Itinerary

Day 1

You are collected from your hotel and transferred via non-exclusive transfer to Chillco. Meet your guides/porters, and the rest of your party to begin the Inca Trail Hike. Here the small bridge brings you over to Q'ente. At this camp, levels of terracing are evident, each having different purpose and structure. There is a shelter here to enjoy dinner, toilets and your last hot shower until the end of the trek. You will have a chance to visit the surrounding archaeological remains of Patallacta (“Qentemarca”) and in the afternoon Qente and Machu Q'ente - located amidst Inca Terracing. (Trek time: 4-6 hours, Distance: 11 kms) [8, 365']
Meals provided: Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Qente Camp

Day 2

Qente - Llulluchapamba
Morning wake-up with hot tea delivered to your tent. Get an early start for your day of climbing Inca stairs through lush tropical forests, small villages, over rivers and streams and finally to your camp in a valley near Llulluchapampa. The trail winds slowly uphill through a small forest to reach the site of Patallacta. After a short visit you continue up the Cusichaca Valley passing houses of settlers to finally reach the Andean community of Huayllabamba. From here the trail ascends steeply to a large pampa below the first pass, where you will camp. This camp hosts wild llamas and has a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. Along the trail up this narrow hanging valley you can begin to see a cloud forest that harbors the Queñua tree, a rare forest to be found in the Andes. Llulluchapampa is a bare area above the forest with good camping, but be aware it gets very cold at night. This is a long up hill day of trekking. (Time: 6 hours. Distance: 9 Kms.) [12,000']
Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Llulluchapampa Camp

Day 3

Llulluchapampa - Phuyupatamarca
Early wake-up to continue through cloud forests along mountain streams and old Inca trails. The trail ascends at a typical angle of 30 degrees across the hillside of Puna grassland as you leave the campsite behind, bringing you to the Warmiwañusca Pass, or "Dead Woman's Pass," the highest point of the trek (13,776'.) The trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly past Runkuraqay ruins. You finally reach camp at Phuyupatamarca, meaning “the town at the edge of the clouds” in Quechua. Take this day very slowly. Most people experience minimal altitude discomfort. (Time: 8 hrs. Distance 9 Kms) [11,100']
Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Phuyupatamarca Camp

Day 4

Llulluchapampa - Phuyupatamarca
Early wake-up to continue through cloud forests along mountain streams and old Inca trails. The trail ascends at a typical angle of 30 degrees across the hillside of Puna grassland as you leave the campsite behind, bringing you to the Warmiwañusca Pass, or "Dead Woman's Pass," the highest point of the trek (13,776'.) The trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly past Runkuraqay ruins. You finally reach camp at Phuyupatamarca, meaning “the town at the edge of the clouds” in Quechua. Take this day very slowly. Most people experience minimal altitude discomfort. (Time: 8 hrs. Distance 9 Kms) [11,100']
Meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Phuyupatamarca Camp

Extra Information

Inclusions -

3 Night Camping

Extras -

Inca Trail Trekking Regulations 2004/2005
Three years ago the Peruvian Government proposed many changes to the administration of the Inca Trail in a bid to protect its fragile eco-structure from over-use. Most of these proposals have been aimed at reducing the number of trekkers on the trail, improving the quality of the tour operators and offering a reservation system whereby trekkers will be forced to make there reservations many weeks (even months) in advance. Some of the proposals were introduced slowly throughout 2001 and 2002 but the Government started to enforce the majority of the regulations more strictly in 2003. Further regulations have been introduced at the beginning of 2004 with the main aim of eliminating poor quality operators. All trekking companies that operate the Inca Trail must have an operating license which is issued every year at the end of February.

Summary:
We recommend that you make a reservation for the Inca Trail and make the deposit far in advance. In the low season (Oct-Mar) we advise making a reservation at least 5 weeks in advance. For the months of May and September we recommend making a reservation 6 weeks in advance and for the peak months of June, July and August we recommend a minimum of 6-8 weeks in advance. If you don't make a reservation and pay your trek deposit in advance it means that we won't be able to buy your trek permits. Once we have confirmed your reservation and bought your permits then it can be very difficult to change the date of trek departure and prohibited to change the name or passport number on the permit.

If you turn up in Cusco in the low season ( November to April ) you may still find space available with some agencies 5-7 days prior to the trek departure date. However, during May 2004 there were many people who were disappointed not to find spaces available even arriving even Cusco 3 weeks in advance. Things were even more difficult for people arriving in June, July & August with it being impossible for visitors to purchase last minute spaces on the Inca Trail upon arrival ( at least legitimately anyway ).

A detailed account of the Inca Trail regulations can be found below:

Inca Trail Park Regulations

The Inca Trail is part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a protected area managed by the Peru National Institute of Natural Resources, INRENA.

All visitors must obey park regulations prohibiting littering, cutting or damaging trees, removing or damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing plants, killing animals, lighting open fires or camping in the archeological sites ( only authorized campsites can be used ).

The following procedures must be followed:

1. Payment of entrance fees:

a. The only valid document granting the right to walk the Inca Trails Network - the Machupicchu Historical Sanctuary Network RED or SHM - is the ticket issued by the National Institute of Culture (INC). This ticket is personal and non transferable, and includes the entrance fee to Machu Picchu.

b. Payment for the right to use the RED can only be done in the city of Cusco, and has a cost of US$50, usually included in the payment will make to an authorized agency.

c. Under no circumstances, payment for the use of the RED will be accepted at its registry and entry control points.

d. Payment for the right to use the RED must be made a minimum of thirty ( 30 ) days before beginning the trip and the acquisition must be made under your name.

e. The reimbursement of payment for the right to use the RED is not possible under any circumstance.

2. Reservations

a. Reservations will be made in the offices of the Departmental Headquarters of the National Institute of Culture in the city of Cusco or Lima our headquarter office , receiving confirmation with corresponding reservation code.

Note: Reservations will be subject to the daily capacity emitted by the UGM (500 people, including guides, porters, helpers and visitors), therefore we recommend you to reserve your place with as much notice as possible.

b. The Tour Operator can ask for reservations up to 360 days before the trip begins, making a payment for the equivalent of fifty percent (50%) of the entrance ticket.

c. To maintain the reservation, the Tour Operator must cancel the balance due and provide full names, passport numbers, ages, nationalities and passport photocopies of all those going on the trip, to the relevant authorities. The traveler must send this information and documentation to us from his or her home country.

d. Failure to confirm reservations will result in their cancellation, and no reimbursement of fees will be made in this case.

e. Only people under 28 years old with valid International Student Identification will be considered as a student, entitling them to a 50% discount on the RED entrance fee. This makes a US $25 discount of the total price, to the relevant authorities. The traveller must send this information and documentation to us from his or her home country.

d. Failure to confirm reservations will result in their cancellation, and no reimbursement of fees will be made in this case.

e. Only people under 28 years old with valid International Student Identification will be considered as a student, entitling them to a 50% discount on the RED entrance fee. This makes a US $25 discount of the total price.