You want to read about a 'fake' Inca Trail?
Oh really a fake Inca Trail!!! Each day naive travellers sign up for it and do it without even knowing they're not on the real trail. I'm here to tell you how to make sure you do the real Inca Trail, which let's be honest is what you want to do. You want four days of hiking and camping in the gorgeous valleys of Peru and then on the last morning a 6 kilometre descent down into Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas and the highlight of the four amazing days of hiking! First of all - if you are going to South America, I really recommend the Inca Trail. It is amazing. Second of all - make sure you do the Real Proper Inca Trail! I'm about to tell you about the fake ones that exist out there...
At the start of the proper Camino Inka / Inca Trail you will see (and probably be photographed with) a massive sign that says Inka Trail.
So what are the tell tale signs that the Inca Trail you did was a 'fake'?? (and what confirms that you have done the real Inca Trail?)
1. You didn't have to show your passport on the entrance to the trail (at the start of the Real Inca Trail there is a compulsory passport check - you also have the option of getting a passport stamp, which I took)
On the start of the Real Inca Trail you need to show your passport and register at a checkpoint.
2. You didn't see the sign saying Inca Trail at the official entrance.
3. It cost you less than $150 US Dollars (the real Inca Trail just can't be done for less than that) - the real Inca Trail will cost you much more than $150 US Dollars (dependant on porters, type of tents, size of group, season etc.)
4. Your ticket doesn't have the silver hologram on it.
5. You didn't spend your third night in a place called Winay Wayna (a mountainside area with a large campsite nicely located only 6 kilometres away from Machu Picchu - if it's the Real Inca Trail you will stay here - or pass through it and stay nearby)
The visitor's centre at Winaywayna is beside the campsite where you will probably spend your third night.
6. You used a bicycle during the trail (the real Inca Trail doesn't allow bicycles)
7. You got a bus to Machu Picchu (seriously, I met people who got a bus to Machu Picchu!! Now come on but if you get a bus then you know it's not the real Inca Trail)
8. The night before you visited Machu Picchu you didn't stay in a tent (on the Inca Trail the only accomodation will be in tents - if you have stayed in a hotel or hostel, then it's not on the trail)
9. The night before visiting Machu Picchu you spent the night in a town called Aguas Calientes (if this happens, I feel a bit sorry for you, as you won't even have done any part of the real Inca Trail - and possibly done the Salkantay Trek instead. Sure you will love it - but remember you may have been given false information)
10. You arrived at Machu Picchu by an ascent to the top of a hill (Please note - When you arrive in Machu Picchu at the completion of the Inca Trail it should be a downward descent and you should get your first viewing preview of Machu Picchu on the way down in a place called Intipunku or Intipata.)
11. You did the trip in 3 days (unless under special circumstances as the proper hike from Qorihuayrachina to Machu Picchu is four days - yes of course experienced hikers can do it faster, but this is the set route and timescale)
12. You hike you do is actually known as the Salkantay Trek or the Machu Picchu Trek (these are actually also great hikes by the way, but they are NOT the Real Inca Trail).
13. You book it the day before (There are only 400 places on the Real Inca Trail each day and it normally fills up fast so booking the day before sounds suspicious to me).
In closing and not meaning to put a dampener on it, if any of you do another hike, that is also amazing. I'm just trying to let people know that if you want to do the proper real Inca Trail, it will be a four day hike through the hills and valleys of Peru which will end triumphantly at Machu Picchu. There are no settlements, no hotels and no transport at all during the four day hike.
So get to Cusco, book the Inca Trail and just check it's the proper trail before you pay up and confirm everything. For the record I used the company Cuzco Explorers and my guide was Sonja. Recommended.
Don't Stop Living
Oh really a fake Inca Trail!!! Each day naive travellers sign up for it and do it without even knowing they're not on the real trail. I'm here to tell you how to make sure you do the real Inca Trail, which let's be honest is what you want to do. You want four days of hiking and camping in the gorgeous valleys of Peru and then on the last morning a 6 kilometre descent down into Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas and the highlight of the four amazing days of hiking! First of all - if you are going to South America, I really recommend the Inca Trail. It is amazing. Second of all - make sure you do the Real Proper Inca Trail! I'm about to tell you about the fake ones that exist out there...
At the start of the proper Camino Inka / Inca Trail you will see (and probably be photographed with) a massive sign that says Inka Trail.
So what are the tell tale signs that the Inca Trail you did was a 'fake'?? (and what confirms that you have done the real Inca Trail?)
1. You didn't have to show your passport on the entrance to the trail (at the start of the Real Inca Trail there is a compulsory passport check - you also have the option of getting a passport stamp, which I took)
On the start of the Real Inca Trail you need to show your passport and register at a checkpoint.
2. You didn't see the sign saying Inca Trail at the official entrance.
3. It cost you less than $150 US Dollars (the real Inca Trail just can't be done for less than that) - the real Inca Trail will cost you much more than $150 US Dollars (dependant on porters, type of tents, size of group, season etc.)
4. Your ticket doesn't have the silver hologram on it.
5. You didn't spend your third night in a place called Winay Wayna (a mountainside area with a large campsite nicely located only 6 kilometres away from Machu Picchu - if it's the Real Inca Trail you will stay here - or pass through it and stay nearby)
The visitor's centre at Winaywayna is beside the campsite where you will probably spend your third night.
6. You used a bicycle during the trail (the real Inca Trail doesn't allow bicycles)
7. You got a bus to Machu Picchu (seriously, I met people who got a bus to Machu Picchu!! Now come on but if you get a bus then you know it's not the real Inca Trail)
8. The night before you visited Machu Picchu you didn't stay in a tent (on the Inca Trail the only accomodation will be in tents - if you have stayed in a hotel or hostel, then it's not on the trail)
9. The night before visiting Machu Picchu you spent the night in a town called Aguas Calientes (if this happens, I feel a bit sorry for you, as you won't even have done any part of the real Inca Trail - and possibly done the Salkantay Trek instead. Sure you will love it - but remember you may have been given false information)
10. You arrived at Machu Picchu by an ascent to the top of a hill (Please note - When you arrive in Machu Picchu at the completion of the Inca Trail it should be a downward descent and you should get your first viewing preview of Machu Picchu on the way down in a place called Intipunku or Intipata.)
11. You did the trip in 3 days (unless under special circumstances as the proper hike from Qorihuayrachina to Machu Picchu is four days - yes of course experienced hikers can do it faster, but this is the set route and timescale)
12. You hike you do is actually known as the Salkantay Trek or the Machu Picchu Trek (these are actually also great hikes by the way, but they are NOT the Real Inca Trail).
13. You book it the day before (There are only 400 places on the Real Inca Trail each day and it normally fills up fast so booking the day before sounds suspicious to me).
In closing and not meaning to put a dampener on it, if any of you do another hike, that is also amazing. I'm just trying to let people know that if you want to do the proper real Inca Trail, it will be a four day hike through the hills and valleys of Peru which will end triumphantly at Machu Picchu. There are no settlements, no hotels and no transport at all during the four day hike.
So get to Cusco, book the Inca Trail and just check it's the proper trail before you pay up and confirm everything. For the record I used the company Cuzco Explorers and my guide was Sonja. Recommended.
Don't Stop Living
About the Author:
Learn more about the fake Inca Trail. Stop by Jonny Blair's site where you can find out all about travel myths and scams and how to keep your wits about you.
