BEST HIGH INCA TRAIL 8 DAYS TO MACHU PICCHU

The itinerary below is a sample. Hiking times are an average and will vary depending on the group. Additionally, lunch and camp sites may change to meet the needs of the group and conditions.

PRE-TREK
Before the Salkantay Trek, your guide will meet you at your hotel for an in-depth briefing. This provides an opportunity to ask questions and do any last-minute shopping before leaving Cusco.

DAY 01: CUSCO – SORAYPAMPA.
Starting early in the morning we leave Cusco and cross the broad Anta Valley, where we see small villages of mud brick houses with thatched or red tiled roofs, fields of grain, and herds of cattle. Our first stop is to visit the Inca site of Quillarumiyoc (Temple of the Moon). This religious center contains walls, buildings, fountains, and its centerpiece, the Moonstone. A limestone boulder with a base relief of the moon that is found only here, the Moonstone is still used by shamans. We have breakfast near the site and then continue driving to the trailhead at Sayllapata where we meet our horse wranglers. Our Salkantay Trek begins by hiking up to longest water irrigation channel built in the Incas time many centuries ago to the camp side of Soraypampa 3900m where we have spectacular views of Salkantay and Humantay snow caped Mountains

DAY 02: SORAYPAMPA – ICHU PATA
After a delicious breakfast next to Salkantay and Umantay mountains view, we start one-and-a-half hour ascent to the lake of Umantay source to enjoy spectacular view of the glacier lake and surrounding moraines them we walk back down to Soraypampa for a delicious lunch were it will be waiting. After lunch we start ascent towards the massive bulk of Salcantay (6271m) which soon dominates our view. We camp at around 4400m in the high grassy meadow of ICHUPATA, below the south face and glaciers of the impressive peak.

DAY 03: ICHUPATA – PAMPACAHUANA (Inca Canal)
The high point of the trek and this morning's goal is the INCA CHIRIASCCA pass at almost 5000m. Climbing more steeply now we walk close to the spectacular glaciers and ice walls of Nevado Salkantay. Passing through Pampa Japonesa, base camp for a Japanese mountaineering expedition, we finally top the pass and gain some excellent 360° panoramic views. Inca Chiriascca means ‘the Inca fell ill from cold', and the exposed situation makes it easy to see why. Descending from the pass, we drop down into the upper reaches of a broad valley where Salcantay reappears in a new profile. After passing a huge ridge of terminal moraine, once the snout of the East Salcantay Glacier, the river suddenly becomes dead straight, canalised by the Incas centuries ago. We camp alongside the canal close to the hamlet of PAMPACAHUANA village at (3870m).

DAY 04: PAMPACAHUANA – HUAYLLABAMBA
This morning, we follow the canal, which soon drops into a steep-sided valley with a changing landscape as the vegetation becomes thicker. The path follows the side of this valley all the way to Paucarcancha, an Inca watchtower which guarded the Pampacahuana and Q’esca valley. We have time to explore this small site before continuing to the village of Huayllabamba (3100m) where we camp for the night.

DAY 05: HUAYLLABAMBA – PACAYMAYO
Today we join the main classic Inca Trail, the iconic trek to Machu Picchu. From the village of Huayllabamba, a long and steady climb of 5 hours takes us first through an area of cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa 3800m, then over the Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman’s) pass at 4,215m where you’ll get magnificent view of Huayllabamba and Pacaymayo valley. After quite a long, steep descent we camp in the scenic Pacaymayo valley (3600m).

DAY 06: PACAYMAYO - PHUYUPATAMARCA
After breakfast start with the easier climb to Inca site of Runcuracay where we visit to explore the site itself and then continue up to Runcuracay Pass (3960m), and from now on the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined path made of flat boulders. We pass the ruins of Sayacmarca and suddenly enter cloud forest. At one point the trail passes through a short Inca tunnel before crossing onto the Amazon side of the continental divide. We camp on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (3700m), Fron the camp side you get stunning views of sunset and sunrise as well as the Vilcabamba, Salkantay, Veronica, and Machu Picchu Mountains.

DAY 07: PHUYUPATAMARCA – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTE
Today is easier, we embark on the infamous Inca stone staircase taking us rapidly downhill amid a panorama of overwhelming immensity, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba and Urubamaba range above, and the river thousands of meters below. After visiting the attractive ruins of Phuyupatamarca, Intipata and Wiñay Wayna, we have an undulating walk through cloud forest high above the river to Inti Punku, the (Sun Gate). From here we get our first full sight view of Machu Picchu itself, with Huayna Picchu rising behind.
Traditionally busy with groups of trekkers clamoring for photos, we plan our arrival at Inti Punku later in the day so we can enjoy unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. Passing around the edge of the ruins, we exit the site and descend to Aguas Calientes for a well-earned rest, a shower and a comfortable bed for the night. Our trekking permits allow us one entry into the site, which we use for our tomorrow guided tour
There is usually time for an optional visit to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes, however, in recent years they have become over-crowded and the water quality can suffer as a result.

DAY 08: MACHU PICCHU – HUAYNAPICCHU – CUSCO
In order to beat the day-trippers arriving from Cuzco we get up early to catch to bus and reach the ruins as early as possible for the first time in time to catch the sunrise over the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu after enjoying the views we will have two hours of guided tour and then free time to explore the site or do some hikes to Huayna picchu mountain; only government-registered buses can make the 30-minute drive up the winding road to the site entrance and during high season (May-October) queues can be hours long.
Machu Picchu is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world and what makes it all the more dramatic is its mountain backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham.
Having been trialed in 2017, new regulations for visiting Machu Picchu will be fully enforced for 2018; of the three possible visiting slots, ROLO’S TRAVEL PERU will purchase the morning slot from 06:00 until 12:00 (unless unavailable), you will be limited to a maximum of four hours within the site and must be accompanied by a guide. There will also be three set routes to follow around Machu Picchu; ROLO’S TRAVEL PERU selects the most comprehensive route unless there are some special request for some more options (subject to availability)
We catch an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30 minutes) anthem bus for around 1hr 45 minutes to Cusco, Our tour comes to an end we have no plans for this evening.