The trek that will take us to reach Machu Picchu is the last leg of our wonderful trip to Peru, a holiday that turned out to be physically demanding but that gave us some of the most beautiful experiences ever.
When we organized this journey we did not want to give up the excitement of walking the traditional Inca Trail, but we had read about overcrowding especially in the month of August, which had discouraged us a bit because we were afraid of losing part of the authenticity of the journey. Looking a little on the web, we have therefore found a perfect compromise for us: a 4-day itinerary proposed by Guiding Perù which included the first two days on an alternative route unknown to tourists (I confirm that in these days we will have crossed yes and no ten of tourists in all) and the last two on the Inca Trail.
A solution that I loved and for which I would like to suggest you.
Day 1
The first day starts uphill … in every sense! During the first two hours of walking you will reach 4000 meters and from the top of the mountain you can admire the wonderful panorama of the Sacred Valley Inca; from this moment on, what I think is the most beautiful part began. You will begin to descend until you reach the Leon Punku Canyon following an Inca route hardly beaten by tourists that will take you to the marvelous Huchuy Qosqo site, a sort of small Cuzco perfectly maintained.
The effort will start to be felt, but if you stop for a quick lunch and a nap you will have the strength to face the last hours of trekking and reach what will be your location for the night: the wonderful Cabanas Lago Piuray where you can immerse yourself in style of life typical of Andean populations.
Day 2
The second day is mainly downhill: starting from the 4000 meters of the previous day we descend towards the valley for about 3 hours until we reach Urubamba, the sacred Inca river; at this point about 20 km await you on the dirt road along the river that will take you to the town of Lamay for lunch. From here a bit of rest and you can reach Ollantaytambo, a lively tourist town where we will spend the night … not without first going to visit the Inca granaries of Pinkuylluna, about 1 hour walk from the city.
Day 3
Wake up early also on the third day, when we board the train up to km 104 of the Inca Trail. Chachabamba (2.050mt) is the first archaeological site we meet along the way and after 3 hours of walking (mainly uphill) we reach the wonderful Wiñaywayna (2.650mt) where we stop for lunch.
Once we have recovered our energy we continue towards Intipunku, the Porta del Sole, from which we can see the city of Machu Picchu at sunset. The actual visit to the citadel is scheduled for the following day, but reaching the site after 3 days of walking is really a priceless emotion.
Day 4
Today is a simple day from a physical point of view, we leave very early from Aguas Caliente to reach Machu Picchu and dedicate the following hours to visiting the sacred Inca citadel, discovering its secrets and traditions thanks to our guide Ricardo, who accompanied us in this adventure.
Returning in the afternoon to Aguas Caliente, we take a few hours to wander around the city (which doesn’t offer much compared to everything we’ve seen) waiting for the train that will take us back to Cuzco in the evening.
Even if you have little time, try to give yourself a few days to walk to Machu Picchu, Guiding Peru offers so many solutions of different durations and difficulties, it is just to find the one that suits you!