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Inca
Trail Hike -
4 days
The Inca Empire, called
Tawantinsuyu, went from the present
Ecuador as far as the present Chile. Its
capital was Cuzco, which means Center of the
World (the Inca World). According to the
Spanish in the 16th century, the Incas were
the most organized society in the world.
This empire had an enormous infrastructure
but very well organized. Communications were
organized as well, thanks to transport ways
but also to messengers (chasquis)
who covered the territory. They transmitted
information or commands and transported
merchandise. As an anecdote, we can mention
for example that the Inca, in Cuzco (in the
middle of the Andes) could eat fresh fish 3
hours after fishing it at the sea, while the
Spanish needed 2 weeks by horse to go from
the coast to the capital of the Empire,
Cuzco. The "Descendant of the Sun" deserved
it!
What is exactly the Inca Trail?
Those who are less brave or in a
hurry can visit Machu Picchu leaving Cuzco
by train or even by bus. Some, like us,
think that the better way to appreciate
Machu Picchu is walking on the traces of the
Incas, who took this path 5 centuries
earlier. The pleasure is not only to get
there but through the whole trek, you can
feel the Peruvian and the Incas history come
to live, slowly, every step of the way. This
is the way to discover other ancient sites.
Were they resting places for the Inca or
supplying points? Nobody knows;
nevertheless, the wonder is there.
Every step that gets you closer to the
splendid Machu Picchu is also a way to
appreciate it better. We think it is better
than arriving directly to the train station.
However, all that is nothing compared to the
ending of this unforgettable trek. It is the
arrival at sunrise to the citadel of Machu
Picchu, through the main gate! Because you
will arrive through the "Gate of the Sun".
You have to live this experience to really
understand the meaning of "Gate of the Sun
and also to understand the trek. The rest is
nothing but words.
 ZZ-HK-PERT06
4 days/ 3 nights $ 675 per person
Dates 2008:
all year depending on trail availability
Meeting: Cusco hotel pick up
Included
Inka Trail Service 4d/3n : Guide; Cook;
Porters; 2-person Tents; Cooking Tent;
Dining Tent; Camp Tables & Chairs;
Cooking and Eating Utensils;
Transfer Cusco - KM82;
Guided Tour of Machu Picchu; Entrance Fee to
the Inka Trail & Machu Picchu ; All food
from Lunch on Day 1 to Breakfast on Day 4;
Bus Machu Picchu-Aguas Calientes
Tourist Train Aguas Calientes-Cuzco
Transfer Station-Hotel in Cuzco
Not included:
Medical Insurance
Sleeping Bag
Tips to Guide
Alcoholic Drinks, and any other personal
expense
Food in Cusco and Aguas Calientes/Machu
Picchu
Meals included as indicated:
B= Breakfast L=
Lunch D= Dinner
Itinerary
Day 1 CUSCO - HUALLABAMBA
Early pick up at your hotel. Then a 2 hour
drive in a private bus to KM82. There we
start our trek at 2900m with an easy 5 hour
walk through eucalyptus trees to our first
camp (3000m) by the site of Huallabamba.
Accom- TENT / Meals - B, L, D
Day 2 HUALLABAMBA - PACAYMAYU
Today we leave the Vilcanota Valley and
enter a small enclosed valley with green and
abundant vegetation due to the proximity of
the Amazon. We climb progressively to our
first Pass - the Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's)
at 4200m, before we descend to our campsite
at 3600m.
Accom - TENT / Meals - B, L, D
Day 3 PACAYMAYU - HUINAYHUAYNA
We pass by an Inca staircase up to the
site of Runkurakay and then up to the Pass
of the same name. We then continue up to the
Phuyupatamarca Pass (3800m) then descend to
our camp at Huinayhuayna after our 7 hour
walk. We can see hummingbirds, orchids and
fuchsias along the way. Campsite at 2600m
Accom - TENT / Meals - B, L, D
Day 4 HUINAYHUAYNA - MACHU PICCHU -
AGUAS CALIENTES
We leave camp early before sun rises and
continue on our trek to Machu Picchu. We
pass the Wiñay Wayna ruins and then climb up
to the Sun Gate "Inti Punku" 2500m. From
there we have our first view of Machu
Picchu. We descend to the ruins for a guided
tour and have some spare time to explore
before taking the bus down to Aguas
Calientes. In the late afternoon you take
the train back to Cusco where our minibus is
waiting to take you to your hotel.
Meals - B |
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