Inca Trail Hiking with Zephyr Adventures

The Inca Trail Hiking Blog won the 2011 Best Peru Blog from the TripBase Travel Blog Awards!

To quote the TripBase website: “In the Peru category of our Travel Awards for this year, Our Tripbase judging panel very carefully evaluated hundreds of Peruvian blogs, selecting just the choicest examples using criteria like accuracy, update frequency, tone and inclusion of pictures. We’re very proud to flaunt these examples of excellent blogging, which you will find below.”

We are happy to accept the award!

Zephyr guide Liz Miller recently hiked a special trek set up exclusively by Zephyr Adventures and our local Peruvian partners. This three-day trek goes through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which lies between Cusco and the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo. Liz was essentially the first Westerner to ever complete this trek and her writeup below reflects her research. The trek is a great way to add to your Inca Trail experience or choose a less-difficult hiking option.

Day One

Santiago, driver Julio, cook-in-training Herman, and I headed first to the weaving town of Chinchero to pick up some groceries for our three days of hiking. This village compares well with Ollantaytambo in Inca foundations, vast terracing, and paved streets with water channels, but with a lot fewer tourists.   A colorful textile market  was setting up as we passed through the town square, which is bordered by two chapels and a uniquely separate bell tower. Chinchero will be the southern start of the Inca trail pre-hike we’re researching these three days.

With young Hernan leading the way, Santiago and I began an 800 foot off-trail uphill trek from the shore of Huaypo Lake near groves of eucalyptus trees. We admired the view from the 12,400 foot hilltop next to a pair of crosses, then began an easy descent across gently rolling farmland.   Agave plants demarked property lines and a few dusty farm roads.

With no trees here, we could see all the way across the fields and the Sacred Valley to the snowy Andes, including spectacular views of Mt. Veronica’s brilliant white glaciers. We reached the incredible Incan ruins of Moray, an agricultural laboratory, and our campsite for the night.

Day Two

We awoke to sunny skies and perfect light for photos with Veronica in the background. These views would make anybody yearn to camp at Moray! We started on the hike and literally did some bushwhacking until Santiago found the best trail down the deep gorge (there are many to choose from) to the emerald partchwork of the Sacred Valley.

To avoid cars and trains, we asked permission to pass through the gated yard of a woman at the first corn field on the left, heading up the valley. This canal-side route was exactly what we were looking for: hiking  along scenic terraces with plenty of glimpses of rural life, including encounters with chickens, ducks, cattle, pigs, dogs, donkeys, and of course, friendly local people. Santiago was generous with the snacks Herman had packed for us.

We continued into the village of Cachiccata and hat night we snacked on popcorn and feasted on Hernan’s best meal yet, including frosted cake! I felt wonderful after my hot shower, which are available at the village campsite.  As I retired to my tent, I couldn’t help but admire the nighttime view from the Cachiccata campsite overlook. The stars twinkled above, a passing train glowed warmly as it passed through the valley below, and the distant lights of Ollantaytambo beamed in amber.

Day Three

At 7:30 am under a warming sun, Santiago and I began the switchback climb from Cachiccata to the Incan quarry. This optional side trip will come either on Day Two of the trek after our trekkers have descended the gorge from Moray (for those looking for more distance) or on the morning of Day Three, as I am describing here. We enjoyed sightings of many obviously carved boulders left behind by the Incan workers, hilltop guard houses, and the remains of steep terraces high above the valley floor.

From the quarry, the route continues across the Urubamba River into Ollantaytambo. Others hiking a longer option will continue along the river toward KM82 and the start of the Inca Trail (Classic and Royal versions).

—–

Come take a trek that few other people have ever done, a three-day hike through the Sacred Valley of the Incas! All photos were taken by Liz Miller in the Sacred Valley.

The four-day Classic Inca Trail is closed each February. This is a regulation imposed by the Peruvian government to allow trail crews to make needed repairs, to pick up any garbage left on the trail, and to allow campsite vegetation to regrow. No one can start the Classic Inca Trail trek on any date from February 1 – 28.

Clouds over the Andes - Zephyr Guide Liz Miller

We support this regulation as it is good for the trail. Additionally, February is in the heart of the rainy season which runs from about mid-November to mid-March, so most travelers won’t be attempting to trek during this time anyway.

If you happen to be in Peru in February, you do have alternatives. The alternative Royal Inca Trail is still open, as are the Lares and Cachiccata hikes. Given the likelihood of rain, you might also consider the shorter, closer-to-comfort Sacred Valley Trek. You can find details on our website.

As the owner of Zephyr Adventures, I have been lucky enough to travel three times to Peru and to do three separate treks on various Inca Trail Routes. As we head into the winter season when many of you will be considering plans for an Inca Trail vacation in 2011, I’d like to give you my thoughts on how to select the trek that is best for you. Continue reading below this great photo by our guide Liz Miller of the Chachabamba ruins on the Royal Inca Trail route.

First of all, you should read the pages of this website to familiarize yourself with the concept that there are more than one “Inca Trail” routes. The Classic Inca Trail is the route most travelers are familiar with but it is not for everyone. It has a steep climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass, acclimatization issues due to the almost-14,000 foot elevation, and long downhills on stone steps that wreak havoc on knees and other joints.

As an alternative, the Royal (or Original) Inca Trail is much easier. It runs along the Urubamba River and thus is lower and flatter. It also has many fewer visitors and it is not unusual for our groups to see no other western tourists on this route.

Finally, there are the Inca Trail options that do not require an official trail pass. These include the Cachiccata, Lares, and Sacred Valley treks. In evaluating all these trekking options, here is what I recommend:

1. First of all, decide whether you want to join an organized group or travel on your own with your own small party. Joining a group of independent travelers is a great idea if you are traveling solo or if you are interested to interact with other people. Sharing amazing experiences with others can be one of the best parts of traveling but if you are not into it or already have your own travel party, a private trek might be the way to go.

2. Second, decide whether you want the experience of hiking to Machu Picchu. When many people think of hiking the Inca Trail, what they are really thinking about is replicating the steps of the Incas on a journey to their sacred city, Machu Picchu.  Only the Classic and Royal treks actually end up at the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu and you should join one of these if this is part of your dream. The Lares, Cachiccata, and Sacred Valley treks we offer don’t end up at Machu Picchu. They also don’t require a trail pass, which is important as the passes often sell out.

3. Third, if you have decided on a trek to Machu Picchu, determine whether you should do the Classic Inca Trail or the Royal Inca Trail. Choose the Classic if you are confident in your ability to handle the altitude, steep climbs, and long downhills. The views you are rewarded with are absolutely amazing. Choose the Royal Inca Trail route if any of these issues are of real concern. The Royal trek is a great alternative that allows you to achieve a similar goal – trekking over four days to Machu Picchu – on a real Inca Trail but without the hardship. Note we have organized group treks going on the Classic Inca Trail (April 15-23) and on the Royal Inca Trail (October 15-23) in 2011.

4. Finally, talk to your preferred tour operator. Hopefully, that will be us! Although you can read about the Inca Trail for months on end, talking to someone who has been there always helps. In fact, if you want to ask me any questions, just email me directly: allan at zephyradventures dot com.

Enjoy your adventure!

Allan Wright
President, Zephyr Adventures

This past week I have been communicating with our Cusco-based Peruvian partners about our upcoming Inca Trail tour scheduled for October 17-25. This trip will be our first ever trip that uses the Royal Inca Trail path.

Most people think the Inca Trail is just that – “the Inca Trail”. In reality, the Inca people built a whole network of trails and the four-day trek commonly called The Inca Trail is just one of those paths.

Interesting enough, the Inca Trail path that most people use to hike from near Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to the ruins of Machu Picchu is likely not even the original path created by the Inca rulers. This common trail goes high up into the mountains, up and over Dead Woman’s Pass, a long and arduous journey. The original trail built by the Inca was most likely a trail that still exists and follows the Urubamba River, rising only at the end to leave the river and rise to the ruins of Machu Picchu.

It is this Original or Royal Inca Trail our group will take in October. The altitude is essentially not an issue, the hills are not laborious, and – best of all – there are almost no other tourists on the trail.

Why then does everyone take the “traditional” route up and over the mountain? Well, the trail itself and the views in particular are spectacular.

In short, what people don’t know is there are two options to hike from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. One is dramatic and beautiful but also well visited, strenuous, and high in altitude. The other is mostly unknown to tourists, easier on the knees, and a non-issue as far as acclimatization.

Take your pick.

Machu Picchu, Peru’s most famous historical and tourist site, reopened today, April 1st. This is good news for our Inca Trail travelers and our friends in Peru.

The Peruvian government is celebrating with a reopening festival of sorts, complete with local music and a visit by American movie star Susan Sarandon. What she has to do with Peru and Machu Picchu besides bringing star appeal, we don’t know.

The historical site itself was not damaged by the flooding in early February. However, the railroad to the citadel, which is the transportation method used by almost everyone visiting the area, was washed out in several places and closed for almost two months. Because of that, Peru’s government also closed Machu Picchu to visitors.

The railroad is now open, although only from Piscacucho (the start of the Inca Trail) to Machu Picchu. The railroad section from Cusco to Piscacucho is still closed, meaning travelers will need to use a combination of buses and the train to reach Machu Picchu. This is no problem and any of you traveling on our Machu Picchu treks will be taken care of by our local staff.

As you might know, the train to Machu Picchu was wiped out in half a dozen places due to rains and flooding in early February. Because there are only two real ways to reach Machu Picchu – the train and the Inca Trail – the Peruvian government has closed Machu Picchu temporarily.

However, the national rail system, Peru Rail, that runs the train line has now indicated the train will be open on March 29th. In response, the Peruvian government has announced that Machu Picchu will be open for business on April 1st and the Inca Trail will again be open to hikers.

There will be a few restrictions. First, there will be no Backpacker Trains, the cheap seats that many trekkers use. These trains are apparently much heavier (90 tons) than the nicer Vistadome trains (28 tons) and the track has not been approved for them yet. The Hiram Bingham train, a very fancy tourist train, will also not be available. Our advice? The Vistadome train is our favorite anyway. It is much faster and more comfortable at a reasonable price – our group tours always use the Vistadome.

Second, the train route between Cusco and Piscacucho is not yet repaired. This means travelers hiking the Inca Trail will take the train back from Aguas Calientes (near Machu Picchu) to Piscacucho, Kilometer 82 of the train line and the start of the Inca Trail hike. From there, they will take a bus 10 kilometers on a dirt road to Ollantaytambo and the rest of the way on a paved road to Cusco. This, too, is not a big deal. The train is quite slow reaching Cusco anyway as it has to climb a hill and go through many switchbacks. Because the bus is faster, our groups already return by bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.

In short, although it is not quite back to normal, Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail will again be open for business on April 1st.

On our previous post, we wrote about the damage the recent floods caused to our friends in Cachiccata, Peru.

Zephyr Inca Trail group - photo by Doreen Teoh

We made an appeal to readers of this blog. We are proud to say the following people donated a total of $1000 to the citizens of Cachiccata. All of them are Zephyr Alumni but, in a very generous gesture by a few individuals, some of them have not (yet) even traveled with us to Peru! With Zephyr’s $750 contribution, we will be able to purchase a new water pump for the village and have $250 extra to fund some other needed improvement.

Consider joining us this coming July for a Spiritual Trek to Machu Picchu or October for a trek on the Royal Inca Trail. You’ll meet these folks from Cachiccata who will be your porters, cooks, and camp staff! Thank you to:

Ann & David George
Kathryn Moe
Steve Gorman
Rick Otis
Cathy Erixon & Chad Krueger
Chris Binger
Chao-Ching Wu
Kelley Keogh
Janet Hoffman
Doreen Teoh
Marianne Dill
Ron & Madelyn Spencer
Marvonne Adams

We at Zephyr Adventures have been planning for months to start a new blog connected to our IncaTrailHiking.com site. Because of heavy rains and flooding earlier this month in the Cusco and Machu Picchu areas, we felt that now is the time.

Heavy rains caused massive flooding along the Vilcabamba River (also known as the Urubamba River), which runs down the Sacred Valley, past Ollantaytambo and the start of the Inca Trail, and ultimately past Machu Picchu. The event that made front pages of newspapers here in the United States was the stranding of almost 1000 tourists at Aguas Calientes (now called Machu Picchu Pueblo), the small town at the base of the historic ruins.

That situation was solved several weeks ago when the Peruvian government helicoptered the tourists back to Cusco. However, the stranding occurred because Machu Picchu’s only real transit link, a railroad running to Cusco, was washed out in half a dozen sections. The railroad company, under intense pressure to repair the railroad, is working quickly to do so.

What does all this mean? First, Machu Picchu is essentially closed because no one can get in or out except by helicopter or on foot via the Inca Trail. (There is a road that runs to the area but it is also impassable.) The railroad is expected to be repaired by the end of March, meaning Machu Picchu should be open on April 1st.

Second, the Classic Inca Trail, which runs high up in the mountains away from the river, was not affected. However, the Trail is currently closed and won’t reopen until the railroad does, since this is how trekkers return to Cusco once they reach Machu Picchu.

Third, the Royal Inca Trail, which is the original (and easier) trail along the river, also was flooded in several places and will need to be repaired. Because this trail gets few visitors, the repair will not take high priority. We expect this trail to be repaired sometime in April or May, although it is probably passable now.

Finally, the real damage to the area occurred outside the tourist areas of Machu Picchu and the railroad. The Sacred Valley is an agricultural area; many fields were flooded and crops destroyed. As our Peruvian friends tell us, the best thing we as potential travelers to Peru can do to help is not to cancel our travel plans. At Zephyr Adventures, we had to cancel our April tour, since we were unable to be certain the railroad would be functioning in time. Our July and October group tours will run. And as an individual traveler, you can still book your own Inca Trail private trip at any time you wish – we just suggest you wait until April 15th, to give the railroad authorities a couple weeks to spare!

Our thoughts and best wishes are with our Peruvian friends.