Inca Trail

We really enjoyed our booked trip by train for Machu Picchu. Nice and comfortable sitting, delicious snacks during the trip, and beautiful view outside the train window. On the way back there were some musicians in the train who entertained the passengers with traditional rhythms.

Spectacular views. Incredible historical site!

We did the classic 4 day/ 3 night Inca Trail with Action Peru Treks, which proved to be a reliable and efficient company, with great logistics and very good care of porters, environment, etc. The first day was a smooth, non-challenging trek that started in kilometer 82 at around 8,30 am and finished at 3,00/3,30 PM. When we arrived at the campsite, the tents had already been put up. In this case, due to the location of our campsite, we had a toilet which we only shared with our guide (it was just my husband and me in the group). We were astonished by the quantity and quality of food offered , much better than expected. The second day was way harder, specially the three hours (or a bit more) that it took us to get to Dead Woman's Pass (4215m). In my case, I felt exhausted in the last few meters, so (following the guide's advice) I breathed in deeply and out slowly three or four times to recover my air and be able to go on. After Dead Woman's Pass, it was a long descent to our next campsite, which we reached at about 1,30 pm. That night was the coldest and we had a little trouble sleeping, probably because of the high altitude (3,650 m) and a little rain that woke us up. The third day is the longest. It starts with a steep ascent to the second pass (3950 m) which was not so terrible compared to the previous day. Then, down and up, and down and up till the third pass (3680 m). From then onwards, more than 1000m down, mostly with high and uneven steps (we thought it would be much worse, but our knees and legs were alright!!!). The fourth day starts really early so that the porters can take the train to Aguas Calientes with our duffel bags, tents and equipment. So, we were at the last checkpoint before 4am, ready to start our last trek to Inti Punku (Puerta del Sol) at 5,30. This was kind of a race, it seemed everybody wanted to be the first to arrive. Eventually we made it to Inti Punku and down to Machu Picchu. We felt we were well trained for this hike. For almost a year, we jogged, walked, did muscle work and climbed the mountains that are two hours from our hometown (although we didn't train for high altitude, since our mountains are very low in comparison) but it definitely helped a lot!!! As to altitude, and coming from very low lands, we decided not to take any kind of meds, as we didn't want to deal with possible side effects and preferred a more natural adaptation. The first thing we did was to drink a coca tea at the Lima airport, before boarding our plane to Cusco. When we arrived in Cusco, we didn't feel anything strange, but after a couple of hours, we did have a strong headache, so we took an Ibuprofen before going to bed. We kept on drinking coca tea (not after 5 pm, since it's a strong stimulant), walking at our body's pace. The following day in Cusco (we took almost 4 days to acclimatise) we had a slight headache, which we ignored, and always took good care of what we ate (we avoided heavy food) and drank just water. Day after day, we increased our physical demand and we felt alright, and we didn't have any problem with altitude in the Inca Trail (except for the last few meters up to Dead Woman's Pass which I've already talked about) or with food. As to what to pack, we definitely took more snacks than necessary, since the company gave us some every day. Anyway, we shared our extra snacks with guide, porters and other people we met on the trail. As to clothes, we started every day with a short-sleeved t-shirt, a long- sleeved one, a thin fleece and a windbreaker; trekking pants or, in my case, leggings. That was more than enough, since after a few minutes of walk, we'd start taking off clothes. We only wore our down jackets at the campsite (evening and early morning for breakfast). All in all, the Inca Trail with Action Peru Treks was a lifetime's experience, so enjoyable, so rewarding... Arriving at Machu Picchu was as amazing as every single moment we spent on the trail, admiring the different landscapes and the peace and purity of such a close contact to Nature.

The Inca Trail is by far the most famous trek. It manages to combine beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud forest, sub tropical jungle and stunning mix of Inca paving stones, ruins and tunnels.

If you’re planning to travel to Machu Picchu, traveling with Inca Trail is definitely worth it. Show on the train, panoramic view and excellent service

Did the Inca Trail 46 years ago. With no real map. No google maps or GPS whatsoever. We had a very rough sketch though from other hikers. No guides or carriers either. But we had a lot of fun 😂

The train ride was OK and the service is Good, but it’s not worth the 120 US dollars. However, it’s the only way to get to Aguas Calientes so you’ll need to take it you want to get to Machupicchu.

Oh my god! 4 days, 3 nights, 45 km, cold showers, altitude oscillating between 2400m and 4200m for an amazing final arriving at Machu Picchu. Where is the sixth star?