Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
4 days
580.00
The 4 day trek Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is truly one of the World’s great walking routes – almost a pilgrimage for many visitors to Peru. The objective of our trek is the magnificent Inca City of Machu Picchu, an Inca city left undisturbed by looters and unknown to the outside world until its remarkable discovery by Yale professor and explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. The site is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as was recently voted one of the seven ‘New Wonders of the World’.
Remarkable as Machu Picchu may be, the 4 day Inca Trail, part of a vast network of roads binding together the Inca Empire from Ecuador to Northern Chile is equally special. Traversing a wonderful range of Andean Ecosystems from mountain meadows to lush cloud forests and with vistas of magnificent snow crested summits this trail should be appreciated for its natural assets in addition to historical ones. In many places we use sections of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu that have been in use for hundreds of years, passing Inca archaeological sites and storehouses as we go – sites that themselves possess their own unique fascination. This is truly an adventure of a lifetime!
Day 1 - Cusco to Huayllabamba.
Day 2 - Huayllabamba to the Pacaymayo Valley.
Day 3 - Pacaymayo to Wiñay Huayna.
Day 4 - Wiñay Huayna to Cusco.
Our bus will pick us up early for our 2 hour ride through the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the traditional market town of Ollantaytambo were we buy any last minute supplies for the trail. Heading onwards for another hour we arrive at Km 82, the starting point for our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trekking adventure. We enjoy a nutritious breakfast while taking in the magnificent view of the snow capped Veronica, at 5750m the highest of mountains in the Urubamba Mountain Range. Beginning the hike we pass the Inca agricultural terraces at Patallacta, and after about 3 hours walking we arrive at our first campsite at the village of Huayllabamba. (B.L.D.)
Today is perhaps the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu greatest hiking challenge. Following breakfast we hike up past Llulluchampa, through an area of lush cloud forest. Continuing upward we begin a steep 2 ½ hour climb to the 4200m pass of Warmiwañusca, ‘dead woman pass’. After taking in amazing scenery we begin our decent into the Pacaymayo Valley where we set up our camp, have dinner and recover from the days challenge. (B.L.D.)
Today we climb Inca stairs to reach a second pass at 3850m. From the pass there are spectacular views of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, last refuge of the Incas after the initial Spanish Conquest and home to the rebellion of Manco Inca and his successors. The trail continues into the Aobamba Valley and to the site Sayacmarca (Inaccessible Town). The trail climbs gently again, fringed with cloud forest to a third pass, again with magnificent views of Vilcabamba range. From the pass there’s a steep descent of more than 1000m to the substantial ruins of Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young) and the extensive terraces of Intipata. We camp in these spectacular surrounds and ready ourselves for an early start and the final push to Machu Picchu. (B.L.D.)
We get going very early this morning as we hike for about an hour to reach Intipunku, the Sun Gate. From here we look down on the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and we watch the sun rise above the surrounding mountains from our fabulous viewpoint. Walking down to the site we have a 2 - 3 hour guided tour of the site, explaining the uses and historical context of the many buildings. After this you have plenty of free time to explore and take in the site on your own – there is also the (optional) possibility to climb the vertigo inducing peak of Huayna Picchu, the spectacular mountain rising to the north of the ruins. Descending from Machu Picchu World Heritage Site to the town of Aguas Calientes there is time for a comfortable lunch in one of the town’s restaurants before catching the afternoon train back to Cusco. On arrival in Cusco you will be transferred back to your hotel. End of our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tour service. (B.L.)
Day 1 - Cusco to Huayllabamba.
Our bus will pick us up early for our 2 hour ride through the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the traditional market town of Ollantaytambo were we buy any last minute supplies for the trail. Heading onwards for another hour we arrive at Km 82, the starting point for our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trekking adventure. We enjoy a nutritious breakfast while taking in the magnificent view of the snow capped Veronica, at 5750m the highest of mountains in the Urubamba Mountain Range. Beginning the hike we pass the Inca agricultural terraces at Patallacta, and after about 3 hours walking we arrive at our first campsite at the village of Huayllabamba. (B.L.D.)
Day 2 - Huayllabamba to the Pacaymayo Valley.
Today is perhaps the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu greatest hiking challenge. Following breakfast we hike up past Llulluchampa, through an area of lush cloud forest. Continuing upward we begin a steep 2 ½ hour climb to the 4200m pass of Warmiwañusca, ‘dead woman pass’. After taking in amazing scenery we begin our decent into the Pacaymayo Valley where we set up our camp, have dinner and recover from the days challenge. (B.L.D.)
Day 3 - Pacaymayo to Wiñay Huayna.
Today we climb Inca stairs to reach a second pass at 3850m. From the pass there are spectacular views of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, last refuge of the Incas after the initial Spanish Conquest and home to the rebellion of Manco Inca and his successors. The trail continues into the Aobamba Valley and to the site Sayacmarca (Inaccessible Town). The trail climbs gently again, fringed with cloud forest to a third pass, again with magnificent views of Vilcabamba range. From the pass there’s a steep descent of more than 1000m to the substantial ruins of Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young) and the extensive terraces of Intipata. We camp in these spectacular surrounds and ready ourselves for an early start and the final push to Machu Picchu. (B.L.D.)
Day 4 - Wiñay Huayna to Cusco.
We get going very early this morning as we hike for about an hour to reach Intipunku, the Sun Gate. From here we look down on the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and we watch the sun rise above the surrounding mountains from our fabulous viewpoint. Walking down to the site we have a 2 - 3 hour guided tour of the site, explaining the uses and historical context of the many buildings. After this you have plenty of free time to explore and take in the site on your own – there is also the (optional) possibility to climb the vertigo inducing peak of Huayna Picchu, the spectacular mountain rising to the north of the ruins. Descending from Machu Picchu World Heritage Site to the town of Aguas Calientes there is time for a comfortable lunch in one of the town’s restaurants before catching the afternoon train back to Cusco. On arrival in Cusco you will be transferred back to your hotel. End of our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tour service. (B.L.)
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