Andean horseriding trek, Peru tailormade
| country: | Peru |
| departures: | This trip is no longer running |
| price: | From £725 (5 days) excluding flights, based on 2 travelling. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Andean horseriding trek, Peru tailormade
Using mountain horses we climb higher and further than most travellers, enjoying the beauty of the mountains without disturbance, and camping in comparative luxury.
Our bus delivers us to Huilqui where we meet our horses and expedition support crew and begin our riding holiday. We set off up a winding trail into the remote Cordillera Vilcabamba range, crossing Edychayoq pass (3800m). After lunch it’s a steady climb over Vicuñitas Pass (3900 m) before descending to our campsite at Chaqui (3700m). Travel time is 6 to 8 hours with an estimated distance of 12 miles.
The second day is one of our longest and physically exerting days, and also one of the highest points on the trek. Our journey takes us to Milpucasa pass (4650m) passing through traditional Quechua villages. After lunch descend to our campsite at Pampacahuana (3900m). Here we'll set up camp beside an ingeniously designed Inca canal. Travel time is between 7 and 8 hours.
On the third day, we descend to the Inca site of Paucarkanca. The site dominates a ridge dividing two major valleys at the junction of two Inca roads. The construction appears to reflect the shape of the ridge and mountain rising above. The site probably served as a control point and tambo but also may have served as residence for someone important. We have ample time to explore, speculate and share observations. We’ll turn up the Quequa valley and steadily climb to our camp at 3700m. Close by is an ancient Inca road that connected Cusco to Machu Picchu.
On day 4 a steady climb from camp brings us to Puerto Huayanay pass at 4550m. Climbing a switchback trail, we follow an old stone paved Inca road to the ruins of Incarakay, a tambo or way station on the royal highway. We follow parts of an Inca trail into a broad glaciated valley below the massive ice walls of Nevado Huayanay where we have lunch beside the mystical Ancascocha Lake. After lunch it’s a descent through the Silque Valley to our camp at Saylla at 3500m.
The last day of the trek/ride is a leisurely one, and a late start. We continue down the Silque Valley passing a beautiful canyon full of native plants and shrubs, multicoloured hummingbirds and orchids. We’ll arrive in the Sacred Valley in the early afternoon and return to Cusco.
Using mountain horses we climb higher and further than most travellers, enjoying the beauty of the mountains without disturbance, and camping in comparative luxury.
Our bus delivers us to Huilqui where we meet our horses and expedition support crew and begin our riding holiday. We set off up a winding trail into the remote Cordillera Vilcabamba range, crossing Edychayoq pass (3800m). After lunch it’s a steady climb over Vicuñitas Pass (3900 m) before descending to our campsite at Chaqui (3700m). Travel time is 6 to 8 hours with an estimated distance of 12 miles.
The second day is one of our longest and physically exerting days, and also one of the highest points on the trek. Our journey takes us to Milpucasa pass (4650m) passing through traditional Quechua villages. After lunch descend to our campsite at Pampacahuana (3900m). Here we'll set up camp beside an ingeniously designed Inca canal. Travel time is between 7 and 8 hours.
On the third day, we descend to the Inca site of Paucarkanca. The site dominates a ridge dividing two major valleys at the junction of two Inca roads. The construction appears to reflect the shape of the ridge and mountain rising above. The site probably served as a control point and tambo but also may have served as residence for someone important. We have ample time to explore, speculate and share observations. We’ll turn up the Quequa valley and steadily climb to our camp at 3700m. Close by is an ancient Inca road that connected Cusco to Machu Picchu.
On day 4 a steady climb from camp brings us to Puerto Huayanay pass at 4550m. Climbing a switchback trail, we follow an old stone paved Inca road to the ruins of Incarakay, a tambo or way station on the royal highway. We follow parts of an Inca trail into a broad glaciated valley below the massive ice walls of Nevado Huayanay where we have lunch beside the mystical Ancascocha Lake. After lunch it’s a descent through the Silque Valley to our camp at Saylla at 3500m.
The last day of the trek/ride is a leisurely one, and a late start. We continue down the Silque Valley passing a beautiful canyon full of native plants and shrubs, multicoloured hummingbirds and orchids. We’ll arrive in the Sacred Valley in the early afternoon and return to Cusco.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Transfer from Cusco or Sacred Valley. From the trailhead at Huilqui, climb into the Cordillera Vilcabamba range to the camp at Chaqui. (B,L) |
| Day 2: | We stay high today, crossing Milpucasa pass at 4,650m before descending to the camp at 3,900m. (FB) |
| Day 3: | Descend to the treeline. Lunch is near the Inca site of Paucarkanca. We then climb up the Quepua Valley to the camp at 3,700m. (FB) |
| Day 4: | Steady climb up a switchback trail through Puerto Huayanay Pass at 4,550m. Lunch at Ancascocha Lake in a broad glaciated valley. Then descend through the Silque valley to the camp at Saylla (3,500m). (FB) |
| Day 5: | Leisurely descent down the Silaque Valley to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Transfer to Cusco. (B,L) |
Highly Commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The Quechua people who provide our horses and help to look after us during the trek benefit from a fairly traded income. Also, where appropriate, we buy staple foods from the seldom-visited Andean villages through which we pass. The Inca Trail trek is run in accordance with APTAE (Peruvian ecotourism association) guidelines in terms of the fair treatment and payment of porters and other camp staff. Our partners on the ground in Peru are pro-active in all aspects of wildlife conservation and fair treatment of all staff.
We were voted most responsible tour operator by UK NGO Tourism Concern. On average 75% of the cost of your trip with us - excluding flights - remains in the destination. Flights are automatically carbon offset through The Travel Forest, which plants 10 indigenous trees on your behalf (currently in northern Tanzania). Whilst the primary motivation for planting the trees is to offset carbon emissions, the project also works as a poverty alleviation and environmental improvement scheme. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |