The Inca Trail, Peru is a very famous hiking trail that leads one to Machu Picchu. Many also refer to it as Camino Inka. It can be found in the Andes mountain range and it goes through cloud forests, alpine tundra and other Andean environments. Many ruins, settlements and tunnels can be seen along the trail.
It also has three overlapping trails called One Day, Classic and Mollepata. Mollepata is the longest route among the three routes and has the highest mountain pass. It intersects with the Classic route before crossing Warmiwañusqa.
Climate
The region is situated in the subtropical zone and the climate is usually damp, warm and mild. It is considered to have two distinct seasons which are a dry season and a rainy season.
The dry season spans from April to October and is characterised by higher temperatures. The rainy season on the other hand spans from November to March and as the name suggests involves a lot of rainfall.
Best Time To Travel
The Inca Trail and its nearby regions receive tourism all year round. However, the dry season from April to October is considered the best time to book flights to Lima to the region. The months of June, July and August are the best for tourism. Most tourists prefer to visit during these three months as the weather is considered best.
Hiking on The Inca Trail
Duration & Distance
A large number of tourists booking flights to Peru are hikers. The hike along the trail is one that is expected to take around 4 days to complete if there are no major delays. The whole journey involves around 43 km (around 26 miles) of walking. However, the path is a steep one and making the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu all the more harder.
Permits
Since the year 2002, only around 500 people (including porters) may hike on the trail at a time. This applies at all times during the year. Considering such high demand among tourists and such a limited amount of permits it is essential that tourists apply well in advance for them.
Age Limits
There is no official age limit as such. The age criteria varies depending upon the tour company. The ages of participants can vary greatly from teenagers all the way to senior citizens.
Price & Other Expenses
There is no fixed cost and the expenses to be incurred in total will vary depending on several factors. The main element will be one’s choice tour operator. The fee for tour operators can range anywhere between £550 per person up to £1,500 per person.
Then there are other expenses too like your bag, clothes, toiletries, etc. The costs of all of these will vary for everyone.
Fitness Demands
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu may not be ranked the hardest trek in the world but it definitely is not the easiest either. Having a good level of fitness before attempting this hike is definitely a must.
Tips
Stay Well-Hydrated and Fed
It is going to be a very exhausting trip that involves a lot of walking and a lot of sweat. Hence, it’s important to pack enough water to ensure one remains hydrated. It also helps people combat altitude sickness as well. Some people even pack hydration salts too.
Be Prepared For Variable Weather
The weather conditions will vary not just depending upon the season one visit’s in but also the time the day and also the altitude they’re at. Sometimes there is going to be rain as well. It helps to have a hat or cap on as well for when it gets hot.
It also helps to wear comfortable shoes because it definitely will be a long walk. Inca Trail is a challenging hike not just for the distance and altitudes but also due to the kind of weather one must combat along the way.
Avoid Carrying Too Much While Hiking
Porters are a huge relief to have on the trip as they help transport most of people’s belongings but there are going to be some things they’ll need to carry with them. Hikers should make sure they don’t carry too much weight on their back as over time it can wear them down.
But this does not mean they should carry too little either as the last thing anyone wants is to be missing something important on the hike. These things should be planned beforehand in order to avoid last minute confusion.
Not For Beginners
One should hike according to their competency. This is not a hike one should undertake if they have never done a multi-day trek before. In such a case, one should attempt shorter treks first like 2-day treks or so that they are better prepared for a longer one.
One should not even think of trying this as their first ever trek if they’ve never been on a trek before. For beginners it would be preferable to first attempt short treks like half day treks or so. Then go for whole day treks progressing on to multi-day treks before finally attempting the Inca Trail To Machu Picchu hike.
Final Thoughts
Hiking is a great physical activity and can be a good social bonding activity too if done in groups. Long treks, especially multi-day ones, should be attempted only those that have a good level of fitness and also some prior experience of trekking as well.
Many people that are of the sporty or athletic type but work office jobs get bored of their lifestyles and sitting around working most of the time. For them adventure sports are a great way to counter this.
Trekking is one of the popular adventure activities around and is great for maintaining. Some people like to trek alone or with friends. This can be alright for shorter treks but for longer ones it is always best to go on one that is supervised. As routes are longer and there are higher chances of being lost.
The Inca Trail is a great adventure waiting to happen however it is best to come fully prepared before undertaking it and follow all the guidelines as always.
