Classic Inca Trail 04 days and 03 nights

Machu Picchu Peru Tours & Travel agency, our transportation will pick you up from your different hotels at 06:00 to then go to kilometer 82 which is located at (2,800 m. /9,200 ft), the starting point for our hike and official entrance control to the Classic Inca Trail for tourists, guides and porters.

The hike begins with a gentle ascent. During the first 3 hours, we will be in relatively flat terrain observing a magnificent view of the summit and the snowy Wakay Willka known as the Veronica, where we can enjoy an extraordinary Andean landscape and an Inca construction known as patallacta, located at 2,750 m. / 9,030 ft., in this place we can see some cultivation terraces that served to feed travelers from different places that took this route to reach Machu Picchu.

Then we will continue walking through an area full of vegetation where it is very likely to observe the most popular bird Giant Hummingbird, after walking for about 2 hours we will arrive at our first camp located in the area of Huayllabamba at 3,000 m. / 9,900 ft. Huayllabamba is a small village surrounded by corn field corn fields, potato crops, and other products, here we will have our first camp.

This day our cook will prepare us a hot drink of muña or coca, today we will have a great challenge, to ascend to the highest point of the Warmi huañusca pass, before starting our way we will have an exquisite and comfortable breakfast.

In this section already begins to appreciate the wide road with cobblestones on the outer edge and in areas of risk are appreciated retaining walls to control the slope of the road, the climb becomes heavier until you reach the sector of Ayapata an area prepared for camping.

The ascent by the ravine of the Salkantay River becomes heavier, the road becomes steeper and the legs already take their toll for the effort made in the midst of the fog and constant drizzle that hovers over the landscape, a last effort allows us to reach 4332 meters above sea level where the Warmiwañuska pass is located, From here there is a wonderful natural landscape that makes the visitor feel as if they were face to face with the tutelary Apus, the Taita Inti, the Mama Killa, the Olympus of the Andean Gods just a step away from the Hanaq Pacha.

The natural landscape has changed notoriously, from the lush vegetation of the inter-Andean valleys we pass to the icy mountains where the thatch abounds in the middle of the silence that is cut stealthily by the discreet winds that comb the mountain.

A network of roads open to all visitors allows us to take a break for lunch and replenish our energy.

The way down to Pacaymayu Alto is completely integrated and dates back to the time of the Incas, it is wide and slides in the middle of shallow ravines and noisy streams that the mountains are giving birth, along the way we find shiny roads and camping spaces suitable for our visitors where we can dine and camp.

This day will be the longest of the Inca Trail but with beautiful scenery and full of vegetation. This day we will wake up at 06:00 am.

To enjoy a delicious breakfast with your trekking companions, before continuing the Classic Inca Trail.

We started the third day of walking undertaking the ascent to the archaeological site of Runkurakay the section begins with a path that soon begins to become a steep stone staircase that ascends sinuously towards the Runkurakay pass in the short break halfway up we turn our eyes to see the high Paqaymayu checkpoint where the camping areas and the crystal clear waters that descend from the snowy Soqtacochayoc stand out.

The ascent road has an original stone roadway dating from Inca times and it is incredible that despite the passage of centuries, the pressure of visitors and inclement weather, this pre-Hispanic construction is maintained in the same condition.

After ascending all the way we arrive at the archaeological complex of Runkurakay located in the middle part of a mountain with a semicircular shape formed by two enclosures that complement each other and a central space of similar shape with medium sized windows, a religious enclosure whose windows are oriented towards the mountain of Warmiwañuska and by the semicircular shape it is considered to be dedicated to the mama Killa.

Continuing the ascent we arrive at a small lagoon that is a few meters from the top, a fountain where deer, foxes and other animals typical of the area drink water, the impressive landscape that surrounds it generate spectacular images that further embellish the context, the ascent ends in the Runkurakay pass where we find rest points because after overcoming the hard slope is appropriate for a refreshing rest.

After appreciating the scenery we start the descent to Sayaqmarka by the same paved road that the Incas walked on this purification pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

The road has emotional moments, as when crossing a small tunnel carved into a huge rock that closed the path.

Along the way it is common to see wide spaces that function as viewpoints, in this case the viewpoint allows us to appreciate the way down and another small lagoon of dark waters while in the distance you can already see part of the archaeological site of Sayaqmarka where the traveler will find a grandstand that has almost vertical position with approximately 97 stone steps; surprising the perfection of this construction by the size of the lithic pieces and its suitability to the topography of the area.

In Sayaqmarka visitors can appreciate water fountains for domestic ceremonial use, enclosures for housing, narrow streets bounded by sturdy stone walls that remain intact over time, double jamb doors and a sacred huaca where you can recognize the carved profile of a human figure with arms outstretched on a black background.

Like all the archaeological monuments located along the Inca Trail, this one was also used for Andean religious rituals.

The stone constructions of the Inca Trail and the trail itself unleash a series of questions regarding its construction.

We continue with the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, to the control of Chaquicocha and as soon as we start the march we visualize the archaeological site of Conchamarca located in the lower part of Sayaqmarka on the banks of a stream that descends from the heights, consisting of 3 enclosures located on top of a platform with five platforms and intended for religious activities in pre-Hispanic times, the way down is made up of wooden bridges that cross the abundant streams.

The landscape changes gradually as we meet again with the abundant vegetation of the streams in the journey until we reach Chaquicocha camp site where we will rest and have lunch.

Resuming the journey our steps lead us to the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarka that for the moment is hidden behind the hills with a dense blanket of fog, the Inca trail in this section is impressive because the ancient Inca engineers adapted the layout to the existing geography, We cross this section where there is a curve built on a rocky outcrop that could not prevent the genius of the builders, advancing in the middle of ravines and curves we arrive at a formidable passage as a tunnel dug into the bedrock both the roof and the floor are made of stone and despite the humidity inside is still in use.

Several meters below we can appreciate five fountains of water carved in stone that leads the vital liquid from one fountain to another in a sequential way that flows all year round, formed by five circular towers in ascending form connected by cobblestone ascent that is adequate in all the constructions of religious use and residence of Andean priests.

Immediately we return to the Inca trail and the road does not cease to amaze us because in some sections we find incredible works such as this sequence of 35 staircases carved in live rock followed by the exquisite cobblestone that characterizes the entire roadway.

The walk also takes us to a smaller tunnel than the previous ones, but of the same admirable invoice that surprises the visitors, some meters below a viewpoint of road allows to appreciate in the distance in the low part of the archaeological group of Inti pata a system of platforms of agricultural use, the exquisiteness of the validity of the Inca engineering allowed that these terraces adapted to the morphology of the land work perfectly with their channels of water for more than 500 years;

After the guided visit of the archaeological complex of Puyupatamarca, which was another important monument, we will have a break and lunch.

After a brief rest we will continue with the walk until we arrive to the last camp Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young) where we will have a guided visit to the impressive archaeological complex. ceremonial complex that has terraces in the upper and lower part, constructions of Inca ceremonial enclosures divided into two parts.

Surrounded by a wall of seven large windows arranged symmetrically with an expression of Inca duality.

We will return to our camp where we will camp for the last time and share the last dinner saying goodbye to our porters and cooks who are part of the Classic Inca Trail.

We will get up very early at around 04: 00 am to enjoy our breakfast and continue our final tour of the Inca Trail, we will advance almost in a straight line to the north towards Inti Punku, the road is surrounded by lush vegetation that provides the necessary shade to cover from solar radiation that increases with the passing of the hours, On the way there are attractive stretches that show stone walkways, wooden gates, and some viewpoints that allow you to appreciate the bottom of the valley with the Vilcanota River a few meters before reaching the Intipunku where there are half-built stone constructions probably abandoned by the Incas after the invasion of the Spaniards.

A whim of the road is appreciated when arriving to Inti Punku where a small but steep slope forces us to spend the last energies arriving. The visitor feels glimpsed with the impressive view of the wonderful Inca llaqta of Machu Picchu and part of the Hiram Bingham road that communicates with the district capital of Machu Picchu.

Intipunku is a small set of stone forms that evidently served as a checkpoint and administration of people and goods moving along this route here we can enjoy Machu Picchu, from another angle with the wide panorama that opens with the mountains, valleys and ravines that can be seen from this point.

Arriving at Machu Picchu the wonder of the world synthesis and summary of the colossal architecture of our ancestors, summit of the Andean civilization, pride of the Peruvians and sign of cultural identity of all the Cusqueños shows us how high degree of development reached the Andean civilization by the hand of the Incas always accompanied by our experienced guide that allows us to tour this religious site par excellence.

“Machu Picchu Wonder of the World” with an altitude of 2,437 masl / 7,995 ft, we understand its superior knowledge reached in the astronomical and astrological that puts in our knowledge the hydrological cycles of rain and dry through the solstices for the development of agricultural activity, having free time to take pictures and walk on their own.

At the end of the tour we will board the bus down to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a refreshing tourist menu taking into account the train’s return schedule to Ollantaytambo station, where our transportation will be waiting to return you to the city of Cusco and your subsequent transfer to your hotel of reference.

And so we finish our Classic Inca Trail Trek.