The Trail
Following the Incas
06.10.2006
ITINERARY
DAY 1- CUSCO - PISKACUCHO - WAYLLABAMBA
We will depart from Cusco and travel to Urubamba where we will stop briefly at Ollaytaytambo where you can buy last minute gear and personal needing, then we move on to Piskacuchu (Km 82) and the start of the Inca Trail. We will have lunch in Miskay and relax a bit before hiking to our first campsite. Along the way we will visit the Llactapata archeological site.
DAY 2- WAYLLABAMBA - WARMIWAÑUSCA - PAQAYMAYU
We'll start the day, early in the morning, with a hearty breakfast, and then hike up to the highest point of the Inca Trail. Here, we can literally see the various ecological zones and microclimates, which make up the area, mapped out in front of us. We will cross the Warmiwañusca pass at 4,200 meters/13,780 feet above sea level. After lunch we will continue on to the Pacaymayo campsite, where we will enjoy dinner and a well deserved rest.
DAY 3- PAQAYMAYU - CHAQ´ICOCHA - WIÑAYWAYNA
Day 3 begins with a nutritious breakfast and then a 45-minute hike up to the second highest pass on the Trail (3,850 meters/12,631 feet above sea level), and along the way we will visit the Runcuracay archeological site. During the day's hike, we will also visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca archeological complexes. After lunch we will head to the Wiñaywayna ruins, where we will spend our last night on the Trail.
DAY 4- WIÑAYWAYNA - MACHUPICCHU - CUSCO
After an early breakfast, we begin the final leg of the trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu. First, we will hike to Inti Punku ("Sun Gate"), where we will take in an inspiring and panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel. After a short hike down to Machu Picchu, we will register and then enjoy a 3-hour guided tour of the sanctuary-city. After the tour of Machu Picchu, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes where we will enjoy lunch and free time in the town before returning to Cusco by train.
www.qente.com
NYTimes article on hiking the trail: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04EFD6113BF933A25752C1A960958260&sec=travel
