Inca Trail Day One: Ollantaytambo to Ayapata

Day one on the Inca Trail started early for Debbie and I. But not as early as it did for the rest of our Alpaca Expeditions group.  

Back when I first started to research the ins and outs of the Inca Trail one of the first things I learned was that the overwhelming majority of tour groups will pick up their people in Cusco. 

Located in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Cusco is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. It is also the ancient capital of the Incas. As such it is the starting point for anyone looking to visit the Lost City of Machu Picchu. 

Unlike most, however, Debbie and I would not be simply visiting Machu Picchu, we would be hiking into it. 

The classic Inca Trail route to Machu Picchu is 45km long (28 miles). It typically takes 4 days to complete. The highest point is Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215m (13,828 feet). 

Arriving in the Sacred Valley

Because of the elevation involved, hikers traditionally arrive in Cusco at least a couple of days in advance to acclimate.  Debbie and I arrived three full days before starting the Inca Trail. There is so much to do in the Sacred Valley and so much wonderful food to try. It was definitely worth it.

Because we had enough time, we decided to ask that our tour guide pick us up in Ollantaytambo. This is the town from where the train to Machu Picchu departs. It’s also near the starting point for the Inca Trail itself. Doing this saved us a VERY early morning two hour drive from Cusco. We got to arrive the day before, following a full day of explorations in the Sacred Valley. We slept in a bit, had a proper breakfast and began our adventure bright eyed and bushy-tailed. 

The Inca Trail: Picking the right expedition company

Also, because I know someone will ask. No. There is no way to hike the Inca Trail without a guide. You can hire a private guide and porters for yourself, your friends and family. But the guide is mandatory under Peruvian law. Part of this is for safety. This is no walk in the park. But at the end of the day it’s also about job creation in a very poor part of the world. 

Every trekking group no matter how “basic” includes a large number of porters. The porters carry trekkers bags and set up camp. There is also a chef that travels with the group. It’s quite cushy as camping setups go.

There are to be sure a multitude of options. Which is why you need to be careful to pick a reputable company with safety at the forefront. That includes carrying oxygen and satellite phones if necessary. For us, I chose Alpaca Expeditions. Alpaca Expeditions is Peruvian-based and owned. They also prioritize the health and care of their porters. This was very important to me based on a lot of things I had read regarding the frequent exploitation of porters on the Inca Trail.

The Classic Inca Trail: Which route to pick?

Confident in the choice I had made for us, Debbie and I joined our group just after 7am. We were then taken by bus to the official starting point for the Classic Inca Trail. There are other routes that have popped up over the years. The other two, Salkatanay and Lares are said to be much more solitary. This is certainly appealing. But they don’t arrive directly in Machu Picchu. Rather they require an overnight in Aguascalientes and a bus ride into the ancient citadel itself. The Classic route remains the only one that will take you into Machu Picchu via the famous Sun Gate.

The Sun Gate is the same entrance used by the Incas centuries ago. It is part of the reason this trail is the most popular, and the most crowded. But trust me when I say it’s worth it. And there are ways to get around the crowds. One is to sign up with Alpaca expeditions. Unlike most tour operators they follow an alternate itinerary that squeezes two mountain passes into one day. This is the tougher option. But it also means that we stay at different campsites on the first two nights. Because of that our timing is different. The number of other groups we encounter along the way is reduced to the few others doing the same thing. 

Deep breaths: Climbing up to 3,300m

Today that different itinerary meant we were getting underway a bit later than most. Our day would be on the shorter end. At nearly 14km (9 miles) in length, it took around six hours to hike from our starting point in Piscokucho to our campsite in Ayapata. I wish I could tell you how long exactly. But as usual, I forgot to start my watch until we were a ways in and then my battery died. Typical. 

My inattention can be attributed to to things. One, I’m always a spaz on day one of any new adventure. Two, starting at a lung-busting elevation of 2,700 meters (8,900ft) this Chicago girl was, from the start, more focused on breathing than on her GPS watch.

Also, Debbie and I are now a part of a group of over a dozen trekkers. We spent the first few hours on the trail, chatting and introducing ourselves to each other. There is a young couple from Australia, four Indian guys from Chicago (yes, really), four guys from Argentina and us. We also have two guides, Marizol and Javier. They are both very nice. They really know their stuff. Right off the bat they peppered us with the history of the region and the Inca Trail itself. 

A history lesson and our first archeological site

It is a fascinating history. The Inca Trail is, much like the Camino a Santiago an ancient pilgrimage route. It is one that was traversed by the Inca Royals and other assorted VIP’s as they traveled between Cusco and Machu Picchu.  

The details are sketchy. This is because unlike the Aztecs or the Mayans, the Incas did not leave behind a written history. So much of it is guesswork. 

What we do know is that this ancient trail was laid out in stone, guiding the way for those on it. Today however the first few miles on the Inca Trail are nothing more than a dirt trail. The reason for that is the Incas destroyed it shortly the Spaniards arrived in Peru in 1526. Because of this, the invading armies never found Machu Picchu; which at this point was only around a century old itself. The city and the trail remained lost for hundreds of years. It was known only to the locals until Yale Professor Hiram Bingham re-discovered the site in 1911.

Camping in style…the first of three fantastic stops along the Inca Trail

These are the tales we were told as we made our way to our first campsite. It was a route that included a lunch stop where we indulged in the first of our many amazing chef-made meals. We also stopped at what will be the first of many archeological sites that dot the trail. For while Machu Picchu is the ultimate destination, it is hardly the only Inca site we will visit during the next four days. 

Our campsite tonight has a lovely view of the valley. The tents are already set up by the time we arrive. Now we know why we had the extra long lunch break. Being a short walking day, our porters needed time to get ahead of us and have everything ready. That includes our tents, a kitchen tent, a dining tent and of course, the all important bathroom tents.

Below is the exact itinerary we are following on this trip:   

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Today’s Stats

Distance: 14km (9mi)

Starting Elevation: 2720m (8923ft)

Finishing Elevation: 3300m (10,829ft)

Duration: 6hrs approx