INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

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MAYUC PERU TRAVEL AGENCY -

Fax: 51-84-232666
Portal Confituriass 211 - Plaza de Armas - P.O. Box 422
Cusco - Peru

INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU PROGRAMS

The Inca road system was the most extensive and highly advanced transportation system in pre-Columbian South America.The network was based on two north-south roads with numerous branches. The best known portion of the road system is the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

The Inca Trail is Peru's best known hike, combining a stunning mix of Inca ruins, mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest and rich subtropical jungle. Over 250 species of orchid have been counted in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, as well as numerous birds such as hummingbirds, waterfowl and the majestic Andean Condor. The star of the Sanctuary is the spectacled bear - a shy, herbivorous animal that is extremely rare and close to extinction.

Relay messengers, or chasqui, stationed at intervals of 6 to 9 kilometres (3.7 to 5.6 mi), carried both messages and objects such as fresh marine fish for the rulers in the sierra. Messages consisted of knotted-cord records known as quipu along with a spoken message. Chasquis could cover an estimated 250 kilometres (160 mi) per day.

Machu Picchu itself was far off the beaten path, and served as a royal estate populated by the ruling Inca and several hundred servants. It required regular infusions of goods and services from Cuzco and other parts of the empire. This is evidenced by the fact that there are no large government storage facilities at the site. A 1997 study concluded that the site's agricultural potential would not have been sufficient to support residents, even on a seasonal basis.

Inca Trail Regulations

For decades, individuals trekked the Inca Trail on their own, but hundreds of thousands of visitors -- as many as 75,000 a year -- left behind so much detritus that not only was the experience compromised for most future trekkers, but the very environment was also placed at risk. The entire zone has suffered grave deforestation and erosion. The Peruvian government, under pressure from international organizations, has finally instituted changes and restrictions designed to lessen the human impact on the trail and on Machu Picchu itself: In the first couple of years, regulations were poorly enforced, but in 2003, the government announced its intentions to fully and strictly enforce them.

All trekkers are now required to go accompanied by a guide and a group. In addition, the overall number of trekkers permitted on the trail was significantly reduced, to 200 per day; the maximum number of trekkers per group outing is capped at 16; only professionally qualified and licensed guides are allowed to lead groups on the Inca Trail; the maximum loads porters can carry has been limited to 20 kilograms (44 lb.); tourists are no longer permitted to travel on the local train from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (or vice versa); and all companies must pay porters the minimum wage (about $15/£7.50 per day).

These changes have cut the number of trekkers on the trail in half and have made reservations essential in high season. Guarantee your space on the trail by making a reservation at least 15 days in advance of your trip (but 3 months or more in advance for high season May-Oct; reservations can be made as much as a year in advance). Travelers willing to wing it might still find available spots a couple of days before embarking on the trail, perhaps even at discounted rates, but waiting is a huge risk if you're really counting on doing the Inca Trail.

The key changes for travelers are that it is no longer possible to go on the trail independently and no longer dirt-cheap to walk 4 days to Machu Picchu. The good news is that the trail is more organized and that hope for its preservation is greater.

When to go:

Peruvian climate features two seasons: dry season (May-Sept.) and wet season (Oct.-April). In the dry season the high Andean countryside is characterized by sere brown, gold, and tan colors, overarched by clear blue skies and puffy white clouds. While there is some rain in the dry season, it is not generally enough to impede hiking or road transport. The wet season is warmer, and the mountainsides are a fantastic variety of verdant shades; flowers abound. But the skies tend to be overcast, misty, and sweeping views of the ranges may be hard to find. Rainfall can be heavy and abundant, causing landslides that impede travel on mountain roads and railroads; flights are commonly delayed by weather. Trekking in the mountains (and canoeing on Andean or jungle rivers) during the wet season is generally less enjoyable than in the dry, though much depends on your luck with the weather on the particular days you are hiking.

For the Inka Trail, May might be the best month-- at the end of the wet season, when the rains have quit, the skies are clear and views are great, but everything is still bright and green. The disadvantage of going in the best weather months is that this is precisely when traffic is highest on the trail. The advantages of the wet season include fewer other trekkers to share the trail with, and, naturally, water is easier to find!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Group size may not exceed 16 visitors, with a support crew of 22, for a total of 38 persons.
Groups may not stay more than four nights on that portion of the Inca Trail that lies within the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
The trail will be closed one month each year for maintenance (January or February).

Short Inca Trail 2 Days

Traditional Inca Trail and Machu Picchu 4 Days

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