Back in 2012, my hubby and I hiked the 4 day/3 night Classic Inca Trail with Enigma, and it was the best decision of our lives!!! I come to you now, 5 years later, with sound advice on the BEST tour company as well as all the do’s and don’ts of trekking your way to Machu Picchu. Photos are included below!
DO’s
- Acclimate in Cusco for at least 3 days before starting your hike – Most people who start the hike the day (or day after) they first enter high-altitude either don’t succeed or have a very hard time.
- Wear waterproof hiking boots with ankle support
- Break in your hiking boots before your hike
- Pack blister pads just in case!
- Bring VERY warm clothing. I cannot stress this enough. It gets VERY cold. At nights and mornings you will be shivering. Bring a very warm fleece or down jacket. You will regret the next 4 days on your hike if you don’t.
- Pack warm gloves and warm beanie.
- Pack your own snacks and candy from home. Most tour companies do give you snacks for the day, but it is nice to have your own favorite treats handy, such as candy and chocolates. You’ll be happy you have those Sour Patch Kids to snack on. Feels like home, right?
- Get a small baggie of coca leaves before the trek. You never know how the altitude will affect you.
- Bring some ibuprofen. You will be sore. You will be experiencing headaches due to altitude. Ibuprofen will fix all of that.
- Hire a porter to carry your backpack, wearing only your daypack while you hike.
- Bring comfortable/warm shoes to change into once you’re done hiking for the day. Your tired little feet will thank you later.
- Pack a poncho!
- Pack a headlamp
- Bring extra batteries for everything!
- Make sure to have hiking poles.
- If you’ve been prescribed altitude medicine, make sure to try it before getting to high altitude. You never know if you’ll be allergic to it while away from home. I found out the unfortunate way while in Lima heading to high altitude the next day.
DON’TS
- Start your hike the first day or two you enter high-altitude
- Drink the day before your hike
- Wear your hiking shoes for the first time on the trek
- Wear anything too fancy – It will get muddy and dirty … and smelly.
- Hire a budget tour company. You have no idea how many people we passed by complaining about being hungry, not having been fed enough food, with tents that got rained in, with porters being mistreated, or with lack of support for the hikers.
- Assume you are in good enough shape for this hike – practice on the stairmaster & treadmill months before your hike. Your legs have to be strong, and your endurance even stronger. Most of the hike is on stairs, both up and down, and most of them are uneven and slippery. You hike approximately 7-9 hours a day for 3.5 days straight at high altitude.
Why you should hire ENIGMA as your tour guide?
- You have TWO English-Speaking guides. One that stays at the head of the hikers, and one always behind the last hiker. They communicate consistently with radios so everyone is on the same page.
- The food is unbelievable. I am talking 3 courses for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not including a personal snack bag provided to you every morning filled with fresh fruits and other snacks.
- You get woken up with tea and coffee in your tent while you’re busy wiping your body with wet wipes and trying not to freeze.
- You have tea time before dinner every day with a huge supply of tea or coffee and popcorn!
- YOUR OWN PRIVATE TENTED TOILET AT EACH CAMPSITE! (Toilet tent with bio-degradable toilet facilities)
- Because ENIGMA’s responsible operation makes sure to cause a low impact on the environment of the natural protected areas where it runs. They train all their staff in environment policy and, for example, ENIGMA is so far the only Inca Trail Official Operator to run a yearly Inca Trail Clean-Up.
- The hiking itinerary allows you to be ahead of every other hiking group. You hike further than the rest of tour groups on day 1, putting you at a massive head start on day 2 when climbing up to Dead Woman’s Pass. You will feel like you have the entire trail to yourself.
- They pride themselves on amazing porter treatment. They get paid, fed, and sheltered extremely well compared to other porters. Porter welfare is high on Enigma’s list.
- The guides are extremely experienced in high altitude trekking, well educated and some of the friendliest around!
- Their equipment, tents, and sleeping bags are top notch.
- You get warm/clean water and soap every morning, night, and before meals to wash up.
- Train ticket from Machu Picchu down to town of Aguas Calientes included.
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco included as well!
Honestly, if there was any way to trek the Inca Trail in luxury, Enigma is the answer!
Enigma: http://www.enigmaperu.com/
Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (4days/3nights): http://www.enigmaperu.com/en/program/971/classic-inca-trail-to-machupicchu
Xoxo,
Suzy
KraveTheWorld