Short Inca Trail 2 Days
Overview
This is a unique way to see the Andean world by trekking on an ancient Inca Trail. Explore amazing landscape, get in touch with the Andean people by visiting several Andean communities along the trail, observe flora and fauna of the different ecosystems.
Difficulty of the trek: Easy to moderate , good physical conditions.
Day 1: Distance: 10km,-Altitude: 2900 to 3900 mts,-hours 6-camping 3900 mts.
Day 2: Distance: 13km-Altitude: 3800 to 4700 mts-hours 7- hotel Cusco 3300mts.
Ecosystems: Scrub bush vegetation, andean semi dry forest, cloud forest, inter andean valleys. grass land, alpine, glaciers.
Highlights: Some Inca remains.high biodiversity, flora, fauna. Ancient Inca road, sacred mountains, amazing landscape.
Climate: The temperature varies in between below cero C to 2ºC,morning ,night to 20ºC,middle day to 25ºC day,mountain weather sunny to cloudy,windy.
The Inca road system called Capac Ñan (beautiful road or Great Inca road) it was the most extensive and complex ancient system in the new world. It is believed that this main road built it by the Incas was the main net work system that connected the four cardinal points in this part of the world. This sacred road was also part of the Inca empire high way of the Tawantinsuyo( the empire of the four corners).Chinchaysuyo(the north region,Contisuyo( the south region),Collasuyo (the west region) and then the Antisuyo( the east region )ending in the jungles of the unexplored Amazon
It use to run from south to north and from west to the east parts of the Andes with several primary and secondary roads that were connecting several sacred places, Inca cities, shires and administrative places as well military stations.All of them with great scale, beauty and functions, providing also all kind of sources for the people, helping the redistribution and spreading around the messages of the Incas, carried by Inca runners who where coming from the capital Cusco. The Capac ñan was a great web and work system with all the communication well organize with imperials and government messages and member in duty, used by the Inca people .In this way the Incas achieve a well organize empire and only with one language, one religion and one culture ,The Inca culture.
The Capac ñan covered a distance of over 40 thousand kilometers of primary and secundary roads made it by the Incas or added to their sistem from preInca civilizations and over 3000 kilometers long in a territory filled with one of the longest mountain range called the Andes over 9000 kilometers long, one of the densest jungle in the world the Amazon and one of the dries places in the world the dessert of Peru and Atacama. With elevations in between 100 to 5000 mts providing access to different ecosystem and territory estimates in over 5,000,000 square kilometers of territory, where the Incas built and crossed mountains valleys rivers and glaciers. The main road of the Incas was also beginning in the great capital of the Inca empire Cusco or Qosqo (navel of the world).According with the evidence found in this capital .There was the four main roads beginning in the sacred plaza of Aukaipata in the heart of the Inca capital city and used to go to the four directions of the empire ending in the places like the jungle and the high plateau of the Andes. Others covering valleys and then deserts ending close to the ocean.
It went in to places like Ecuador and Colombia in the north .as well to places like Bolivia, Argentina and the deserts of Atacama in between Peru and Chile. To access to those Inca roads it was mandatory to get permissions because many of f those Inca roads were used by members of the high classes and soldiers as well many representers of the government in duty. In some bridges taxes where charged as well many messagers were running through stations to deliver the messages that were connecting the different places.
The most spectacular and scenery road is found near Cusco that connects some sacred cities like Machu picchu, Choquequirao, Vilcabamba, Vitcos, Espiritu pampa.as well Sacred mountains called Apus like the Mythic Ausangante (6384 mts) and the Salcantay (6221mts).Finally some of those Inca trails are connecting communities in the area of Lares and the sacred valley ending some of the in the jungles of the department of Cusco.
itinerary
DAY 1 – Cusco, Huaran, Cancha Cancha
We pick you up in the capital of the Inca Empire and drive northeast for about 2 hours, tour the Sacred Valley and arrive at the small town of Huaran, at 2900 meters and the trailhead lies nearby. We get ourselves ready for the hike, prepare the equipment and load horses and mules with cargo. The hike starts in the Andean semidry forest, where we will see some Andean flora and fauna, typical of that ecosystem. We go up through the different Andean valleys following the Cancha Cancha River with its small waterfalls falls cascading into the Wilkamayu River. We will arrive at the Andean community of Cancha Cancha, at 3900 meters. Our trail will be mostly going up on dirt and gravel paths, some stones stairs, remains of the ancient Inca road. Our camp will be in the grassland area near the village with incredible views of the snow peak Cancha Cancha Casa, at 4984 meters, and the Chicon, at 5530 meters, both are part of the Urubamba Mountain Range. We will enjoy some of the Andean flora and fauna.
DAY 2 – Cancha Cancha, Abra Pachacutec, and Queswarani
We start the day off with a good breakfast then we begin our trail with the incredible views of two glacial lakes, Suirococha and Yuraccocha. From here we will hike a gravel road up to the summit finding incredible grassland fauna and flora along the way. some species to see like the grass called “Ichu Stipa” that was used by the Incas for ropes for the construction of suspension bridges and also to transport some of the rocks from the quarry to the city building sites. We will see Puyas “Puya Densiflora”, some native Queoñas “Polilepis”, some Andean birds such as the Puna ibis “Pklegadis Ridgwayi”, Andean flickers “Colaptes Rupicola” and the Andean goose “Chloephaga Melanoptera”. Amidst the beauty of nature we will continue for 2 to 3 hours to the pass, at 4700 meters, where we will continue on a dirt and gravel trail upwards. When we arrive at the top there will be incredible views of the Urubamba Mountain Range and snow capped peaks “Pitusiray”, 5750 meters, and “Chicon”, 5530 meters.
The descent takes us through a succession of small inter-Andean valleys with original Inca stone paths, part intact and partly gravel and dirt. The views of glacial lakes and Andean grassland are awesome and we soon we reach the scrub bush vegetation or “Andean Semi-dry Forest” ecosystem. When we arrive at the camp we will be greeted by some of native Quechua people . back to Cusco or continue to Machu picchu.
Includes
We Provide and Include: Itinerary transport roundtrip from Cusco-Licensed, Bilingual, history and naturalist Tour Guides-All Itinerary Meals, including vegetarian & snacks, Safety orientation and Equipment for optional activities-First Aid kit and Oxygen-Tour specific Sleeping bags, air mattresses and Expedition grade tents-Dining tent, Cook & Services-Llama,Mules,Horse for tour outfitting,wrangler staff, and emergency or back-up horse-Ecological, portable toilets-All Entrance Tickets-
Note
We can recommend the best and more comfortable hotels or we can take care of the reservations for you.
For adjusting to tour altitude, we suggest one day tours like the Sacred Valley hike,one day River Rafting before the Apurímac River and the City Tour of Cusco hike. As Guides we offer 100% Gauranteed Information, for your sensibilities – about the best specific hotel rooms and services around Peru, like extra windows and other amenities.
What to bring
This is a list designed to advise you what equipment is appropriate to bring according to the weather conditions predominating at the time of your trip:
Jeans and other pants are good as well.as well any clothes that cover the request of being water proof or resistance to water or cold are fine as long they are resistance to the conditions are fine.
- Flashlights (at least one headlamp among them).
- Sun Block; Insect Repellent.
- Towels (Small; cotton and hygienic).
- Rain Gear (Pants and Jacket)
- A couple of pairs of socks, perhaps even an extra pair.
- One pair of trousers for the evening plus two more pairs for trail use (zipp-offs).
- Sandals for River OR DRYSHOES.ASWELL use or CAMP OR HOTEL use (Teva types).
- Low ankle height hiking shoes or regular hiking boots (check the season).
- Reading material.
- Binoculars (always useful regardless of season and activity).
- Bathing Suit.
- Water Bottle (I liter capacity).
- Good Sun glasses, perhaps two sets.
- A bandana for neck protection.
- A couple of sets of underwear (perhaps an extra pair).
- Camera and plenty of film.
- Passport (plus a couple of Xerox copies).
Gallery
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