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Community
Helping |
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Inca Trail Faqs |
1. Can I trek
the Inca Trail
alone without a
travel operator?
A1. No. As from
1st January 2001
trekking
independently
has been
prohibited. The
regulation,
however, was not
enforced until
early 2002. You
will necessarily
to hire an
operator to get
all the
permissions, the
entrance tickets
for the trail
MUST be bought
in Cusco well in
advance only
through a
licensed Inca
Trail operator.
They cannot be
purchased at the
start of the
trail.
2. Should I
make a
reservation for
the trek in
advance or wait
until arriving
in Cusco?
A2. Because the
numbers of
persons
permitted on the
trek has been
dramatically
reduced it is
advisable to
make a
reservation 5-6
weeks in
advance. This is
particularly
important if you
are planning on
arriving in
Cusco during the
peak season
(June-September).
3. What's the
best time during
the year to go?
A3. The 'dry'
season from
April to October
seems to be
generally
considered
preferable, at
least as far as
weather. It's
mostly dry but
it can rain at
any time.
Remember the
dramatic
temperature
range. At higher
altitudes, it's
sunny during the
day and cold and
windy at night.
4. How hard
is the Inca
Trail?
A4. The trek is
physically
challenging, but
no technical
expertise is
required. The
difficulty comes
largely from the
repeated step
ascents and
descents, and
from the high
altitude. The
climb to the
first pass takes
you up from
around 2000m
(6500ft) to more
than 4000m
(13000ft) in a
relatively short
space, followed
by a descent of
around 1500m
(5000ft). After
the second pass
at 3500m
(11500ft),
things generally
become easier.
5. What do we
do for drinking
water?
A5. Inka Wasi
will provide
boiled water to
fill your bottle
at meal times,
although the
water is clear
always use
sterilizing
tablets and
follow the
instructions.
The sterilizing
tablets 'MicroPur'
can be bought in
most pharmacies
in Cusco . With
these tablets
you have to wait
40 minutes
before drinking.
Take a bottle of
at least 1½
liter capacity
per person.
Bottled mineral
water can also
be taken from
Cusco, bought at
km82, just
before
Wayllabamba and
at Wiñay Wayna
and Machu
Picchu. If you
are employing
the services of
a personal
porter you can
afford to take
the extra weight
of a few bottles
of water.
Besides, You'll
come across a
small stream or
mountain spring
every 1½ hours
along the trail
where you can
fill up your
water bottle
too.
6. What are
the toilets like
along the trail?
A6. Toilets have
improved a lot
in the last
couple of years
and all of the
larger campsites
have toilet
blocks with
flush toilets
and running
water. On the
whole they are
kept pretty
clean.
There are hot
shower
facilities are
Wiñay Wayna on
day 3, although
they are usually
pretty unclean
and you have to
pay a little
extra.
7. Should I
hire an extra
porter? when?
A7. Our service
includes porters
for carrying the
food, tents,
dining tent and
cooking
equipment.
However, during
the Inca Trail
you will have to
carry your
personal stuff
(such as
backpack,
camera, etc)
your sleeping
bag and pad
(both provided
by us if
needed). Hiring
an extra porter
may make the
trek more
enjoyable since
you will walking
withouth all
that extra
weight.
Each porter can
carry up to 18
kilos and you
must ask for him
to us or to your
operator when
booking your
Inca Trail. |
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