Climbing the Inca Path to Machu Picchu in Peru is probably the most well-known of South America’s trekking routes.
The 26 mile trek consists of a mixture of Inca ruins, mountain surroundings, lush cloud-forest and subtropical jungle, resulting in the sacred Inca metropolis of Machu Picchu.
Although the terrain shouldn’t be extraordinarily troublesome to hike, the excessive altitude will make it laborious for an unprepared hiker. Hikers might want to spend a number of days in Cusco earlier than the hike to regulate to the altitude. Ingesting numerous water will assist to acclimatize to the altitude.
There are solely 500 Inca path permits out there per day, together with help employees corresponding to cooks, porters, and guides. So, we suggest booking your Inca trail tour a minimum of 3 months upfront. Through the peak summer season months, nevertheless, you could wish to ebook even additional upfront.
Associated Learn: Inca Jungle Trail To Machu Picchu – The Less Traveled Hike

The most effective time for mountain climbing the Inca Path
The dry season, which is the perfect time of 12 months to go, lasts from Might to October or November and the wet season is from December to April. The Inca path is closed in February as a consequence of heavy rains. Day time temperatures can vary wherever from 50-82ºF, with night time time temperatures from round 32-50ºF.
What to Pack for the Inca Path
The tour operator you select will assist decide precisely what it’s essential convey on the trek. Normally they provide the suitable duffel so that you can pack and for the porters to hold, which might weight as much as 17.6 lbs. You’ll carry solely a light-weight day pack. Normally additionally they present all tenting tools, aside from sleeping luggage, which can be found to lease. We extremely suggest layering with water soluble clothes, or material the doesn’t retain moisture, and advise in opposition to carrying cotton, which absorbs water rapidly and is sluggish to dry which might make for an uncomfortable trek.
We suggest you convey the next:
- A small day pack that holds your sun shades, hat, solar display screen, insect repellent, a digicam, a reusable water bottle, a wind jacket and rain gear.
- One full change of clothes per day.
- Sweater and jacket for cool days or nights, gloves and winter hat really helpful.
- A down jacket is really helpful for evenings, as it may well get very chilly at night time.
- Heat sweat pants for night round camp and in tent.
- Snug excessive high and water proof mountain climbing boots.
- Snug wool socks.
- A pair of sneakers to put on round camp and a pair of flip flops for showering.
- Passport.
- A flashlight and batteries.
- Private toiletries and medicines.
- Medium sized towel.
- Peruvian foreign money (soles) for ideas and small purchases alongside the way in which.
- Sleeping bag (should you select to not lease one).
Try our hiking gear guide.
What paperwork do it’s essential hike the Inca Path?
You’ll need a passport that’s legitimate a minimum of six months after your date of arrival. Residents from the US, UK, Canada and Australia visiting as vacationer don’t want a visa. Vacationer could keep a most of 90 days, do you have to be staying longer you’ll need to request an extension from the Peruvian immigration authorities. All guests should fill out a duplicate of a vacationer card which will probably be supplied in your flight to Peru; maintain this in your passport and current it to authorities when departing the nation.
Tipping on the Inca Path
We suggest tipping your porters $10 per day and tipping your information $15-20 a day.
Machu Picchu
Your journey will start in Lima, the place you’ll spend the night time and depart the subsequent day for Cusco (examine things to do in Cusco). On most treks you’ll hike a median of 4-7.5 miles per day. When you attain Machu Picchu you’ll spend the night time and return to Cusco by prepare the subsequent day. If you do not need to hike the Inca Path to Machu Picchu, it’s also possible to get there by prepare.
Climbing the Inca Path with GAdventures
GAdventures was named the Finest Inca Path Tour Operator by the Regional Course of Overseas Commerce and Tourism of Cusco (RDFTTC) in Peru. By becoming a member of this tour, you’ll be serving to to help over 569 native guides, porters, cooks, drivers and employees.
Their four-day Inca Path trek combines the cultural highlights of the Sacred Valley with mountain climbing by means of the area’s ruins, mountainscapes, and cloud forests.