Located exactly in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, in a mountain range at 2430 m.s. It is estimated that Machu Picchu was built in the fifteenth century between (1401-1500) and was part of the possessions of the Inca Pachacutec (who ruled between 1438 and 1471).
The Classic 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a bucket list standard, and possibly the most famous hike in the world. Its history, abundant nature, expansive views, and ancient ruins never fail to excite the thousands of guests who tackle the trek each year in their attempt to arrive at the legendary ruins of Machu Picchu Citadel much in the same way that people did during the time of the Inca Empire.
The one question that our travel agency in Cuzco receives most frequently is whether or not you should book the Inca Trail beforehand. As most people will tell you, making the arrangements ahead of time is usually best. However, whether it is actually necessary to book in advance and how long in advance you should try to book varies depending on the month:
Although one can get to the famed Lost City of the Incas in a myriad number of ways, including by bus, train, and a variety of hikes, none has more cache than the storied Inca Trail. Its allure is an immersion not just in the legendary history of the Capac Ñan, Royal Road, but also the astounding scenery of various climactic zones as the cold gives way to the cloud forest and then the high-altitude jungle brow, along a path dotted with small sets of ruins amidst overgrown foliage. There is a romance to traversing the same path the Incas used centuries ago, with Machu Picchu coming into view as one reaches the Sun Gate. In modern movie parlance, it’s “Machu Picchu, as Machu Picchu was meant to be seen…”
The 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the most famous route to Machu Picchu for good reason- it takes intrepid hikers from the Sacred Valley of the Incas up through the cloud forest and into the jungle brow, passing stunning landscapes and small, ancient archaeological sites en route to one of the most legendary sites on earth. It’s popularity does cause stress to the environment, however, and thus the trail will be closing for maintenance work from February 1st through February 29th. During this time, 50 workers, with archaeologists and biologists among them, will dedicate themselves to undertaking conservation work.
