Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu PicchuThe best way to reach Machu Picchu in Peru is via the 45 kilometre Inca Trail, a breathtaking four days of hiking through the rugged and beautiful Andes Mountains. Arrival is usually on the morning of the fourth day. |
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Inca Trail travel guide
Note: Travel to the area around Machu Picchu has resumed after floods stranded about 2000 tourists and caused widespread infrastructure damage in January 2010. Repairs are underway around the town of Aguas Calientes, which links Machu Picchu by rail to the city of Cusco. Hiking the Inca Trail takes longer if you wish to more closely study the numerous smaller ruins which pepper the journey - all immersed in majestic mountain passes, lush subtropical jungles, superb cloud forest and constant views of the surrounding glaciate mountain peaks topping 6,000 metres. The Inca Trail is only moderately strenuous and average fitness is necessary for the three to four days of high-altitude hiking. Altitudes of 4,200 metres are reached and it's important to make sure you're acclimatised with at least two days of rest in Cusco before you begin hiking the Inca Trail. The best time to book airfares and tickets to Peru so you can enjoy the Inca Trail is from May to October, when the weather is warm and fairly dry. However, it can become a little crowded with other tourists from June to September. Independent and self-supported trekkers are no longer allowed to tackle the Inca Trail. Every person entering the trail system must now have a permit bought in advance. Only 500 permits are allowed each day and they are sold out months in advance. The permits can only be bought from authorities through licensed operators and are non-refundable. There are shorter and longer hiking trails to Machu Picchu apart from the authentic route - read your travel books to find out more - or you can book a Machu Picchu tour in which all the details are organised for you. The Inca Trail is a hiking route that follows the original course of an ancient Inca roadway leading to the famous city of Machu Picchu. This trail will probably be the highlight of your travel and the things you do and see in Peru. The trail effectively begins in the old imperial Inca capital of Cusco, a quaint and sprawling city which was largely destroyed by the Spanish invasion of Peru in 1533. Cusco is soaked in history and culture. The ancient Inca capital offers a great choice of restaurants and nightlife suitable for both wealthy tourists and broke backpackers enjoying cheap travel in Peru. If arriving from sea level, it's advisable to acclimatise in Cusco for at least two days before resuming your travels or starting the Inca Trail.
From Cusco you catch a local rickety train and get off at Km88, where the Inca Trail begins. You cross Urubamba River by bridge and begin the ascent along winding paths. The scenery is dominated by Mount Veronica (5713 metres) and the Vilcanota mountain ranges. The trail leads through the narrow Cusichaca Valley and the small indigenous community of Huayllbamba. A common camping area is the archaeological zone of Paucarcancha. The second day of travel leads through another narrow valley and cloud forest before the trail rises steeply to eventually reach a large pampa where most hikers settle for the night. It's not usually till the second day of hiking that the dirt track turns into roadway stones originally laid by the Quechua people during the time of the Inca Empire. This is the true Inca Trail. During the first two days of travel on the Inca Trail you will have climbed from an elevation of 2000 metres to 4000 metres and back down again into valleys with different topography. The vegetation varies from dense sub-tropical to light woodland. Already your hiking will have taken you through several small Inca ruins. Day 3 sees the Inca Trail continue its steep ascent before reaching Warmiwanusca Pass at 4169 metres and then descending to the Pacaymayo River before another ascent. This day takes hikers through the ancient Inca ruins of Runkuraqay, Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca. Day 4 and the stone trail descends into more cloud forest and the Inca ruins of Winay Wayna. Another couple of hours of travel and hikers enter Intipunku, the "door of the sun", and Machu Picchu itself comes into view at 2377 metres. Machu Picchu is located in a saddle between two mountain peaks with deep valleys on either side, one overlooking the valley of the Urabamba River. The Incas built Machu Picchu mostly with drystone walls topped by a roof of thatch. They extensively terraced much of the plateau, partly to allow agriculture and partly to reduce the effects of erosion. Above the city is Intipunku, the Gateway of the Sun, and a scenic path leads down into the ruins. Machu Picchu is considered the most spectacular accomplishment of the Inca Empire, tucked away as it is between two Andean peaks. The empty city lay hidden under thick jungle undergrowth during centuries of Spanish occupation, its existence a secret among local peasants until the ruins were discovered in 1911 by Yale professor Hiram Bingham. When Bingham discovered Machu Picchu, two Quechua families were living among the ruined temples. Machu Picchu's agricultural terracing and aqueducts take advantage of the natural sloping topography. Most important religious areas are on the crest of a hill overlooking the lush and spectacular Urubamba Valley. Courageous hikers can climb the very steep original Inca path leading to the top of Huayna Picchu, the massive granite peak that overlooks Machu Picchu. Huayna Picchu involves a two hour return hike and the narrow trail can be particularly dangerous after wet weather. After touching and exploring the Lost City of the Incas, most Inca Trail hikers descend rapidly down the steep mountain face to the Urubamba River and usually return to Cusco by train or bus. Travelers of moderate fitness should be able to handle the Inca Trail without too much stress, and the final section from Huinay Huayna to Intipunku is fortunately a fairly easy stroll. The weather is suitable for Inca Trail hiking throughout the year but there is less rain between May and October. Then again, the peak Peru travel season is from June to August and the Inca Trail can get a bit crowded. The Inca Trail is an exhilarating hike to Machu Picchu but you should be aware that in 2001 the government of Peru raised the access fee and introduced limits of 500 people allowed to travel the trail on any given day. The Inca Trail is now closed every February for maintenance and clean-up. In other words, consult with your travel agent and make a reservation well in advance - particularly if you intend tackling the Inca Trail during Peru's peak travel season from June to August. If you're unable to book a permit to walk the Inca Trail, it's well worth considering alternative treks that approach the city via different jungle and mountain routes. The five-day Salkantay Mountain trek is popular and covers 70 kilometres. These alternative trails can be travelled alone but it's advisable to hire guides as people do get lost. Most agency prices start at around $US150. If you're planning a hiking holiday in Peru, note that the wet rainy season is from January to March, with the eastern slopes of the Andes experiencing very heavy rainfall. The trekking season in Peru is from late April to early October. The best time to explore Machu Picchu itself is at dawn when rising sunshine bathes the city in light and you don't have to put up with thousands of tourists milling around. Fit hikers who trek about five days south-west of Machu Picchu can explore Choquequirau, the Cradle of Gold, an ancient Incan city larger than Machu Picchu. About 35% of Choquequirau has been uncovered from a thick tangle of cloud forest and the terraced city descends to the Apurimac and Rio Blannco rivers. Few tourists make the trek to Choquequirau, where a wealth of archeological, cultural and historic finds are yet to be discovered. Peru weather for holiday travel To book low airfares, cheap travel tickets, car rentals, etc. for most South American cities, visit our Travel Shop. |
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