HIKING THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

The Inca Trail, or Qhapac Ñan, is an ancestral network of roads that extends for more than 30,000 kilometers/18,641 miles throughout South America. These roads connected the main cities of Tahuantinsuyo. Nowadays, the term “Inca Trail” refers to the most well-known stretch that connects Machu Picchu to the citadel of Machu Picchu, which is 44 km/27 miles long

The Inca Trail hike consists of a series of spectacular stone structures, bridges, and tunnels that withstand the harsh conditions of the Andes.

The Classic Inca Trail differs in difficulty based on the day of activity, with the second day being the most challenging. It is anticipated that you will traverse diverse terrain during the entire trek, including cobblestones, steep stairs, mountain passes, and high altitude areas.

During the Inca Trail hike, the highest point is the Warmiwañusca pass, also known as Dead Woman’s Pass, at an altitude of 4,215 m/13,828 ft.

Altitude and steep terrain make the hike challenging, especially for those who are not used to such conditions. In addition to these physical challenges, it is necessary to deal with the weather conditions as well.

Only an authorized travel agency with experience in organizing such excursions will be able to provide you with availability for the Inca Trail. As well as acquiring the necessary permits, these agencies provide trained guides, coordinate transportation, accommodations, and other services related to the trek.

It is recommended that you make your reservation in advance in order to secure your preferred date on the Inca Trail.

We recommend that you book your Inca Trail adventure for months such as June, July, and August the previous year as early as October. Every year, in the first weeks of October, the Inca Trail reservation system opens for the following year and some dates sell out within seconds.

For high season, we recommend booking 6 to 8 months in advance. For low season, we recommend booking at least 3 months in advance.

It is certainly possible to book the classic Inca Trail or short Inca Trail privately with Inkayni Peru Tours. The price of this option varies depending on the size of your private group. The services you will receive on a private tour will include your own chef, porters, personal guide, toilet tent and dining tent in addition to the standard services.

It is important to note, however, that even if you opt for a private trek, there may be other groups camping and trekking on the same trail, so you will not be completely alone.

Private and group tours are generally quite similar, there is one important difference: on a private tour, you will only be traveling with those individuals you have chosen to travel with during your booking, whether they are family members or friends, whereas on a group tour, you will be travelling with people from all over the world.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Permits and entrance tickets cannot be changed once they have been purchased, so we cannot change the departure date once they have been purchased. Tickets are not refundable nor transferable.

Please double-check the date on your reservation form, as permits are purchased as soon as we receive your form and deposit. In some cases, spaces are limited, so permits must be purchased immediately.

The permits must be paid in full upon completing the reservation and deposit, which means that if the dates change, additional permits will need to be purchased in full. Permits and tickets provided by the Peruvian government are non-refundable and non-transferable.

It is not possible to transfer Inca Trail permits or refund them. Once an Inca Trail permit is issued, it cannot be transferred or refunded.

The group size that Inkayni Peru Tours operates with is two to eight people maximum. Our goal is to provide all our trekkers with the best possible trekking experience. Choosing smaller groups facilitates closer connections with fellow travelers and ensures a quality trekking experience for all.

A travel agency authorized by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture is required to book permits for the Inca Trail hike.

Permits for the Inca Trail can only be obtained through local tour operators authorized and registered as Inkayni Peru Tours. It is not possible to obtain Inca Trail permits by your own, so you must travel with a tour guide, chef, and porters from a travel agency.

Permits for the Inca Trail tend to sell out quickly, especially during the high season, so it is recommended to book well in advance.

Obtaining permits through an authorized agency ensures compliance with legal requirements and the necessary authorization to access the Inca Trail legally and safely.

As with all of the Andes, the weather at the Inca Trail varies according to the season. There is a dry season between April and October. The rainy season occurs between November and March. The rainiest month of the year is February. The months from June to August are the peak of winter in the Andes, with June being the coldest month during the nights. However, as a result of climate change, the weather has become more unpredictable in recent years.

In general, you should be prepared for either sun or rain, regardless of when it occurs. Mornings and afternoons are always cold. The weather along the Inca Trail hike changes according to the season in which you travel.

During the dry season, the day is usually quite hot and dry, while the nights are usually quite cold in the campsites of Wayllabamba and Pacaymayo. As you descend into the high jungle where Machu Picchu is located, the heat intensifies from the third day during classic Inca Trail. Among the climates that stand out the most are:

• Humidity
• Temperature is moderate during day
• Nights that are cold
• Cold and dry in June

In order to do the Inca Trail hike, one should be in good physical condition and in good physical health. This is due to the fact that the trek involves long distances, rough terrain, and a significant increase in altitude.

It is important to have cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility.

In addition, it is important to consult with a physician before embarking on the trek in order to ensure that you do not have any medical conditions that could jeopardize your health.

The Inca Trail is a constant series of steep climbs, narrow paths, stone steps made by the Incas, and long descents, so trekking poles with rubber tips are recommended, particularly for those with knee problems.

With these trekking poles, you will be able to keep your balance and reduce the impact of your own weight on your knees.

Trekking poles are available for rent from Inkayni Peru Tours at a cost of $15.00 per pole.

It is true that there is no age restriction for doing the Inca Trail. However, Inkayni Peru Tours, as an authorized and responsible travel agency, will only accept reservations for children under the age of 7 if the parents are fully responsible for them during the trek.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

All passengers 60 years of age and older must hire an additional porter (12 kg) for their safety.

Additionally, we recommend that they acknowledge all medical recommendations, regardless of whether it means canceling their travel plans. For clients 60 years of age and older, we recommend arriving in Cusco at least three days prior to their departure date in order to acclimatize and prepare for their trek.

Passengers over 55 years of age are strongly advised to consult their physician before booking and also before traveling to verify that they are in good health to participate in a trek at a high altitude lasting several days.

A variety of foods are provided during the trip, such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, meats, and carbohydrates, which are taken into account by the travel agency.

To ensure that you enjoy a personalized and satisfying gastronomic experience during your Inca Trail hike, you should inform the agency if you are a vegetarian or vegan.

In addition to coffee, coca leaf drinks, hot chocolate, and teas, the Inca Trail menu offers scrambled eggs, omelets, fruit salad, quinoa porridge, fresh orange juice, papaya, French toast, cereal, milk, and oatmeal.

Among the dishes available for lunch are beef, chicken, fish, pasta salads, quinoa soups, chifa/chaufa, vegetables, stuffed potatoes, meat skewers, and other dishes accompanied by appetizers and desserts.

A variety of meals are available for dinner, such as vegetable salads, Andean pizza, stuffed chicken, pasta, pork chop, sautéed vegetables, soups, and delicious desserts.

During happy hour, you can enjoy hot beverages such as chocolate, milk, coffee, a variety of teas, cookies, boiled corn, and fried and stuffed waffles.

As you approach Cusco, you will most likely suffer from altitude sickness if you are not accustomed to being in places over 3000 meters above sea level. In this case, you may experience headaches, shortness of breath, nausea, among other symptoms.

In order to ensure that your trip along the Inca Trail is not disrupted by these discomforts, it is important to pay close attention to your symptoms.

• To counteract the discomfort of altitude sickness, follow these tips:
• Drink plenty of water.
• Don’t drink alcohol before or after your arrival, or at least wait until you have adjusted to the altitude.
• Do not eat red meat or fatty foods for the first few days.
• Eat fruits or light soups.
• Although Coca tea is beneficial, it is not recommended at night because it causes insomnia, and not in large quantities during the day because it could accelerates the heart rate.

During the briefing, you will meet your guide who will provide you with important information about the Inca Trail trek.

We will provide you with a duffle bag in which you will be able to store your personal belongings and what you will need for the four days you will spend trekking along the Inca Trail. During this meeting, you will also be able to pay the tour balance.