Our Inca Trail adventure begins at 4:30, when we’ll pick you up from your hotel. We will then drive to Piscacucho, also known as Km 82, where the Inca Trail begins. Here we need to visit the control point and do all the official stuff before we can enter the trail, so you’ll need your passport and ticket. This is a good place to use the bathroom and put on insect repellent and sunscreen, as once we’re on the trail bathrooms and other such infrastructure will be scarce.
Now it’s time to set off along the trail! We’ll follow the old Inca Trail, which was used by Inca emperors and their entourage to get to Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail begins at 2,720 m (8,923 ft) above sea level, and we’ll begin by crossing the Vilcanota River. Soon the trail enters the cloud forest, and as we ascend we’ll start to have beautiful views of the surrounding landscape, as well as Inca ruins. We’ll be able to see the Inca fortress called Huillca Raccay, as well as the vast and incredible Inca site of Patallacta, which means “high town” or “town on the hill” in Quechua, the language of the Incas that is still spoken in some parts of Peru today. The archaeological complex sits at an altitude of 2,840 m (9,318 ft), and consists of vast Inca agricultural terraces and about 100 structures that housed travelers and soldiers. Patallacta would have been a common stopping point for Incas traveling from Cusco to Machu Picchu.
As we venture onwards, we will see the Urubamba mountain range that rises up between the jungle and the Andes. We’ll also see the beautiful snow-capped peak of W'akay Willca, also known as Veronica, which rises to 5,860 m (19,225 ft). Altogether, Day 1 is a wonderful chance to hike through some of the most stunning scenery in this part of Peru.
By this time, we’ll be quite tired, having trekked for about 6 or 7 hours. So now we’ll set up camp near the small village of Wayllabamba, set in a pretty mountain valley at around 3,000 m (9,842 ft). We’ll have a tasty dinner and set up the tents. Temperatures here can drop to around 5°C at night, depending on the season. But your sleeping bags will keep you nice and warm, so you can have a good night’s sleep before we continue the trek tomorrow.
Total trekking distance: 11 km (6.8 miles) / 6-7 hours approx.
Highest altitude: 3,300 m (9,843 ft) above sea level
Overnight: Ayapata Camp (tent for 2 people)
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