1.- Do you need to Book ahead ?
YES! It is recommended that you make a reservation for the Inca Trail and pay for your entrance fee well in advance. Bookings should be done : Dec,Jan,Mar : 3-5 weeks in advance April,Oct,Nov :6-8 weeks in advance May,Sep : 2-3 months in advance Jun, Jul, Aug : 3-4 months in advance In Feb, the trek is closed.You can still visit MP. The number of trek permits is limited to 500 per day (about 200 tourists and 300 trekking staff) This includes the 2 and 4 day treks as well as the Salkantay 7 day trek. The estimate is 160 trekkers per day on the 4 day trek, 25 on the 2 day trek and 15 on the 7 day trek.
Go to : www.inca-trail.com.pe
2 .-Is it possible to do without an agency ?
Since June 2002 trekking independently on the Inca Trail has been prohibited. Regulations state that each trekker must be accompanied by a professionally qualified guide. The UGM (Unidad de Gestion Machu Picchu) is the regulatory body responsible for controlling access to MP and the Inca Trail. Companies must meet certain basic requirements proving that they have professional guides and good camping equipment,radio communications and emergency first aid including oxygen.Their license is renewed each year in early March.
3.- Cheapest way to visit Machu Picchu?
The normal backpacker train cost this year 44 USD one way , but yes it is possible to go cheaper,although its not sure,you need time and in high season there is also a waiting list.You have to go up to max 1 day in advance to the railway station in Ollantaytambo,only there you can buy the ticket yourself on the local train allowed for tourist, the train leaves every evening at around 8 PM , costs is aprox 12 USD one way It returns from Aquas Calientes at 5 or 6 AM at the same price ,you still have to add 2 nights to sleep in Aquas Calientes and visit MP. The entrance fee to MP costs S/. 120 ( aprox 38USD ) and the bus up and down 12 USD , walking is for free! If you have a valid ISIC student the entree fee is cut by 50%
4.- Is it possible to enter with different name ?
No, you need to carry your valid ID (passport) to enter the trek park.
5.- Are there alternative routes ?
- Short 2 day Inca Trail - easy to moderate
- Mollepata-Salkantay-MP 7 day trek -moderate to difficult.
- Mollepata-Salkantay-Santa Teresa-MP 5 day trek - moderate to difficult
- Ausangate 6 to 7 day trek -moderate to difficult
- Lares Valley 4 day trek - moderate
- Choquequirao 4 to 5 day trek - moderate
- Vilcabamba 7 day trek - moderate
6.- Are numbers of day visitors to MP also limited, like those doing the inca trail hike? Or can just buy the bus / train and entrance ticket on the day we want to go?
No limit to MP number of visitors,everyone can visit the ruins .You can stay overnight in Aquas Calientes and take the first bus up to the ruins ,this way you see MP before the 1500 visitors of the train arrive.The trains are normally full so make yr reservations in advance.
7.- How Is the 2 days Inca trail ?
The shorter Inca Trail is for those trekkers with limited time on their hands or who just want to take things a little bit easier. This trail starts at km104 and ascends to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna before continuing on to MP. Since you don't have much time at MP on the first day most people spend the night at the town of Aguas Calientes and return to MP again the following day. This trail is subject to the Inca Trail regulations and trek permits must be reserved.
8.- What is the price of the trail and where to book ?
Prices for the 4 day group service Inca trail trek generally range between USA$300 and $400 per person including entrance fees and return on train (You can almost double these figures if you buy the trek with a tour agency outside Peru even though the service is the same). This price includes Peruvian sales tax known as IGV which is currently at 19%. A $30 discount is offered to students who have valid ISIC cards and to children under 16 years old. This is the standard service offered by most tour operators in Cusco and offers the most economic way of hiking the Inca Trail as part of an organized group. Although services can vary from operator to operator, generally speaking, the following services are included: Bus to the start of the trek, bilingual guide, assistant guide for groups of 9 and over, entrance fees ($60 adult or $30 student), tent, sleeping mattress, cooking equipment, cook, meals, porters (to carry the tents, food and cooking equipment only) and return to Cusco on the Backpackers train service (currently $46). The following items are not usually included: Breakfast on day 1, snacks along the trail, tourist bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes ($6), meals on the final day apart from breakfast. A private group and is generally similar to the group service but usually slightly more comfortable. Additional items such as porters to carry your personal items are usually included in this service. Typical costs per person provided by a medium range tour operator are:
- 1 person: $1000,
- 2 persons: $650,
- 3 persons: $550,
- 4 persons: $450,
- 5 persons: $400,
- 6-9 persons: $350,
- 10-12 persons: $325,
- 13-16 persons: $300
These costs include entrance fees and return on the basic backpackers train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco. Prices can vary considerably from company to company depending on the quality of the service.
9.- What is the cost of an extra porter an how much should you tip ?
Porters to carry your personal items can be hired separately for between $60 and $80 for the 4 day trek. Generally speaking if all the group have been pleased with the service then try to ensure that :
- each porter takes home an extra $6,
- the cook $10,
- the guide $20
- assistant guide about $15.
A typical group of 14 persons with 12 porters (12 x 6 = $72), 1 cook ($10), 1 guide ($25) and 1 assistant $15) would receive a total of $122, which works out at a tip of about $9 per person. If you have employed a personal porter then you will have to pay his tip yourself. Remember the above figures are just a guide line. If the food that the cook served up was inedible and you couldn't understand what the guide was talking about then don't tip them. They'll soon get the message and hopefully improve their services. Don't, however, take you dissatisfaction out on the porters who were probably working hard throughout the trek.
10.- Weather on the Trail and What to bring?-
J F M A M J J A S O N D
MxTemp°C 19 19 19 20 20 20 19 20 20 21 21 21
MnTemp°C 7 7 6 5 3 0 0 2 4 6 6 6
RainDays 18 13 11 8 3 2 2 2 7 8 12 16
You should bring :
- 02 pair of trekking shoes and plenty socks
- Insect repellent
- Sun block
- Dark glasses (shades)
- Rain coat or rain poncho
- Light clothing for the day and warm for the night.
- Trekking pants (the ones you unzip for shorts)
- Hat or sun cap
- Water Bottle
- Sleeping bag (unless you rent one from the company)
11.- Just how tough is it? How fit do you have to be?
You have to be fit. It is a common misconception that because many people do the Inca Trail then it must be easy ... it isn't. The trail is 45km (26 miles) long and involves great physical exertion to complete. On the second day you climb nearly 1200m (about 4000 ft) in the morning. Combined with high altitude (lack of oxygen) and extreme weather (you can easily burn in the high altitude sun during the day and temperatures can drop to below freezing at night) the trek can be hard work. However all this suffering can make the final arrival at MP all the more enjoyable.
12 .-What about Altitude sickness?
In general if you take regular exercise and spend a few days in Cusco, or better, in the Sacred Valley, acclimatizing to the altitude you shouldn't have to suffer too much.
13.- How many people in the groups?
The maximum allowed group size is 16 persons. Normally the group tours are between 12 and 16 persons.
14.- What does the trail look like in the peak season ?
It could get a little bit crowded, but with the regulations in place, you have enough space for everyone.
15.- Are there toilets on the trail ?
Toilets have improved a lot in the last couple of years and all of the larger campsites have toilet blocks with flush toilets and running water. On the whole they are kept pretty clean. If you do need to go to the toilet between campsites then defecate well away from the trail and water supplies; dig a hole, or cover your faeces with a rock, and take the paper with you in a bag to deposit in one of the several bins along the way. There are hot shower facilities are Wiñay Wayna on day 3, although they are usually pretty unclean.
