The Inca Trail

Set amidst hills in the altiplano, the Imperial City of the Incas, Cuzco

(3,400) was the geographic, cultural and political centre of a vast empire

which, at its peak, stretched from present-day Quito in Ecuador to Santiago

in Chile. After the Spanish conquistadores invaded the city they started

building on top of the Incan structures, resulting in unique architecture, a

fusion of the Incan and Spanish colonial styles.



The group flight usually arrives around midday, giving time for a short

orientation tour around the city or free time to wander the cobbled streets

admiring the old houses, visiting its interesting museums, churches and

pre-Columbian buildings, or to sit in a café and sample a coca-tea.



It is recommended to take it easy upon arrival into Cuzco and to drink plenty

of water to allow your body time to acclimatise to the altitude (3,400m).



There will be a welcome briefing in the hotel lobby this afternoon/evening.

Today has been left free for exploring Cuzco, one of South America's most

beautiful cities. The Plaza de Armas is a fantastic spot for people-watching,

and Qorikancha – the Sun Temple, located in the Santo Domingo Church and

monastery, are worth a visit. The Mercado San Pedro is the place to try some

local produce and there are many handicraft markets to shop for souvenirs

such as alpaca jumpers and scarves.



Outside the town are more Inca ruins, notably the fortress of Sacsayhuaman

where the Inca armies made their last stand against the Conquistadores. Cuzco

is also the gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and should you wish to

visit the sites, your leader can help organise an excursion, including Pisac

Market (optional).



If you fancy something more active then there are an array of other optional

activities available from Cuzco including paddle-boarding on a lake, mountain

biking, or a combination of via ferrata and zip-lining in the Sacred Valley.



In the evening you will need to pack and weigh your duffel bag ready for the

Inca Trail tomorrow – remember to keep your passport somewhere accessible

for the Inca Trail checkpoint.

Route 1: The Classic Inca Trail is a tangential branch part of a 45,000km road network

linking the whole empire to Cuzco. It was built in the 15th Century to reach

Machu Picchu but was abandoned soon after the Spanish conquest. American

adventurer Hiram Bingham travelled along the trail when he came across Machu

Picchu in 1911. The trail opened to the public in 1970.



We leave Cuzco early and drive for roughly two hours to Ollantaytambo, our

last chance to buy any items needed for the trek. From here we veer off the

road and follow a track beside the river (45 minutes) to the start of the

Inca Trail at Piscacucho, commonly known as Km82. After greeting our trekking

crew, we show our passports at the checkpoint and begin the Inca Trail trek.

The trail runs alongside the Vilcanota River beneath the impressive

snow-capped Nevado Veronica, passing through cactus gardens and fields of

corn until we reach the enormous Inca ruins of Llactapata, where we continue

up a side valley to camp near the hamlet of Huayllabamba.



*Walk Profile: approx. 11km / 6‐7hrs walking*



Full-service Camping - Huayllabamba Camp





Route 2: Moonstone Trek: Trek past ruins and hamlets to the village of Chillipawa.

An early start as it's a very busy first day! We take a private minibus to the trailhead, stopping first to explore the nearby ruins from which the trek takes its name. This is a large site with several distinct Inca remnants, clearly of religious importance. As with the rest of the trek, we are most likely to have the site completely to ourselves. The Moonstone itself is a large carving on an enormous boulder, and its significance is not yet understood.



The trailhead is in a quiet, dusty valley and we soon climb high enough from the floor to enjoy some great views. At around lunchtime we stop to explore the imposing pre‐Inca fortress of Wata that straddles the trail. The ruin has not yet been accurately dated and pottery can often still be found lying on the ground. The path then traverses along a green side valley as we make our way above a few tiny villages before entering the village of Chillipawa, where we camp.



Walk Profile: approx. 10.5km / 6‐7hrs walking



Full‐service Camping







Route 3: One Day Inca Trail Option: Full day walking tour of nearby ruins including Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman



The hills above Cuzco city are dotted with some of the most interesting Inca ruins. We drive to the highest, Tambomachay, and return on foot to Cuzco via Puca Pucara, Qenco and Sacsayhuaman: an easy acclimatisation walk to get used to the altitude. An open-air picnic lunch is included during the hike near the spectacular ruins.



Walk Profile: approx. 6.5km / 5-6hrs walking (inclusive of the time for visiting the sites)



Hotel Warari / Koyllur (or similar)

This is the longest and most strenuous day of the trek. A long climb takes us

first through an area of cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then

over the Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman's) Pass – at 4215m the highest point

on the trek. After quite a long, steep descent we camp in the scenic valley

of the Pacamayo River (3600m).



*Walk Profile: approx. 10km / 6‐7hrs walking*



Full-service Camping - Pacamayo Camp





Route 2: Moonstone Trek: Up the Accoccosa Pass and onto the high pampas.

Route 3: One Day Inca Trail Option: Free day in Cuzco

We start the day with an easier climb which takes us past the ruins of

Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (3930m). From now on the Inca Trail

becomes a clearly defined path made of flat boulders. As we leave behind the

ruins of Sayajmarca, we suddenly enter rainforest; at one point the trail

passes through an Inca tunnel. We spend the night at a spectacular campsite

on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (3680m) to benefit from

the views of sunset and sunrise.



*Walk Profile: approx. 12km / 5-6hrs walking*



Full-service Camping - Phuyupatamarca Camp





Route 2: Moonstone Trek: Continue along a narrow canyon and Incan aqueduct before crossing over to the Inca quarry of Canchiqata.



Route 3: One Day Inca Trail Option: Visit Pisac market and Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley

From the ridge, we embark on the infamous Inca steps: a two kilometre stone

staircase taking us rapidly downhill amid a panorama of overwhelming

immensity, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above, and the river

thousands of metres below. After visiting the attractive ruins of Wiñay

Wayna, we have an undulating walk through cloud forest high above the river

to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. From here we get our first full sight of Machu

Picchu itself, with Huayna Picchu rising behind.



Traditionally busy with groups of trekkers clamouring for photos, we plan our

arrival at Inti Punku later in the day so we can enjoy unobstructed views of

the magnificent ruins. Whilst most groups choose to visit Machu Picchu today,

we'll pass around the edge of the ruins and exit the site, descending to

Aguas Calientes for a well-earned rest, a shower and a comfortable bed for

the night. Our trekking permits allow us one entry into the site, which we

use for our tour tomorrow when we are refreshed and more able to enjoy it.



There is usually time for an optional visit to the hot springs in Aguas

Calientes, however in recent years they have become over-crowded and the

water quality can suffer as a result. We will be reunited with those who have

been on the Moonstone Trek or the Train Option at the hotel this afternoon.



*Walk Profile: approx. 9km / 6-7hrs walking*



*Hotel Inti Punku El Tambo (or similar)**







Route 2: Moonstone Trek: Descend to Ollantaytambo where the trek ends; catch the train to Aguas Calientes and re-join the rest of the group.



Route 3: One Day Inca Trail Option: One Day Inca Trail via Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu

In order to beat the day-trippers arriving from Cuzco and reach the ruins as

early as possible, a very early start is required to queue for Machu Picchu;

only government-registered buses can make the 30-minute drive up the winding

road to the site entrance, and during high season (May-October) queues can be

hours long. 



Machu Picchu is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the

ancient world and what makes it all the more dramatic is its mountain

backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas

left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained a great enigma, a city

lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the

American historian Hiram Bingham. 



New regulations for visiting Machu Picchu are now fully enforced; of the

three possible visiting slots, we will purchase the morning slot from 06:00

until 12:00 (unless unavailable), you will be limited to a maximum of four

hours within the site and must be accompanied by a guide. There will also be

three set routes to follow around Machu Picchu; we select the most

comprehensive route. 



We catch an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30 mins) and continue

by private bus to Cuzco (2hrs 30 mins).



*Hotel Warari / Koyllur (or similar)**

*

For land only travellers, the trip ends in Cuzco after breakfast today. Those

who are travelling on the group flights will be taken to Cuzco airport to

catch the overnight flight back to London.