Travel Story Short

FYI

• Inca trail: 4d/3night– most popular with Alpaca Expeditions
• 2 Guides always two one front one back. No rush
• Get/bring trekking poles- lifesaver downhill – need rubber tips!
• First day is gravel path then the rest stone path
• Weather- mix of freezing, hot, rainy
• Porter- Carries your stuff, campsite, food etc
• This is a long page sorry

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Abbreviated Timeline

• Check in if you have time before briefing (not mandatory)
• Day before hike- briefing at alpaca office 6pm
• Day 1- 2hr Bus to trail, easy flat day
• Day 2- HARDEST straight uphill
• Day3- 90% all downhill, shortest and easiest day
• Day 4- 3am wakeup: Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

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Briefing- night before hike

1. 6pm Meeting at Alpaca Office goes over itinerary, finish payments
2. Reviews itinerary and answers questions (take notes!)
3. Receive duffle
   • Inside= plastic bags, poncho, backpack cover, rental gear
4. Luggage tags if leaving checked bags with them (bring bags next day)

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Day 1- 14 km

1. Hotel pickup 4am- 2hr bus to pit stop with toilets
2. Another 30 min to breakfast stop (where hike starts)
   • Need your own water
   • Receive rental gear if haven’t already
   • Weigh duffles and supply rental gear if they haven’t already 
   • Bathroom starts being 1 sole 
3. Inca trail entrance- only time need Passport
4. Trail is mostly flat all day
   • Pass by frequent toilets, snack stands, villages
   • Villagers on motor bikes and donkeys (watch the poop!)

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Day 2: Dead Woman’s pass 16 km

1. Early morning- longest and hardest day
2. Couple ruin stops and last day to buy anything at snack stands
3. Straight uphill to dead woman’s pass 4200m elevation
   • ***Better to go very slow then to take breaks up to dead pass
   • Worst is NOT over
4. Straight downhill
5. Just kidding more uphill- 2hrs
   • Steeper vs Dead Woman’s but shorter distance
6. Steep 1hr steep downhill- tough on knees
7. Optional- Sayacmarca ruin: side path along route (if tired just skip)
8. Campsite is coldest night of trail

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Day 3- 10km

1. Sleep in till 6am- worst is over
2. Short uphill start then entirely down hill
   • Slow day, more breaks
3. Intipata- amazing ruin site
4. Final campsite- Winay Wayna Camp arrive by lunch
   • Have lunch and dinner here
   • offers cold showers
   • Closest campsite to entrance gate for Machu Picchu
5. 15min walk to Winay Wayna ruin with group- AMAZING
6. Last night before Machu Picchu-
   • Tip porters and chef- more here
   • Guides go over plan for Machu Picchu
   • Weather forecast doesn’t matter will always be different 
7. Have everything packed, wear machu clothes going to bed

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Day 4- Machu Picchu

1. 3am wake up
   • Porters take camp gear separate= more room in duffle (make daypack lighter)
     • Unless you brought your own sleeping bag that stays in duffle
   • Get duffle back in Aguas Calientes
2. 5 min walk to entrance gate: Puerta de ingreso a Machu Picchu por camino Inca
   • Gates open at 530 (but sometimes opens earlier)
   • Every single company is coming here so need to arrive early  
   • Arrive by 330 and wait for two hours. Have something downloaded/ to do
   • Small shelter holds 80 people- late have to wait outside, sucks if raining
   • Toilet nearby in between camp and shelter (none in ruins!!!)
   • Alpaca brings small breakfast to go breakfast to shelter
3. Gate opens= mad rush
   • Path is VERY NARROW and no porters
4. 1hr to Sun Gate
   • Before reach sun gate- very steep 20 steps called “gringo killer”
   • Sun gate hit or miss depending on weather
5. 1 more hour downhill to Machu Pichu

Inside Ruins

1. Enter in Circuit 1 by 730am
2. Hope and pray it’s not cloudy- guide will wait as long as possible
3. Exit to visitors center- bathrooms (2soles) and cafe, optional day pack storage
4. Enter back into Circuit 3 (lower ruins) guide tour
5. *If doing Huayna Picchu guide will then direct you
   • NO trekking poles – guides take them

After Machu Picchu

1. Shuttle down to Aguas Calientes for Lunch
   • Receive train tickets and duffles
2. **If doing Huayna Picchu- Take shuttle separately after hike to Aguas
3. If doing extra night in aguas still get your bag and tickets here 
4. 2hr train Aguas to Ollantaytambo
5. 2hr bus to Cusco
   • Return duffle (provided trash bag to carry back to accomadation)
   • Get stored luggage back if left with Alpacca
6. From bus into smaller shuttle and go to hotel

NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR INSTAGRAM

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