The trail starts in Huarocondo 01 hours away from Cuzco, Crosses for Socma, Rayan and Cachicata, descends into and cone and ends in Ollantaytambo access to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu.
The trek is not as popular as the overbooked Inca Trail but many find it just as beautiful. This trek (also sometimes called the Cachicata Trek), is ideal for travelers in search of alternatives taking you through rural communities in the breathtaking Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner.
Walk and Terrain: Walk, on mostly steep trails, and some open slopes.
Trekking Time: Approximately 8 hours (including picnic lunch in the route),
and 2 hours for the lunch time.
Distance: 14 km.
Difficulty: Moderate
Early in the morning. We leave from Cusco early we drive to Huarocondo Andean village, where we going to visit a colonial church, immediately we ascend to the community of Socma. Just before we arrive to Socma we’ll have a stop to take photos of some stone-age petroglyphs.
Today’s trek takes us up the valley behind Socma as we make our way to a small Inca site and beautiful waterfall that lie at the top of the valley.
Walking past fields cultivated with potatoes, corn and quinua we will have the opportunity to see a variety of birds and native plants and to learn about the customs of the Andean people. Your guide will teach you a little Qhechua (the language of the Incas) so that you can communicate with the people you meet on the trek.
After a relaxing morning’s walk, we’ll finally arrive to our destination, the Inca site of Perolniyoc. After a guided tour of the site we’ll carry on a short distance to our campsite at Rayan (3650m / 11975 ft.) where we’ll stop for the day. In the afternoon we will visit one of the local families and you can practice the Qhechua you learnt in the morning (much to everyone’s amusement).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Walk and Terrain: Walk, on mostly steep trails, and some open slopes.
Trekking Time: Approximately 9 hours (including picnic lunch in the route)
and 2 hours for the lunch time.
Distance: 16 km.
Difficulty: Moderate
Today is the longest day of the trek. Setting out from our campsite we’ll carry on up the valley making our way to the first pass on the trek. This area is still cultivated by the local people despite the high altitudes and we will see local people caring for their fields. One of the few plants that seem to thrive at this altitude is a type of mint, (muña) and the scent infuses the air throughout the morning.
In total it’s about 4 hours walking to the pass (4440m / 14567ft.) where we’ll stop to take in the panorama and catch our breath before carrying on for about another 20 minutes to stop for lunch. After lunch the walking gets easier; having reached the top of the mountain the terrain levels out and we walk across the high plateau through a strange landscape of what appear to be burial mounds but is actually glacial moraine (piles of rock deposited by glaciers during the Ice Age).
Our goal for today is the Inca quarry of Cachicata. Working our way down from the high plateau we’ll arrive to Cachicata (3820m / 12532ft.), by late afternoon, passing by an Inca ruin which people refer to as the Sun Gate along the way.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Walk and Terrain: Walk, on mostly steep trails, and some open slopes.
Trekking Time: Approximately 8 hours (including picnic lunch in the route),
and 1 hour for the lunch time.
Distance: 9 km
Today you will dedicate to exploring Cachicata. Hardly anyone actually comes up here. Cachicata is an extensive site, it was the quarry used by the Inca for the construction of Ollantaytambo and there are various points of interest including several large buildings, quarried stones left half-finished and abandoned throughout the site, chullpas (burial houses) and a cave with Inca mummies still in place.
After a guided tour of the site we’ll continue our way down the mountain following the original platform used for transporting the stones to Ollantaytambo and arrive to the town by early afternoon. From Ollantaytambo we’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast
Distance: 4kms/3.7mls
Difficulty: Easy
After a very early buffet breakfast at the hotel, we make our way to the bus station for the ride up to Machu Picchu Sanctuary (30 min). Our trip leader will give an introductory 2 hours guided tour of the ruins, after that we have the option of climbing the steep staircase of Huayna Picchu, a steep and vertically quite challenging hike that takes about 2 hours which affords great views of Machu Picchu.
You will also have time to indulge in a few of the following activities on your own if you choose (not included in the price)
Climb up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain and appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Machu Picchu from there. Other optional activities in Aguas Calientes include a visit to the new local museum, or bathe in the hot springs.
Back to Cusco: You will descend to Aguas Calientes by bus (included),later board the train to Ollantaytambo where you will meet our transportation and be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.
*** Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains hike depends on availability; please let us know if you want to add one of these extra hikes at the time of your booking.
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5/5 stars
We trekked through the mountains with a fantastic guide who looked after us and showed us all the details we would have otherwise missed. From the ruins themselves to the flora and fauna our guide Henrry took us back in time hundreds of years with ease. He will be remembered for his personal touch...
5/5 stars
A great experience. Very well organized. It is my third time in Peru and second time visiting Machu Picchu. I felt comfortable and safe with Primo. He did a good job and he has a wealth of knowledge of the region. 5 stars and maximum recommendations. Very professional, cordial and punctual....
5/5 stars
This was the Royal Inca Trail one-day hike, starting at KM 104 and finishing at Machu Picchu. Our guide was Henrry Chauca, and he is excellent. I was twice the age of the other six hikers, and therefore the slowest. Henrry made sure that I was always safe, kept encouraging me, told me to take my...
