Hiking Trails - Inca Trail - Peru

This hike is not for the faint of heart, the Inca Trail is a 42-kilometer trek that takes up over two 13,000-foot passes! Coming down from the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu at sunrise is a great life experience especially for hikers who appreciate the beauty of hiking. The ancient Incas hiked this trail over 650 years ago, and most of the original stonework is still in place. The trail consists of two tunnels created by the Incas, the ancient ruin of Winay Wayna, and many waterfalls.

What did you like about the trip?

As a passionate hiker, I hike a lot and I really love beautiful sceneries. This hiking trail was amazing because you can admire the different agriculture terraces along the route, view the ruined temples and the best part was to arrive at Machu Picchu at sunset and to decent from the Inca Trail into this untouched ancient city. After the hike, I stayed in the town at the foot of Machu Picchu were I enjoyed some hot springs and interacted with the locals.

What are the obstacles?

It takes endurance and stamina! Every time I walked down, I knew there was going to be a climb up, so expect many such climbs due to the agriculture terraces left by the Incas.  Moreover, the high altitude also made the oxygen thin and made it hard to breathe. There are many tracking routes you can choose from and we chose one that required 4 days and 3 nights of camping. Expect the unexpected weather which includes hot and steamy, pouring rain, blazing sun, and occasionally cold. I had to be prepared for every weather possibility while traveling light.

What have you learned from the trip?

Appreciate the culture, appreciate the history, appreciate what nature has to offer.

What gears or tools are essential for the trip?

Definitely needed a good watch. I wore the TWELF-X watch for the trip. This is because it may rain anytime throughout the hike. I would not want to get too wet and risk being sick. I use a TWELF-X watch because it is water-resistant to up to 20 ATM. I need a watch for the hike and cannot risk damaging it with water!

Check out the TWELF-X SKY collection here: https://www.twelfx.com/collections/sky