The Incas (a South American Indian people) built a network of trails that stretched across the far corners of the Inca Empire, from Quito, Ecuador to Santiago, Chile, and east to Medoza, Argentina. Cusco was the historic capital of this great empire. Most of the main trails are in the mountains surrounding Cusco. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu consists of three routes.
However, the most important and beautiful archaeological route is only 43 km long, passing through Runcuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Winay Wayna and Machu Picchu. This is the famous Inca trail that any backpacker dreams of.
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| The destination of the Inca Trail is the "lost city" of Machu Picchu.Photo: famouswonder. |
The route is of average difficulty, any tourist can undertake this journey. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the ability to adapt to weather changes, because you will experience different climate zones when going from the foot of the mountain to an altitude of 4,200 m..
Starting from the sea level plains, you usually spend at least 2 days in Cusco to acclimatize before starting your trip, visiting the city and the Inca ruins in the surrounding areas such as Sacsayhuaman, Q'enko, Pucapucara and Tambomachay. In addition, spend an extra day exploring the Sacred Valley with the traditional market town of Pisac and the "charming" fortress of Ollantaytambo.
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| Historic city of Cusco, starting point of the journey to the Inca trail.Photo: cuscohistoriccenter. |
Having been put into tourism exploitation for more than 30 years, the Inca Trail has increasingly attracted many tourists. To ensure the preservation of archaeological sites, local authorities have limited the number of visitors by issuing visiting permits. All tour guides and travel agencies must be licensed and the number of "passes" per day is limited to 500. However, of these, only 150 permits are for tourists, the rest are for tour guides, transporters, chefs...
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| A section of the Inca trail. Photo:Robwang. |
Before planning your trip to the Inca Trail, you should check the tour schedule and availability on the official Peruvian government website (www.machupicchu.gob.pe) to make your reservation. There is no set time limit for how far in advance you have to book your tickets, but to be on the safe side, it is best to do this a few months before your trip.
Reservations cost between $150 and $250, depending on the type of trip (2 days, 4 days, or 7 days). The total cost for a four-day trip to Inca ranges from $520 per person (including entrance fees and round-trip train tickets) to $1,000, depending on the amenities you request and the number of stops you make. Currently, all tickets to the Inca Trail are fully booked through October 2013.
When booking a tour, you need to carefully research the travel agency you intend to use. Because there are many fraudulent companies that sell tours, taking you on journeys other than the Inca Trail.
