From high remote mountain trails to the first sight of the legendary Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, this is a challenging trek on steep trails climbing to 4200m in fantastic and diverse mountainous country.
After a flight to Lima, Peru and a couple of days to acclimatize to the altitude in Cusco the trek starts at Km82 and then follows the route of the ancient Inca Trail to the ‘lost’ city of Machu Picchu.
The trail winds its way through lush cloud forest, green valleys and high passes with breathtaking views of snow-capped Andean peaks. Along the way there are plenty of fascinating Inca temples and settlements.
The Inca Trail is affected more by altitude than latitude, being hot and sunny during the day, about 30ºC, but chilly at night, down to a few degrees above freezing. May to September is the dry season, but in the mountains there is always a chance of rain.
The trek requires a good level of fitness and is challenging mainly due to the altitude which can give symptoms such as headaches and shortness of breath. The paths are good, but there are many steps!