If you want to take one of our Machu Picchu tours while on your Peru vacation but be quite active, enjoying more of the superb scenery and history, then the Inca Trail may be for you. The most famous and popular way to get to Machu Picchu on foot is on the Inca Trail, over 30 kilometers of winding paved path that is more than 500 years old. There are a number of alternative treks you can take also, the second most popular is the Salcantay route which arrives at Machu Picchu from behind the site, this is the main alternative when the classic Inca Trail is sold out.
So now you have the urge to trek to Machu Picchu you will need some more advice, as local experts we know everything there is to know about the inca Trail but for starters here are 10 important things you should know:
Limited space on the Inca Trail
The Inca trail is so popular that most people should book at least 3 months in advance, this is particularly true if you intend to take a vacation in Peru in the peak months of between June and August. It’s also worth remembering that the trail is closed completely in February for maintenance. There is a limit to the numbers of people allowed on the trail each day with a maximum figure of 500 being permitted. However this figure of 500 includes all the cooks and porters necessary to carry the equipment so only half of that number are actual trekkers.
Obligatory Inca Trail Guides
Since 2000 the Peruvian Government has made it an official requirement to trek the Inca Trail with a guide. This means the only option is to do the trek as part of a organized tour, the upside is that you can relax and enjoy the trek knowing that everything has been taken care of beforehand by companies such as ours.
You get what you pay for!
When choosing your tour operator for the Inca Trail, avoid the temptation to go as cheap as possible. You’ll find yourself in large groups of twenty people or more and there’s a high chance that the tour operator will treat their Peruvian staff badly. We at escaped always pay fair wages to porters, cooks and guides, use good equipment and serve good food ensuring that clients have a great time.
Tipping of porters and guides
Even if you choose a company that treats its workers well, cooks, guides and porters will still be relying on tips to get paid a good wage for their work. Generally accepted rates are as follows:
If you are part of a group, each group member should allow:
• US$5 per person for the porters (ratio is 1 client: 1 porter)
• US$10 per person to the cook
• US$10 per person to the guide
However, if you are part of a very small group, you may consider increasing these amounts.
If you are on a privately escorted trip, you should allow:
• US$25 for the porters
• US$10 for the cook
• US$50 for the guide
Altitude problems
Coming straight up from Lima and getting stuck into the Inca Trail will leave even the fittest hiker gasping for air. With the 4200m “Dead Woman’s Pass” waiting for you on day two of the four day hike, we always suggest allowing a couple of days in nearby Cusco to acclimatize to the altitude before setting off. While in Cusco you can do a Cusco city tour or a tour of the sacred Valley to enjoy the place while becoming used to the altitude. If you are arriving in Cusco after having been in Puno or the Colca Canyon then you are set as those places are even higher than Machu Picchu.
Avoid trekking in droves
Guides do their best to keep distance between groups on hiking days, but expect to see some crowds in campsites especially at peak times of the year. If you want to be alone in the wilderness there are many other, much more remote, routes to choose from in Peru. Just ask us for the options.
Inca Trail regulations – lots of them
Want to light a camp fire? Nope. Any chance of camping outside designated sites? Nope. Walking off the trail? Nope.
Expect a set of strict rules when walking the Inca trail – if you get frustrated try to remember that a lot of people use the Inca Trail and for good upkeep a strong set of rules are necessary. If you want a more flexible trek, there are plenty of options for hikes in the same region.
Inca steps
Up, down, up down…don’t expect an easy, flat road. Inca engineers took their climbs and drops pretty seriously, so trekkers will have the benefit of kilometer after kilometer of stone steps to negotiate the mountains.
Early mornings
If you’re not a morning person, don’t opt for the Inca Trail. Particularly on the last day for the approach to Machu Picchu; your guide will be trying to get your group a good position amongst the others for entry into the site which will result in a cheery 5.00am wake-up call.
Machu Picchu is really worth it
Despite all the rules, challenges and the planning well ahead, you will now be set for a wonderful experience which keeps trekkers coming back to the Inca Trail, year after year. You will be walking in the footsteps of the Incas and be rewarded with a fantastic view of the site from the Sun Gate on the morning of day 4 that will leave you awestruck.
This is a Peru trek you will never forget!
