Duration: 4 Days/3 Nights
Difficulty: Moderate
Start/End Point: Cusco
Price: From $675 USD
Overview:
WITH VERY FEW TOURISTS, THE INCA QUARRY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU IS ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN ALTERNATIVE TREKKING OPTIONS.
Winding through the rock quarry where the Inca gathered stones, this challenging trek is designed for those who wish to get off the beaten path. See and experience different ecosystems with a wide variety of birds, flowers, and plants while experiencing the ancient culture in remote, small villages, hardly ever seen or visited by foreigners.
This is a full-service trek where you only carry a day pack. All gear, food, and tents are carried by porters and pack animals.
PRICE
2 Trekkers (Private): $1000 USD per person
3+ Trekkers: $675 USD per person
Only your $200 non-refundable deposit is due to reserve your space! Final payments are due 30 days before your trek.
Includes:
✓ Transportation from end to end
✓ English speaking guide
✓ All meals as listed (can accommodate dietary restrictions with proper notice)
✓ Duffle bags for items to be carried by porters (up to 15lbs/7kilos per person).
✓ Clean water at every meal stop
✓ Accommodation at a 3 star hotel in Aguas Calientes
✓ All entrance fees and permits
✓ Tents – 2 people/tent (single occupancy available for additional charge)
✓ Sleeping Mat
✓ Basic First aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
Does not include:
X Gratuity for staff
X Accommodation in Cusco
X Airfare
X Travel insurance
X Lunch & Dinner Day 4
X Walking sticks (available for rent for $12)
X Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb (can be reserved in advance available for additional fee of $85 per person)
X Sleeping Bag (can be rented for $30)
Full Itinerary
DAY 1: CUSCO- SOQMA
Hiking time: 6-7 hours (including breaks and photo ops!)
- We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and head for the trail! This trek starts in a community where you’ll have time to chat with some locals while our staff packs the equipment.
- Today’s hike is mostly uphill and pretty challenging, but the scenery can’t be beat. We’ll pass a tall a waterfall on the way to our destination for the day – a mysterious cliff-top Inca Site called Perolniyoc.
- After enjoying the unbelievable view, we’ll continue on up the mountain to our campsite for dinner and good night’s sleep.
Walking Distance: 10km/6 miles
Elevation: Walking from 3,200m/9,842ft to 3,700m/12139ft
Difficulty: Challenging, uphill
Weather: Cold in the morning, warm afternoon, windy
DAY 2: SOQMA – INCA QUARRY
Hiking time: 7-8 hours (including breaks and photo ops!)
- Today is the day to test your high-altitude fitness! We have a 3 hour climb to the first mountain summit – Soqma – where you’ll be rewarded with the sight of the full Sacred Valley below. A short 15 minute walk from here will take us to our delicious Peruvian lunch.
- Just when you think the views can’t get better, we’ll hike on rocky switchbacks to our second summit overlooking the rock quarry and the incredible Andes.
- We’ll finish the afternoon with an easy hike to our campsite in the middle of the rock quarry where you’ll find partially shaped ancient Inca stones. Don’t worry though – our sleeping pads are thick enough to give you a good night’s sleep even on the rocky terrain.
Walking Distance: 14 km/9miles
Elevation: 3700m/12139ft to 4450m/14600ft to 3600m/11811ft
Difficulty: Difficult, uphill most of the way. Steep switchbacks downhill.
Weather: Cold in the morning, warm afternoon, windy
DAY 3: INCA QUARRY – AGUAS CALIENTES
Hiking time: 3-4 hours (including breaks and photo ops!)
- After a challenging few days, today will be a breeze with our short, downhill walk to the Ollantaytambo train station.
- We’ll kick up our heels for a scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes where you’ll check into a hotel and have a nice hot shower and comfy bed for the evening.
- We’ll have dinner together in town to celebrate your accomplishment
Walking Distance: 5km/3miles
Elevation: 3600m/11811ft to 2040m/6693ft
Difficulty: Easy, down hill.
Weather: Warm; chance of rain.
Day 4 – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
- Today is the highlight of the trek. We recommend waking up early to catch the first bus around 5:30am. After entering Machu Picchu, you will have a two-hour guided tour of the most important sites in the city.
- Following the tour, there will be free time to explore the site at your own pace or do any of the short alternative treks to the Inca Bridge or the Sungate. If you purchased a ticket in advance to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, you will complete those hikes at this time (tickets to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain are NOT included and must be purchased separately).
- At the designated time, your guide will meet you down in the village of Aguas Calientes to pick up your duffel bags from the hotel and take you to the train station for your ride back to Ollantaytambo. A private van will take you back to your hotel in Cuscso from the train station.
Walking distance: varied! You can spend as much time as you like exploring Machu Picchu city or taking an additional hike.
Elevation: 2400/7874ft
Difficulty: Moderate. Machu Picchu city is large and requires many trips up and down stairs to see it all.
Weather: Hot and humid (bring a lot of water and rain gear)
