A Once in a Lifetime Adventure!
A hiking trail in Peru that terminates at Machu Picchu. It consists of three overlapping trails: Mollepata, Classic, and One Day. Mollepata is the longest of the three routes with the highest mountain pass and intersects with the Classic route before crossing Warmiwañusqa (“dead woman”). Located in the Andes mountain range, the trail passes through several types of Andean environments including cloud forest and alpine tundra. Settlements, tunnels, and many Incan ruins are located along the trail before ending the terminus at the Sun Gate on Machu Picchu mountain. The two longer routes require an ascent to beyond 4,200 metres (13,800 ft) above sea level, which can result in altitude sickness.
Concern about overuse leading to erosion has led the Peruvian government to place a limit on the number of people who may hike this trail per season, and to sharply limit the companies that can provide guides. As a result, advance booking is mandatory. A maximum of 500 people are allowed on the trail each day, of which only 200 are trekkers, the rest being guides and porters. As a result, the high season books out very quickly. Trekkers normally take four or five days to complete the “Classic Inca Trail”. The Inca Trail elevation varies quite significantly and people often struggle with altitude sickness, especially if they have not spent much time in Cusco prior to trekking the trail.
The Lares trek is a two or three-day high-altitude hike in Cusco, Peru, starting near the village Lares, approximately 40 miles north of Cusco and 35 miles east of Machu Picchu. The Lares Valley is home to many traditional weavers and farmers and famous for homemade textiles. The Lares trek is one of the main alternatives to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. There are a number of different route itineraries and variations available on the Lares trek. The trek is also far more quiet than the Inca Trail as it is not as well known. The Lares trek is also slightly easier than the Inca Trail, although there are still 3 high passes will trek over, the highest being 4,400 meters.
The Challenge
For this travel challenge you have to trek one of the Inca Trail routes or the Lares Trek and visit Macchu Picchu on the final day!
If you want you can also share your health stats for the days, your overall time in days, your experience and adventures along the way as well as tips and information to help others complete this travel challenge.
Tag @travelmedals on Instagram or Facebook on each picture.
After completing the challenge you can reward yourself with an Inca Trail themed Travel Medal! Good luck!
Click on the medal to be redirected to our store or click here.
Choose G-Adventures for this trip!
No one does the Inca Trail quite like G-Adventures. They combine the cultural highlights of the Sacred Valley with the challenge of one of the world’s best-known hikes. The four-day Inca Trail trek passes through a stunning combination of the region’s ruins, mountainscapes, and cloud forests. Once you catch your first glimpse of Machu Picchu in the early morning light, you’ll know it was all worthwhile. Best of all, since they run their own treks, G-Adventures can ensure the fair treatment of their porters and the quality of food and equipment, so you can relax and enjoy the beauty of the region!
Hiking The Inca Trail | 5 Things We Wish We’d Known
For those who have already added this to their bucket list and need some tips, watch this video by Darren and Stephanie, the Landlocked Lovebirds! They are an ordinary married couple from the landlocked state of Indiana, with a passion for traveling the world! In their 5 years of marriage, they have visited over 20 countries together! Their channel will teach you how they afford to take once-in-a-lifetime travel adventures each and every year by using the art of travel hacking and by staying in some unconventional accommodations. Find out more on their Website, Facebook or Instagram.
