The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, also known as Camino Inka, is the single most popular South American trek. The reason it keeps attracting so many people from all parts of the globe each year is not that hard to understand. Trekkers will have to follow the paved stone paths created by the Incas through pleasant river valleys, steaming sub-tropical forests and freezing snowy mountain heights. Inca ruins and tunnels await discovery along the way, and Machu Picchu at the other end.
The entry point into Peru for virtually all foreign travelers is Jorge Chavez Int'l Airport in Callao, just a few miles out from the Lima city center. From the capital, a domestic flight will take travelers to Cuzco. After an overnight hotel stay in Cuzco, a bus that leaves early in the morning will take a scenic 3-4 hour road through the Urubamba River Sacred Valley and drop passengers off at the starting point of the trail. This is the 82 kilometer mark on the rail link that connects Cuzco to Aguas Calientes.
After the porters' bags are weighed at the weigh station alongside the river, trekkers can cross the suspension bridge across the river and begin their quest. The first hour or so through the open valley is easy. After that, the path starts snaking upwards towards the looming snow-capped peaks of Veronika Mountain.
The group will halt overnight at a campsite in Wayllabamba. At this stage, the altitude is already above 3000 feet. For those wondering if this is the only option, there are indeed multiple paths that can be taken. The trek can also be made less demanding by starting from markers further ahead.
The two main trekking paths are the Classic and Mollepata routes. The Classic option is a four-day trek starting from the aforementioned 82-km mark. From this point, trekkers follow the route into the cloud forest and high up into the Andes. It passes by several Inca ruins before reaching Machu Picchu at sunrise on the fourth morning.
If this Classic trek seems too hard, then easier choices are available by starting off from points further ahead on the trail. The 88-km point and the 104-km point are two such available options. The 104 km point trek is the shortest one, and can be completed inside of two days.
Intrepid adventurers seeking a thrill can expand the itinerary by taking the Mollepata route. This path goes a lot higher up into the mountains and only reaches Machu Picchu after seven days. A bus from Cuzco goes to the starting point in Mollepata, to be followed an arduous trek involving some real mountain climbing on Salkantay Mountain. It includes a hike through a mountain pass in the snow up above 4,000 feet.
Permits to enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu need to be applied for a long time beforehand. The normal way to do this is to book a guided tour and let the tour company handle all the paperwork. They will also provide porters and tour guides for groups of trekkers. Participants on these group tours do not need to carry all the heavy camping supplies or cook their own meals. They can instead devote all their energies to keeping one foot ahead of the other and reaching Machu Picchu without falling apart.
The entry point into Peru for virtually all foreign travelers is Jorge Chavez Int'l Airport in Callao, just a few miles out from the Lima city center. From the capital, a domestic flight will take travelers to Cuzco. After an overnight hotel stay in Cuzco, a bus that leaves early in the morning will take a scenic 3-4 hour road through the Urubamba River Sacred Valley and drop passengers off at the starting point of the trail. This is the 82 kilometer mark on the rail link that connects Cuzco to Aguas Calientes.
After the porters' bags are weighed at the weigh station alongside the river, trekkers can cross the suspension bridge across the river and begin their quest. The first hour or so through the open valley is easy. After that, the path starts snaking upwards towards the looming snow-capped peaks of Veronika Mountain.
The group will halt overnight at a campsite in Wayllabamba. At this stage, the altitude is already above 3000 feet. For those wondering if this is the only option, there are indeed multiple paths that can be taken. The trek can also be made less demanding by starting from markers further ahead.
The two main trekking paths are the Classic and Mollepata routes. The Classic option is a four-day trek starting from the aforementioned 82-km mark. From this point, trekkers follow the route into the cloud forest and high up into the Andes. It passes by several Inca ruins before reaching Machu Picchu at sunrise on the fourth morning.
If this Classic trek seems too hard, then easier choices are available by starting off from points further ahead on the trail. The 88-km point and the 104-km point are two such available options. The 104 km point trek is the shortest one, and can be completed inside of two days.
Intrepid adventurers seeking a thrill can expand the itinerary by taking the Mollepata route. This path goes a lot higher up into the mountains and only reaches Machu Picchu after seven days. A bus from Cuzco goes to the starting point in Mollepata, to be followed an arduous trek involving some real mountain climbing on Salkantay Mountain. It includes a hike through a mountain pass in the snow up above 4,000 feet.
Permits to enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu need to be applied for a long time beforehand. The normal way to do this is to book a guided tour and let the tour company handle all the paperwork. They will also provide porters and tour guides for groups of trekkers. Participants on these group tours do not need to carry all the heavy camping supplies or cook their own meals. They can instead devote all their energies to keeping one foot ahead of the other and reaching Machu Picchu without falling apart.
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