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Inca Trail Treks to Machu Picchu with Viva Expeditions

Monday 23 February 2015, 3:17PM

By Beckie Wright

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Viva Expeditions offer small group expeditions and custom tours to Latin America and their CEO, Rachel Williams has walked in almost every country in Latin America over the last ten years.  “In Peru I have hiked the Inca Trail three times, as well as the Laras Valley and Salkantay Treks and I have hiked in the Amazon Jungle and the Cordillera Blanca”. With all this experience, Rachel and the team at Viva Expeditions can offer by far the best options for hiking the famous Inca Trail.

The Classic tour begins in Cusco from where trekkers are driven to the beginning of the trail, where they walk through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo when they stop to take a break. After another three hours walking, they take lunch close to Llactapata Ruins and continue on to the first camp at Wayllabamba. After breakfast, begins the toughest part of the trail and after three hours walking the highest point in the Inca Trail, Warmiwañusca, or more commonly known as Dead Woman’s Pass (4,200m), is reached, where trekkers have a beautiful panoramic view of the area. After lunch they continue down to the next camp at Pacaymayo.

Next day sees trekkers ascend towards the second most important pass on the trail which lies at 4,000m, reaching the Inca Ruins of Runkurakay and the Inca citadel of Sayacmarca. They then continue trekking towards Puya Patamarka (Cloud-level town), another important archaeological monument, where lunch is served. They continue walking to Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young), a beautiful Inca construction to camp near to the ruins. The next day sees a very early start in order to arrive in time for sunrise at Machu Picchu, walking for an hour to arrive at Inti Punku to get the first inspiring view of Machupicchu. There is a two hour fully guided tour around the ruins, with free time later to explore. After this amazing day trekkers take the train back to Cusco.

The luxury tour also begins in Cusco with a drive to the Salkantay Lodge in Soraypampa, enroute taking in a visit to the Inca ruins of Tarawasi. Travellers then visit the mountain village of Mollepata before ascending a winding mountain road to Marcoccasa. Here begins the trek to Soraypampa, on an old route called the “Camino Real” ending with a luxurious night’s stay at the Lodge. Trekkers spend the next morning hiking to acclimatise, with time in the afternoon to relax and enjoy the comforts of the Lodge before the next day, which begins with a hike up the Rio Blanco valley ending at Wayra Lodge. Another day’s hiking finds trekkers enjoying a traditional Pachamanca meal at Colpa Lodge and the next day is spent hiking the Santa Teresa river valley to luxurious Lucma Lodge.

The last day of the trek is spent hiking up to Llactapata Pass to the ruins there, before the descent to Aguas Calientes, the town of Machu Picchu. After a very early start, travellers take the bus up to Machu Picchu Sanctuary for a two hour guided tour of the ruins, with the option of climbing up the Huayna Picchu staircase, then a bus and train ride back to Ollantaytambo and private car to Cusco.

In order to undertake this trail people need to have a reasonable level of fitness and the most important factor is acclimatising to the altitude. The maximum height above sea level along the trail is 4,200m, so it is suggested that they spend at least two days in Cusco before attempting to walk the trail.

For further information please go to www.vivaexpeditions.com.