We'd wanted to do some of the worlds best hikes for a while, and the Inca Trail was one of the best of them. This wasn't just a hike, but a high-altitude
experience. Since we'd seen Chichen Itza in 2005 we'd been interested in Mayan, Incan and other ruins around the world. This trail would give us our first insight into Incan structures
and it is perhaps one of their best.
This trip wasn't just about the Inca Trail though, although it might have been the dominating feature. We weren't going to go all the way to Peru without seeing the Amazon rainforest,
and if we were going to Peru there was no way that we weren't going to see the environmental awe of the Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia.
We knew the Inca Trail being a multi day, camping and hiking at altitude trek that we'd need to train for it. Could you have just arrived and done it, perhaps, but would you have enjoyed
it the same, I doubt it. With heights up to 4250 metres (14,000 feet) above sea leavel and 4% less oxygen than at the sea level we lived in the UK we set about training the best we could.
For four months since booking we hit the gym daily, went running and cycling. We also used some weekends to test our fitness climbing peaks, including Scafell Pike (the highest peak in
England). None of this would be a real comparison for the trail, but we felt it would at least put us in good standing.
NOTES: Its the Amazon, its hot, its wet, you'll be bitten through any deet, cover up!
NOTES: Cusco sits at 3400 metres. If you fly in as soon as they open the plane door you'll feel the air leave the plane. The airport is also lower than the town so be prepared for carrying luggage out of breath up an incline.
NOTES: This is a tough trail. Its cold in the morning and evenings, hot in the day and afternoon. Layers are best. Don't expect to see a mirror or be able to clean up once the trek starts. If you use a reputable company you'll be limited to one small lightweight duffle bag. Anything else you'll have to carry on the whole trek from start to finish.
NOTES: If you don't speak Spanish the homestay will prove difficult and you might not get so much out of it.
NOTES: Be prepared for protests in La Paz, and by protest I mean throwing dynamite around in the streets. La Paz is also a very high city. It sits at 3700 metres so again you may find yourself out of breath and its wise to limit alcohol intake till acclimated.
NOTES: The salt flats are cold, windy and in places at extreme altitude. We hadn't realised before hand but they go up 5000 metres. This means that the majority of this trip is actually spent at altitude after leaving the Amazon.
For us this was a toured trip. Due to the remote locations, limited restaurant options and camping all food and most drinks were included in the price. While the upfront cost was fairly high, in country costs are fairly low. Flights via Amsterdam with KLM to Lima also work out very afforable. Although its not possible to return from La Paz airport due to its high altitude we did manage to book a flight with LAN back to Lima, again this wasn't too expensive.
You can see how our actual trip went along with photos here: Peru 2012