The short Inca Trail
- Trekking & Hiking
Contact
our UK team
You need to ensure that you are in Cuzco the evening before the trek is due to begin, in order to attend a pre-trek briefing with the Lead Guide to check that you are fully prepared for the challenge ahead. We will notify you of the time and location for the briefing prior to your trip.
We will meet you at a central location in Cuzco around 5:00 am and transfer by private vehicle to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. From Ollantaytambo, we will catch a train to KM 104, the starting point for our trek where we will need to show our permits and passports.
After crossing the Rio Urubamba, the trail heads towards our first Inca ruin, Chachabamba. Archaeologists believe that Chachabamba was once an important religious site. Chachabamba is also thought to have played a secondary role protecting this entrance to Machu Picchu. After leaving the site, the trail begins to ascend and enters the cloud forest. We continue trekking uphill, crossing a grassy hillside before reaching a spectacular waterfall. From here it is a short trek to the impressive Inca site of Wiñay Wayna where we will stop for lunch. Approaching from the lower terraces of the ruins, we will climb a long stone staircase to reach the upper levels of Wiñay Wayna. Here we meet the main Inca Trail and will continue walking for 1-2 hours through cloud forest to the Sun Gate, the entrance to Machu Picchu. At this time of day there will be few tourists around and there will be plenty of time to soak up the view before we catch the bus down to Aguas Calientes for an overnight stay at a hotel.
An early start is required as we catch the bus back up to Machu Picchu. You will be given a guided tour of the site which will last for around 2½ to 3 hours. There is also an option to climb Huayna Picchu, the famous mountain behind the ruins, but you will need to book a permit in advance. In the afternoon, we will catch the train from Agua Calientes to Ollantaytambo, where you will be met by our driver who will transfer you back to Cuzco.
Staying
well-fed on your trek is absolutely vital, especially when conditions are such
that you might not want to eat or drink as much as you should.
Because
so many trekkers experience a loss of appetite at altitude, our head chef has
developed special menu plans that are appealing, healthy, and filled with all
the energy you need to make it to Machu Picchu. By default, our meals include
fresh fruit and vegetables every day, as well as fresh meat and fish.
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
is usually fairly hearty. Of
course, you’ll also have hot drinks, generally a choice of tea, coffee or hot
chocolate. Let your guide know if you are still hungry, or even if you think
you could ‘pack in a few more bites’. Our cooks always try to provide more
food than necessary to ensure everyone gets a good meal.
We stop for a hot lunch, freshly
prepared by our cook.
On
the trek, we filter and boil all the water that we give to you for drinking.
You may wish to bring purification tablets as an extra precaution but they
are not essential. Every morning we will fill up your water bottles or
hydration bladder with at least 2 litres of water.
Coca
tea is thought to help relieve the symptoms of altitude sickness. In Cuzco,
all the hotels have dried leaves and hot water available throughout the day
so you can make your own tea whenever you wish.
On the trek we will take coca leaf tea bags for you.
We insist on using a high standard
of vehicle and driver for all of our transfers. In Peru it is not a legal
requirement to have seatbelts fitted in the back of vehicles, and while we try
to use vehicles that have rear seatbelts fitted, this cannot always be
guaranteed. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the vehicle or the standard
of driving, please speak to the driver or our local office.
Kandoo Adventures operates a strict
limit of 7kg for your main equipment bag. This limit includes your sleeping
bag, even if it is rented from us. This is more than sufficient for your needs
on the trek. Your bag will be weighed before you leave the hotel to start the
trek and if it is overweight you will have to take items out and leave them at
the hotel.
It is much easier for our porters
if you bring a lightweight holdall or duffle bag for them to carry, and not a
large rucksack. You can hire one from us if required.
The Peruvian Sol can be purchased in
advance, although US Dollars are also widely accepted in larger establishments.
If you want to change money when you arrive you can visit an ATM or foreign
exchange bureau. When changing money, request small denominations (10’s, 20’s
and 50’s) as the larger notes can be hard to spend. If you withdraw money from
an ATM, you are likely to receive 100 sol notes.
If you are relying on a credit or debit
card for emergency funds, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be
using it abroad, or you may find that it won't work when you really need it.
We realize that tipping may not be a
common practice in all countries but for Peru it is a standard practice that
all operators support. The decision on how much to tip should be determined by
how well the team served you while you were on the trek. Tips are always
discretionary and if you are not happy with the service you have received you
do not have to pay tips. Tips can be made in US dollars or Peruvian Sols. It is
very important that US bills be new (post 2006), crisp and untorn.
We say goodbye to our porters in Winay Wayna
before we visit Machu Picchu. Any
tips that you wish to give to the porters will need to be carried on the trek
with you.
From | To | Price | Availability | Book | Enquire |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
07/06/2023 | 09/06/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
25/06/2023 | 27/06/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
12/07/2023 | 14/07/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
26/07/2023 | 28/07/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
09/08/2023 | 11/08/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
23/08/2023 | 25/08/2023 | $825 £629 |
Guaranteed
|
Book now | Enquire now |
06/09/2023 | 08/09/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
20/09/2023 | 22/09/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
04/10/2023 | 06/10/2023 | $825 £629 |
Guaranteed
|
Book now | Enquire now |
18/10/2023 | 20/10/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
08/11/2023 | 10/11/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
22/11/2023 | 24/11/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
06/12/2023 | 08/12/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
23/12/2023 | 25/12/2023 | $825 £629 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
13/03/2024 | 15/03/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
20/03/2024 | 22/03/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
03/04/2024 | 05/04/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
17/04/2024 | 19/04/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
01/05/2024 | 03/05/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
15/05/2024 | 17/05/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
29/05/2024 | 31/05/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
05/06/2024 | 07/06/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
19/06/2024 | 21/06/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
10/07/2024 | 12/07/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
24/07/2024 | 26/07/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
07/08/2024 | 09/08/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
21/08/2024 | 23/08/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
04/09/2024 | 06/09/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
18/09/2024 | 20/09/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
02/10/2024 | 04/10/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
16/10/2024 | 18/10/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
06/11/2024 | 08/11/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
20/11/2024 | 22/11/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
04/12/2024 | 06/12/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
23/12/2024 | 25/12/2024 | $915 £699 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!
Contact us