INKA TRAIL...
One Of The World's Classic Treks

The Inka trail - Capaq Nan - is one of the world's classic treks.
This royal highway was built by Inca ruler Pachacuti to link Cuzco - capital of the Inca civilization (Tawantinsuyo) - with the sacred center of Machu Picchu.

Yale Professor Hiram Bingham, who discovered Machu Picchu in 1911, also found what is now called the Inka trail, and all the sites along it.
It was opened for walkers by Peruvian archaeologist Victor Angeles in 1970.

Every year, thousands of visitors from all corners of the world come to hike this famous trail.
For this reason, in recent years, Peruvian Government has imposed several restrictions in order to preserve the integrity of this trail, as well as to regulate and minimize the impact of tourism...

• A maximum of 500 people per day are allowed to begin the trek
• Independent treks are no longer permitted.
  You need an authorized Inka trail guide
• Group size maximum is set to 40 people, including guide, cook and porters
• The trail is closed every year in February for maintenance

Please note that to trek in high season (April to October) you will need to book well in advance, 5 month if possible.
May might be the best month, at the end of the wet season.
Everything is bright and green, and you avoid the highest traffic of peak season.

Inka trail permits are issued for each individual trekker - with name and passport number - at a price of around US$ 70 for a four day trek.
Review here prices for 2008 (given in Peruvian currency).

To check for Inka trail permits availability and related info, we suggest you to visit the official site of Instituto Nacional de Cultura Cusco (in Spanish) .

It's advisable to spend two or three days in Cuzco before the trek, for acclimatization purposes.
As you will reach altitudes beyond 4,200 m above sea level, there is a risk of altitude sickness for the unaware.

To better understand altitude sickness and how to prevent it, visit the South America Travel Library, particularly, High Altitude Sickness.

But the Inka trail to Machu Picchu is actually three routes.
All meet up near Inti Pata (Sun gate), at the entrance of Machu Picchu.

• Sacred Inka trail: (2 day trek)
• Classic: (4 day trek).
  For more info on this, visit Machu Picchu page
• Salkantay :(7 day trek).
  Provably the best way to combine a visit of the lost city of the Incas with a less stridden route, at least for the first four days.
  In the last three you will join the classic trek

The Inka trail is part of a vast network, a complex system of road generally known as El Camino del Inca (Inca Road System).

Some five centuries ago, in pre-Columbian times - a magnificent civilization flourished in the Andean range: The Inca civilization.
Over 14,000 miles of roads and trails were built to communicate diverse points of the empire, as a means of relying messages and transporting goods.

The two main arteries were...

• El Camino Real:
  With an extension of 5,200 km., it run from Quito (Ecuador), passing through Cuzco and ended in Tucuman (Argentina). High up in the mountains, reaching altitudes over 5,000 meters (16,500 feet)
• El Camino de la Costa:
  With a length of 4,000 km, it runs parallel to the Pacific ocean

Hiking the Inka trail is a truly unique experience, where you combine superb views of the tropical Andean cloud forest with several archaeological sites along the way.
It traverses a variety of micro climates, from the arid cactus zone of the Urubamba valley to the high altitude grasslands, before ending in the cloud forest.

Get acquainted with the Porters, they are experienced and can tell you many interesting stories about the places you are about to discover.
To learn more about Porters and refresh some environmental guidelines please download the following information sheets...

• Porters Welfare while on the Inka Trail:Right-click to download this PDF file here
• Environmental Guidelines for Trekkers:Right-click to download this PDF file here
• Questions to ask your Agency when booking the Classic Inka Trail from your home country:Right-click to download this PDF file here
• Guidelines for Independent Trekking in the rest of Peru:Right-click to download this PDF file here

Please show respect and gratitude by learning some basic Quechua words.
Let's write a quick list to brush up on your Quechua skills...

• Hello: Rimaykullaykil
• Goodbye: Tupananchis-kama
• Yes: Arí
• No: Mana
• Please: Arichu
• Thank you: Sulpayki
• You're welcome: Imamanta
• Excuse me: Dispinsayuway
• Sorry: Pampachayuway
• Hi: Napaykullayki

Enjoy your trek and don't forget to tip Porters at the end!...

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