This is the classic four-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This hike is for people who are in a good enough condition to hike up to ten hours, with breaks, in a single day. The pace may be daunting
for some, but the beauty and history of the area surround the hiker every step of the way. On the last morning we arrive at Machu Picchu with plenty of time to explore the ruins before returning to Cusco by train.
The first day is easy because the track is almost flat. But it’s beautiful. We pass by the archaeological rests of Llactapata, translated “town in the heights”, located above the Cusichaca River. Here, we find many “andenes” which used to provision the warehouses of the ancient Inca Trail. After after a delicious lunch and a noon rest, our walk continues. The majestic “penacho” which crowns the snow-capped Salkantay, gets darker: time to camp. Our first camping site is in Huayllabamba where we’ll spend the night.
On the second day we leave early to make our way to the hardest part of the Trail: the second day. We climb to a pass of 4,200 meters high called Warmihuañusca (“the place where a woman dies”). The long walk up is tough and tiring because of the constant ascent. However, if you have some breath left, spectacular views of the Andes mountain chain await you. You may also appreciate the change in the natural surrounding, which goes from the reasonably warm temperature of the valleys, to the grassland of the cold and treeless “puna”. Once we’ve crossed the pass and after a well-deserved lunch and rest, we’ll descend to the valley of the Pacaymayu River, where we’ll camp. The site has a public bath and a small waterfall.
The third day has the largest walking distance but is easier than the previous day. We cross a second pass from where it is possible to observe the amazing crest of the Runkuracay. After a short descent, we climb to arrive to a third and last pass of the day, the town of Phuyupatamarca, translated “town on clouds”, one of the most original and undisturbed citadels on the Trail. It is surrounded most of the day by clouds but if you’re lucky you have a precious view over the Urubamba river. In the afternoon we finally arrive in the last and best equipped camping site: Wiñaywayna (3,600 meters high). All year round there are typical orchids here that fill the place with their red, yellow and purple colours.
In order to see the sun rise above Machu Picchu, we leave early on the fourth and last day. Along the route we have a constant view over the spectacular Urubamba river, running its course from the high Andes to the deep Amazon rain forest, forming numerous meanders which round steep rock walls, covered with lush forests. When we arrive to Intipunku, “Door of the Sun” we’ll enjoy the sunrise and the unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime view over the fabled and mysterious city of Machu Picchu.
In the afternoon, we’ll return by train to Cusco, but you may also spend the night in Aguas Calientes, enjoy the thermal baths and spend another day in Machu Picchu.
