Located in the department of Cuzco, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
is Peru's most popular trekking route and possibly one of the most
spectacular walks in the Americas. It forms part of the more than 23,000
km of roads built by the Incas across South America. Each year, some
25,000 hikers from all over the world walk the 43 km stone-paved trail,
built by the Incas to get to the impregnable citadel of Machu Picchu,
deep in the Cuzco cloud forest.
The trail sets out from Qorihuayrachina, at Kilometer 88 of the Cuzco-Quillabamba
railway, and takes three to four days of tough hiking. The route runs
through an impressive range of altitudes, where climates and eco-systems
range from the high Andean plain down to the cloud forests. The trail
climbs up through two highland passes (the higher of the two,
Warmiwañuska, lies at 4,200 masl) before reaching Machu Picchu through
the Inti Punku or Gateway of the Sun. One of the attractions of the
trail is that it winds past carved granite Inca settlements (Wiñay Wayna,
Phuyupatamarca), and is surrounded by breath-taking natural scenery. The
forests abound in hundreds of species of orchids, brightly-colored birds
and dream-like landscapes, the ideal complement to this indispensable
hikers' route.
Machu Picchu was connected with the city of Cusco and the rest of the
Inca empire by amazing trails, specifically designed for the use of the
Inkas in a perfect harmony with the flora and fauna of the area. It has
to be said that they had an absolutely wonderful knowledge of
architecture and construction. Throughout the whole trail you can locate
some shelters surrounded by gorgeous country sites and great views, some
of the trails lead you to a few archeologycal rests. The Inca Trail to
Machu Picchu is known as the most famous and tough hiking circuit all
over South America, because of the conjuntion of different elements that
it offers to its visitors.
The Inca Trail is approximately 32 km long . Starts at Km 88, off the
railway line. It passes several archeological ruins along the route. At
the same time, it crosses 9 different ecological areas which are located
between 2000 and 6000 metres above the sea level.The trail is occupied
by more than 400 species of orchids, begonias, trees and bushes such as
the Queña (Polylepis racemosa), the Pisonay (Eritrina falcata), the Muña
(Minthostachys glabrecens) and some more. It also hosts a huge fauna.
Many of the 400 birds registered in the sanctuary can be found in the
forests, like the Rocky Cock (Rupícola peruviana) and the Mountain
Turkey ( Penelope montagnii). Along the rivers, the "river duck" (Merganetta
armata) can be found , the majesctic cóndor (vultur gryphus) can be seen
flying over this unique area. The cucarachero inka (Thryothorus
eisenmanni) is the representative bird of this area.
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