So you’ve decided to take one of the greatest walks on the planet. The first question to ask yourself always used to be, ‘Am I going to do this with a tour or on my own?’ Sadly, independent trekking in the Machu Picchu
Historical Sanctuary isn’t an option any more as in 2001 the Peruvian government brought in new rules about who can walk the trail and how they can do it. Briefly, you can now walk the trail only with a tour company or in the company of a guide.
I said ‘sadly’, but some of the changes are for the best. In the past there were too many people walking the trail, causing too much damage, litter and erosion, and the regulations will help stop that. This doesn’t mean the end of the road for the independent trekker, as you can still walk to Machu Picchu via the Santa Teresa trek (see p25) or to Vilcabamba (see p25) and Choquequirao (see p26) on your own – just not any of the Inca Trails.
Prices have gone up because of the changes, but the good news is that for an organized trek it’s still pretty good value. Walking the classic Inca Trail now costs from US$270 to US$350 (£145-190) for the four-day trip which works out to be about US$67-87/£35-47 a day. These are the lowest prices but there are also discounts for students.
When and where to book
Nowadays, the first thing you need to think about is making a booking as soon as possible. The days of turning up in Cusco on spec and joining a tour that’s just about to leave are all but over. With the Inca Trail regulations (for more details see box p182), only about 180 tourists are allowed to begin the route each day, and they must have permits to do so, booked and paid up in advance. Competition for permits is fierce and at the busiest time of year (July and August), you might have to book more than three months in advance to get one. The upshot is that you should be looking to make a reservation as soon as you’re sure of a date for your trek – the permits are inflexible and cannot be changed later on.
For most, therefore, it’ll be easiest to make a booking from home over the internet or by phone. Since only licensed Peruvian agencies are entitled to book permits, you’ll be cutting out a middle-man and probably a fat commission if you deal with one of these directly. There are other advantages too: you’ll be in contact from the outset with the people leading your trek and your money will go straight into the local economy, rather than into Western pockets. For a list of operators in Cusco, see box pp140-1; most have their own websites and online booking facilities. Alternatively, there are also lots of tour companies outside Peru who’ll be happy to make arrangements for you, at a price – see pp12-16.
If you’re unlucky with your booking and you don’t manage to secure a permit, there are plenty of other wonderful treks on offer that aren’t subject to the regulations, including the Santa Teresa trek (see p25) which also leads to Machu Picchu, the Vilcabamba trail (see p25) and the Choquequirao trek (see p26), all covered in detail in this book.
Group or private tours
When you make your booking, you’ll need to decide whether you want to be on a ‘group-service’ or a ‘private-service’ trek. Most people plump for the standard group trek, which involves joining a group of up to 16 people. This is a cheap (typically US$270-350) and sociable way of doing the trek, but the downside is that the groups can sometimes feel a bit large and the mix of abilities may mean you have to walk at a slower pace than you enjoy. It’s usually a great way to make new friends, but there’s always a chance that you’re thrown together with people you’d rather not be spending your holiday with.
This won’t happen on a private trek, which is arranged just for you and your chosen companions. If there’s a small number of you, it’s going to be expensive. Two people on a private trek would expect to pay around US$650 each, while four people might pay around US$450 per person. For larger groups the differences aren’t so great: parties of six to nine will cost around US$350 per head, ten to twelve about US$325, and thirteen to sixteen (the maximum) US$300. You’ll probably be treated to better service and added comforts for the extra outlay than group trekkers will receive. A private trek is also the surest guarantee of getting a place because the tour agency is able to reserve permits as soon as you book because the numbers are fixed (agencies have to book permits for the entire group in one go). With group-service tours, agencies tend to wait as long as possible to build up numbers before bagging the permits; very occasionally they wait too long and miss the boat – there are no permits left and your trek gets cancelled.
Just the ruins
You can, if you don’t want to do the walk, just visit the ruins. Most of the companies mentioned below do straightforward tours to Machu Picchu, and you need never see a pair of hiking boots and a rucksack.
It’s as easy to get to the ruins by public transport as it is to get to the trailheads. A passenger train runs regularly between Cusco and the valley floor below Machu Picchu (see p293). From the valley floor there’s a bus up to the ruins.
Tour operators and trekking agencies
Agencies in Cusco usually charge about US$270-350/£145-190 for the standard four-day trek to Machu Picchu, although there are some cheaper options – see box pp140-1 for more information. Alternatively, travel companies at home can sort everything out for you; prices are in the region of US$2160-4320/£1500-3000 and tours range from two to three weeks. The Peruvian consulate in your home country (see p299) can supply you with the names and telephone numbers of other operators.
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