INCA TRAIL FAQS

Note: Some of this Answers are not in any way an 'official' or authoritative FAQ. We take no responsibility for any inaccuracies, or anything that may or may not happen to you as a result of following the suggestions in this FAQ.

1. What is the Inca Trail?

6. Is the Inca Trail open all year round?

7. What should I take?

12. Can I make the Trek by myself?

1.- What is the Inca Trail?

The Inca Trail is the name given to a walking route that partially follows the course of an old Inca roadway leading to the city of Machu Picchu. For most people, the trail of 4 days begins at Km.82 (Inca Trail of 2 days begins at km 104) on the railway between Cuzco and Machu Picchu and ends at Machu Picchu itself.

Note: Another alternative is to approach the Inca Trail via “Salkantay” instead of joining it at Km. 88. This will add several days and some tough walking to your hike, but the views are said to be spectacular.

2.- For what type of people would you recommend these Treks?
People looking for a challenging, a little adventure and foreign culturally interesting vacation. Machu Picchu is one of the most amazing places on the earth and is that much better after having spent four days walking there on the Inca Trail.

3.- What is your average participant like?
The average age of participants in this trek is 47 years. Most are between the late 20s and early 60s, although the range is about 10 to 76. The gender gap is fairly evenly split with slightly more women than men. About 40% of participants sign up alone, 40% sign up with a partner, and 20% as a family.

No. We require a passport scan or copy in order to buy the trek permits. If you don't have a passport then you can not make a trek booking. Keep in mind that you have to carry with you in the trek your original passport, a photocopy of your passport is NOT permissible, you have to bring the original passport.

5.- What is the best time to be trekking the Inca Trail?
The dry season, which is important when hiking, runs from mid-April through October. The tourist season, when the area is crowded, runs from June through August. Therefore, we prefer the shoulder seasons of April, May, September, and October when the crowds are smaller and it is still dry.

The rainy season is from December to May. There is likely to be heavy rain for two to three hours every afternoon, as well as the possibility of light showers that continue over a longer period. Walking conditions are difficult, and streams may become impassable.

Inca Trail Climate (Average)	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum Temperature °C Maximum Temperature °F	20 68	21 70	21 70	22 72	21 70	21 70	21 70	21 70	22 72	22 72	23 73	22 72
Minimum Temperature °C Minimum Temperature °F	7 45	7 45	7 45	4 39	2 36	1 34	-1 30	1 34	4 39	6 43	6 43	7 45
# Rainy Days	18	13	11	8	3	2	2	2	7	8	12	16

High season (June-September) would most likely mean booking your tour three months in advance where in contrast during the low season (October-March) you could probably make a reservation in less than three weeks.

6.- Is the Inca Trail open all year round?

It is open 7 days per week, every day of the month, including holidays; but In February the classic 4 day Inca Trail route closes for conservation, but Machu Picchu and the 2 day trail to the ruins will remain open. The last group will depart on 31 January and the next group will start on 01 March.

7.- What should I take?
Remember the dramatic temperature range. Irrespective of what the weather forecast says, you'll want clothes for both warm and cold weather. At low altitudes it can be quite warm; on the peaks and at night it will certainly be very cold. The best thing is to work on the layer principle; if it gets too hot, take something off, if it gets too cold, put something on. A waterproof and windproof jacket is also essential.

Take strong, comfortable footwear. Heavy boots are probably not required or advised; all you need is something that you can walk in all day, that gives good traction and which supports the ankle. Lightweight modern hiking boots are probably ideal.

Remember to wear your boots in thoroughly before you go and get used to walking in them. Blisters will reduce your enjoyment significantly.

Clothes:

1 change of t-shirt
1 pair of trousers (for the evenings when it's a lot colder)
1 lightweight fleece
1 medium weight rain jacket
1 longsleeved t-shirt for sleeping in
1 change of socks and pants
1 head scarf
1 cap (both cap and head scarf good for protecting head from strong sun)

(The thermal baths at Aguas Calientes aren't meant to be worth the effort - not very clean and luke warm - but if you do want to go there, don't forget your swimmers!)
- During the trek (and probably on the rest of your trip), you pass between completely different altitudes and climates, so we would recommend that you invest in a good breathable raincoat (ie. Gore-tex).

Toiletries:

1 toilet roll (an absolute must!)
toothbrush
toothpaste
contact lens stuff/glasses (if applic.)
small mirror
hairbrush
wet wipes
Carmex lipsalve (it gets pretty windy - lips can suffer!)

Other essentials:

1 torch (for finding toilets)
1 set of spare batteries/bulbs for torch
1 length of yarn (it is incredibly useful – you could use this as a makeshift washing line for drying a rained-on t-shirt, and for hanging the torch up in the tent)
1 rucksack raincover
1 small inflatable pillow (not neccesarily essential, but a great bit of much needed comfort after a hard day's trek!)
1 camera (take a spare battery and a good sized memory card, if standard, take plenty of film)
1 penknife
1 small travel towel (swimmers towels are ideal)

First aid (only one kit needed between 2 of you):
SPF sunscreen
Insect repellent
Aspirin/Paracetemol
Ibruprofen
Diahorrea tabs/stomach calmers
Blister plasters (Compeed are good)
Water purification tabs in case of emergency

Antiseptic wipes (good for cleaning up bites and minor cuts and scrapes)
Bite cream (in case the repellent didn't work!)

One last tip - make sure your bag has lots of handy pockets, is lockable (or at least part of it is), has good back and strap padding, and plenty of loops etc. to aid strapping on the sleeping bag and mat.

Most guidebooks estimate between two and six days for the section of the Trail that most people walk (from Huayllabamba to Machu Picchu), and the average time seems to be three to four days.

Not especially. It's a three or four day walk in a fairly remote area. There are places where you could fall and hurt yourself, or even kill yourself if you really work at it, but unless you're very careless or clumsy it's not very likely.

On the other hand, it's not a good place to have a medical emergency. If you have a tendency towards cardiac arrest, passing suddenly into a diabetic coma, epileptic fits or whatever, try to arrange for it to happen somewhere else.

Conversely, the less fit you are, the less you'll enjoy it. If you're extremely unfit, you may even fail to enjoy it to the point of collapsing in a lifeless heap somewhere along the way. However all this suffering can make the final arrival at Machu Picchu all the more enjoyable. In general if you take regular exercise and spend a few days in Cusco acclimatizing to the altitude you shouldn't have to suffer too much.

That will depend on you and what you're used to. It's generally reckoned to be a strenuous hike, but there's no rock-climbing or glacier-walking involved, so no technical expertise is required. The difficulty comes largely from the repeated steep ascents and descents, and from the high altitude. The climb to the first pass takes you up from around 2000m (6500ft) to more than 4000m (13000ft) in a relatively short space, followed by a descent of around 1500m (5000ft). After the second pass at 3500m (11500ft), things generally become easier.

12.- Can I make the Trek by myself?

No. Trekkers can only access the Inca Trail accompanied by guides authorized by the INC. 95% of all trekkers on the Inca Trail take an organized tour that includes guides, porters, a cook, camping equipment and meals.

The highest altitude we reach on our Classic Inca Trail trek of 4d/3n is 13,860 feet (4225 m) and some people do have problems with the altitude. Being short of breath is relatively common and is not, by itself, cause for concern. On the other hand, severe dizziness, loss of coordination and concentration, severely irregular (Cheyne-Stokes) breathing, and death from pulmonary or cerebral edema are generally regarded as more serious symptoms of mountain sickness.

If you, or someone with you, does start to show any of the symptoms of severe mountain sickness - severe breathlessness, noisy breathing, blue lips, frothing at the mouth, confusion or unconsciousness - you should descend to a lower altitude as quickly as possible and seek medical advice.

The chances are that you won't experience any ill-effects from the altitude, but it is definitely worth spending some time acclimatizing before you set out, with Cusco being the obvious place to do this. If you go straight from sea-level to the Inca Trail you are much more likely to have problems. Make sure you give yourself 2 days to acclimatize in Cusco before setting off on the trail!!

Fifty to Sixty thousand people now walk it every year. The reports suggest that you're likely to meet about 500 other people per day on the trail, including large groups with guides and porters.

Don't take any valuables with you that you don't need for the trek. With respect to the Inca Trail specifically, thefts from tents, particularly in the region of Huayllabamba, are unfortunately fairly common. Don't leave your tent unattended, and don't leave valuables in your tent. At night, bring everything - including your boots - inside the tent and keep it close to you. Carry your valuables in a money belt or neck pouch and keep items such as cameras and passport with you at all times especially at meal times.

One section of the trail is optimistically marked "Zona de Osos" ("Bear Zone"), but your chances of stumbling across a bear are probably very slight. Making noise as you walk and staying on the trail will reduce them still further. Predatory wildlife on the Inca Trail consists mainly of the local pigs and dogs around Huayllabamba (who will eat anything that you leave outside, including boots, rucksacks and plastic garbage bags) and biting flies, which will eat you. The insects, particularly around the Pacamayo, are extremely fierce. There have also been reports of chiggers and other pests near Huayllabamba.

It should generally be possible to fill your water bottle from streams and rivers along the Trail. You must use sterilizing tablets or boil the water (remember that water boils at lower temperatures at high altitude, so you must boil drinking water longer to ensure it's fully sterilized). Take water from streams in preference to standing water, and filter it if in doubt.

Don't count on being able to buy any food on the Trail. You may possibly be able to buy some food in Huayllabamba but it will be relatively expensive. There are also tourist facilities at the far end of the trail, but it's unwise to rely on either.

This is only an example of what our company will provide you on the trail. It is also available for vegetarians

	1st Day 82 KM	2nd Day	3rd Day	4th Day
Breakfast	-----------	yogurt, granola, porridge, fruit salad, tea	pancakes, bread, milk, tea, coffee	scrambled eggs and sausage, bread, milk, tea, coffee
Snack	apple, banana, candy, chocolate, granola bar, cookie	orange, banana, chocolate, granola bar, cookie, candy	apple, chocolate, granola bar, cookie, candy	Banana, mandarin, chocolate, granola bar, cookie candy
Lunch	Corn cream, pasta salad	Chinese soup with vegetables, fried chicken and chips ("salpicon de pollo")	spinach soup stuffed Avocado with sauce and cooked potatoes	"Causa" (mashed potatoes with tuna fish, olives and vegetables)
Tea Time	Chinese stuffed wontons with cheese, cookies, tea, coffee	crackers and pop corn, tea, coffee	Chinese stuffed wontons with banana, popcorn, hot chocolate, tea, coffee
Dinner	Vegetable soup, chicken stew and rice	Quinua soup, roast beef, mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce	chopped beef with noodles soup, Lomo Saltado (beef with rice and vegetables)
Dessert	Vanilla cream caramel	Peaches	Vanilla pudding

Apparently toilets have improved a lot in the last couple of years and all of the larger campsites have toilet blocks with flush toilets and running water. On the whole they are kept pretty clean. If you do need to go the toilet between campsites then defecate well away from the trail and water supplies; dig a hole, or cover your faeces with a rock, and take the paper with you in a bag to deposit in one of the several bins along the way. There are hot shower facilities in Wiñay Wayna on day 3, although they are usually pretty unclean.

Included in the price of the Inca trail is the train ticket for the Backpacker Cerrojo train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, Depend on the time of your train, we have to leave Machu Picchu 01 hour as minimum before our train leave from Aguas Calientes (if you decide to walk from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, we recommend 1.5 hours) The train normally departs Aguas Calientes at 18:10 and arrives in Ollantaytambo for about 19:45 and the price is US$31 (www.perurail.com) We then send a bus to collect you at the station in Ollantaytambo to bring you back to Cusco arriving at about 21:45.

21.- Where can I get more information about this trip?
Just ask us the questions you want answers to! We would appreciate the opportunity to answer any additional questions you might have! our e-mail: