Hiking the Inca trail holiday
Highlights
| Cuzco | Inca Trail Trek | Machu Picchu | Tour of Machu Picchu at dawn | Cuzco train | Optional: walking tour of Cuzco, Sacred Valley tour, biking or paddle boarding excursions & LimaDescription of Hiking the Inca trail holiday
The chance to spend four days hiking the Inca Trail is definitely not to be missed with an all-consuming blend of historical sites and stunning mountain scenery adding to the excitement of treading on the fabled stones as they wind their way alongside the banks of the Urubamba en-route to Machu Picchu.Hiking the Inca Trail takes you past numerous ruined monuments and former Inca strongholds by way of breathtaking stone stairways and ancient stone paths and misty forests draped in clouds, with a couple of early starts ensuring travellers get to see the lost city of the Incas in all its glory and without the crowds.
During the trek we use the campsite overlooking the Phuyupatamarca ruins which is located on a rocky crag surrounded by terraces which has given it the moniker the campsite in the clouds. Also, as part of the Inca Trail hiking itinerary, we've sourced an excellent team of local trekking guides and porters to head up the hike and get the best pitches for tents and prepare some amazing food at the end of each day as well as waking us up with a hot bed tea each morning.
Offering an unrivalled combination of history and dramatic scenery, the ancient Inca Trail winds its way from the powerful Urubamba River, across mountain passes and through cloud forests, passing several crumbling fortresses before reaching the lost city of Machu Picchu.
As you'd hope from an Inca Trail holiday, maximum safety is given to crossing legendary passes such as Dead Woman's Pass and the Runcuray Pass, with only the very best Inca Trail guides and experienced local tour operators helping to ensure each and every experience is completed with respect for the land and the local people.
Optional activities in Lima, and walking tours around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, provide excellent additions to hiking the Inca Trail with an alternative Moonstone trekking trail available if all classic Inca Trail permits have been allocated.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
Check dates, prices & availability
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
Activity:Few holidays have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a trekking trip. Erosion on and adjacent to popular paths is a growing problem in certain places and therefore our trip leaders encourage clients to stick to advised routes in order to minimise this. Permits are limited on the Inca Trail in order to reduce overcrowding and damage due to footfall, but our guides and porters are still very mindful of how we treat the environment. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints, although this tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and to purchase traditional crafts. Our entry fees also go towards maintenance of these significant cultural sites, therefore leaving a positive impact.
Water:
Water is a really important issue with walking trips and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital that we have a system for providing clean water without causing lots of waste with plastic bottles. We suggest that instead of repeatedly buying bottled water, guests should re-fill a singular bottle. In order to make this easier, we provide treated water throughout the Inca Trail trek. We also recycle waste along the trail with organic and non-organic containers and we do not dispose of it until there is an appropriate place to do so.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
The Impacts of this Trip
Accommodation and meals:
We will spend half of the nights in small, locally owned hotels and the remaining four nights on the trek in full service campsites. We prefer to use small businesses for our accommodation, activities and services as these are the companies which have most direct benefit to the communities which we visit. All of our hotel managers have signed a sustainability contract which ensures they employ locals and endeavour to reduce waste, whilst our campsites are very eco-friendly in terms of energy reduction. We buy all of our food to cook on the trail from local supermarkets or even indigenous groups where possible despite this sometimes being more expensive. Where meals are not included, clients are encouraged to eat at authentic restaurants or to try snacks at markets e.g. San Pedro market in Cuzco.
Local Craft & Culture:
We walk through the Huayllabamba village on the first day, which is the only community inside the trail. They sell produce and various homemade snacks, so by stopping and buying something we are providing an avenue of income for these people. There is also an optional opportunity in the Sacred Valley where clients can eat a traditional meal in the village and buy handicrafts. Our local guides are able to advise clients on which products to buy and which to avoid- for example, walking sticks made of wood are one to avoid as they are potentially a product of deforestation.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
Activity:Few holidays have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a trekking trip. Erosion on and adjacent to popular paths is a growing problem in certain places and therefore our trip leaders encourage clients to stick to advised routes in order to minimise this. Permits are limited on the Inca Trail in order to reduce overcrowding and damage due to footfall, but our guides and porters are still very mindful of how we treat the environment. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints, although this tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and to purchase traditional crafts. Our entry fees also go towards maintenance of these significant cultural sites, therefore leaving a positive impact.
Water:
Water is a really important issue with walking trips and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital that we have a system for providing clean water without causing lots of waste with plastic bottles. We suggest that instead of repeatedly buying bottled water, guests should re-fill a singular bottle. In order to make this easier, we provide treated water throughout the Inca Trail trek. We also recycle waste along the trail with organic and non-organic containers and we do not dispose of it until there is an appropriate place to do so.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
The Impacts of this Trip
Accommodation and meals:
We will spend half of the nights in small, locally owned hotels and the remaining four nights on the trek in full service campsites. We prefer to use small businesses for our accommodation, activities and services as these are the companies which have most direct benefit to the communities which we visit. All of our hotel managers have signed a sustainability contract which ensures they employ locals and endeavour to reduce waste, whilst our campsites are very eco-friendly in terms of energy reduction. We buy all of our food to cook on the trail from local supermarkets or even indigenous groups where possible despite this sometimes being more expensive. Where meals are not included, clients are encouraged to eat at authentic restaurants or to try snacks at markets e.g. San Pedro market in Cuzco.
Local Craft & Culture:
We walk through the Huayllabamba village on the first day, which is the only community inside the trail. They sell produce and various homemade snacks, so by stopping and buying something we are providing an avenue of income for these people. There is also an optional opportunity in the Sacred Valley where clients can eat a traditional meal in the village and buy handicrafts. Our local guides are able to advise clients on which products to buy and which to avoid- for example, walking sticks made of wood are one to avoid as they are potentially a product of deforestation.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
2 Reviews of Hiking the Inca trail holiday
Reviewed on 23 Sep 2019 by Nicola Robinson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Inca trail trek and visiting Inca sites on the way to Machu Picchu.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack light for the trek and make sure you prep in terms of training as a lot of steps and uneven tracks to naviagate.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Amazing, lived up to my expectations.
Reviewed on 20 Apr 2018 by Tina Degner
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The track was amazing. Everything went so smoothly.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't pack too much - you won't need half of it.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It definitely benefited locals.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely amazing.
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