How To Hike The Inca Trail Inward 2019
Updated: 02/20/2019 | Feb 20th, 2019
This is a invitee postal service from Gillian from One Giant Step. The Inca Trail is i of the best ways to experience Machu Picchu, but it’s non for the faint of heart. Here, Gillian divulges the details of her trek piece sharing some tips together with suggestions to assist you lot innovation your trip to Machu Picchu.
Hiking to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail inwards Peru remains the highlight of my twelvemonth traveling. It’s that amazing. Standing 4,200 meters high on the mountains, looking out over the peaks of the Andes, together with knowing that I hiked to teach there, filled me with joy together with awe. I didn’t desire to live anywhere else. I won’t lie, though — it took some work. H5N1 lot of work, inwards fact. But it was totally worth it.
Sitting some 2,500m inwards a higher house bounding main level, Machu Picchu was an Inca citadel that was built inwards the 15th century. The citadel was built every bit a majestic estate, though it was used for less than 100 years earlier beingness abandoned, probable due to the collapse of the Inca Empire due to the Castilian invaders.
It wasn’t until 1911 when the ruins were re-discovered yesteryear archaeologist Hiram Bingham III. While the locals were familiar with the ruins, it wasn’t until Hiram trekked upward the mount for himself that he realized only how spectacular his (re)discovery was.
To dull the harm caused yesteryear tourism, the entrance of Machu Picchu is “limited” to 6,534 people per day, divided inwards forenoon tickets together with afternoon tickets. While that seems similar a lot, ticket oftentimes sell out months inwards advance (especially for the hike). For that reason, you’ll desire to create certain you lot innovation ahead, do your research, together with mass early!
Hiking the Inca Trail: Itinerary
To start things off, hither is a detailed overview of what the actual hike is genuinely like:
Day 1
They broke us inwards like shooting fish in a barrel on the commencement 24-hour interval with a gentle start along a broad path that passed through the Sacred Valley. Described every bit “Inca Flat,” the trail starts amongst the Urubamba River together with meanders through the trees together with scrub brush, slow gaining altitude.
Our guide, Marco, stopped us at diverse points along the agency to enjoin us the history of the trail, the ruins along the trail, together with also the Incan people together with their create do to survive. Marco was passionate nearly his ancestors’ story, together with every bit fourth dimension went on, nosotros realized that he was non only telling us stories that come upward from guidebooks but that his cognition was much deeper. He had spent fourth dimension at academy studying together with also inwards the mountains with the Incan descendants together with thus had a unique perspective on the area.
Day 2
We awake at v am to the sounds of hustle together with bustle outside. As I rubbed the slumber out of my eyes, a porter appeared with hot tea together with some other brought a bowl of hot H2O together with lather for me to launder upward with. I drank my tea, washed up, together with packed upward the few things I was responsible for (the porters dismantle together with comport everything except your personal belongings).
It was mutual coldness every bit nosotros laid out on the day’s hike – frost clung to the sides of the trail together with I could consider my breath with every labored exhalation. We were already feeling the height together with nonetheless had to a greater extent than than a thou meters ahead of us. We apace climbed inwards a higher house the tree business together with were rewarded with the stunning views of mountains together with valleys that would live our companion for the residue of the day.
The climb to Dead Woman’s Pass was relentless. Up together with upward together with upward together with upward along the ancient Inca pathway made upward of enormous stone steps. My see was beating wildly, my lungs were tight together with seemed also little for the task, together with my legs felt similar cement every bit I tried to elevator them over together with over in i lawsuit again upward onto the side yesteryear side step.
Then it was downward the other side – a 600-meter drib along a beautiful stone pathway cutting downward into the valley below. If I idea this was going to live the like shooting fish in a barrel part, I was wrong. Controlling those floppy, leaden legs was an practise inwards concentration. The afternoon saw us climb some other 400 meters earlier dropping into some other valley that was to a greater extent than jungle than scrub. We crossed the valley to regain our campsite overlooking a laid of astrological ruins.
Fog laid inwards only every bit the lite faded, lending an eerie experience to the landscape but also providing some insulating warmth. After xvi kilometers of hiking through 2 passes, it didn’t accept much of the special “rum tea” to send us all off to a restful night’s sleep.
Day 3
As much every bit Day 2 was nearly climbing, Day three was nearly descent — overall nosotros dropped almost 800 meters. I’m non certain which is to a greater extent than difficult, but I know that my legs were sorer later a 24-hour interval of going downward than they were later Day 2. This is where the walking stick I had been carrying all along genuinely proved its worth! We dropped backed downward through the tree line, entering into jungle-like scenery, where nosotros could start to empathise how Machu Picchu was hidden yesteryear jungle for thus many years.
We shared military camp that nighttime every bit other groups joined upward at the campsite earlier entering the site. We enjoyed much-needed showers together with beer earlier a tardily dinner together with early on bedtime. Tomorrow would accept us to the Sunday Gate together with our commencement glimpses of the lost city.
Day 4
Reaching the Sunday Gate was amazing. Looking through it to the sight of Machu Picchu below made all the difficulties of the trek disappear. Sitting on a plateau below, the site looked only every bit beautiful together with mysterious every bit I had expected.
Wandering unopen to Machu Picchu for the residue of the day, I was left inwards awe every bit to how the ancient Incans could withdraw maintain built such a formidable metropolis with no modern machinery. The ingenuity together with precision were astounding together with the grade of particular amazing. The buildings together with stonework are stunning displays of form, function, together with astounding astronomical together with geographic knowledge. Stones are placed or carved, to fit just with the sun’s wintertime together with summertime solstice positions or to business upward along the ordinal geographic lines.
Seeing a stone carved into the shape of the Incan Cross together with and then shown how the points fit upward with a compass, I was amazed at the cognition that the Incans must withdraw maintain had. The whole metropolis together with the mount backdrop took my breath away.
Tips for Hiking the Inca Trail
Here are some tips to assist you lot create the most of your trip together with avoid some of the to a greater extent than mutual pitfalls:
- Arrive early – Try to teach to Cusco 2-3 days earlier your hike thus you lot tin acclimatize to the height earlier hiking. It volition create your hike much easier!
- Use trekking poles – Bring trekking poles or rent them from your tour company. You’ll demand them.
- Chew coca leaves – If the height is giving you lot trouble, chew coca leaves. It’s the local remedy together with is what many of the guides together with porters use. You tin chew the leaves or purchase paste with it. (You tin also teach height medicine from your doc earlier you lot go. Just proceed inwards hear that it volition create you lot withdraw maintain to pee a lot!).
- Bring sunscreen – The final matter you lot desire is a sunburn when you’re hiking upward a mountain!
- Bring Bandaids/Blister kits – Your feet unopen to going to accept a beating. Having some small-scale commencement assist supplies volition help.
- Carry extra snacks – You’ll teach plenty of nutrient on the trail, but bringing along some of your favorite snacks is a swell morale booster for those challenging sections.
- Go the extra mile – For an amazing sentiment of Machu Picchu, hike the extra hr to Huayna Picchu. It’s a flake of a scramble together with the path is quite narrow but the views are worth it!
- Train earlier you lot go – This is a challenging hike. You don’t demand to live an Olympic athlete to complete it, but the to a greater extent than you lot prepare the easier your hike volition be.
- Don’t aspect to shower – Showers are available component division agency into the hike but the H2O is painfully cold. Skip the showers together with only encompass your well-earned BO.
- Consider the Salkantay – For a less-busy route, consider hiking the Salkantay. It has views only every bit epic together with sees 1/3 of the tourists that the Inca Trail does. Plus, it’s a fraction of the price!
- Bring coin for the bathroom – Make certain you lot withdraw maintain some coin for the bathroom. There is exclusively i bath at Machu Picchu together with it volition cost 1 PEN.
- Get stamped – You tin teach your passport stamped with a unique Machu Picchu postage stamp for 1 PEN. It makes for a fun souvenir if you lot withdraw maintain some infinite inwards your passport.
How to Get to Machu Picchu: Prices, Tours, together with Logistics
If you lot don’t innovation on hiking the Inca Trail, the easiest agency to teach from Cusco to Machu Picchu is to accept the prepare to Aguas Calientes. It’s a scenic 3.5-hour trip each through Sacred Valley that leaves from Poroy (which is close Cusco). Tickets arrive at from 256-1,700 PEN ($77-500 USD) depending on how luxurious of a ride you lot want. The Expedition (which is the cheapest option) is perfectly fine together with probable suitable for most travelers. You tin purchase drinks together with snacks together with you lot teach a panoramic view.
You’ll demand to accept a omnibus from the prepare station to the gates of Machu Picchu, which volition cost unopen to 66 PEN ($20 USD) per somebody (round trip). Tickets to Machu Picchu cost 152 PEN ($45 USD). If you lot desire to also see Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu you’ll demand to purchase an extra ticket. Combination tickets for Machu Picchu together with either the Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu (but non both) volition cost 200 PEN ($62 USD). Both of these additional areas withdraw maintain laid times to hike, thus you’ll demand to innovation your trip accordingly.
Discounts are available for students nether 25 together with children nether 18. You tin purchase your tickets at Peru’s Ministry of Culture website.
You tin purchase tickets for Machu Picchu for either a forenoon entry or an afternoon entry (full-day tickets are non available).
The other agency to teach from Cusco to Machu Picchu is to walk every bit component division of a multi-day Inca trail tour, which is the far to a greater extent than scenic together with rewarding way. Most hikers select to do the hike over v days, though you lot tin opt for less if you lot don’t withdraw maintain time.
You tin also combine the Inca Trail with other hikes if you lot desire something longer together with to a greater extent than challenging. Prices volition vary depending on how long you lot hike for together with the character of your gear together with guides. Expect to pay anywhere from 2,000-4,000 PEN ($600-$1,200) for a multi-day hike, gear rentals, transportation, together with tickets/fees.
Note: Make certain the companionship you lot select pays their porters good together with treats them fairly. Porters withdraw maintain an incredibly challenging undertaking thus you lot desire to create certain the companionship you lot select is an ethical one. With that inwards mind, recall you’ll also demand some cash to tip your porters. Most estimates arrive at from 17-23 PEN ($5-7 USD) per somebody per 24-hour interval for each porter, together with and then 20-33 PEN ($6-10 USD) per somebody per 24-hour interval for the guides. This is ordinarily paid inwards the local currency.
My preferred tour companionship for that is Intrepid Travel. They offering little grouping tours with local guides together with withdraw maintain a little environmental footprint. I’ve been on their tours all unopen to the Blue Planet together with can’t praise them enough!
While hiking the Inca Trail is no like shooting fish in a barrel feat, it is definitely worth the effort. The well-earned views you lot accept inwards every bit you lot hike combined with the incredible vistas together with history of Machu Picchu itself create this a in i lawsuit inwards a lifetime experience worthy of whatsoever bucket list. No see to Peru is consummate without seeing Machu Picchu, together with the best agency to do that is via the Inca Trail — i measurement at a time!
Gillian believes that nosotros are all exclusively i giant measurement from making our dreams come upward true. She together with her partner Jason left abode inwards 2009 for a one-year trip unopen to the world. She writes nearly their experiences together with adventures at One-Giant-Step.com.
Book Your Trip to Peru: Logistical Tips together with Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying yesteryear using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines because they search websites together with airlines unopen to the globe thus you lot ever know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You tin mass your hostel with Hostelworld. If you lot desire to remain somewhere other than a hostel, usage Booking.com every bit they consistently supply the cheapest rates for guesthouses together with inexpensive hotels. I usage them all the time. My favorite places to remain are:
- Hospedaje Turistico Recloeta (Cusco) – This is a key hostel that’s swell for coming together people. The beds are comfy together with the staff tin assist respond whatsoever Inca Trail questions you lot have.
- Wild Rover Hostel (Cusco) – This is a fun, trendy political party hostel. If you’re looking for a house to permit publish later your hike, this would live a skillful choice!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect you lot against illness, injury, theft, together with cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection inwards example anything goes wrong. I never become on a trip without it every bit I’ve had to usage it many times inwards the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for x years. My favorite companies that offering the best service together with value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Looking for the best companies to relieve coin with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to usage when you lot travel! I listing all the ones I usage to relieve coin when I go – together with I think volition assist you lot too!
Want More Information on Peru?
Be certain to see our robust goal guide on Peru for fifty-fifty to a greater extent than planning tips!
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