Complete inca trail: Is the sacred inca trail to machu picchu; Many people think that trail starting at the km 82 is the complete inca trail; but that is not, that is only a secondary trail, that is connecting to the sacred trail, at about dead woman pass on the second day. How about the other part? There is a large important section of the trail, that is ignored by many of tour operator and tours guides.
We: As local guides, offer you to hike the complete trail, which is done by almost none, a large distance of that train that is part of the sacred inca trail.
I would say that, by doing the entire trail, you can feel, and understand the mystery of the inca culture. The trail start at Zurite, but some people are starting in Killarumiyoc, or the moonstone, reason by which they name it as moonstone trek, both trails meet at the second day, but our train leads by the most picturesque part, and we also avoid the uphill section, and start hiking by a gentle uphill trail.
At this trail, you can hike by a quiet and interesting well preserved, original inca trail, section where even there are no villages, you will see lots of glacier mountains, lakes, and pristine nature.
The Complete inca trail, is a combo trek, that brings you to see the ancascocha trail, and the old inca trail, and machu picchu.
Ask this hike as the complete inca trail to machu picchu!
Complete Inca Trail: departures available only in private service.
06:00 hrs
At early morning our guide and driver will pass by your hotel, then we drive you though Zurite where we can stop to buy water, and have a view of the nice colonial town, then we will drive a little bit more, and meet our muleteers and start our hike. The hike begins by a nice and wide view point, we will arrive to a place qellwa cocha” then after summit we will descend to the stream and have lunch.
After nutritious meal we continue by an uphill trail, after some hours of hike, we will reach a camp site near by yana cocha “black lake”, this part of the trail is known only by local guides and no other companies will do it, we’ll camp over 4,200mt, at the camp we can have a great opportunity so see the sky full of stars.
(Trek difficulty: Challenge. average distance: 12 km. walking time: 7 hours).
Amongst our trekking tours in Cusco, I would say that this one is one of the best, we will wake at 6 in the morning, then after breakfast continue with this fantastic trekking, the trail leads by a gentle uphill, used only by the sheepherders, we’ll summit the CCara Cruz, which is over 4600m, and have great views of mountains, then the trail leads all downhill, we will arrive in a switchback stream named Qenqo Mayu.
After break for eating we’ll walk down hill and arrive to the well preserved wide inca trail, using this trail we walk on a gentle path that leads uphill, after about 3 hours we arrive to a little plateau in the middle of reddish mounts, we will spend the night over 4000m at the camp named ancascocha.
Medium Challenge hike, 12 km and 8 hours of walk.
A beautiful view inspires the day, it start with a gentle uphill trail that gradually tends in serious uphill for about an hour, the inca trail is well preserved, in some parts the foundation of it is about 3meters deep, the inca trail continues towards the wayanay pass which is at 4600m, before the summit we appreciate the view of the ancascocha lake which is formed by glacier water, the summit looks closer and closer at every step.
It is a good spot for a break and lunch, then we’ll have time for siesta and walk around in a land with wide view. The trail continues downhill and we will arrive to a place home of bull farmers and camp over 3900m.
(Difficulty: Challenge. distance: 10 km. estimated time 6 hours, complete incas trail highest camp).
We will breakfast, then descend in to the Huayllabamba valley, the trail follows path of local’s shepherds, while lower elevation local trees are coming out, we walk banking a stream, and on the trail we may see some farmers that they walk long distances to grow potatoes. Once we reach the valley we will stop at a nice inca trail named paucarcancha, we will lunch at the vicinity. From lunch we walk to huayllabamba “300m”; from here, our muleteers will return to their home, and instead we have porters “people who will carry the equipment).
At this point we meet the second day of the traditional four days of inca trail to machu picchu, we get registered at the official control and walk uphill to the camp which is at one hour and a half, the place has toilet facilities, at arrival we set out tents and spend the night in the middle of nature.
(Hike Difficulty: Gentle. Average distance: 12 km, and 8 hours of walk).
It is part of the traditional inca trail and the day begins with stairs though deep vegetation, after about 2 hours of walk we’ll arrive to Llulluchapampa (3800m/12,467ft, “Llulluchapampa is the “Nostoc land”, the trail to summit is very exhausting, but the summit will reward us by a breathtaking view of mountains.
The rest of after the trail leads all downhill to pacasmayu which will be used for lunch, after a good lunch and time to break, we will climb up a lower summit named Runkurakay, before that we’ll visit a rounded inca site, the summit offers a fantastic view, the trail lead downhill to an inca site named sayacmarka, then from sayacmarka will get into to a cloud forest and walk by an amazingly preserved site, then arrive to Chaquicocha camp and spend the night in the middle of cloud forest.
(Challenge trail. 7 km distance, 6 hours).
After some hard days, we’ll finally have a gentle easy day, we will breakfast and start our walk by the cloud forest, after some time enjoying the lush forest we will reach in to an inca tunnel, we will have plenty of time to observe the landscape and take pictures, we will arrive to phuyupatamarka, cloud level-town a nice inca site from where we can enjoy the view of Urubamba river and the snow mountain.
From here, we’ll walk the one thousand dowhill stairs to reach the campsite, before the camp, we will visit an inca site with incredible terraces.
We will arrive the campground for lunch, after lunch you can relax and recharge your energy, then after a break visit an inca site, then have a great dinner and spend the night in a nice warm camp.
(Challenge trek. 15 km “5.56 miles”and 5 hours of walk).
Early wake up will allow our porters to catch their train, we are going to walk to the control and spend until they open it, then we will have 1 hour hike to reach the gate of sun “Gateway of the Sun” (2720m/8,923ft), this point will reward us with the magic view of machu picchu, this site has rectangular doorway structures where everyone takes pictures and after some time to enjoy the view from here, we walk the final part of the trail.
Checking the hike before tour is mandatory, then we we will re-enter in to machu picchu for the guided tour, the guiding service will take about 3 hours exploring all this magnificent machu picchu, then we will catch bus to aguas calientes town for lunch, after lunch you’ll take train back to Ollanta from where our driver will drive you back to Cusco.
(Gentle trail, 6 km “3.28 miles”).
Our complete inca trail trip, end with the transfer to your hotel.
