Machu Picchu Hike

by: , USA -
5/5stars
March 03, 2014

Bottom Line: This was one of the best vacations I have ever taken. The Inca Trail Staff was extremely helpful and made everything as easy as possible. I bonded with others on my team and had the experience of a lifetime.

Food:

The food was absolutely delicious. The chef prepared gourmet meals that featured four or five hot sides. A typical day might look something like this: hot coca tea in the morning followed by pancakes and porridge for breakfast, vegetable soup, stuffed peppers, rice and salad for lunch, pasta with garlic bread, quinoa soup and sausage for dinner.

Service:

The porters do a remarkable job of carrying all of the equipment. They run ahead of you and set up camp so that by the time you arrive, the tents and dinner table are always set up. In a few cases, they were flexible enough to carry other people's bags for an additional fee.

Difficulty:

The trail is difficult and covers something like 40 kilometers of stone covered trails snaking up and down mountains. Hikers should be in good shape and prepare for the hike by climbing stairs and running. The trail can be dangerous at times with drop-offs of several hundred meters should you fall off the trail at some points. Rain during the rainy season is very heavy and comes down in sheets.

Bathrooms:

This was the hardest part for me. They are usually three or four squat toilets that at times do not flush at camp sites shared by around a few hundred people. This is not Inca Trail Reservations fault - it's the infrastructure of the Peruvian gov't. If you are unable to use dirty bathrooms, the hike may not be for you.

Special Package:

Inca Trail Andean Adventure

Nasca Hummingbird
This 15 Days Adventure takes you to remote places of interest in Peru, such us the amazing Colca Canyon and the enigmatic Nazca Lines. Finish your adventure on top of Machu Picchu after following the Inca Trail. *