INCA TRAIL THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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INCA TRAIL THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I figured that for the benefit of those who are either going to do the Inca Trail, or are thinking about doing it, I'd provide my thoughts, insights, and recommendations to possibly make it easier (Ha Ha!) or at least less problematic.

Planning:

First and foremost, who should hike the Inca Trail, and when you should book and prepare for it.

Hike the Inca Trail if:
- You want the most impressive scenery available
- You want to really appreciate Machu Picchu
- You love nature and don't mind a big lack of "conveniences"
- You are relatively fit and healthy
- You have plenty of "lead time"

Don't hike the Inca Trail if:
- You're planning on booking it less than 5 or 6 months in advance
- You have any physical problems such as bad knees, respiratory problems, or are very overweight, etc.
- You have fear of heights and don't think you can overcome it (my wife does, but did overcome it!)
- You don't like the idea of "roughing it"

There are a number of valid, certified trekking outfits available to book through. We booked ours through All Trek Cusco and even though they were the least expensive, we found them to be quite competent and professional. Our only complaint was the difficulty in locating their small office on Calle Plateros. It is located next to the public toilets and when it is not open, there are no signs, just the street address, 399. To their credit, although my wife and I were the only clients booked for that day, they did not "farm us out" to another trekking company as I'd heard often happens with smaller groups, but provided basically a private trek at the standard group rate, about one half the usual price of a private trek. My wife and I had our guide, a cook, two porters for the equipment, and our own personal porter. We saw no significant differences between our experience and that provided by larger groups with better known companies. The guide, Frank, was very friendly and knowledgeable, the food was excellent and varied, and the equipment was modern and clean. The only shortcoming was the rather thin mats provided for sleeping on. I noticed another group or two that had thicker, blow-up type mats and envied them.

We booked our trek for August 15th early in March and got the last two slots for that day. The day after booking, there appeared to be only 8 or 10 bookings available, out of 200 per day, remaining for the entire month of August! You should book well in advance, especially if you want or need a specific date.

Personal Equipment Guidelines:

Although we saw many other hikers without hiking poles, I'd advise getting a pair. My wife and I shared a pair and they became our best friends. A pair each would have been even better. The Inca Trail is so uneven, both up and down, with a multitude of opportunities to twist an ankle (with possibly tragic consequences, the least of which being the inability to complete the trek), and I believe the poles were very instrumental in preventing injuries. You can buy hand made ones at Olyllantambo, among other places, and although those make for great souvenirs, they are not matched to your height, don't have any shock absorbers built in, and can be tough to fit in most luggage for your return home!

We noticed hikers wearing tennis shoes/sneakers, and many porters wore sandals, I'd recommend a good quality pair of hiking boots and medium weight, non-cotton socks. The porters are vey agile and used to the trial, and as just mentioned previously with trekking poles, you do NOT want to twist an ankle along the way. The added warmth of boots and thicker socks is a plus. It gets quite cold at times.

Although sunscreen, insect repellent, and sunglasses were recommended (and brought), we didn't use or need any of them. We were never bothered by insects (maybe because it was August and the dry season), were already tanned and the sun was not that intense, and sunglasses might keep you from seeing the scenery in all its glory, or exactly where you're putting your foot down next.

At other times of the year, clothing and rain gear might be a lot more of an issue, but we found that light weight shirts, long pants, a hat, and a sweater/jacket were sufficient during the day. You might want a heavier jacket, wool cap, and even gloves at night though, as it got quite cold at night. My Go Gear cold weather tights were a heaven sent at night. We each had a poncho, but it never even sprinkled. We packed all our extra clothing in air compression bags, so we got more in less space and saved some weight too.

My wife and I both bought new backpacks for the trip, mostly because we wanted the cushioned hip straps. When adjusted properly, they really lesson the weight on your shoulders, which can be a blessing when walking for hours, a lot of it up hill!

Although we had flashlights at home already, we bought a pair of headlamps. A flashlight may work just fine, but the comfort of having both hands free when walking around at night on uneven ground was worth the extra money.

Keep in mind that you will really be roughing it, so you'll have little need of makeup, towels, or even soap, but a few mini rolls of toilet paper are a must! Remember too, that nowhere we went in Peru do you dispose of toilet paper in the toilet. Always put it in the waste baskets. Their septic systems just can't handle it. It sounds gross, but you get used to it. I had no desire to deal with shaving, so I left the weight in our hostal-stowed luggage. The porter/cook will give you hot (or at least warm) water each morning for brushing your teeth and washing your hands and face, but you'll probably want hand sanitizer. On a related note, you should always use bottled or boiled water for brushing your teeth anywhere in Peru. The illnesses caused by contaminated or just "foreign to your system" water, even in small amounts, can really spoil an otherwise great vacation!

I should also comment on the high altitude and breathing. When we first arrived in Puno, my wife had a severe reaction to the altitude, but a couple of Siroche pills worked quite well. Since we were in Puno for 3 days at 12,000 plus feet, then in Cusco for another 3 days at about the same altitude, the even higher altitude (13,650 feet) or the Inca Trail had no dramatic effect onus. We did buy Siroche pills and even a small bottle of oxygen at 32 Soles, but neither was needed or used. I can only speak from personal experience, but I found that taking small, quick breaths seemed to work well for me when climbing, and I'm 58 years old and smoke a pack of cigarettes a day.

Summary:

My wife and I both enjoyed the experience of the Inca Trail immensely, and in several ways. It might have been more enjoyable with a group, but we got a lot more personal attention from our guide and didn't need encouragement from fellow hikers, or ever feel like we were being pushed or pushing others. Once done, we wouldn't hike the Inca Trail again, since the amount of effort and time spent would be greater than the enjoyable, but already experienced sights. We would however highly recommend the Inca Trai, and the All Trek Cusco agency to anyone that hasn't had this awe-inspiring experience!

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