The Inca trail is one of the most impressive hikes there is.
06/06/2024
The Inca empire was one of the largest and most important in America. Despite its fleeting nature - it lasted barely a century - it covered almost two million square kilometers, from Colombia to Chile, passing through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
One of the keys that favored such an exponential expansion was its extensive network of roads, known as the “Inca Trail”, which linked the main cities with the capital of the empire: Cusco.
Today it is possible to tour its most famous section, the one that leads to the impregnable lost city: Machu Picchu. There is no better way to get to these extraordinary Inca ruins than by traveling 43 kilometers through the Andes mountain range. During the four days of the adventure, the privileged ones will walk along these centuries-old cobbled paths surrounded by forests, rivers, mountains and Inca ruins.
Fundamental: reservation
But in order to live this adventure successfully, it is essential to scrupulously follow a series of steps. And the first of all is to book the excursion, something that in itself involves numerous complexities:
To try to preserve the condition of the path, daily access is restricted to a maximum of 500 people, of which more than half are guides and porters. Demand is very high, so it is necessary to make a reservation between six and 12 months in advance.
The excursion cannot be done on your own; It is mandatory to hire one of the authorized agencies. There is a wide variety of options, and although the prices are high, there are many other variables to take into account such as the size of the group, the working conditions of the porters or the quality of the guide, the food, the equipment and the camps. So it is important to opt for an operator that offers maximum guarantees, such as EXPLORING PERÚ TOURS.
The Inca Trail is open all year round except in February, the rainy season when they take the opportunity to carry out maintenance work. The high season runs from June to August; They are the driest months, but also those with the greatest demand, so the months before and after are an option to take into account.
The preparations
Once the reservation is made, the next step is to think about the preparations.
The route is made up of four stages of 12, 11, 16 and four kilometers to be covered in four days. Some sections have a steep slope and many steps, so it is advisable to have trained.
Good waterproof hiking shoes or boots, a raincoat, thermal underwear or technical clothing for different temperatures are essential to be well prepared.
Unless you hire a porter to carry the backpack, each gram included in it must be measured. In the toughest moments of the journey you will always wish you had opted for a lighter backpack. You should only carry what is strictly necessary, including a flashlight, sunscreen or a water bottle.
After the cold, the rain and the effort, the Inca Trail ends with a great reward: arriving at Machu Picchu first thing in the morning to see how the lost city of the Andes receives the first rays of sun.
NEW LINES IN NAZCA WERE FOUND
THE INCA PEOPLE OF PERU
HISTORY OF CUSCO SQUARE AND SACSAYHUAMAN