Trekking the Inca Trail

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No other trek can compete with the Inca Trail for its sense of history, as you tread the ancient road network of the Incas. As for starting the trail, it’s hard to beat the Amazon Rainforest.

You will immediately be struck by the heat and humidity of the rainforest. The most refreshing way to travel is to be on the river, heading upstream to the tranquility of the Tambopata Jungle reserve.

Amazon Rainforest

Here you have the afternoon to relax, taking in the sights and sounds of the Reserve. You spend two full days exploring the jungle by walking and boat cruising at both day and night. The guides are excellent and certainly know the secrets of seeking out all the wildlife. We saw caimans, frogs, spiders, birds and monkeys to name a few – there’s even time for some piranha fishing.

Exploring Cuzco

The next stop on this adventure is to the Inca city of Cuzco. At 3300m, you feel short of breath on arrival, and we spent two nights here to acclimatise and prepare ourselves for the Inca Trail itself.

It’s a great city with lots of character and if you’re up for trying the local delicacy of guinea pig this is the place to do it! On a free day in Cuzco, you can choose to explore the city or visit the impressive Ollantaytambo ruins.

Inca Trail

Inca Trail Trek

So on to the Inca Trail. The first and fourth days of walking are relatively straight forward. The second and third days will definitely get your heart beating faster as you climb up and over Dead Woman’s Pass at 4200m. The service from the guides and porters is excellent as you get all your camping chores done for you.

You finally get to see the wonderful sight of Machu Picchu as you look down from the Sun Gate on day 4 of the trek – its definitely worth the walk as the mountain views and Inca ruins are pretty special. You get plenty of time to walk around the ancient site the following morning and to say hello to the llamas.

Llamas on the Inca Trail