6 Tips to Do Before Hiking the Inca Trail

The mythic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a beautiful, rewarding hike, but it can also be a difficult undertaking. To make the going easier, here are our six tips on things to do before hiking the Inca Trail:

5. Reserve as soon as you know your travel dates, and give yourself at least to days in Cusco to acclimate properly. For those affected by altitude sickness, short walks and minimal exertion is exhausting and nauseating. Don’t risk having to contend with altitude sickness when you should be enjoying the incredible flora and fauna of the Inca Trail. Also, keep in mind that passes for the trail are nonrefundable and the date cannot be changed, so take precautions to ensure that you begin the trail on your reserved dates.

4. When packing for the trail, keep in mind that the weather in Cusco and in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary is very variable. Early mornings and nights can be quite cold, and yet the sun overhead makes midday quite hot. Even during the rainy season the weather is unpredictable, with the rains being frequent but short. This means that you need to prepare by bringing layers for rain and cold which can be easily removed.

3. Pack real trekking shoes, one which can withstand 8 hours of hiking and a ground which can be difficult and slippery.

4. Hiking sticks might seem superfluous, but for the reasons mentioned in number three, they can be a lifesaver. Hikers on the trail pass through various archaeological sites along the way, and when you’re climbing those incredibly narrow stone steps which take you up the terraces of Wiñay Wayna- hundreds of steps- you’ll be thankful for the additional balance these sticks provide. They can be rented in Cusco at a rate of S/5 Peruvian soles (less than two dollars) per day. The sticks’ metal ends should be covered with rubber stoppers if you wish to take them into Machu Picchu Citadel as well. If they have only metal ends, you’ll have to leave them in Aguas Calientes while you visit the ruins, as they are not permitted inside the site.

5. During the trail, you’ll pass waterfalls and the occasional campsite with plumbing, but you shouldn’t drink from either of these sources. Take a refillable bottle with you that can carry the amound of water you’ll need for one day. The cooks that accompany each Inca Trail group will boil water in the mornings to sanitize it, and you can refill your bottle each morning with that water. It’s a preferable alternative to carrying four-days’ worth of water, especially considering that hikers only carry a daypack and porters are stuck carrying all of the excess luggage. There are also locals from the few towns located within the sanctuary who have set up stands selling water at certain points along the trail.

6. Find yourself a great insect repellent and a long-sleeved cotton shirt that can provide excess protection from the sun and mosquitoes and yet doesn’t overheat you. With these two magical items in hand, you’ll be ready to hit the trail!

If you’d like to hike the Inca Trail, please keep in mind that, according to local law, you must go with a tour group.  Pirwa Travel (under its legal name Inca World Travel) is an authorized tour operator for the Inca Trail. If you’d like to talk with one of our specialists, who boast more than a decade of experience arranging excursions in Peru, feel free to contact Pirwa Travel at pirwatravel@gmail.com.