Inca Trail
Reddit take
Not enough linked mention summaries yet; the source excerpts below are the evidence.
Pros
- My four days and three nights on the Inca Trail are still some of my favorites. I did the trail in my 20s and rocked it. I'm in my 40s now and am probably in better shape. I remember seeing retirement age people doing it and it looked...
- Hike the "Inca Trail" that actually goes to Machu Picchu? You will need to book well in advance because it is very popular and permits are limited.
- If you are ok hiking, the Inca Trail is just magnificent. Walking into the mountains above the clouds and down into lush valleys, visiting archeological sites along the way. It's peaceful, spectacular, and like nothing else.
- But personally, if you can do it, do the full Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu. I can see why you have 5 nights in Cusco, but you don't need it.
- It was amongst the best few days of my life. It's absolutely spectacular. Most of the time it's not too hard, acclimatise as much as you can first and you'll be ok.
Cons
- I honestly would do the Salkantay Trail rather than the Inca.
- I won't be specific about the Inca trail since I'm sure many people have documented it already. However, I wanted to say that Machu Picchu was very underwhelming after spending 7 days getting there, so if you get the chance, at least do...
Sentiment
6 positive (75%) · 1 mixed (13%) · 1 negative (13%)
Trust + time weighted score: +61% · raw score 63%
What redditors said (8 of 8)
My four days and three nights on the Inca Trail are still some of my favorites. I did the trail in my 20s and rocked it. I'm in my 40s now and am probably in better shape. I remember seeing retirement age people doing it and it looked like it hurt. I'm very happy I did it when hitting 13,000 feet above sea level was a fun challenge and I could enjoy the scenery instead of having flashes of death (the exact words of an older person I passed on day two).
Hike the "Inca Trail" that actually goes to Machu Picchu? You will need to book well in advance because it is very popular and permits are limited.
I honestly would do the Salkantay Trail rather than the Inca.
If you are ok hiking, the Inca Trail is just magnificent. Walking into the mountains above the clouds and down into lush valleys, visiting archeological sites along the way. It's peaceful, spectacular, and like nothing else.
But personally, if you can do it, do the full Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu. I can see why you have 5 nights in Cusco, but you don't need it.
It was amongst the best few days of my life. It's absolutely spectacular. Most of the time it's not too hard, acclimatise as much as you can first and you'll be ok.
I won't be specific about the Inca trail since I'm sure many people have documented it already. However, I wanted to say that Machu Picchu was very underwhelming after spending 7 days getting there, so if you get the chance, at least do the Inca trail.
Dude honestly I'd book ahead for MP, especially since you have specific dates in mind. Yeah it's pricey but trying to book last minute in Cusco is such a gamble - the classic trail fills up months in advance and even the alternative routes can be sketchy to get.
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