Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [226]
Just below the pass is the beautiful and well-restored ruin of Phuyupatamarka (Town Above the Clouds), about 3600m above sea level. The site contains a beautiful series of ceremonial baths with water running through them. From Phuyupatamarka, the trail makes a dizzying dive into the cloud forest below, following an incredibly well-engineered flight of many hundreds of Inca steps (which can be nerve-racking in the early hours – take extra batteries for your flashlight). After two or three hours, the trail eventually zigzags its way down to a red-roofed white building that marks the final night’s campsite and offers (erratically) hot showers and bottled drinks.
A 500m trail behind the pub leads to the exquisite little Inca site of Wiñay Wayna (also spelled Huiñay Huayna), which is variously translated as ‘Forever Young,’ ‘To Plant the Earth Young’ and ‘Growing Young,’ (as opposed to ‘growing old’). Peter Frost writes that the Quechua name refers to an orchid that blooms here year-round. The semitropical campsite at Wiñay Wayna boasts one of the most stunning views on the whole trail, especially at sunrise, but many say it’s spoiled by the presence of the pub. A few rowdy beers here are traditional with most trail operators, making the obligatory predawn start the next day all the more traumatic. A rough trail leads from this site to another spectacular terraced ruin, called Intipata.
From the Wiñay Wayna guard post, the trail winds without much change in elevation through the cliff-hanging cloud forest for about two hours to reach Intipunku (Sun Gate) – the penultimate site on the trail, where it’s traditional to enjoy your first glimpse of majestic Machu Picchu while waiting for the sun to rise over the surrounding mountains.
The final triumphant descent takes almost an hour. Trekkers generally arrive long before the morning trainloads of tourists, and can enjoy the exhausted exhilaration of reaching their goal without having to push past enormous groups of tourists fresh off the first train from Cuzco.
Regulations & Fees
The Inca Trail is the only trek in the Cuzco area that cannot be walked independently – you must go with a licensed operator. The average price is US$350 to US$500. For more information on Inca Trail pricing, see (Click here).
Only 500 people each day (including guides and porters) are allowed to start the trail, and permits are issued (to trail operators only – you can’t do it yourself) on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to walk the trail between May and August, book at least six months in advance. Outside these months, you may get a permit with a few weeks’ notice, but it’s very hard to predict. To check how many permits are left for a particular date, go to www.nahui.gob.pe, click on ‘ingresar como invitado’, then ‘consultas’, then ‘Disponibilidad Camino Inca’. Then choose a month and click on ‘ver disponibilidad’ to see the number of permits left available for each date.
You must go through an approved Inca Trail operator to get a permit. You will need to provide your passport number to get a permit, and carry the passport with you to show at checkpoints along the trail.
When to Go
Organized groups leave year-round except in February, when the Inca trail is closed for maintenance and it rains so much that nobody in their right mind goes trekking. The coldest, driest and most popular months are June to August. Secure your trekking permit before making detailed plans, as they can sell out months in advance for any date.
For more information on when to go trekking in the Cuzco region, Click here.
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THE INCA JUNGLE TRAIL: BACK DOOR