Cusco. Today is a free day to relax, acclimatise and enjoy all that this town has to offer. You may want to take a guided city tour in the afternoon, or simply unwind and enjoy the markets, cafes and bars.

Overnight Cusco.

Departure to Inca Trail or Lares Trek. Clients will be booked on one of these 4 day treks to Machu Picchu depending on permit availability and their preference. Kumuka will advise you on availability at the time of booking.

Inca Trail. Ollantaytambo  to Wayllabamba.  7.30am departure to the head of the trail, enjoying breakfast en-route. On this first day we trek for around 2-3 hours through spectacular scenery as the trail continues to climb steadily upwards from 2380m to 3000m, simultaneously enjoying magnificent views of Mount Veronica in the distance, before stopping for lunch. After our break we hike for a further 3 hours towards the picturesque village of Wayllabamba, camping near here for our first night.

Total 14kms / 7 hours trekking

OR

Lares Trek. Cusco - Quishuarani (Lares) - Cuncani - Yanacocha 3800m.
Our private bus leaves Cusco at 05.30 for a scenic drive through the Sacred Valley, passing through Pisac, then stopping for a brief break and the chance to buy last minute snacks in Calca. Departing Calca around 06:45 we head off for the scenic drive to Quishuarani (3,700m /12,150 ft) which is the starting point for the trek. Along the way you will be able to observe small Andean communities, spectacular mountain landscapes, herds of llamas and alpacas plus campesinos (people of the local villages) in colorful costumes as is traditional with all villages around Lares major district. A box breakfast will be served en route around 9am, and we'll arrive into Quishuarani before 10am, where we will meet our horses, handlers and trek staff. We commence our beautiful trek through the Andes with a gentle climb from 3700m to 4200m before arriving at Queuña Cocha lagoon where we can observe Mount Sawasiray (5400m) and Colque Cruz (5600m). There is then a short, steeper climb to our first pass, Hualcacasa (4400m) where Mount Veronica (5700m, a sacred Apu mountain in this Valley) can often be observed in the high mountains, after which we descend for 30 minutes to reach our lunch destination beside the picturesque 'seven lagunas'. Following lunch we descend for a further 30 minutes through the community of Cuncani, then gradually ascend beautiful hillsides for 2 hours to reach our second pass, Qolqecasa (4200m). 30 minutes descent from here past lagunas and waterfalls till we arrive at Yanacocha, our campsite for the night around 4.30pm.
Walking distance approx 14km (6-7 hours)

Inca Trail. Pacamayo to Winaywayna.  An exceptionally beautiful day trekking along a paved Inca Trail. Today should be easier on your lungs as there are a lot more descents than ascents! Leaving our campsite we ascend steeply, passing the ruins of Runkuracay believed to have been a resting place for couriers on the Inca Trail hundreds of years ago. We cross the Abra de Runkuracay Pass, situated at 3500m, descending into another valley. At this point the trail changes from being a dirt track to the original flagstoned Inca Trail. We pass Sayacmarca ruins and the trail undulates. We cross a third pass at Puyupatamarca, and descend via around 2000 stone stairs to our campsite at Winaywayna at 2700m. There is a hostel near our campsite where you can enjoy a hot shower (5 Soles) as well as a bar and restaurant where you can purchase bottled water. We recommend you take care of your personal belongings at this particular campsite as all groups camp here together.

OR

Lares Trek. Mantanay 3900m -Yanahuara 2700m
After breakfast we start our walk at 7:30 am with a much easier day ahead as we descend to a lower altitude & enjoy amazing views of part of Moray Maras and Salineras, mountains and the queuñas bush valley. You will notice the sudden change of weather and environment & observe local campesinos farming different crops of corn, potatoes and local vegetables to sell later in villages in the Sacred Valley. This walk will take approx 4 hours to reach the picturesque village of Yanahuara where we enjoy the last lunch in our trek and say farewell to our staff, horses, handlers, cooks and assistants. A private bus will then take us for the 30 minute ride to Ollantaytambo train station where we will board the train for the 2 hour trip with our tour guide to Machupicchu town, Aguas Calientes.

Walking distance approx 12km, night and dinner at our hostal.

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs as smoothly as possible but please note that Latin America does not run like clockwork, therefore do not expect the streamlined travel arrangements associated with some other continents. Things do not always go to plan; there will be times when you will need to be patient and philosophical about your travels. Conditions in South America can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary.

CONTINGENCY FUND:
Protests and civil unrest occasionally take place in South America, namely Peru and Bolivia. Occasionally this might mean that we have to fly between two destinations in order to continue the tour. We strongly recommend that you bring along a contingency fund (as a guide we suggest USD300) or a credit card to cover any unexpected additional travel costs that may arise in these circumstances.

Be flexible, you will enjoy your tour much more. Kumuka makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country you visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect.

Lastly, your tour leader is always conscious of everybody's views, but sometimes he/she will have to make an unpopular decision and your understanding will be appreciated in these circumstances.

All passengers require the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. 

All passengers MUST bring:

1.   Passport

2.   Vaccination Certificate

3.   Travel Voucher

4.   Travel Insurance Policy

Permits are required for all travellers who wish to trek the Inca Trail. We cannot apply for this until you have provided us with your full name, nationality, passport number and date of birth. Without a permit you are not permitted to walk the Inca Trail.

500 trekkers, porters, cooks and guide are permitted to pass through the control point every day. Once this quota is full, no further permits are issued.

During high season (May to October) permits can be sold out several months in advance. We urge you to book 3-4 months ahead of your proposed Inca Trail date during high season. During low season (November to April) it is often possible to obtain permits at short notice, however, to avoid disappointment we advise you to book as far in advance as possible.

Once we have obtained your permit, no changes can be made. If you change your passport details, wish to change the date or have provided us with incorrect details, your original permit becomes invalid.  If we have to re-apply for a permit on your behalf, you must be aware that there is no guarantee that we can obtain this. Additionally, we are unable to apply for a new permit until you have paid a further deposit. You must carry your original passport with you on the trail.

The Inca Trail is closed to trekkers for the month of February every year. If you wish to visit Machu Picchu during this month, you can still do so on our “2 Day Classic Train” trip.

From April 2009 no Peru Rail trains will be running from Aguas Calientes all the way to Cusco. Trains will either run from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo or Aguas Calientes to Poroy. From Ollantaytambo or Poroy to Cusco, a bus transfer service will be provided. Poroy to Cusco is around 20 minutes.

We suggest you take a 1.5 litre bottle of water on the first day and then you can refill this on the trek. We boil water each night, which is available after breakfast each morning for your water bottles. We still suggest you take water purification tablets or filters for any unboiled water you take directly from streams or waterfalls etc. You can buy water along the first day of the trek, for the first few hours of Day 2 and the afternoon of Day 3 at the hostel at Wiñaywayna.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. It must be valid for at least six months after the end of your tour and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate.

PLEASE NOTE IF YOUR TOUR INCLUDES THE INCA TRAIL, KUMUKA MUST HAVE YOUR FULL NAME, PASSPORT DETAILS AND DATE OF BIRTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO SECURE YOUR TREKKING PERMIT. ALL PERMITS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.

The Inca Trail can be undertaken by anyone of average fitness, however, it must be stressed that this is a demanding trek at altitude. Whilst you may be accustomed to trekking over 10kms a day in your home country, it is unlikely that these treks that you have previously undertaken have been at significant altitude. It is important not to underestimate the effect that altitude can have on your body, and whilst most travellers experience nothing more than breathlessness for the first few days, and perhaps a mild headache, occasionally more serious altitude-related complications can occur.

We advise you to spend at least 2-3 days in Cusco prior to the start of your trek in order to acclimatise. Eating lightly for the first day or two, as well as drinking plenty of bottled water and getting some rest upon arrival will all help with acclimatisation. Should you feel ill prior to commencing the Inca Trail we urge you to contact our local agent SAS, as medical facilities on the trail are non-existent and your return to hospital facilities in Cusco may take up to a day.

However, most travellers complete the Inca Trail with nothing worse than tired legs, aching feet (which can be helped by a soak in the hot springs at Aguas Calientes) and certainly with a great sense of personal achievement!
Should you have reservations about trekking the Inca Trail but wish to visit Machu Picchu and the surrounding area we recommend that you take our "2 Day Classic Train" trip.

Introduction

This is a moderate to strenuous hiking trek to the Lost City of Machu Picchu. The gateway for this trek is Cuzco, where passengers leave their luggage at the hotel and only need to take their mats, sleeping bags and personal items necessary for the duration of the excursion (4 days).

Porters

Porters are included. General porters carry tents, food, cooking equipment. We also include personal porters for approx 7kgs per person. They carry sleeping bags, clothes etc. You need to carry a day pack with water bottle, jacket, camera etc. As porters are split between group members, 7kgs is a rough guide as to the weight that a personal porter will carry. Additionally, it may sometimes be possible to hire extra porters on Day 2 (the most difficult day of the trek) if you require, to carry day packs etc to second campsite. Approx cost is USD25 - this is not organised through Kumuka or our ground handler. Foam sleeping mats are provided by the ground handler, weighing 800g and counted as part of the 7kgs carried by personal porters.

Tipping

Tipping is entirely at your discretion although it is commonplace for trekkers to tip their guides and porters on the during the Inca Trail and Lares treks. We recommend you carry approximately USD50-60 to cover the tipping tradition.

Itinerary and Distances

This is a guideline to the average distances and altitudes during the Inca Trail (please note all the information is a guideline only and every person must judge their own physical condition personally). Should you believe you are not fit enough for this hike, you can go to Machu Picchu by train, please advise your tour leader.

• Day 1 - trailhead to first camp Huayllabamaba (2700 m), distance 13 km, an average hiking time 7 hours with stops.
• Day 2 - hardest day, ascending to 4200m, distance 15KM, average hiking time 8 hours with breaks.
• Day 3 - very scenic day with many Ruins en route, distance 14 KM, camp at Winaywayna 2700m. 7-8 hours hiking.
• Day 4 - start in the dark to get to Machu Picchu at sunrise, 3 hours hike and free morning to explore Machu Picchu. If you wish to climb Wayna Picchu, please co-ordinate this with your guide as the park has restricted climbing times and numbers to  An ascent of the nearby Huayna Picchu mountain offers fantastic views of the city of Machu Picchu and some great photos as well. If you wish to guarantee your permit, this must be booked in advance. Return to Aguas Calientes (bus down from Machu Picchu payable locally). For those who have hired personal porters, blue sacks will be given out a lunchtime for you to transport your belongings back to Cusco. Train back to Ollantaytambo.

Permit Availability

Availability of Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu permits is limited, particularly during high season when the number of tourists wishing to walk the Inca Trail is greater than the number of permits available. Whilst we will endeavour to organise an Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu permit for you, these are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. In the event that permits for the Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu are unavailable, we will advise you as soon as possible about the two possible alternatives for reaching Machu Picchu 1- The 4 day Lares trek and 2- The 2 day Classic Train trip. Our website tour departure dates are updated frequently to indicate availability or non-availability of Inca Trail permits, however, permit availability can change with little warning: whilst we endeavour to keep this information as current as possible, we cannot guarantee permit availability.

Passport Details

Please ensure that you provide Kumuka with your passport details at the time of booking. Failure to do so may mean that you miss out on an Inca Trail permit as these can sell out very quickly. Kumuka will apply for your Inca Trail permit with the passport details which you provide us at the time of booking. If you hold more than one passport you must advise Kumuka which passport details we should use in order to apply for the Inca Trail permit.

Pre-payment of Inca Trail deposit
The cost of the Inca Trail deposit  must be paid in full at the time of booking. This is in addition to the tour deposit and is non refundable. Inca Trail permits will be applied for ONLY once full payment of deposit,  and written confirmation of your full name, passport number and date of birth have been received. These deposits are  included in the total tour price, and this amount will be deducted from the tour balance once paid.  Please refer to http://www.kumuka.com/Inca-Trail-News.aspx for more information.

Late Permit Applications
Late Inca Trail permit applications may occasionally incur an extra charge as we may need to organise an additional guide and pay for their trekking permit in order to secure your permit. We will advise you at the time of booking.

Changes and Amendments
Note that fees apply if you need to make changes and/ or amendments to your Inca Trail permit due to factors such as passport loss or renewal, illness, failure to provide Kumuka with correct details, date changes and tour transfers. For full information, please refer to:  http://www.kumuka.com/Inca-Trail-News.aspx

No Permit Availability
We can normally arrange the alternative 4 day Lares trek. Lares departures generally coincide with high season. Due to lesser demand and inclement weather, departures on the Lares Trail are limited during the low season. If there is no availability for either the Inca Trail or the Lares trek, we can normally arrange for you to spend 2 extra days in Cusco and then take the 2 day Classic Train trip to Machu Picchu, where you will meet with your original group for the guided visit to Machu Picchu. Please note that if we are unable to secure you an Inca Trail permit and you do not wish to hike the alternative Lares trek or take the Classic Train trip, your deposit will be returned to you.

High Season/ Low Season Information
November to March is considered low season. We can often obtain permits at short notice during this time. April to October is considered high season. We require your passport details as far in advance as possible during this time. The trail is closed during the month of February for maintenance. If your tour coincides with the Inca Trail closure, we can normally offer Lares or the Classic Train.

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Note: You need to take at least 150.00 Soles extra emergency money as there are no ATM´s in Aguas Calientes and higher commission is charged on Travellers’ Cheques.

Most passengers will travel with digital cameras. Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.

With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in South America. However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission. Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated. It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

Tour Questionnaire - We would like to hear about your experiences on tour. One week after your tour ends you will automatically receive a feedback questionnaire via email. If we do not have your email address you can still complete a questionnaire by visiting www.kumuka.com/feedback

Email - If you have any specific comments about your tour then please write to us by email to operations@kumuka.com