When comparing prices for your trip to Cusco, the desire of visiting the famed Inca Trail may come slimmer as you see the neverending list of tour agencies that operate on this route, the pricing and the inca trail availability that’s handled for a 4 days tour that may not even be fittable for your trip due to time constraints.
Well, don’t look any further, cause if you want to embark on this ancient and unique route, the one day inca trail may be the answer for your search, for our trip to Peru we decided to visit this famed path with the help of a local agency called Kenko Adventures (we’ll be linking their tour a bit above from here in this paragraph for you to experience this awesome hike).
Start by catching a train from the charming Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley up to the kilometer 104 marker. You’ll disembark bright and early to start your guided hike towards the iconic Machu Picchu ruins. A guide and permit are mandatory for this trail, so you’ll need to book through a tour operator. There’s a daily permit limit, so it’s better to act fast and reserve early on!
As for the experience of the 1 day inca trail itself. This involves a full day affair covering just over 7.7 miles and 3,600 feet of elevation gain. The trail databases have all the nitty-gritty details, but to summarize – you’ll be hovering around 8,000 feet above sea level for a good stretch. Acclimation is key in this sense. The locals praise coca leaf’s consumption for altitude woes. Or you could get altitude meds from your doc beforehand.
If you’re an avid high-altitude hiker used to Colorado-esque terrain, this trail may not seem too insane. But for flatlanders like myself, let me warn you – it’s no walk in the park!
The first few miles are relentless staircases after staircases of ancient Incan engineering. I definitely had moments regretting not just lounging at the hot springs in Aguas Calientes instead! The unpredictable weather only added to the fun…we started in sweltering heat that had me guzzling my 3 liters of water. But in true cloud forest fashion, rain and slick trail conditions graced the second half of our hike.
The panoramic views from the Wiñay Wayna summit provided a well-earned respite at least. Plus, we stopped here for a trail lunch next to some basic facilities (thrilling for those of us holding it in).
From there, the trail settled into more moderate inclines and declines in the jungle. Just a few minutes more and you’ll be rewarded with THE view – your first breathtaking glimpse of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate!
Touring Machu Picchu itself is way easier, we had to go through the 1st circuit and the guide took us for a couple of hours from the beginning point to the end with lots of photo opportunities all along the citadel hence giving your shaky legs a chance of resting for a bit as well.
After the tour, we took a down bus ride to Machu Picchu’s touristic town (or Aguas Calientes) to wait for our train, which was one of the sought after panoramic trains ensuring a wonderful experience by the end of the day before arriving back in Cusco by bus.
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