Trekking the Inca Trail

The chance for some serendipity is high during a trek. Encountering Inca porters on the Trail, watching the night sky from your tent, the llama peeking into the frame of a photograph – these experiences will enrich your journey more than you imagine. Peru is no cliché; exaggerations are never needed. The huge diversity of its people, climates, and ways of life is a surprise to many outsiders. It is also a surprise to many that the Peruvian Andes are not the huge, rugged, snow-covered peaks that we expect.

Trekking the Inca Trail: The terrain is higher and wilder, but different – the Andes in Peru are made up of several sub-ranges characterized by steep and deep valleys rising to stark, barren, glacier-strewn slopes and peaks. Geographically this is a land of superlatives and anomalies. The Inca Trail is a system of pre-Columbian roads that led to and served the capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco. Currently this is an area of intense national pride and cultural importance so the preservation and ambience of these routes is a great achievement.

The Trail used during the time of the Incas is actually just a small section of a vastly more extensive road system linking the whole empire (which at the time of the Spanish conquest comprised of about the same area as Spain and was the largest nation in the New World).

The network of Inca highways and trails covered over 22,000 miles and stretched from the border regions of present day Colombia to the north of Chile and Argentina. These Inca routes were recently awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. The Trust organizes the classic trek from the 82km roadhead, along the course of the old highway, to the citadel of Machu Picchu. This trek is correctly ranked amongst the ten best trekking routes in the world.

1. The Historical Significance of the Inca Trail (Trekking the Inca Trail)

In an attempt to inhibit the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the Inca, Manco Capac II, and his rebels built and defended the Inca Trail. This was 36 km (24 miles) of stone-flagged road that leads steeply to forested mountains and into the incredible highland. It starts at an obscure Inca site, Llactapata, which was a natural site for a major Inca town. Once over the first pass, the trail descends into different ecological areas, with a great deal of Inca paving, steps, and several ruins along the way. The small 16th-century Andean town of Vilcabamba is the trail’s destination and represents the last bastion of the Inca empire, a sanctuary for the Inca resisting Spanish rule.

The trail is divided into 2 main areas: the jungle and the highland. The highland served as a home to many Inca farmers who created agricultural terraces that are still visible today. At an altitude of 3500m, the air is thin compared to the jungle, and it can be quite cold at night. This would have been tough living conditions for the Inca farmers coming up from the lowlands. Early on in the trail’s history, it was the route that connected a variety of people to the Inca empire.

It was the central Andean axis and had a big impact on the economy. From the highland, the trail descends to where it meets with the great jungle lowlands of the Aymara, a people who are not ethnically Inca but served a very important purpose for the empire.

2. Planning Your Inca Trail Adventure with Sparrow Explorer Travel

The official Inca Trail season is from April to October. The weather is dry during this time, which is optimal for trekking. The number of people on the trail is limited to 500 per day, including guides and porters. This means that during the high season, the trail can sell out 4 or 5 months in advance. If you plan on hiking during these months, it is essential to book your trip as soon as possible. Last-minute hikers might want to consider going in April or October when permits are easier to obtain.

It is a good idea to be as flexible as possible with travel plans in the event that a trek starting on a specific date is unavailable. In February, the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance. Although the weather is wet and the trail is muddy, if this is the only time you have to visit, it is still possible to hike to Machu Picchu via an alternate route.

It is a good idea to spend at least 2 or 3 days in Cusco prior to starting the trek. This will give you a good opportunity to see some of the local sites as well as travel to the high Andes where you can visit Cusco, Urubamba, or other Inca ruins. It is also a good opportunity to acclimatize to the higher altitude in the region.

2.1. Choosing the Right Tour Operator for Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

With so many companies offering treks today, it’s important to consider the following points when making a reservation with a trekking company. Not all companies are the same. Although price is certainly a consideration, selecting an agency based solely on price is akin to playing Russian roulette – something is likely to go wrong.

The following is a list of points that should be considered before making a reservation with a trekking agency. This list is by no means exhaustive, and is really intended to act as a starting off point for the selection of a reputable company as the author understands that many people do not have long periods of time in which to research and book a trek due to other commitments.

Size: Bigger is not always better, but in the trekking business it is a good sign as it is more difficult to stay in business and build a good reputation if you are consistently providing a poor service. In the trekking business it is the smaller agencies that are often the fly-by-night operators who pay little attention to legal and ethical details of operating a trekking business.

Normally an agency with less than 5 years experience in operating treks may still not be serious about their business or may not yet have built a good reputation. Having said this there are certainly many small agencies that provide an excellent and personal service to their clients. Client feedback is a good reflection of this.

2.2. Essential Gear and Packing Tips for the Inca Trail

Given the high altitudes, low humidity, and strong sun encountered on this trek, a strong emphasis on appropriate clothing is essential. Although the trek is not a technical one, the conditions are such that trekkers must be prepared for a variety of temperatures and weather. You will need a good, versatile, and above all waterproof jacket. Lightweight hiking pants are a good choice, along with T-shirts and a lightweight microfleece.

You will also need a good sunhat and sunglasses. The first two days are relatively easy with warm conditions. By the second day at Choquequirao, it may be necessary to have shorts and a T-shirt. Expect some cold nights. With a maximum altitude of 4200m, the passes on the third and fourth days are cold and Inca ruins at this altitude have snow on them. A set of dry clothes for the nighttime is a must. If you are traveling during the Andean winter (May – September), a down jacket or good quality fleece is also recommended.

Footwear is of critical importance. A good, broken-in pair of hiking shoes is indispensable. Heavy jogging shoes do not quite make it, and be aware that trail running shoes often do not have ankle support. If you are prone to blisters, then taping problem areas with zinc oxide tape or Compeed is a good idea, and bringing some extra tape might also be worth it. A good pair of sandals is also a good relief for your feet at the end of the day.

2.3. Physical Preparation for the Inca Trail Trek

Read this section carefully. It could well be the most important part of this guide and the key to your enjoyment of the Inca Trail. Without adequate physical preparation, your trek could turn into a nightmare. But with a little effort put into training, the trek will be a more manageable and enjoyable experience.

The Inca Trail, with its high passes and steep climbs, offers perhaps the most challenging trekking in Peru. The best way to prepare for the trek is to walk – and the best way to prepare for a walking trek is to walk. So try and build up your fitness with at least an hour of aerobic exercise 3-4 times per week, but preferably more. The best preparation is hill walking involving long, steep ascents and descents, though this is obviously not possible for everyone.

For the Inca Trail, a good level of fitness on the day you start the trek is going to make a huge difference to the ease with which it can be completed. A month of moderate training on top of your normal activity level should suffice for those with a good basic level of fitness. This will be enough time to increase your level of aerobic fitness and to toughen up the muscle groups that will be put under strain by lugging a rucksack around all day.

For those with a particularly sedentary lifestyle, then a longer period of preparation involving regular, longer aerobic workouts might be called for. With your doctor’s consent, you can improve your fitness enormously in only 3 months.

3. Experiencing the Inca Trail

Imagine trekking along an ancient Incan pathway through dense cloud forest, passing numerous ancient Inca ruins before reaching the renowned Sun Gate at dawn for that first sighting of Machu Picchu. Walking on the trail is a great way to escape from the pressures of modern life. One can have the opportunity to enjoy the stunning landscapes and the sub-tropical vegetation along the trail, and to experience the history with a knowledgeable guide to take you around the numerous Inca sites along the way. An insight into the lives of the Inca and a visit to today’s Quechuan Indians.

Trekking the Inca Trail can be one of the most rewarding experiences. During these four days, one will have endured a challenge in aid of charity by walking from 2,600m up to 4,200m, passed through the impressive Sun Gate to reach Machu Picchu, and enjoyed a great sense of achievement. But it will also be an experience to give you an insight into a range of different aspects. Whether it be the history of the Incas, the nature and the ecological set-up of this area, or the indigenous people who live there, there will be a lot to learn and discover from this experience.

3.1. Day 1: Cusco to Wayllabamba

The first day of the trail is comparatively easy and serves as good training for the harder days to come. The trail runs along the left bank of the river Vilcanota and climbs halfway up the Cusichaca valley… the valley that the Inca Trail trek follows to Machu Picchu. The first night’s camp at Wayllabamba is reached in about 5 hours walk from the village of Huayllabamba and is located in an area inhabited by Quechua farmers.

This will be the last opportunity to buy any supplies for the trek, and for those who want a bit of comfort, the cooks are able to buy a small quantity of beer that can be bought at this first campsite, and is very much appreciated. An extra porter will be taken on the Inca Trail trek for this first night to carry the beer and you will get it here. This first day is only a half-day’s walk and will be a good introduction for the Inca Trail trek, allowing you to adjust to trekking while giving you a glimpse of what is to come.

3.2. Day 2: Wayllabamba to Pacaymayo

The second day of the trek is much more arduous than the first, and we start climbing early. We are able to stop at the hamlet of Wayllabamba to buy supplies and to visit the school at the top end of the village. We left the horsemen here as they have a longer, more difficult trail to follow, which does not meet up with the trail again until the village of Paqaymayo on the evening of day 2.

The climb up to the first pass, Abra Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman’s Pass) at 4215m, is on a path that is a series of steps interspersed with straight sections. Because of the altitude and the gradient, we take this slowly, but we are buoyed by the frequent superb views back to the Huillcamayu valley and across to the snow-covered Nevado Veronica. Behind us, the massive granitic formation Sayaqmarka at 3690m is visible. Coming down from the pass, we camp at Pacaymayo at 3525m.

3.3. Day 3: Pacaymayo to Wiñay Wayna

The second day of the trek is the longest, but the most impressive and interesting. By midday, you will have reached the highest point of the Inca Trail (4215m) and the most impressive: the Runkurakay ruins, a circular Inca Watchtower. A short descent will bring you to Yanacocha, where you will be given a guided tour around the ruins and a chance to explore the area. If you began your trek in the dry season, then you will have lunch at this campsite.

The purpose of the first ruin, Runkurakay, is still unclear. The reasons for it being circular are not known, but it is thought that it had a religious connotation and was used to determine the time by the Inca. The second ruin, Yanacocha, is much clearer in its purpose. It was used as a tambo, or a place where travelers could stop and rest. Yanacocha would have been used by Royal Incas doing the trail and would have been an important place as it was a short walk from Sayacmarca, the third pass and the Incas’ lodgings.

3.4. day 4: Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu

The fourth day is an early start to get to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, for the first view of Machu Picchu.
The route undulates through highland cloud forest with abundant flowers, such as bromeliads and orchids.

This day is likely to be the most leisurely of the trek. Machu Picchu will be visited in the early afternoon. A guided tour is given and there is free time to explore on your own. There are a few options to hike for those still feeling energetic – walks to the Inca Bridge (a secret entrance for the Inca army) and to the gateway of the sun and a demanding climb to Huayna Picchu, the towering hill that stands to the north of Machu Picchu.

Both afford dramatic views of the ‘lost city’ and the surrounding peaks. A visit to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes is also an option. In the evening, there is time to visit the Inca city for those who missed the previous day. A bus runs from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu for those who want to spend the whole day there.