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Hiking the Inca Trail in Peru: A Quick Guide: "

It’s been almost a year since our six-month sojourn through South America – one of the most memorable epic journeys we’ve done so far. We saw the impressive Iguazu Falls in Argentina, got to know the Uros tribe living on Lake Titicaca, watched wildlife on the Galapagos Islands and went jungle-trekking in the Amazon. South America promised tons of adventure, thrills and raw beauty and it delivered. Today our guest post by Andrew Parker brings us back to beautiful Peru, and tells us the wonders of hiking the Inca Trail.

The Inca road system was the most extensive pre-Colombian road system covering about 22,530 kilometers of road starting from Quito in Ecuador to Santiago, Chile in the south. Today the most popular Peru holidays bring you through the most famous section of the road system: the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Active travelers come from all over the world to get a taste of the most famous trek in South America, often cited as one of the top five treks in the world. Whether you’re looking for active holidays or leisure culture tours, the Inca Trail caters to travelers of all types. At just twenty-five miles long, it definitely caters to families that have a reasonable amount of fitness. Those seeking something less strenuous can opt for the newly-introduced two-day trail.

Flickr photo by Bluelemur

Along the Inca Trail, the landscape is flanked by stunning mountains, forest and jungle, all topped with Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. Macchu Picchu is a jumble of ruins and tunnels from one of the earliest civilizations in history. It remains an enigmatic magnet that draws many to spend holidays in Peru each year.

The Inca Trail is situated high up in the Peruvian Andes and the city of Cusco is the starting point for treks to Machu Picchu. The twenty-five mile trek takes four days and the most challenging part for most will be the acclimatization required due to the altitude. The maximum altitude is 4200 metres at ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’ on day two of the trek. Those who like more challenging activity holidays can undertake the seven-day Inca trek via a snow topped mountain, Salkantay.

Dead Woman’s Pass – Flickr photo by auldhippo

High season is between June and August so if you are taking Peru holidays during this time make sure to book well in advance. The weather in Peru is at its best between May and September.

If you prefer you can hire porters to take your back packs up the trail and it is worth noting that you cannot do the trail independently, you must have a guide and travel with an officially recognized tour group.

The Inca Trail is a World Heritage site, planted with plenty of cultural remnants and historical ruins along the way. There is always something to discover along the trail: from exotic animal and plant life to gorgeous scenic views.

Flickr photo by sum1akaJ

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