Inca Quarry Trail (4 Days)
Inca Quarry Trail (4 Days)
Please contact us to find out prices and book a tour.
The trip at a glance
Start: Cusco Duration: 4 Days
Finish: Cusco Group size: Max 16
Maximum altitude: 4,450m
Difficulty Rating: 3/5
Is this trip right for you?
We will be trekking at high altitude. Some people may suffer from altitude sickness. Altitude sickness can affect anyone regardless of fitness level or age. However our guides will share ways to mitigate these symptoms such as staying hydrated and limiting alcohol intake.
There will be early morning starts.
You will need to bring suitable clothing for trekking. You need hiking boots, comfortable outdoor clothing and warm waterproof gear.
The hiking options require a moderate level of fitness as we walk for up to 8 hours a day on mountain paths. Your duffel bag will be carried for you, however you will need to carry a small day pack with your daily water, jacket and snacks.
Inclusions
Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinner
Accommodation: 2 nights with basic camping facilities, 1 night in twin or double room in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Activities: Entrance to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail permits.
Transport: Train to and from Aguas Calientes, bus to and from Machu Picchu, private minivan to the start of the trek.
Expert guide: Professional, English-speaking, qualified guide.
Radios: For coordination of logistics, customer safety, our crew and guide are in constant communication throughout the trek.
Oxygen tank: To deal quickly with any high altitude issues (only used in emergencies).
First Aid Kit: To deal quickly with immediate basic first care.
Tents: We provide 2-person tents suitable for all kinds of weather.
Inflatable hiking mats: For your comfort in the tents, waterproof and insulated.
Dining equipment: For meals we have a tent, table, chairs, tablecloths, dishes, glasses, cutlery.
Kitchen staff: Specialized cook, trained in food hygiene, can accommdate dietary requirements.
Porters: Helpful, local crew with extensive experience that will carry your bags and other equipment for you.
Duffel bags: We lend these to you to carry up to 5kg of clothes and other essentials.
Day 1 - Cusco
In the early morning you start on your 26 km hike that reaches 4,450 m above sea level. You will be given a duffel bag which can take 6 kg of gear, the rest of your bag will be held safely at the hotel in Cusco. The porters will carry your duffel bag ahead of you on the walk and you can access them each night when you arrive at the camp. You will need a daypack to carry your water, snacks, sunscreen and anything you may want to use during the day.
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco, and take a private minivan to Rafqà where we start our hike and meet our chef and porters. You'll receive a full briefing from your expert guide, who will also collect passport, insurance and next of kin information from you. Along the way we will stop at Chonquequilla, an archelogical site where the Incas worshipped the moon. We walk all morning past small local farming families and beautiful vistas to our first campsite at 3,700 m above sea level. Nearby the campsite there is the archaeological site of Q'orimarca that we can explore after relaxing over lunch.
Inclusions
Accommodation: Camping in a 2 person tent with an inflatable mattress.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Activities: Expert English speaking guide, professional chef and porters.
Transport: Private minivan to the start of your trek.
Day 2 - Trekking
Today we embark on the most challenging day of the hike. In the late morning we will cross the mountain pass of Pucca Qasa. Here you can enjoy sweeping views across the valley. We walk across a saddle before crossing the second mountain pass of Kuychicassa at 4,450 m above sea level (the highest we will go on this trek). We descend to our second campsite for the night.
Inclusions
Accommodation: Camping in a 2 person tent with an inflatable mattress.
Meals: Breakfast,lunch and dinner.
Activities: Expert English speaking guide, professional chef and porters.
Day 3 - Trekking
Today we complete the downhill walk to the end of the trail. We pass the Kachiqata quarry, which lies unfinished because of the Spanish invasion. We return to Ollantaytambo where we take the glass roofed tourist train to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Town. The train has spectacular views of the high mountains and flowing river. You will have the afternoon to relax or explore the town of Aguas Calientes which is nestled in the mountains with a beautiful river running along the length of the town.
Inclusions
Accommodation: A night in a twin or double hotel room in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Activities: Expert English speaking guide, professional chef and porters.
Transport: Glass roofed tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
Day 4 - Machu Picchu
We have an early rise of 4:30am to make the sunrise over Machu Picchu and beat the heat of the day. We take the 30 minute tourist bus up the winding mountain to Machu Picchu. Here we can find a spot to sit and take it all in. Watch the mist roll through the mountains around the Machu Picchu citadel and the sunrise over the ancient city. Now we have the time to take a private tour with your guide who will bring the city to life with his expert knowledge of this new wonder of the world.
we travel back to Ollantaytambo on the glass roofed tourist train then onto Cusco in a private minivan. That's the end of the trip, celebrate your successful completion of the Inca Quarry Trail or head straight off to your next adventure!
Inclusions
Meals: Breakfast.
Activities: Exploring Machu Picchu with your private English speaking guide.
Transport: Return tourist bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, Glass roofed tourist train to Ollantaytambo, Private minivan to Cusco.