One of the most talked-about tourist spots in South America and widely known around the world is the famous Lost City of Machu Picchu, a place considered sacred and which is shrouded by some mysteries and, without a doubt, surrounded by natural and historical beauties.
Within Peru, this is the place that receives the most visitors throughout the year, being the flagship of our attractions, even though the country is very diverse and has activities and destinations for all tastes and profiles of travelers. From historical-cultural tourism to countless adventures through the Peruvian Andean mountains, or even luxurious or mystical experiences, all of this can be easily found in Peruvian lands.
And since Peru is versatile and experienced, hike Inca trail to Machu Picchu can be much more than you can imagine, just understand what kind of experience you are looking for on your trip and what time and budget you have available for it because from this information it is possible to reach the Historic Sanctuary in different ways.
One of the most popular means among tourists arriving in the ancient country of the Incas who want to visit Machu Picchu is the use of the train, in general, which makes a trip that can cross some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. However, there are other interesting options, especially for adventurous spirits!
We are talking about the Inca Trail, one of the most famous trails in the world and a challenging way to get to Machu Picchu, making the whole experience even more special. Here you will learn more about the path of this long walk through the nature and history of the Andes to the main destination in Peru. Are you ready to learn more about this roadmap? Keep reading and find out!
The Highest points of the Inca Trail
The Inca Trail tours begins in the city of Cusco, from where most of the excursions to carry out this itinerary depart, and along the entire route, you will pass through fascinating scenery that will immerse you in the exuberance of nature and the cloud forest, while also getting will approach the history of Peru, passing through different archaeological sites. Find out about the main stops on the Inca Trail:
1. Cusco to Huayllabamba
The stretch between Cusco and Wuayllabamba sets the context for the first day of hiking, which aims to reach the first camp. This is considered the most peaceful of the entire route since no major challenges are faced at this first moment, such as those related to the altitude and the conditions of the route.
The Wuayllabamba camp is located at 3,100 meters above sea level and throughout the day there will be stops at Biscay for lunch and possibly at the Llactapata Archaeological Site. On the way, you will also pass the bridge that crosses the strong Vilcanota River, in addition to enjoying the impressive landscapes of the Andes. Every detail along the way will shorten the distance!
2. Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo
After warming up for this adventure with the moderate route of the first day, and after enjoying your rest and a night’s sleep at the camp, it’s time to move on to the biggest challenge of the route: going through the longest circuit and reaching the peak. highest on the Inca Trail!
On the way from Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo, you will travel about 16 kilometers and reach 4,200 meters above sea level, where the famous “Passage of the Dead Woman” is located, which was named after the scenery of the mountains that surround the place. . And despite the altitude sickness, don’t worry, you’ll be well looked after by our tour operators!
After reaching the summit, after a lot of effort on a steep path, we will continue to our camp on the banks of the Pacaymayo River, where it is also possible to visit small ruins of an archaeological site in the region.
3. Pacaymayo to Wiñayhuayna
This part of the trail is quite interesting, as along the walk you will be able to visit three archaeological sites of the Inca culture, in addition to making a stop at an Andean village and, to complement the whole experience, you will enter the famous cloud forest.
The first stop of this stretch of the third day will be the archaeological site of Runcuracay, which appears to have had ceremonial functions and also controlled the region. After some more walking time, rest and lunch will take place in the village of Sayacmarca.
Continuing the walk, the next stop is the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca, the “place above the clouds”, recognized for its admirable and enchanting views. After this place, the trail enters the dense Andean forest and on the way to the Wiñayhuayna camp, it is possible to visit some agricultural terraces used by the Incas, a place called Intipata.
4. Wiñayhuayna to Machu Picchu
Finally, this is the last stretch of the Inca Trail, which will take you to the height of this path, the splendid citadel of Machu Picchu, which will make it all worthwhile! The focus of this last route is to reach the historic sanctuary before sunrise, to contemplate this moment from one of the main entrances of this archaeological site, the Puerta del Sol.
Upon arrival at Machu Picchu, it will be possible to take a guided tour of the place, which will help you to imagine in more detail how life worked in that era. If you have requested in advance and you still have enough energy, it is possible to climb Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu, which will complement your experience with otherworldly scenery.
At the end of the day, it will be necessary to return to Aguas Calientes, where you will take the train back to the city of Cusco, to Poroy or Ollantaytambo, if your itinerary allows for more visits to the Sacred Valley.
Curiosities of the ancient Inca Trail
As you can see, the Inca Trail, in addition to being an attraction in itself, is an itinerary that allows you to visit many other attractions within it, making it possible to bring the visitor even closer to the Peruvian culture and, mainly, the Inca culture – which used to command the entire region at the height of his empire.
To discuss some curiosities about the place, it is interesting to reveal that the original name of this route is, in Quechua, Qhapaq Ñan, which means “path of the king” or “path of the powerful”. With this in mind, it is possible to say that this ancient path reflects characteristics of the meaning of its name.
This is because, considering its totality, the Inca Trail covered different countries throughout South America, that is, it was configured as a network of roads that connected parts of the Inca ruins. Thus, not only Peru was part of this project, but also Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, as well as parts of Chile, and even Argentina.
Other interesting curiosities for those who liked the idea of doing this route are related to the different types of the route and the period of operation. The Inca Trail is configured as a long route that goes through different levels of difficulty, also requiring an acclimatization process.
Therefore, it is important to know that, to help you assemble your itinerary, there are two models for doing this trail: the Classic Inca Trail, which carries out the complete route described above and takes 4 days and 3 nights, and the Short Inca Trail, which covers only half of the itinerary and requires 2 days and 1 night.
Another aspect mentioned is the period of operation, so it is important to know that during February it is extremely rainy, having been chosen to keep this attraction closed, both to avoid accidents due to the rains and for any necessary maintenance. This time is also needed to help the route “recover” from human impacts.
Remember that this is a highly sought-after attraction in Peru, as demand is high and it is necessary to maintain control over the preservation of the attraction, the ancient Incas trail permits only 500 people per day in small groups of private tours. Therefore, it is extremely important to book and buy tickets months in advance of your scheduled day tour.
We know that this process can be very stressful and even difficult for some people, so our team is always available to serve you in the best way and help you live your dream trip, so do not hesitate to contact us.
Viagens Machu Picchu is concerned with ensuring that you have quality services and always have a team ready to assist you in any situation. If you are interested, get to know our packages to Machu Picchu and many other destinations in Peru, or come build a tailor-made and quality itinerary for you!