Hi Cecilia - I'm sorry I did not notice your question earlier, please excuse this delay. The trek starts very early in the morning with a pick up at hotels around 5am-6am, as I recall. Pisac is not in the immediate vicinity, I believe they could pick you up in Ollytantambo, as we stopped there at the train station too. I think ankle high light trekking boots will be just fine. As long as they have a toe guard they will work fine for the rocks. Absolutely do bring hiking poles though. Those are a must. I brought mine from home but they seem to be available all over Cusco for around $16. Sometimes my poles were not allowed in my carry on luggage because of the points (you do need to add rubber tips for Inka trail). I had to check my bag a couple of times within Peru on some flights. I'll be sure to check here again to see if you have more questions.

just to add to the already comprehensive answers. I did both the 4 and 5 day hikes in the last 6 years. seeing sunrise at sungate can be difficult b/c it is often foggy in the morning. and you have to do the march at 3:30 am in the morning to sun gate and then wait for an hr in the fog and cold with many people. This means you actually miss a segment of hike that is actually very beautiful with wild orchids and birds that you can enjoy in day light. I would recommend, despite you being very tired to wake up early to get on the very first bus to get into the citadel on the 5th day. I regretted not doing that.

The list Explorandes gave to us was excellent. Key items for us were hiking boots, poles, layers for clothing as the weather does change, mitts and a toque, and extra socks. A headlamp or flashlight is also of benefit. Enjoy your trip!

We booked with Explorandes online, and they sent me a link to make a deposit with my VISA card. It was very easy. Ms. Emily Fernandez, our trip planner, answered all online questions within 24-48 hrs. She was quite responsive. They were waiting for us at the Cusco airport to take us to our hotel, and they were always on time to pick us up at the hotel for tours and excursions. They are a reputable company.

The cost will depend on what you do and how long. Best thing is to reach out to them directly with your proposal (is it a private trek or group trek , number of days) and then they will give you a quote. It's higher than some of the other local agencies but definitely a better quality experience. /brian