TREK DETAILS:
- Tour Type: Outdoor adventure, camping in tents, hiking, history, culture, and biodiversity presentations.
- Total Distance Covered: 43KM/26 Miles
- Recommended for: Women with a moderate level of fitness who enjoy outdoor activities such as walking or hiking. This trek is accessible to most healthy women.
- Difficulty: Demanding and challenging. Hiking at high altitude might seem strenuous for some. Proper acclimatization is required.
- Fixed Departures: From April 1st, May 1, June 1, July 1 & 15, August 1 & 15, September 1, October 1.
- Price: From $950USD per person. Based on a 4 people Group
- Our women only tours are 100% flexible and can be rescheduled for any other date in the future at no cost.
- Important Information: Our Women only Inca Trail tours differ in the pricing from our co-ed Inca Trail tours because they will be led by women tour guides and supported by women porters.
INCLUDES:
- Professional, bilingual Female Tour Guide.
- Collection from your hotel.
- Round trip transportation to kilometer 82. Train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. (Expedition train) and bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
- Water (boiled filtered water for drinking for the whole tour).
- Entrance fees to Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
- Meals. 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3-afternoon snacks, 3 dinners, and various snacks to be eaten throughout the day. (Breakfast on day 1 and lunch on day 4 in Aguas Calientes are not included).
- Dining tent with tables and chairs.
- Cook and assistant cook. (We have male cooks as we don’t want women to remain in the kitchen as they do at home)
- Women Porters
- 2 person tent.
- Foam sleeping pads.
- One way bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
- Oxygen bottle.
- First Aid kit.
ITINERARY
Start time
Between 4:30 am and 5:00 am
Travel
Two hours by bus from Cusco to Piskacucho or the famous 82 Km.
Highlights of the day
We will get across the Urubamba river, one of the most important tributaries of the Amazon river. View the Inca Fortress of Huillca Raccay and the Inca city of Llactapata (patallacta). Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Urubamba mountain range and the snow capped peak of Wakay Willca (Veronica) which stands at 5860m/1922ft.
Difficulty level
Moderate. The trail starts at 2720m/8923ft climbing to 3000m/8984 ft, this is a gentle day on Inca Flat.
Meals
Breakfast on way to Piskacucho.
Lunch during hike and dinner at campsite. Vegetarian options are available. Please advise us if you require this option.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at a campsite in the small village of Wayllabamba. The temperature at night is usually around 10°C/50°F.
Other information
Entrance tickets, passports and student ID’s will need to be shown at the start of the trail.
Start time
6:00 am
Highlights of the day
The flora and fauna on this part of the trek is incredibly varied and you will see many birds such as hummingbirds and plants and trees such as the ‘Polilepys ‘ or Q’ueuña tree which grow in the astonishing cloud forest located at 3650/11972m! You will feel a real sense of achievement reaching the top of the pass today.
Difficulty level
Very difficult. A steep and difficult ascent from our campsite at 3000m/10700ft to the highest pass (Abra de Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ at 4200m/13779ft. After a rest we have a 2 hour descent to our campsite at Pacaymayu.
Meals
Breakfast at campsite, lunch on trek and dinner at campsite in evening.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at a campsite at Pacamayu 3550m/11646ft. Temperature around 6°C or 42°F.
Start time
6:00 am
Highlights of the day
Visit the archaeological site of ‘Runcuracay’. Spectacular views of the surrounding mountains from Runkurakay pass. Explore the Inca site of ‘Sayacmarca’ and gazet at the magnificient scenery as you pass through the lovely cloud forest. Visit the Inca site of ‘Phuyupatamarca’ (meaning town in the clouds) and then walk through the impressive agricultural Inca site of ‘Intipata’. This is the most amazing day of the trek.
Difficulty level
Difficult. Climb from 3550m/11646ft to 4000m/13123ft to the second highest point on the trail and then a steep descent to the archaeological site of Sayacmarca and then a further ascent to 3680m/12073ft.
Meals
Breakfast at campsite, lunch on trek and dinner at campsite in evening.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at a campsite at Wiñay Wayna 2680m/8792ft.
Other information
A short distance from this campsite is the Inca site of the same name ‘Wiñay Wayna’ (‘Forever Young’). Even if you are tired after your day’s trek, don’t miss out on visiting the most impressive site on the trail.
Start time
On this last day the wake up time is at 3:30AM. We start the day early in order to allow our porters proper time to pack all our campsite and head down to their train stop to catch their train to Cusco. After a quick early breakfast, we will head to the last checkpoint of the Inca trail where we will wait for about an hour until the gate of the check point opens at 5:30AM.
Highlights of the day
A visit to ‘Inti Punku’ (‘Sun gate’) 2730m/8792ft before sunrise and your first dramatic view of Machu Picchu 2400m/7873ft with the sun rising over it! Please read more about the sunrise at Machu Picchu below.
From the trail a chance to take the famous picture postcard photograph of Machu Picchu. A walking tour (2 hours) of Machu Picchu by your guide. Optional climb of Huayna Picchu 2720m/8923ft (a 45 minute climb to reach the top).
After the tour you are free to wander around the stunning site for yourself and then return by bus or foot to Aguas Calientes. From there you will take the scenic train back to Cusco.
Difficulty level
Moderate. A gentle one hour ascent to Inti Punku and then a 40 minute descent toward Machu Picchu 2400m/7873ft
Meals
Breakfast at campsite. Lunch in Aguas Calientes.
Accommodation
You will be back in Cusco in your own accommodation for this evening.
Other information
What is the sunrise at Machu Picchu? For over 5 decades people visiting Machu Picchu have wanted to arrive there to watch the sunrise. The best time of the year to watch the sunrise at Machu Picchu is during the winter solstice on June 21st of every year. Watching the sunrise is a beautiful thing reserved mainly to the people hiking the Inca Trail during that particular time of the year. However, this event is conditioned to season (summer annand weather changes that might prevent people from doing it. Evolution Treks Peru does not guarantee that you will watch the sunrise at Machu Picchu.
You will be given your train tickets by your guide. The train usually leaves about 2:55 pm and arrives back in Cusco at 7:45 pm although this may be subject to change. You can opt to have an extra night in Aguas Calientes to explore Machu Picchu further and visit the thermal springs in Aguas Calientes.
RESOURCES:
What you need to take
- Original passport (and *International Student card (ISIC) if applicable)
- Travel Insurance is essential
- Walking boots
- Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
- Warm jacket
- Hat and gloves
- T-shirts
- Comfortable trousers
- Sun hat
- Sun protection cream (factor 35 recommended)
- Insect repellent
- Water (Two litters of water minimum)
- Toiletries and hand sanitizer.
- Personal medication
- Camera
- Torch with spare batteries (headlamps are useful)
Optional items to take:
- Shorts
- Walking stick (with rubber tip)
- Plasters and bandages
- Sandals
- Extra money
- Bathing suit (for hot springs in Aguas Calientes. * Optional)
Items for rent.
- Trekking poles 20USD for the pair
- Extra porter to transport your personal belongings to Aguas Calientes. 100USD for 10KGS
- Kosher food. 50USD per person
Other Important Information.
WATER:
- We will supply you with boiled filtered water.
- We do this every day in the mornings before we start hiking and after our lunch breaks.
- Bring a refillable water container or camelback for when you are hiking.
- We strongly advise you to drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Do not attempt to drink water from the streams, rivers or faucets along the trails.
- Do not bring plastic bottled water to our excursions.
- Use only drinkable water to brush your teeth.
TREKKING BOOTS
- We strongly encourage you to wear trekking boots on our treks.
- Please make sure to wear boots that you have already broken in prior to the trek.
- We discourage people from wearing brand new trekking boots. You are more prone to get blisters from wearing brand new boots.
DRUGS, SMOKING AND ALCOHOL
- Smoking is not allowed while on the trek. We want you to have an overall healthy experience while in the mountains.
- We discourage people from heavy alcohol consumption while on the hikes.
- Any type of mind altering substances are discouraged and illegal while on the hikes.
MEALS:
- Breakfast starts at 5:30 AM on most days.
- Please follow the directions of your tour leader regarding meal times and be there on time to avoid eating cold foods or left overs.
- Please let us know if you have a particular dietary request or if you are vegetarian or vegan.
- We cannot provide Kosher alternatives.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
- We recommend that all our customers purchase full coverage travel health insurance plan before coming to Peru. Most airfare engines offer this service at the time of purchasing their flight tickets.
- Yellow fever, malaria or other kinds of inoculation (vaccination) are NOT needed for when you visit Cusco’s Andean region.
- Please let us know of any changes in your health conditions within the first 24 hours of your arrival to Cusco. We want to know your progress to acclimating to high altitude and your adaptation to the local food.