Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (Rules)
Inca Trail to Machu picchu (2-4 and 5 Days)
The appeal of this particular trek is the stunning combination of Inca ruins, magnificent mountains, exotic vegetation and extraordinary ecological variety. The trail goes over high passes with unforgettable views, through cloud forest, and finally into subtropical vegetation.
Over 250 species of orchid have been counted in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, as well as numerous rare birds, animals, reptiles, including several species considered to be in danger of extinction. In order to complete the Inca Trail you need to have a reasonable level of fitness, age shouldn’t be a barrier. The most important thing is to be well acclimatized to the altitude. The maximum height above sea level along the way is 4200m so we recommend anyone coming from the Sea level to spend at least 2 days in Cusco before attempting this trek. This period is ideal for visiting the city of Cusco, the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman and the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Important Note: We will buy your Inca Trail trek permit using the names & passport numbers that you send us with your trek booking application. You must bring the same passport with you to Cusco and take them on the Inca Trail. If the name or number in your passport is different in the trek permit, the government authorities will not allow you to start the trek and you will not be entitled to a refund. If you plan to renew your passport between making the trek booking and actually starting the trek please visit our web page Frequently Asked Questions relating to passport numbers. If you make a trek booking at the student price you must send us a copy of your ISIC card at the time you pay the trek deposit. If you fail to bring your ISIC card on the trek the government authorities will not allow you to start the trek. You will not be given the opportunity to pay the extra difference in price.
Trek Options:
1. Along your hike of Inca Trail the company is going to help you carring your personal items like your sleeping bag and mattress or other things that you want. The company is going to help you with 3kg or 6lb per person – 2024 and if you want we can provide you a duffle bag (optional) which is included in the price.
2. Extra porter; If you are going to need the services of a half porter we will provide you with a duffle bag to safeguard your equipment (you will need to supply the small padlock). However, even with this service you will still need to take a day-pack to carry your essential items such as rain poncho, warm fleece, camera and water bottle. (The maximum amount that each porter can carry on the Inca Trail has also been limited to 20kg or 40lb per porter, 15kg of items for tourists (company) and 5kg for their own equipment (porters). Approximately 50% of our clients need the services of an extra half porter (7 kilos / USD50.00). This service needs to be requested at the time of making the original trek booking. Porters cannot be added at a later date or during the trek itself as trek permits also have to be bought well in advance for our porters.
2. We can also provide vegetarian meals or cater for special diets at no extra cost but we need to know when you make the trek reservation.
3. You can hire sleeping bags from the company. All sleeping bags are synthetic (easy to wash). They are washed after every use and are guaranteed to be clean, although they are constantly being replaced as they become old and worn out.
Cost: US$20 per person for your inca trail. Weight 2.5 kg and are rated to 10 degrees below freezing (nice and warm even during the coldest of nights experienced on the Inca Trail).
Making a Trek Booking:
Prior to making a reservation with Peru Treks it is important to read through our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). This will help answer any queries that you may have about our services or about the Inca Trail in general. In order to make a booking with our Inca Trail group service just click on the Reservations link below. The reservations page contains information about how to make a booking, as well as details of how to pay your trek deposit of 40% of the payment and final balance when you arrive in Cusco. It should be noted that the final balance needs to be paid in Cusco at least 1 day before trek departure
Alternative Treks to Machupicchu
The Classic Inca Trail is one of the world’s most famous trekking routes for obvious reasons.
Trekkers spend four glorious days walking along vast stretches of authentic Inca trails that sojourn through breath-taking Andean landscapes. Scattered throughout the trail are a number of important Inca ruins, which trekkers get to visit.
And perhaps most impressively, the trail ends at the famous entrance to Machu Picchu, Inti Punku or Sun Gate, which affords trekkers an early-morning birds eye view of the incredible Inca city of MACHUPICCHU.
But there are some downsides to the Inca Trail.
Firstly, the trail has a limit of only 500 trekking permits a day, 300 spaces are used by guides and porters. This means that would-be trekkers need to book early, especially during the peak season of May-September.
Secondly, despite the limit of 500 people per day, the trail is always crowded which can make the experience feel a little too ‘touristy’.
And finally, the trail is closed in February due to heavy rains.
So if you are not one for booking early or sharing an experience with crowds, then these alternative Inca trail treks to Machu Picchu might just be right for you.
If you want to do the Alternative treks to Machupicchu you can book with www.peruwildtreks.com, which is specialized in Alternative treks like:
- Vilcabamba Treks to Machupicchu
- Salkantay Treks to Machupicchu
- Lares treks to Machupicchu
- Choquequirao treks to Machupicchu