival: Inca. Scenery-per-dollar and late planning: Salkantay.
The trails themselves
Inca: 4 days/43km, cloud-forest stairs, Wiñay Wayna ruins, the Inti Punku sunrise. Salkantay: 5 days/72km, the 4,630m pass under Salkantay’s glacier, Humantay lake, jungle descent: bigger landscapes, fewer stones-with-stories.
Permits, price & planning
Inca permits (500/day incl. crew) vanish months ahead: high season sells out by February. Salkantay needs days, not months: half the price, hot springs en route, and Llactapata’s distant first view of Machu Picchu.
Difficulty & comfort
Salkantay is harder on altitude (sleep at 3,800-4,000m): Inca harder on knees (those stairs). Both: acclimatize 2-3 Cusco days first: see the Machu Picchu plan.
The verdict
First time + booked early + history-led: Inca Trail. Short notice, bigger wilderness, tighter budget: Salkantay: and consider Lares for culture or the one-day Inca for a taste.
FAQ
Which is harder? Salkantay (altitude + length): the Inca Trail’s stairs punish differently.
How early for Inca permits? 4-6 months: dry-season dates earlier still.
Cost difference? Roughly double for Inca ($700-900) vs Salkantay ($350-550).
Same ending? Inca walks IN via the Sun Gate: Salkantay finishes in Aguas Calientes with a morning bus up.
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John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.