Further Information. Inca trail trek. Believe you can

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1 Further Information Inca trail trek Peru is one of the most fascinating countries in South America, and with its breathtaking landscapes, stunning scenery and mysterious Inca sites, its home to one of the most famous footpaths in the world The Inca Trail. Our challenge begins in the Inca capital of Cusco a fascinating city, full of colonial charm hidden deep in the Andes Mountains. At an altitude of 3,300m, we spend our first day acclimatising by taking a trek around the famous Inca sites surrounding Cusco. Then we re off as a team to conquer the one and only Inca Trail to Machu Picchu the world s most important archaeological find and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World! There are literally thousands of Inca Trails within Peru and many other treks sound similar, but there s only one Inca Trail that leads through the majestic Sun Gate, and into the fascinating ruins of Machu Picchu. Exceptional support and companionship await from our porters and chefs through to the medics and guides, we know you ll be in great hands. This classic Inca Trail includes trekking 3 high mountain passes the highest being at 4,200m. The trek will be tough and will certainly test us, but upon witnessing the sight of Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate with breath-taking views across the Andes as a backdrop we will realise our efforts have been more than worthwhile! Believe you can 1

2 Contents Introduction Financial protection Page 2: Contents, introduction and financial protection. Page 3: About Global Adventure Challenges, minimum numbers and responsible tourism. Page 4: Challenge highlights, a few notes on Peru and useful tips. Page 5: Climate, temperature & humidity, temperature chart and snakes & bugs. Page 6: Health & vaccinations, safety & security and currency. Page 7: Passport, visa & Inca Trail Permit and travel insurance. Page 8: Flights, luggage & kit and extending your stay. Page 9: Accommodation, toilet & washing facilities and telephone & Wi-Fi. Page 10: Other costs to budget for and tipping. Page 11: Difficulty & terrain, challenge grading and training tips. Page 12: Support on your challenge and food, water & refreshment stops and effects of altitude. Page 13-16: Detailed challenge information. This document will provide you with challenge and route information along with approximate timings for each day. It is hoped this will give you an insight into what you can expect whilst on this awesome challenge and help you to prepare further. Taking part in one of our challenges undoubtedly requires commitment, determination and, above all, a positive attitude from the outset. From the moment you sign up there are steps in place to ensure that you have the correct level of support and help throughout the entire journey not just on the challenge itself. Each participant should approach the challenge with an open mind and prepare to be adaptable throughout. Whilst thousands of hours of work will have gone into the preparation across all of our challenges, the itineraries are complex and things can often need to change on the ground, therefore they are strictly subject to change including the accommodation details noted within this document and the facilities available. If you have any other questions which are not answered in this document, about the challenge you are about to embark upon, please do not hesitate to contact the office on or customer.care@globaladventurechallenges.com. By travelling with Global Adventure Challenges you are protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under our ATOL licence number When you buy an ATOL protected flight inclusive overseas Challenge from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. The CAA are the UK s specialist aviation regulator. They are a public corporation, established by Parliament in

3 About Global Adventure Challenges Global Adventure Challenges have been organising world-wide charity challenge events and adventures since the year Since we began organising challenge events we have grown and developed very steadily we believe that our charity partners, participants and corporate organisations basically, our customer base are the best form of advertising. Word of mouth, they say, is the best form of marketing and we believe this also. Our challenges have helped raise well in excess of 15 million for a wide range of charities located throughout both the UK and overseas. Over the years, we have taken tens of thousands of people on exciting challenges all over the world, helping them realise their dreams and fulfil lifetime ambitions. Our challenge events are life-changing and these are the words of our participants, not ours! We are extremely proud of the events we organise and we are here to give you a memorable lifetime experience. Without doubt our success lies in the dedicated team we have working both in the office, and out in the field. Our passion for adventure travel and pushing your comfort zone, combined with extensive fundraising event experience, are what makes us different from other operators. We believe that from the moment you enquire, you will be embarking on a journey that you will remember forever. Travelling with Global Adventure Challenges is an enjoyable and satisfying way to show your commitment to fantastic charitable causes. Come and be part of our success! We are taking more and more individuals away on exciting challenge events every year join them join us! Minimum Numbers Each of our challenges require a minimum number of participants to enable us to run the challenge at the advertised costs. For this challenge the minimum number of participants is 16. If the group is smaller or becomes smaller than this minimum number in the run up to the challenge, we may consider the option to continue to run the challenge with less than the minimum number, however a small supplement will then be applicable. In this instance we will communicate this to you no later than 11 weeks before departure. Responsible Tourism At our overseas destinations we work with small, local ground handlers who employ local guides and we use as much local infrastructure as we can to boost the economy and income. We aim to ensure that all local guides involved with our events are given a fair wage in accordance with appropriate local standards and each of our challenges is designed using the knowledge of local experts. We believe that we need to preserve and respect the locations in which our challenges take place in order for future generations to experience the same fantastic places as we do now. More information regarding our Responsible Tourism Policy can be found on our website. 3

4 Challenge Highlights The REAL Inca Trail no cheap alternative. Conquer one of the world s Top Ten trekking trails. Follow in the footsteps of ancient Incas to Machu Picchu. Explore Machu Picchu a new Seventh Wonder of the World. Permits limited and restricted the most responsible way to reach Machu Picchu. A Few Notes on Peru Peru is in western South America. It is bordered to the north by Ecuador and Colombia, to the east by Brazil, to the southeast by Bolivia, to the south by Chile, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. The Inca Trail is by far the most famous trek in South America and is rated by many to be in the top 10 treks in the world. In just 43km it manages to combine beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloudforest, sub-tropical jungle and of course, a stunning mix of Inca paving stones, ruins and tunnels. The final destination of the trail - Machu Picchu, the mysterious Lost City of the Incas - is one of the world s most important archaeological finds. Machu Picchu, meaning Old Mountain in Quechua, is a pre-columbian 15th-century Inca site located 2,430m above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley, which is 80km northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Fact File Population: Approximately 29.5 million. Capital City: Lima. Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population. Language: Spanish, Aymara, Quechua. Time difference to GMT: -5 hours. Local Way of Life - Always ask before taking photos of local people, do not point cameras in their faces. Do not give sweets to children as it encourages them to beg and creates problems for future travellers. It also leads to dietary and dental problems, which they cannot afford to deal with - what seems like generosity is sometimes not. Feel free to take little gifts though, such as colouring pencils for the boys and maybe little hair clips for the girls. If you feel you want to give something, make a donation to a local school or hospital ask your guides about making such donations. Useful Tips Try and drink the local Cocoa Tea upon arrival in Cusco it helps many people to acclimatise better. Take it steady upon arrival in Cusco and do not exert yourself you are at altitude and must take things slowly for at least the first 24 hours. If you do not have walking poles already, why not buy a traditional walking pole made out of wood whilst you are there it also makes a lovely souvenir! Plastic ponchos can be purchased locally and are fantastic for waterproofing your clothing they are only approximately 3 Soles each (about 50p!). They are also big enough to cover your day pack too! 4

5 Climate, temperature & humidity The sunniest and driest months to do the trek are between June and September, but this means the route can be quite busy. The months of April, May, October and November may be cooler, with fewer walkers on the trail. Trekking during these months we are rewarded with more flowers, especially orchids The temperature chart gives you an indication of the approximate minimum and maximum average temperatures and rainfall at different times of the year. Temperature Chart Month Max Temp C Min Temp C Rainfall (mm) January February March April May June July August September October November December Snakes & bugs There are snakes and spiders that inhabit Peru, however it is unlikely that you will encounter any of them, especially if you follow a few simple rules: Never put your hands or feet anywhere you cannot see. Shake out all clothes and shoes before reaching into them. Never go barefooted. Use a torch at night so you can see where you are walking. Your local guides will inform you of any other precautions that may be necessary. As with most wildlife they would rather avoid an encounter with you as much as you would with them! 5

6 Health & Vaccinations As part of the registration process we require you to complete a medical questionnaire in full. Your answers will be treated in the strictest confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act and our policy is to encourage and support as many people as possible to take part in our challenges. We request medical information from you in an endeavour to minimise risk to all participants, and for that reason we ask that you disclose all your medical history. Depending on the answers given you may need to get your Doctor to sign and stamp your medical declaration. If you are 64 years of age or over at time of travel you must be authorised by your Doctor regardless of the answers given. It is strongly recommended that you consult a medical professional to ensure your vaccinations are all up to date. You must discuss your own particular needs and contra-indications to vaccines or tablets with them. The following information is only given as a guideline always seek professional advice: Confirm that primary courses and boosters as recommended for life in Britain are up to date. Courses or boosters usually advised hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever (for those visiting rural/jungle areas below 2,300m). Vaccines sometimes advised diphtheria; tuberculosis; rabies; hepatitis B. Anti-malarials may also be required if you are extending your stay in Peru. If you take prescription medication please make sure they are in the original packaging with a label showing your name, alternatively take a copy of the prescription with you or a letter from your doctor confirming you have been prescribed this medication. Wash your hands wherever possible to avoid stomach upsets. We highly recommend that you bring a couple of small bottles of antibacterial dry wash, this is especially important when washing facilities aren t available. We also recommend you use a high factor sunscreen and re-apply regularly. Safety & Security To ensure the safety and security of your group all guides will be in radio/phone contact with each other. You should always be vigilant when staying in an unfamiliar environment and it is sensible to look after your personal possessions as you would do at home: Keep handbags closed and wallets in zipped pockets. Don t leave valuable equipment such as cameras and mobile phones unattended on tables etc. Don t wear expensive jewellery/watches or carry large amounts of cash. Use hotel safes and lock boxes where available for passports, tickets and other valuables when leaving your accommodation for the evening. Our recommendation is to leave valuables at home. If you don t need it, don t bring it! Credit card for emergencies in the unlikely event you have to curtail your challenge, it is expected that you will have to cover any additional costs such as extra accommodation, transfers etc. Often these additional costs incurred can be claimed back through your travel insurance on your return to the UK. Currency Currency is the Nuevo Sol or Soles in plural, referred to as the Peruvian Sol (PEN). Please note this can only be obtained once you are in Peru. If you are taking cash, we suggest you take US Dollars, which can easily be changed once you are there. The current exchange rate is approximately 3.25PEN to $1. There are ATM machines available in Cusco. 6

7 Passport, Visa & inca trail permit Passports should have a validity of at least 6 months after your return. Please ensure that your passport is in good condition as you may be refused entry onto the plane if it is damaged in any way. British passport holders don t require a visa to enter Peru. You will also need to purchase an Inca Trail permit at a cost of 150 which is strictly non-refundable and non-transferable. Inca Trail permits are normally released around December for the following year and are issued on a first come, first served basis by the Peruvian Government. There is a limit of 500 permits per day to help protect and conserve the trail and its monuments. This 500 permit allocation also includes support staff such as guides, porters and cooks meaning around 200 permits are actually allocated to trekkers. The 150 Inca Trail permit fee covers your permit but also the cost of your share of the support crew joining you on the challenge (guides, porters and cooks). Due to the popularity of this trek we will normally invoice you for the permit approximately 9 months before departure (but this could be earlier if there seems to be particularly high demand on the dates that we are trekking the Inca Trail). In addition to the 150 permit fee we will also require a copy of your passport photo page as the information contained in this document is needed to purchase the Inca Trail permit. Travel Insurance We strongly recommend you take out comprehensive travel insurance at the earliest opportunity. A comprehensive travel insurance policy is available through Global Adventure Challenges and details of how to apply are given in your welcome letter. If you are opting to use your own personal travel insurance then details of your policy should be sent to us. Please be aware that we will not vet or check your own personal travel insurance policy details. Therefore you and you alone are responsible for ensuring that you have adequate personal travel insurance with protection for the full duration of the challenge in respect of at least medical expenses, injury, death, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. You should also make sure there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection for the type of activities included in the challenge and that your policy covers you for trekking at high altitude. 7

8 Flights Luggage & kit Extending your stay Flights normally depart the UK early late evening and arrive back into the UK from early to lateafternoon. Your flights will normally have a combined total of between 15 to 16 hours flying time on both the outbound and inbound legs and can often include three separate flights on each leg. So you need to prepare yourself for long journeys at the start and end of the challenge. Your exact flight details will be confirmed to you in the lead up to your challenge. Flight bookings will normally be made on a group fare basis and will be in economy class. If you would like us to look into upgrading to a different class please contact Global Adventure Challenges at customer.care@globaladventurechallenges.com or by calling us on You will need a large holdall/rucksack for your main luggage which will be left in Cusco you will need to mark your surname clearly on all luggage. It is also a sensible precaution that you lock your luggage that is stored at the hotel. We recommend your main piece of luggage weighs no more than 20kgs irrespective of whether the airline has a higher baggage allowance. Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be issued with a kit bag this is for you to fill with items needed for the actual Inca Trail (5kg max. weight). Porters will carry your kit bag from one camp to the next on the Inca Trail. A great tip is to bring a couple of large strong plastic bags to use as kit bag liners, this will help ensure your kit stays dry. You will also need a small backpack/camelbak to carry any essentials with you during the day i.e. sunscreen, tissues, camera, small personal first aid kit etc. As well as a kit bag the ground crew will also provide an Inflatable sleeping mat to sleep on when camping. If you would like to take the opportunity to extend your stay, it might be possible for us to arrange an extension for you with the airline so you can spend some extra time immersing yourself in the culture and beautiful landscape on offer. If you are interested, please contact the Customer Care team to request an extension form at customer.care@globaladventurechallenges.com or by calling us on We recommend you do this as soon as possible as all extensions are strictly limited, subject to availability, given on a first come, first served basis and the final decision always rests with the airline. Your request will be placed on a list in order of receipt and we will contact you at the earliest opportunity before the date of travel to confirm whether the extension has been granted. Therefore please do not make any plans for your requested extended period until you have heard back from us. There is a minimum 60 + VAT charge to have your return airline ticket extended. Through our in-country ground handler it may also be possible for us to create bespoke/tailor-made extension packages to suit your needs. 8

9 Accommodation Whilst in Cusco we will stay in a comfortable hotel in twin rooms, en-suite facilities. Whilst camping on the Inca Trail, we will be staying in spacious 3 person tents (2 trekkers per tent for extra comfort), which are erected and taken down for you. Please note that due to the remote location the facilities at the camps will be different and a lot more basic than those you are used to in the UK. At each campsite there separate dining and cooking tent with stools. Hand washing facilities are provided outside the dining tent. We submit our rooming lists for your challenge at 8 weeks before challenge departure. Please make sure you have informed us of anybody you would like to share with along with your relationship to them before this time as we are unable to amend the rooming lists once submitted. If you are a solo participant we will partner you with another participant of the same sex, and where possible, of a similar age. Please contact the Customer Care team at customer.care@globaladventurechallenges.com if you would like the cost of a single supplement. Toilet & washing facilities Whilst we are on the Inca Trail, there are camping toilets available at each campsite and also one will be set up at the lunch stop. If you need to go whilst you are between lunch stops and the campsite, it s a matter of finding the nearest bush! It is a good idea to carry a small amount of tissue in a plastic bag or nappy sacks in your daypack every day, but please dispose of this appropriately at the lunch stop or in camp. Please don t leave any paper lying around on the Inca Trail, please keep the region beautiful! Bowls of warm water will be issued for washing on arrival at camp. Remember to wash your hands wherever possible to avoid getting stomach upsets. A small bottle of antibacterial hand gel is a must. Telephone & Wi-Fi Mobile phone signals are strong whilst in Cusco, Wi- Fi will also be readily available at our hotel at the start and end of the challenge. But due to the type of terrain in the areas we trek through mobile telephone signals will become patchy and coverage will decrease significantly, so please don t rely on being able to use your mobile phone whilst on the actual Inca Trail. Wi-Fi will also be pretty nonexistent whilst we are trekking. More information on Wi-Fi availability can be found later in this document. You will have the opportunity to charge electrical items at the hotels at the start and end of the challenge so make sure you bring the appropriate travel adapter for Peru. But there will be no charging facilities whilst on the trail itself. 9

10 Other costs that you need to budget for Below are some approximate costs for other expenditure you may incur for the challenge: Item Kit and clothing Approx. cost Please see kit list. Travel insurance 63 Hotels the night before per night your departure and/or the night of your arrival back into the UK Travel to and from the UK departure airport Airport car parking Spending money The cost depends on how far you need to travel and type of transport you are taking flights and trains are quicker but also more expensive than going by coach The average cost of a beer in Cusco is 7 Nuevo Soles and 5 Nuevo Soles for a cola. Lunch costs approximately 30 Nuevo Soles and dinner approximately 60 Nuevo Soles. Souvenirs are plentiful and affordable. There are many local, traditional craft items for sale in Cusco and the other villages and small towns we visit. How much spending money you will need usually depends on how many presents and souvenirs you wish to bring home! TIPPING Tipping your local guides is appropriate, customary and always appreciated. Your guides work in teams and evenly split all gratuities they receive. Your gratuity should reflect the quality of service you received and anything special your guides did to enhance your trip. As a guideline, we recommend Soles ($30- $50) from each participant for the porters and cooks and Soles ($17-$25) from each participant for the Head Guides. The tips for the porters and cooks will be distributed on the last night of the Inca Trail and the tips for the Head Guides should be given at our celebratory meal in Cusco. We hope you find the above information useful remember this is a general guide and all tipping is at your discretion and voluntary. 10

11 Difficulty & Terrain Our challenges are graded 1 (Challenging), 2 (Tough) or 3 (Extreme). This challenge is graded at 2 (Tough). This is a demanding trek with some strenuous ascents. The terrain can be very rough, as there are many steps of differing heights to be negotiated there are some very steep descents too, on the original Inca steps. No knowledge of technical climbing is needed as this is a trek, but walkers need to be in good physical condition. The most challenging day by far is the second day we are on the Inca Trail we climb up to Dead Woman s Pass from 3,000m to 4,200m above sea level! Remember you will be walking for 5 consecutive days at altitude, covering a total distance of approx. 43km. As mentioned previously this itinerary has been designed to maximise our chances of success, it is worth remembering it is not a race and one top tip you should follow is to trek at slow steady pace. Our policy is to encourage and support as many people as possible to take part in our challenges. But they may not be suitable for all people due to restriction posed by limitation in mobility, physical or cognitive disability, pregnancy or other various medical conditions. GAC reserves the right to refuse a booking if we feel unable to accommodate the particular needs of the person(s) concerned. If you have any doubts regarding your suitability for your challenge please contact our office immediately to speak to one of the team. Challenge Grading Each of our challenge events are designed to be achievable by most individuals, providing you are prepared to put the effort into training. You do not need to be a professional athlete or super fit, however, the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the challenge! Please keep in mind that these guidelines are to give an insight into the difficulty level associated with the challenge. You may find that an event rated Challenging, could have a Tough day, or we may find that a Tough challenge, may have a Challenging day. TOUGH A Tough trek features more demanding activities and the days are generally longer and harder than a challenge graded as challenging! The challenge is likely to involve considerable amounts of camping using facilities that we aren t accustomed to in the UK. The weather can be more unpredictable on these challenges. Please contact the office and speak to the team if you are in ANY doubt regarding your suitability for one the challenge events. Training tips Training is a critical component in the preparation for your challenge. Good cardio vascular fitness is essential and it is important that you are fit enough to complete this challenge, therefore prior fitness preparation is a MUST! Training tips can be found on our website and in your welcome pack to point you in the right direction. We also offer training days and weekends to help you prepare. As mentioned previously this challenge has been graded as Tough and we strongly recommend training for this challenge. Our training tips include: Train in the hills and in particular, on short, steep sections. Lots of step training will also prove to be of massive benefit. If you haven t experienced aching feet then we suggest you probably haven t trained for long enough Try to go training on consecutive days instead of doing one big day. This will help your muscles get used to the strains of trekking over consecutive days. It is best to improve and work on your stamina, leg and joint strength. 11

12 Support on your challenge There will be a strong support team that will consist of registered Inca Trail guides, support guides and a local English speaking doctor will accompany us whilst we are on the trail. This is in addition to the many porters we have joining us! A comprehensive First Aid Kit will be carried with the group at all times. The Head Guide will also have a satellite phone that can be used in an emergency situation. In the event that a particioant has to curtail their challenge and come off the trail, all additional costs for flights, hotel and food, in this instance, would need to be borne by the individual concerned. Food, water & refreshment stops Detailed information about the meals provided on the challenge can be found later in this document. All dietary requirements can be catered for as long as we know in advance. Plenty of food and snacks will be available to you at all times during the trip, however, we suggest you bring along some of your absolute favourite snacks to give you an extra boost when you find the going tough. The food in Peru is quite similar to that found at home. Most restaurants offer a wide range of dishes. The staple diet is potato, together with rice and meat. A sample menu is soup, stuffed peppers, chicken, rice, chips, fish and pasta salad. It is not safe to drink tap water in Peru and while in Cusco you should only use bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, etc. - no singing in the shower! Drinking water will be provided whilst trekking and is perfectly safe to drink as it has been boiled and filtered. It is your decision if you want to further treat the water but this is not necessary. There are opportunities to purchase bottled water along the trail at some sections, but these are few and far between and it can be quite expensive. Snacks are collected at the beginning of the day before we start trekking. A hot lunch is served on trail in the dining tent and we try to spend 45 minutes to an hour for lunch depending on progress. Effects of altitude There are no set rules regarding acclimatisation to altitude, whether you will be affected or at what height. Your physical fitness will not affect your ability to cope with the altitude, but the fitter you are the better you will cope whilst in the mountains. Altitude sickness can occur at 2,500m above sea level although the more severe cases of altitude sickness only tend to occur at altitude of 3,600m and above the highest point of this trek is approx. 4,200m. Altitude sickness is caused by decreased oxygen concentration in your blood due to lower atmospheric pressure. In most cases, symptoms are mild and include fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and headache. The best way to adjust to altitude is to walk slowly and rest as often as possible in addition, drink lots of water! If anyone experiences serious problems, they will be evacuated to a lower altitude. A more detailed high altitude document is included in your welcome pack. 12

13 Day Transfers Accommodation Meals Difficulty Trek Stats Itinerary Notes rating (approx.) Day 1: Depart UK N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A We catch our overnight flight to Cusco. Day 2: Arrive Cusco Approx. 20 minute transfer to hotel. Hotel Tupaq Yupanqui (or of a similar standard) Mobile phone signal: Yes Wi-Fi: Yes Electricity: Yes Lunch and dinner N/A N/A After we have checked in, we are introduced to the city with the locals guide to Cusco. This short walk is a great way to get our bearings and also helps us get used to the altitude. The beautiful historic centre was declared a world heritage site in 1983 with Inca and colonial architecture evident. We are now at an altitude of 3,300m so we need to take it easy whilst we adjust to the decreased pressure and oxygen levels. Slight headaches, sleeplessness, dizziness and breathlessness are common. At dinner tonight we will get a full briefing about the adventure ahead. Day 3: Cusco Approx minute transfer to start of tour and a transfer of minutes on the return. Hotel Tupaq Yupanqui (or of a similar standard) Mobile phone signal: Yes Wi-Fi: Yes Electricity: Yes Breakfast, lunch and dinner N/A N/A After breakfast we take a lovely walking tour that is a superb introduction to the Inca heritage of Peru. First we visit the impressive site of Sacsayhuaman. Huge stone ramparts surround a beautiful grass amphitheatre. Once the scene of fierce battles it now hosts the recreation of traditional Inca ceremonies such as Inti Raymi and Warachikuy. Next is the Inca water temple of Tambo Machay lying at 3,700m (12,000 feet) and Puca Pucara ( Red Fort ) followed by a picnic lunch nearby. From here, an optional hike following an ancient Inca trail takes us downhill to Cusco (or vehicle transfer) stopping at the Temple of the Moon and other historical sites along the way. 13

14 Day Transfers Accommodation Meals Difficulty rating Early morning Breakfast, Day 4: Cusco Km 82 - Wayllabamb a transfer of approx. 2.5 hours to the road head Wayllabamba camp Mobile phone signal: Possibly Wi-Fi: No Electricity: No lunch and dinner Challenging - Tough Trek Stats (approx.) Distance trekked: 11km Altitude at the end of the day: 3,000m Trekking time: 5-6 hours Itinerary Notes Following breakfast we transfer to Km82 where we register at the checkpoint and collect our Inca Trail permits. Here we meet the support team of porters and then begin the trek. The first section is ideal to help us acclimatise as we hike along the sacred Urubamba River. The trail becomes more undulating as we reach Llactapata (2,888m). We stop here for lunch beside some spectacular ruins, then trek up the Kusichaca valley to the small hamlet of Wayllabamba, the last inhabited place on the trail and our campsite for the night (3,000m). Our support team of traditional porters will carry all camp gear and will have camp set up ready for our arrival. Day 5: Wayllabamb a - Pacaymayo N/A Pacaymayo camp Mobile phone signal: No Wi-Fi: No Electricity: No Breakfast, lunch and dinner Tough Distance trekked: 8km Altitude at the end of the day: 3,600m Trekking time: 7-8 hours Our most challenging day as we climb steadily from 3,000m to 4,200m to Warmihuanusca or Dead Women s Pass. On the way we will see impressive cloud forest, beautiful lichen, bromeliads, orchids, birds, also the Huayanay glacier and part of the Vilcambamba mountain range. Our ascent will take approximately 5-6 hours but the satisfaction of conquering the pass will stay with you forever. From this point we trek for approximately another hour and descend into Pacaymayo valley, our campsite for the night. 14

15 Day Transfers Accommodation Meals Difficulty rating N/A Tough Day 6: Pacaymayo to Winay Wayna Day 7: Winay Wayna to the Sun gate and Machu Picchu 35 minute transfer from Machu Picchu to train station in Aguas Calientes 2 hour transfer from train station to Olantaytambo 2 hour transfer from Olantaytambo back to hotel Winay Wayna camp Mobile phone signal: No Wi-Fi: No Electricity: No Hotel Tupaq Yupanqui (or of a similar standard) Mobile phone signal: Yes Wi-Fi: Yes Electricity: Yes Breakfast, lunch and dinner Breakfast and lunch Challenging Trek Stats (approx.) Distance trekked: 18km Altitude at the end of the day: 2,700m Trekking time: 7-8 hours Distance trekked: 6km Altitude at the Sun Gate: 2,850m Altitude at Machu Picchu: 2,400m Trekking time: 2-3 hours Itinerary Notes This is another tough day when we conquer the two remaining mountain passes. The first pass of the day Runkurakay (3,998m) gives us spectacular views of the Vilcabamba mountain range. We then head downhill for approximately 1 hour on a wellpreserved Inca pathway until we reach the Sayacmarca ruins another archaeological site. On our way to our final mountain pass, Phuyupatamarka (3,650m) the place above the clouds, we ll pass through our first Inca tunnel. The views today are truly unforgettable with lush green mountains and snowy peaks as far as the eye can see! We then head down into the cloud forest on a series of original Inca stairways to Winay Wayna, another interesting ruin and also our camp for the night. We get up early in order to reach the Sun Gate for the optimum view of Machu Picchu in the morning. There is one last steep push on Inca steps as we contour the mountain through cloud forest set high above the mighty Urubamba River. We then catch our first glimpse of the famous lost city of the Incas and rest awhile to take in one of the world s most breath-taking sights. We then descend to explore the fascinating buildings and ruins that make this city in the clouds so special. Our guide will explain the history and there will be some free time to wander around this impressive site. We then catch the bus down to the colourful town of Aguas Calientes and board the train to Ollantayambo and finally a bus takes us back to our hotel in Cusco. The evening is free to enjoy a night out in Cusco s famous restaurants and bars. 15

16 Day Transfers Accommodation Meals Difficulty rating N/A Day 8: Cusco Day 9: Depart Cusco to the UK Day 10: Arrive UK Approx. 20 minute transfer to airport Hotel Tupaq Yupanqui (or of a similar standard) Mobile phone signal: Yes Wi-Fi: Yes Electricity: Yes Breakfast and dinner Trek Stats (approx.) Itinerary Notes N/A N/A We enjoy a free day in Cusco for some rest and relaxation. Whether your interest is exploring Inca ruins, visiting Colonial churches, bargain hunting in artisan markets, chocolate museums or just relaxing over a cappuccino on a terrace overlooking the Plaza de Armas, Cusco has it all. In the evening we all get together for our celebratory meal and reflect on our achievements. N/A Breakfast N/A N/A Following breakfast we transfer to Cusco airport to catch our flight back to the UK. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A We arrive back into the UK, say our final goodbyes as a group and make our onward journey home. 16