Posts Tagged ‘Challenge Trek to Machu Picchu’

Overview for challenge Inca Trail Trek

Challenge Inca Trail Trek is an exciting package designed for trekkers who have the passion for challenge trekking in the natural and Cultural reserved park of Machu Picchu in Peru. Trekking  the Challenge Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu is once in a life time opportunity for every passionate trekker. The Trekking is rather an exciting adventure.

The 3-day Challenge Inca Trail Trek, is one of the most widespread trekking trails in the world. One would get a life time opportunity to witness the mighty Machu Picchu perched dramatically high on the mountain at 2,400m. Our customized Challenge Inca Trail Trek opens an opportunity to discover the Inca culture and traditions. You will be amazed to see the hospitality of our team. The natural beauty is yet another attraction of this trip.

The trip further delights you with stay at the nice camp while experiencing the typical Inca lifestyle. Along with the natural beauty you will also get to see the varieties of flora and fauna found in this natural reserved area of Machu Pichu.

The natural reserved area of Machu Picchu in Peru, offers you the magnificent views of Vilcabamba mountain range,Snow peck of the Andes and the wonderful cloud forest. The Challenge Inca Trail to Machu Picchu further provides immense opportunity to survey around Machu Picchu Inca Sanctuary (UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site) which is a habitat for numerous plants and animals found in the southern Peru.

Highlights of Challenge Inca Trail Trek

• Sightseeing tour to various historical/natural/cultural world heritage sites in Peru
• Magnificent bus drive to Pisqhakuchu from Cusco (Enjoy the view of Sacred valley of the Incas)
• Explore Machu Picchu National Park (Listed in UNESCO world heritage natural and cultural site)
• Discover numerous Inca settlements along the trail and other cultural monuments.
• Variety of floras and faunas to witness
• Visit to Machu Picchu situated at the height of 2,400m
• Discover rich Inca culture and traditions
• Eye-popping view of one of Peru’s highest mountain, Mt. Salkantay

Short Itinerary for Challenge Inca Trail Trek

Day 01: First Trekking day: Cusco – Pisqhakuchu – Llulluchapampa camp

We pick you up from your hotel in Cusco very at 4:00am and drive in our private car to Pisqhakucho known as the km 82; here we’ll pass the control point and trek for 8 -9 hours to LLullucha camp at 3,800m.

Day 02: Dead Woman Pass: Llullucahpampa camp – Wiñayhuayna

Today is the hardest day because we’ll trek over the highest point of “Dead woman” pass situated at 4,200m. Today is very challenge trekking day but beautiful, with many Inca ruins to visit and many photo opportunities. The walk will last for 8 – 9 hours.

Day 03: Explore Machu Picchu. Wiñayhuayna – Machu Picchu – Cusco

After breakfast two hours walk to Machu Picchu and Explore it in the morning, Enjoy a free time for further exploration and in the afternoon you’ll take the train and return to Cusco.

Day to Day itinerary for Challenge Inca Trail Trek

Day 1: First Trekking Day

Today we leave Cusco at 4:00am in a private transportation, which will drive us to Pisqhakuchu known as the km.82, the starting point of our  3-day Challenge Inca Trail Trek.

After we pass the control point showing the permits and the passports, we start our hike walking along the left shore of the Urubamba River. Following the trail along a flat terrain, we arrive in Miskay (2800m/9184ft), to then ascend and finally see, from the tallest part of an overlook, the Inca city of Llactapata (2750m/9020ft).

LLactapata is an Inca archaeological site which holds a large quantity of Inca terraces used for agriculture. We then continue trekking along the valley created by the Kusichaca River, gradually climbing until we reach the farming community of Wayllabamba (3000m/9840ft).

All along the way we see spectacular views of the Vilcanota mountain range on the opposite side of the Urubamba River, where the impressive Veronica peak reigns at 5,750 meters above sea level. Not to mention the diversity of wild flora and fauna that can be found all along the valley.

In the community of Wayllabamba will be served our lunch where you´ll have enough time to rest; after that we’ll continuing the Challenge Inca Trail Trek. We leave Wayllabamba and start the most difficult part of today, which consists of an abrupt and steep ascent that stretches for 4 km and reaches the first camp at Llulluchapampa (3,800m), where will be waiting your tents already setup.

• Meals included:  L, D
• Total distance: 15 km
• Estimated time: 8-9 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 3,800 m
• Campsite altitude: 3,850 m

Places to be visited today

Day 2: A challenge Inca Trail Trek

After an early breakfast, we continue our Challenge Inca Trail Trek. We’ll walk up to the highest point of the Inca Trail, reaching the mountain pass of Abra Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman’s Pass – 4,200m/13,776ft) after about 2 hours. Immediately after the pass, we descend into the Pacaymayo valley (3,600m/11,808ft).

Here our lunch will be served and after deserve rest we commence to climb to the second pass, the Abra Runkurakay (3,970m/13,022ft). Half way up, we’ll visit the archaeological complex of “Runkuraqhay”. Runkuraqhay is an Inca ruins, round shaped built probably used by the “Chaskis” or Inca messengers to exchange the messages of the Inca. The Inca site of “Runkuraqhay” is located at 3,800m/12,464ft.

After going over the pass, we descend towards Yanacocha (Black Lagoon) and enter in the cloud-forest then we arrive to the Inca built of Sayacmarca (3,624m/11,887ft).

From Sayacmarka the trail continues up and down until the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (3,700m/12,136ft). Along the trail you’ll appreciate the magnitude of the Incas ancient craft, by walking along paths semi-detached from the mountain, and seeing rocks that fill up ravines in perfect order, saving the trail from the multileveled Andean geography.

We arrive to Phuyupatamarka Inca complex. This is one of the most complete and best preserved archaeological complexes along the Inca Trail. Curiously, Phuyupatamarca means ¨town over the clouds¨.

From Phuyupatamarca, we continue our way through the long descending stone steps which will lead us to the camp of Wiñaywayna (2,650m/8,692ft),

• Meals: L, D
• Total distance:  25 km
• Estimated time: 8 – 9 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 4,200 m
• Campsite altitude: 2,650m

Places to be visited today

Day 3: Explore Machu Picchu

Today we’ll start very early (wakeup all at 4:00am); we start our hike through the inclined ascent which will lead us to Inti Punku, or The Sun Gate. This will take one hour of hiking approximately on a trail of flat stones on the edges of cliffs in highland jungle. From this fabulous Inti Punku spot, we can enjoy spectacular views over the sacred citadel of Machu Picchu, weather permitting.

From Inti Punku, a short walk brings us down to the entrance from where we continue with a guided tour of Machu Picchu that will take approximately two hours. We then take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you can enjoy your lunch in one of the restaurants and the you’ll board the train and return to Cusco, where we arrive after nightfall.

• Meals: B
• Total distance: 5 km
• Estimated time: 2 hours

Places to be visited today

The Price for Challenge Inca Trail Trek includes

The price for Challenge Inca Trail Trek includes the following items:

• Pre-departure briefing the night before the trek in you hotel or in our office time will be confirmed by our staff.
• Early collection from your hotel in Cusco and transfer in private bus to km.82 (starting point of the trek)
• Entrance fee for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
• Personal tents: 2 people in each 4-people-capacity tent, to allow for higher comfort and a safe keeping of backpacks. Our tents are 3-season, highly maintained to ensure an excellent performance in field.
• One inflatable sleeping pad per person
• One pillow per person
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Kitchen tent
• Toilet tent with bio-degradable toilet facilities
• English speaking professional and official tourist guide (2 guides for groups of over 8 people)
• Cook, Cook assistant and cooking equipment
• Porters (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment)
• Accommodation for all our staff
• Meals: (2B, 2L, 2D + daily morning snack + daily tea service except last day). Vegetarian or special menus are available at no extra cost
• One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
• Filtered boiled water from lunch time on 1st day onwards
• Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
• Bio-degradable dishwashing detergents used by our kitchen staff
• Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
• Bus ticket from Machu Picchu ruins down to the village of Aguas Calientes – 3rd day
• Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco Expedition.
• Transfer train station-hotel in Cusco
• 24-h guest service: please ask for the emergency number available during your time of visit

Exclusions

Sleeping Bag. You can rent it for US$25 for the entire trek from our office. Our sleeping bags are -18ºC-comfort (0ºF). They are cleaned after every use and have a maximum usage of 30 trips
  Breakfast on the first day. We’ll stop in the village of Ollantaytaytambo  to use the toiles and purchase some items for the trek, here you can get your breakfast or in your hotel in Cusco
  Lunch and dinner on the last day

  Half porter to carry personal gear 7 kg for US$60 and 1 porter carries 15kl for US$120.
  Huayna Picchu entrance fee: if you would like to climb this mountain a new entrance fee applies (S/.195.00 Peruvian Nuevos Soles). This would require an additional day in Machu Picchu as shifts are at 7.00 and 10.00am every day and the citadel is not reached in time for a visit on day 3
  Tips: please note that our agency staff is well paid so please feel free to tip or not as you wish

Packing List for Challenge Inca Trail Trek

We recommend that you bring for 3-day Challenge Inca Trail Trek, the following items:

• An appropriate backpack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek
• Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended
• Sandals or jogging shoes for a higher comfort while at camp
• Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping
• Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
• Sun block
• After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – no malaria risk has been reported
• Flashlight/headlamp and batteries
• Camera and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
• Handkerchiefs
• Toilet paper
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc. Please note that we do provide a daily morning snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. This recommendation applies for all clients being used to a specific snack, as it may happen that it is not included in our selection
• Water container and water for the first morning. Important notice: plastic water bottles are no longer allowed into the Inca Trail. Plastic water containers (ie. Nalgene) or metal ones are recommended
• Optionally: water- sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route. Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far
• Small towel
• Cash in soles and/or US$
• Original passport
• Original International Student Identity Card (in case you have applied for a student discount)
• Optional: walking sticks or poles (rubber covers required in order not to damage the Inca Trail)

Price for Challenge Inca Trail Trek

US$ 615 Price per person

Available discounts (these discounts are not cumulative)

• Students: US$ 30.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Card. Please note that Youth Travel Cards are not valid)
• Teenagers: US$ 30.00 (up to 16 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
• Children: US$ 40.00 (up to 7 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
• Additional discounts (that may be added to the above-mentioned)
• Early bookings: 5% on full program price for all bookings confirmed at least 6 months in advance. This discount may not be applicable in case a promotional price is offered

 

Photo Gallery

The Inca ruins of Llactapata at 2,680masl

The Dead woman’s Pass at 4,200masl

The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu at 2,400 masl