Beyond the Inca Trail: 5 Alternative Routes to Machu Picchu You Haven't Tried

If you ask me about the most dramatic landscape transitions I've ever experienced, Salkantay takes the cake, hands down. This 74km journey starts in the crisp Andean highlands and gradually descends into steamy cloud forest – it's like experiencing all four seasons in a single trek.

Day two nearly broke me, I won't lie. The 4,630m Salkantay Pass had me huffing and puffing like I'd never seen a gym in my life. But standing beneath the towering Salkantay glacier with its ice peaks piercing a perfect blue sky? Worth every labored breath. Our guide Mateo shared ancient Quechua legends about the mountain being a wild, untamable deity – and looking up at that massive wall of ice and rock, I believed every word.

Unlike the Inca Trail, Salkantay doesn't require booking months in advance (though I'd still recommend it in peak seasons). You'll need proper gear though, especially for those frigid mountain nights. My down sleeping bag was an absolute lifesaver when temperatures plummeted below freezing at our highest camp.

The trail's diversity is what makes it magical – one moment you're crossing high alpine terrain, the next you're spotting orchids and hummingbirds in lush forest. And the coffee plantations near the end? Heaven for caffeine fiends like myself. We even helped harvest beans at a family farm before sampling their divine brew.

While most routes to Machu Picchu focus primarily on ruins and landscapes, the Lares Trek delivers something equally valuable – genuine cultural connection. This path winds through remote Andean communities where life continues much as it has for centuries.

During our winter trek last July (remember, that's dry season in Peru!), we hiked through valleys dotted with stone houses where local women in vibrant traditional dress worked ancient looms in doorways. Children with rosy cheeks from the mountain air raced alongside us, giggling and practicing their few English phrases. My heart absolutely melted.

The physical challenge here isn't as intense as Salkantay, but don't be fooled – you'll still tackle passes over 4,400m with thin air that makes your lungs burn. The difference? After a challenging day, you're rewarded with natural hot springs that soothe every aching muscle. Soaking under star-filled skies while sharing coca tea with our porters remains one of my favorite Peru memories.

A real highlight was visiting a local school where we delivered supplies (check with your tour operator about this opportunity). The gratitude from students and teachers was overwhelming, and suddenly those extra colored pencils in my pack felt like the most important things I'd packed.

For capturing these authentic cultural moments, I relied heavily on my mirrorless camera. Its silent shooting mode allowed me to capture candid moments without disrupting the beautiful everyday life unfolding around us.

If you're after serious bragging rights and ruins that rival Machu Picchu itself (with about 0.1% of the visitors), the Choquequirao trek is your holy grail. Fair warning: this is the most challenging route I'm recommending, but mates, the payoff is EPIC.

Choquequirao means 'Cradle of Gold' in Quechua, and this massive archaeological complex remains about 70% unexcavated, still embraced by jungle. When our small group of six arrived after the brutal climb, we had the entire site to ourselves. Let that sink in – an ancient Inca city all to yourself. I literally sat on a stone terrace watching the afternoon light play across ruins while condors soared overhead. Pure magic.

The trek itself is a beast – 64km round trip with extreme elevation changes. You'll descend 1,500m into the Apurimac Canyon only to climb right back up the other side. My trekking poles were absolute lifesavers for my knees on those punishing descents and quad-burning climbs.

What makes this route special beyond the ruins? The isolation. We camped under stars brighter than I've seen anywhere else on earth, bathed in pristine streams, and spotted wildlife that included foxes and the elusive spectacled bear (Paddington's Peruvian cousin!).

After exploring Choquequirao, you have options – return the way you came or continue on the 9-day through-trek to Machu Picchu. We chose the latter, and though there were moments I questioned my sanity while climbing yet another steep pass, connecting these two lost cities on foot was worth every blister.

Calling all adrenaline junkies! If the thought of just hiking for days makes you yawn, the Inca Jungle Trek combines mountain biking, ziplining, rafting, and hiking into one action-packed adventure. This was my first-ever route to Machu Picchu years ago, and it set the bar ridiculously high.

Day one kicks off with a 50km downhill mountain bike descent from 4,350m into the jungle. You'll drop nearly 3,000 meters in elevation while the landscape transforms dramatically around you. The road has hairpin turns that had me white-knuckling my handlebars while simultaneously whooping with joy. My action camera captured the entire heart-racing descent – footage that still gives me goosebumps.

The trek portion winds through coffee plantations and alongside rushing rivers before you reach Santa Teresa, home to natural hot springs that are perfect for soothing muscles. The optional zipline experience there sends you flying over the jungle canopy on Peru's longest lines – an absolute must for thrill-seekers.

What makes this route special is the climate shift. After freezing in Cusco, you'll suddenly find yourself in humid jungle, spotting orchids, butterflies, and if you're lucky, monkeys. Our guide Carlos pointed out medicinal plants used by local communities that I would have walked right past.

The final day's hike to Aguas Calientes follows the train tracks and river valley – less historically significant than other routes but beautiful in its own right. The first glimpse of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate hits differently when you've arrived via this adventure cocktail of activities.

If you're after the road seriously less traveled, the Vilcabamba Traverse is the holy grail of alternative Machu Picchu routes. This challenging 5-7 day expedition follows the actual final escape route of the Incas as they fled Spanish conquistadors.

I won't sugarcoat it – this trek is remote, demanding, and requires an experienced guide. We went with a specialized outfit that employs local guides with deep knowledge of this historical path. You'll cross multiple high passes above 4,000m while exploring rarely-visited ruins like Vitcos and the sacred white rock of Yurak Rumi.

What struck me most was the profound silence. Days would pass where we saw no other hikers – just local farmers tending fields using methods unchanged for centuries. One evening, our guide Fernando arranged for us to participate in a traditional pachamanca feast, where food is cooked underground using hot stones. Sharing this meal with our porters while they told stories of Incan spirits said to still wander these mountains gave me proper goosebumps.

The biodiversity here is staggering – we traversed ecosystems ranging from puna grasslands to cloud forests dripping with moss and orchids. Birdwatchers, bring your compact binoculars – we spotted Andean condors, caracaras, and dozens of hummingbird species I'd never seen before.

The final approach to Machu Picchu comes from an angle few ever witness, with views that had me frantically snapping photos while simultaneously wanting to just put the camera down and burn the panorama into my memory forever. When we finally reached the Sun Gate, the main tourist crowds seemed a world away from our wilderness experience.