An Inca Trail
Trek is a very popular activity for visitors to Peru. This trek is the
best-known route for hikers in this country, and understandably so. Trekkers on
this path will experience incredibly scenic mountain vistas, amazing Inca
ruins, and a wonderful mix of beautiful forests with their abundant, unique
flora and fauna.
Of course, the
main purpose of an Inca Trail Trek or Salkantay trek is to visit the
mysterious, mystical Machu Picchu. Visiting this sacred Inca city is the
pinnacle of a wonderful trek. To get the full effect of this visit, many
trekkers choose to arrive at Machu Picchu at dawn on the final day of their
journey.
Most Inca Trail
Treks take about 4 days to reach the mountain city. This popular route is a
fairly strenuous 45 kilometres, traversing some mountainous terrain at a fairly
high altitude.
A moderately fit
person should have no trouble completing the trek, but due to the altitude it
is recommended that any person arriving from sea level spend at least two or
ideally three days in the city of Cusco prior to beginning the hike. This will
give your body time to acclimatize.
Cusco is the
city from which you will begin your trek. Here, you will find hundreds of tour
operators offering to assist you on your journey. As you might expect, however,
they are not all equal. The Peruvian government awards licenses to operate on
the Inca Trail.
These licenses
based on several criteria to ensure that the tour companies are operating
appropriately.
That being said,
even after ensuring that your Inca Trail Trek or Salkantay trek tour
company is operating legally, you'll want to understand a few other things to
make sure that you are booking with a reputable company. While everybody wants
a great deal on their travel costs, please be reasonable about this. Expect to
pay around $500 per person for your trek.
If you see any
rates advertised lower than about $450, the odds are good that the tour
operator is cutting corners in some respect. Most likely, they would be
unfairly straining the porters, who are the employees assigned to carry cargo.
As you select a
tour operator, also keep in mind that trek permits are limited, so you'll want
to book well in advance of your intended travel time. The busiest season is
from May through September. During this period, you'll want to reserve your
spot at least four months in advance.
If you know your
plans earlier than four months ahead of time, that is even better. During other
parts of the year less advance notice is necessary, but you'll still want to
make sure you give yourself at least a few weeks in order to ensure your
preferred travel date.
Hopefully these
technical details won't detract from what is sure to be a wonderful travel
experience. Select your tour operator carefully, book your trip early, and then
rest easy knowing that you'll have a great time on your Inca Trail Trek and
your Machu Picchu visit.
