Nowadays, the Inca Trail is famous because it includes in its route -which is done for 5, 4, or 2 days- a great variety of ecological levels. These include a great diversity of flora and fauna, from the low area near the Urubamba River, where the town of Aguas Calientes is located, at 2,000 meters / 6,560 feet above sea level, to the high area, whose high point is the Warmiwañuska Pass, or Dead Woman’s Pass, at 4,215 meters / 13,825 feet.
You can appreciate its wildlife, such as the ukuku, or spectacled bear, deer, foxes, and the majestic kuntur, or Andean condor. Added to this are the landscapes of the valleys, with mountains over 6,000 meters high, and incredible views that look like living paintings. Along with the Inca constructions made by a culture that had such great respect for nature that the local people call “love to the Pachamama”.
The Inca Trail includes in its entirety not only the spirit of adventure, personal challenge, and a dream but also its history. The history of a great culture that existed before the arrival of the Spaniards in South America, with its religion, customs, ways of life, beliefs, food, etc. persists to this day.
This trail, from its starting point to the final destination, the Inca city of Machu Picchu, offers a large number of ceremonial centers. These are located in strategic places from where you can observe the tutelary gods of the Incas and the Apus, such as the Salkantay, La Veronica, and Pumasillo. Arriving at the Inca citadel, one can understand why the Incas built this iconic site, in the middle of two mountains: the Machu Picchu
and Huayna Picchu. Bordering Machu Picchu and the Huayna Picchu mountain, is the Willkamayu or Urubamba River.
We pick you up from your hotel (Cusco city accommodation). We will take our private transportation to the starting point of the Inca Trail, which takes approximately 3 hours, passing through the town of Ollantaytambo. From the city of Cusco to Ollantaytambo takes about 2 hours and before arriving at the village, we will stop for half an hour at the “Restaurant Puma”, where we can enjoy a delicious breakfast and at the same time have the opportunity to make some purchases such as snacks, rain poncho, flowery water, leaves of cocas and other things more.
After breakfast, we will take our transportation to Piscacucho (Inca Trail checkpoint). It takes approximately 1 hour for the trip.
First control where the tourist will show his original passport, if the tourist is a student, he will have to show his student card.
After passing the first control, we will cross the Urubamba River (in the Quechua language Willkamayu, which means sacred river), through a bridge. To ascend by a small hillside. Then the road is smooth. After about 15 minutes of walking we can make a small break and turn around our backs we will see the majesty of the Apu (sacred mountain) La Veronica, which will be seen during the first day, and lose sight of the second day, to see it again the third and fourth day to reach the Inca city of Machu Picchu.
On our first day, we will see on the right side of the Urubamba River two Inca complexes called Salapunku (access control post to Machu Picchu, as well as a ceremonial center). Qhanabamba, which was possibly a small tampu (a resting place). Having in this tour of approximately two hours the presence of the river Willkamayu.
Then we will ascend for about 15 minutes to make a short break in the small village of Meskay where we can buy some snacks or drinks.
Continuing our hike, we will ascend a small trail for about 15 minutes to reach a small viewpoint where we can take some pictures and enjoy the scenery. We will have a small flat path of about five minutes, arriving at a viewpoint from where we can observe the Inca complex of Llaqtapata (Q’entimarka), in the Inca period was an Inca village that has two periods of occupation: Pre-Inca and Inca (900 to 1480 AD).
Very close to this Inca complex is the site of Willkaraqay, which must have fulfilled the function of a small urban center and at the same time, some enclosures must have had the function of ceremonial enclosures of worship to the Apu La Veronica.
After observing these two Inca sites we will descend to the Cusichaca Valley (cusi; happy and chaka; bridge). Then we will walk for about 20 minutes and arrive at our lunch place (rural community of Tarayoc). After enjoying a delicious lunch and a small nap, we will walk for almost two hours, a path of small ups and downs to reach our first camp, called Hatunchaka (hatun; big and chaka; bridge). We will camp a half-hour before the first official camp of Wayllabamba, why because the Hatunchaka camp is far away from the noise and has a bathroom, shower, and electricity services.
Before enjoying our dinner, we will have happy hour (hot drinks, pockcorn, cookies).
On the second day, we will wake up very early at about 5.00 am, where we can enjoy coca tea, which is very good for altitude sickness. We will have enough time to prepare our camping equipment and enjoy a delicious breakfast. Before leaving our camp we will have a small ceremony with our support staff (cook and porters), to know who will accompany us on this adventure to Machu Picchu.
Half an hour later, we will arrive at the village of Huayllabamba (3,000 meters / 9,840 feet). After a rest, we will begin the ascent to the highest point of the Inca Trail, called “Dead Woman´s Pass ” (4,215 meters / 13,815 feet), having a journey of 6 hours or so. From Huayllabamba to the place of Ayapata (3,250 meters / 10,660 feet), you have about 2 hours of walking, the best way to do this hike is “slow but sure”.
Hold your Llamas! In this place, you have the opportunity to buy snacks and drinks. From Ayapata to Llulluchapampa (3,800 meters / 12,464 feet), the place of our lunch we have a hike of about two hours, “slow but sure”. On this part of the trail, we will be able to observe a great variety of local flora and fauna as well as the different ecological levels of the Peruvian Andes and maybe we will be lucky enough to see deer or the famous spectacled bear, animals protected by the Peruvian government.
In Llulluchapampa we will have the opportunity to make the last purchases of snacks and drinks until we reach Machu Picchu. From our lunch, we will provide you with cold boiled water to fill your water bottles at the lunch and campsites until the end of our adventure. From Llulluchapampa to the Paso de la Mujer Muerta, we have 2 hours of walking approximately, we will go through a forest of queuñas (a native tree), and we will have the opportunity to observe some calls that belong to local families. Half an hour before reaching the highest point of the Inca Trail. We will be able to observe the silhouette of the mountain that has the shape of a woman lying down looking towards the sky, with the face, the neck, which is the Paso, and the mountain to the right that has the shape of a breast, for which it is called, the Paso de la Mujer Muerta (Pass of the Dead Woman).
When we reach this point we will feel proud to have arrived and to have accomplished this great challenge. From this place, we have a great view of both valleys, the Wayruro Valley and the Pacaymayu Valley where our second camp is located. After taking some group photos or personal photos, we will begin to descend to the second camp, having about two hours of walking. This route has many steps, so it is recommended to use walking sticks, that is “better to walk 4 feet, than two feet”. During the descent, you will be able to observe a great variety of birds, especially sparrows, hummingbirds, and others, according to the time of the year.
Upon arrival at the second camp of Pacaymayu (3,600 meters / 11,808 feet), our support staff (cook and porters) will be waiting for us, with a great welcome of applause and hot drinks.
After enjoying a delicious dinner, we will go to our tents to take a well-deserved rest. The Pacaymayu camp is the coldest place on the Inca Trail. We suggest you bring a good sleeping bag.
We will get up very early between 4.30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Why, because it is the longest day and the most beautiful day since on the way to the last camp of Wiñaywayna, we will visit and explore different Inca complexes: resting places, checkpoints, ceremonial centers, altars, tunnels, and agricultural centers.
From Pacaymayu camp to the second Runkuraqay Pass (3,975 meters / 13,038 feet) takes approximately 2 hours of ascent. After an hour climb we will arrive at the Inca complex of Runkuraqay (3,768 meters / 12,359 feet), which in Inca times was a “tampu” (resting place), but at the same time must have served as a control site of the Inca trail, from where you can observe the Inca trail coming from the Pacaymayu Valley and straight ahead of the Dead Woman’s Pass.
After exploring and visiting Runkuraqay you have an hour of climbing to the second pass. From Runkuraqay you will be able to step on and see the real Inca trail to the pilgrimage city called Machu Picchu, more than 500 years hidden by time and vegetation. Until the year 1915 when it was discovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. 20 minutes before reaching the pass, on the left side of the road, you will see the Cochapata Lagoon. When arriving at the second pass, we will be able to observe the Vilcabamba mountain range with the Apu (sacred mountain) Pumasillo in front in a straight line.
From the second pass, we will have about an hour of descent to the next Inca complex of Sayacmarka (3,611 meters / 11,844 feet), which in Inca times was a very important ceremonial center of veneration to the Apu Pumasillo, the same that is oriented towards the west cardinal point, the same that was discovered in 1915 by the American Hiram Bingham. And in the last 30 years studies by local archaeologists, explain that this Inca place fulfilled a religious function and ceremonies and not being an Inca fortress.
From Sayacmarka to Chaquicocha (chaqui; dry and cocha; lagoon), the place of the lunch is a half-hour walk. Sayacmarka would also be the entry point to the high jungle where Machu Picchu is located. On the way to lunch, we will pass through the Inca complex of Conchamarka (resting place and checkpoint). At the lunch place, we will have restrooms.
After savoring a delicious lunch and filling the water bottles, we will have an hour and a half walk, with small ups and downs, until the last pass of Phuyupatarka (3,600 meters / 11,808 feet), the path is already more moderate. We will be able to enjoy the hike, enjoy the view, as well as the local flora and fauna. After half an hour of walking to the left side of the Inca trail, we will see in a corner a small altar from where we can observe the Apu Salkantay (6,270 meters / 20,566 feet), crossing an Inca tunnel and arriving at the third pass, we will observe to the right side the Apu La Veronica, to the right side the Apu La Veronica, to the right side the Apu La Veronica and to the right side the Apu La Veronica.
From the left the Apu Salkantay, the Apu Pumasillo and to the north, the Mahu Picchu Mountain next to this mountain is the Inca complex of Inti Pata (inti; sun and pata; place).
From the third pass, we will descend for 5 minutes to reach the Inca complex of Phuyupatamarka (Inca ceremonial center and astronomical observation center). From this Inca site, we will descend approximately 3 hours to reach the last camp called Wiñaywayna (wiñay; to grow and young wayna), which means “forever young or eternally young”. On the way, we will have the opportunity to see again the Urubamba Valley and the river of the same name. At 40 minutes before reaching the camp, we will visit the Inca complex of Intipata (2,750 meters / 9,020 feet). Intipata (inti; sun and pata; place), in Inca times, was a very important agricultural center, where possibly coca leaf and other jungle products were cultivated.
The Wiñaywayna camp (2,655 meters / 8,708 feet), is a very small camp, where you have toilets and cold showers. If you arrive early at the camp you may have the opportunity to visit the Inca complex of Wiñawayna, which was “the last spiritual rest” before reaching the sacred city of Machu Picchu.
In this camp, you will have the last dinner of this great adventure. After dinner, we recommend going to bed early and before going to bed, prepare the backpacks and duffle bags for the last day.
On day 4, we get up very early at about 3.00 am. We will have an hour to prepare our personal belongings such as backpacks, sleeping bags, and duffle bags. Before going to the checkpoint. The cook will give us a snack to enjoy. While we wait for the checkpoint to open (5.30 am), we can enjoy our snacks. 5.30 we pass the checkpoint.
From Wiñaywayna to Intipunku (Sun Gate), 2,650 meters / 8,692 feet. The hike takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, of small ups and downs, and the route is moderate. Upon reaching the Intipunku or Sun Gate, if weather conditions are favorable, we can see in the distance, the Inca city of Machu Picchu, the Huayna Picchu Mountain, and in the background of the Urubamba Valley Willkamayu River. After enjoying the view and taking many pictures, we will begin to descend to the sacred city, having 25 minutes walk to a large Inca altar, where we the hiker can respectfully put their offerings (coca leaves, snacks, small stones). Before arriving at the last checkpoint. We will have the opportunity to take the classic photographs from the sector of the House of the Guardian.
Once the pictures are taken, we will descend to the checkpoint. And before visiting the city of Machu Picchu, we will have the opportunity to use the toilets and store our backpacks (more than 25 liters) and trekking poles, which are allowed in the Inca city Ready and prepared, we will visit with our Mountain Guide, the sacred city of Machu Picchu. Visiting the agricultural sector, the ceremonial sector, and finally the urban sector. Now if the tourist would like to climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain, you must make your reservation, together when you make your reservation for the Inca Trail, why? because there is a limit of people on this mountain.
After visiting Machu Picchu, we will take the bus service to the town of Aguas Calientes (half an hour trip). Arriving at a tourist restaurant that the Inca Trail Guide will recommend.
Enjoy the town of Aguas Calientes and the determined to go to the train station to take the train back to Cusco (Aguas Calientes Pueblo, is a very small town, where you want to go, everything is done on foot, no cabs, no mobility).
The return service to the city of Cusco is bimodal (train and bus), when you arrive at the Ollantaytambo station our transportation will be waiting for you to take you to your accommodation in Cusco.
End of Services!
POOL SERVICE: (You share the service with others people)
Additional/Extras NOT Included (Need to book in Advance):
Optional Extras:
PRIVATE SERVICE:
VERY IMPORTANT: We include a Personal Porter per 8 kilos
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