Trek the Great Inca Road and Inca Trail
19 Days Starting in Lima and ending in Cusco
Visiting: Peru
Tour Overview
On this epic 19-day trekking adventure, you’ll join a local leader and a traditional llama caravan to hike storied paths that few travellers have seen, visiting archaeological sites along the way on the iconic Great Inca Road. Acclimatise to the altitude in the adventure hub of Huaraz, hike through the spectacular surrounding landscapes and then carry on to Lima to retrace the steps of the Incas. Recharge in the capital city before your journey through the fertile heartland of the Sacred Valley, seeing the Ollantaytambo ruins along the way. Choose your own adventure (on the Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or the scenic train route) to Machu Picchu – sitting high in the Andes, you’ll be able to tick one of the Seven Wonders of the World off your bucket list! End it all in Cusco, a foodie’s paradise and cultural hub, and get closer to the secrets of the elusive civilisation that once resided here.
Highlights
Itinerary
What's Included
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Accommodation
Great Inca Road portion: Hotels (7 nights), Camping (4 nights). Route 1 Inca Trail: Camping with basic facilities (3 nights), Hotel (4 nights). Route 2 - Quarry Trail: Camping with basic facilities (2 nights), Hotel (5 nights). Route 3 - Train option: Hot -
Huaraz: LLanganuco lakes and Laguna 69 guided hike
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Huaraz: Laguna Churup guided hike
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Huaraz: Pastoruri glacier & Huascaran National Park guided hike
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Great Inca Road: Castillo to Soledad de Tambo guided hike
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Great Inca Road: Soledad de Tambo Archaeological guided site visit
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Great Inca Road: 4 days fully supported (Porters, Llamas, all meals and equipment)
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Chavín de Huántar archaeological site guided visit
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Great Inca Road: Soledad de Tambo to Quenhuajirca guided hike
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Great Inca Road: Meeting with traditional master weaver
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Great Inca Road: Quenhuajirca to Tambo Grande guided hike
Transport
- Plane , private vehicle , taxi , train , bus
Accommodation
- PERU
- Due to local energy supply and infrastructure issues, please be prepared for some cold showers while travelling in Peru.
- CAMPING
- On camping nights we stay in twin share tents, set up by our porters. If you have booked a single supplement, a single tent will be provided. Foam camping mats are supplied but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag. See the 'Packing' section for more information.
Important Information
- 1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase Entrance fees to certain sites. Additionally, on certain trips it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Delays to provide this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary. Details provided must be accurate as per your passport bio page. This will be used for applying for your Inca permit and if any info doesn’t match your passport, Inca authority will refuse your entry.
- 2. Please note this trip starts at 6pm on day 1. If you are unable to find a suitable flight it is possible to book additional nights at the joining accommodation.
- 3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Days 6-10 (Great Inca Road) and days 15-17 (Inca Trail) where you will be camping in comfortable 2-man tents. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 4. Inca Trail permits are sold on request basis only. Once deposit is paid and passport details provided, Intrepid will endeavor to secure a permit for you. If Inca Trail permits are unavailable by the time you book, you can opt to hike the Inca Quarry Trail instead https://www.intrepidtravel.com/machu-picchu-peru/quarry-trail
- The timing of trekking may vary depending on the route and time slot we are given for entering the Inca Trail. Your group leader will give you the details at the welcome group meeting.
- 5. The Inca Trail closes in February to allow cleaning and restoration works. If the trek portion of your trip starts in February, you will be automatically booked to hike the Inca Quarry Trail.
- 6. Parts of your trip go above 2800 m/ 9200 ft where it is common for travellers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude - regardless of your age, gender and fitness. Please consult your doctor for professional advice about travelling at high altitude if you have a health condition.
- 7. Due to remoteness of Great Inca Road, please make sure you bring all necessary gear, such as walking boots, rain gear, thermals, walking poles, etc with you. While you will be able to visit an outdoor store in Huaraz, it’s safer to rely on your own trekking gear. Please check out Packing List for further recommendations.
- 8. At the pre-trek briefing you will be given a small duffle bag to pack your clothes for the trek, sleeping bag and personal items. The maximum weight you can take with you is 7kg per traveller.
- 9. As you can choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), there is a small chance you may be the only traveller on your selected option.
- 10. Fees may apply if you choose to change from the Inca Trail to the Train or Quarry Trail after your booking has been made.
Mode of Transport
- Plane , private vehicle , taxi , train , bus
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.
This is a hiking trip, and it is strenuous – you need to be psychically fit to fully enjoy all hikes.
According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a pre-determined route within the site. This route must be followed in one direction only, and once the guided visit commences exiting and re-entering the site is not permitted. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted. Please refer to the itinerary for details.
Travellers who choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), will not follow the same routes within Machu Picchu. This means that you may not be able to have photos together, overlooking Machu Picchu. This applies to travellers on the same booking or separate bookings. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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