FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS

WHERE DO WE HAVE TO MEET TO START OUR TOURS?
We pick you up from the Airport to welcome, for that we need to know the flight number and the time you will arrive in Cusco. Then we take you to your accommodation and give you directions where to meet us in our office to give you the tour orientation, and the advice to hike safe.
 
WHEN DO I NEED TO MAKE A TREK RESERVATION?
As far in advance as possible. The government has strictly limited the number of people permitted on the Inca Trail (permits are issued to about 200 trekkers per day plus 300 porters). We therefore recommend that you try to make your Inca trail reservation as far in advance as possible as soon as you know the dates of your international flights. The list of available trek spaces is shown on our Inca trail main page and is updated 2 or 3 times a week. As long as dates are shown available then you can make a trek booking. Dates that have been removed are either fully booked or because there are a limited number of trek permits remaining on a specific day have dropped to a dangerously low level so we have stopped taking further bookings (even though the group is not full) and have had to buy the trek permits for the group. We have included recommendations below, as a guide as to when to make a trek booking.

Nov, Dec, Jan and March: Reservation should be made at least 2.5 months in advance
April, May, Sept, and Oct: In 2007 most trek permits were sold out 3 months in advance. In 2008 we therefore recommend making a reservation at least 4 months in advance, although further in advance is recommended.
June, Jul, and Aug: In 2007 most trek permits were sold out 4 months in advance. For 2008 we recommend making a trek booking between 5 and 6 months in advance. Earlier is better.

CAN I TREK ALONE WITHOUT A TRAVEL OPERATOR?
No. As from 1st January 2001 trekking independently has been prohibited. The regulation, however, was not enforced until early 2002. You will necessarily to hire an operator to get all the permissions, the entrance tickets for the trail MUST be bought in Cusco well in advance only through a licensed Inca Trail operator. They cannot be purchased at the start of the trail.

HOW DO I PAY THE TREK, DO YOU NEED A DEPOSIT?
After we have confirmed your tour reservation, we need a deposit of US$200 per person. The deposit can be paid by Pay Pal. The remaining trek balance needs to be paid in our office in Cusco at least 2 days prior you start the tour, before 7pm
Payment is to be made in cash (US dollars or local currency) or by American Express travel checks (3% commission charged)

I AM NOT REALLY AN EXPERIENCED TREKKER, HOW HARD IS THE TREK; DO I NEED TO BE FIT?
We have people that had never hike before in their life, but they have the enthusiasms to do it and they successfully walked the entire trail after listen our recommendations. For them is this “Pain last few days, the proud will last all your life”.
You don’t need experience to hike in the Inca trail. You have to be moderately fit and take regular exercise. Try walking 15km in a day or go to the gym in the months leading up to the trek. It is also important to be well acclimatized to the altitude for that try to spend 2 or 3 days in Cusco (3400m) prior to starting the trek.
You just need to remember that you are able to go at a speed that is comfortable to you. Walk at your own pace and enjoy.
Our guides will set the right pace for the group and you will make many stop to listen the talks. For groups larger than 9 people we take two professional tour guides.
You may want to hire a porter to carrying your entire personal bag, this way you will walk easy only carrying a little daypack with water, camera, and snacks.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM OR THE MAXIMUM AGE LIMIT FOR THE INCA TRAIL?
There is not yet restriction for a minimum age or maximum age to hike in the Inca trail, but as responsible adventure Tour Company we ask people over 59 years old to bring a letter from their doctors, confirming that they in perfect conditions and fit enough to make the Inca trail. Furthermore we insist them to arrive in Cusco at least four days prior to make the Inca trail to get a good acclimatization and be steady for the trek.
For youths less than 18 years old we ask you to make their Inca trail booking accompanied by an adult.

WHAT THINGS DO I NEED TO BRING ON THE TREK?
Backpack, sleeping bag, double-thickness foam mattress (we will provide you with this but you have to carry it, it weighs approx 1kg), rain jacket, strong footwear, one complete change of clothing, sweater, jacket (something warm), thermal layer for during night, gloves, wool hat, scarf, water bottle (metal or nalgene type), first and second day you can buy bottle water every 2 hours from local people and the last to days we provide you with boil water; flashlight and batteries, broad-brim or peaked cap, sunblock, insect repellent, toiletries and toilet paper, selection of small snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits etc, camera and spare batteries (only at the first camp and last camp you can charge batteries before get in Machupicchu), Personal medical kit: Bentoline Spray for Asthmatics; CIPROX for stomach problems and DIAMOX for altitude sickness. You also have to bring your original passport with you on the trek, with the same passport number you originally made your reservation with. Otherwise you will be unable to go on the trek. Photocopies are no longer aceptable.

WHAT I AM GOING TO CARRY WITH ME ON THE TREK?
Unless you have hired an extra porter you will need to carry all the above personal items. If you do wish to have a porter carry your things, one can be hired for US $40 for only 6 kilos. Still you will have to carry a daypack with water, snack, camera, fleece and rain poncho (during the rainy season).

CAN I HIRE AN EXTRA PORTER FOR CARRYING MY BAG ON THE TREK?
About 30% of the group hires the services of an extra porter to carry their personal items. A 'third of a porter' can be hired for US$40 for the 4 day trek (includes porters entrance fees, meals, transport and wages). If you hire the services of a third of a porter you can give him a maximum of 6kg (13lbs) to carry which is usually sufficient for your sleeping bag (about 2.5kg), mattress (1kg) and change of clothes (about 2.5kg). However the porter will not walk at your side during the trek so you will still you will have to carry a daypack with water, snack, camera, fleece and rain poncho (during the rainy season).
When you pay the trek balance in our office in Cusco we will give you a duffle bag so that you can put your items in that, which you will give to the porter on the day of the trek. 
Please note that there are fines and notifications if you give an excess of 6 kilos to the porters, so try to under-pack rather than over-pack as this will cause problems at the weigh station and items may have to be removed to reduce the weight.

CAN I HIRE THE EXTRA PORTER IN CUSCO OR DO I NEED TO DO BEFORE?
Please we ask you to make the porter request at the time of the booking.
The restriction on the number of people permitted on the Inca trail includes porters.
Unfortunately if you feel weakened by the effects of the altitude when you arrive in Cusco and feel it necessary to hire a porter at the last minute the new regulations make it impossible for us to arrange this.
On day 2 you can hire unofficial porter from the village of Wayllabamba to carry your pack over the pass to the second campsite for approximately 70 soles.
Ask your guide to help you to organize this.

DO I NEED SPECIAL BOOTS ON THE TREK?
To have a proper trekking boots with uncle support reduce the possibility to injure and to harm the tendons. Snickers, and other kind of walking shoes with low uncle-protection can be risky especially in the reining season.

DO I NEED TREKKING POLES ON THE TREK?
To use walking poles are always very necessary, this permit to reduce the force put on your knees going up and going down helps to give an extra support and very good balance, especially going down high step and in the reining season. If you have injure or knees problems, then we recommended you to get at least one.

WHERE CAN I STORE MY LAGGAGE WHILE I AM TREKKING?
Most the accommodations offer their guest a safe luggage store in the hotel, this can be paid or be free charged as long as you return to the same hotel, and afterward we recommended you to pack every thing in a big bag and lock. For your peace of mind, if you have any value items or jewel that you don’t need on the tour, you can leave at the hotel and let them know and make then to write a letter of compromise security.

ARE OUR PORTERS TREATED VERY WELL BY YOUR COMPANY?
Our company aim is to use 50% of our profit to help the most needed communities from around Cusco, and to help our porters and their families making projects that will be a source of in come for woman and man.
Afterward we pay our porters two hundred Peruvian soles (US$70) for four days work in the Inca trail.

WHAT KIND OF THE WEATER CAN I EXPECT ON THE TREK, TEMPERATURES?
On the mountains of the cusco area there are two very clear seasons:
Winter or the dry season with dry & hot days and dry & cold nights, short days and long nights
The reining season or the summer, with hot days and warmer at night

CAN I HIRE SLEEPING BAG FROM YOU?
Yes, our sleeping bags are good for the winter season, which is from May to August; and the temperatures drop to – 10ºc at midnight.
Our sleeping bag can be hired for US$20, for the 4 days Inca trail. After they have been used in the Inca trail we send them to the laundry service, so they can be clean to use again.
After they have been used for thirty times, and the sleeping has covered its price, we gift the sleeping to the porters and renew buying another new to keep renting to our clients.

WHAT ARE THE TOILETS LIKE ALONG THE TRAIL?
Toilets in the Inca trail are basic and they have running water at all time as they are flash toilets, so they are keeping clean by the people who work for the government in National Park of Machupicchu.
Toilets were made all a long the Inca trail, and for sure you will find more at the camp site.

HOW BIG IS THE GROUP ON THE TREK?
Our groups are made in small group of 8 people with one tour guide, because we think that is very important to give personal attention every one that is the most important difference from our companies to the others, especially on the difficult days, when we have to walk slow to enjoy better the tour.
Still in the high season we may have to be flexible and permit more than 8 people in one group, and then we take another official tour guide with same skill for language like the first guide. The maximum can be 16 people in one group.

WHERE DO I GET WATER ALONG THE INCA TRAIL?
Almost every two hours a long the Inca trail there are local people selling bottled water for US$2 and half personal bottle and US$4 for the big 2 liter bottle.
On the last two days we are going to provide every body with drinkable boil water, it doesn’t need purification pills.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY AT MACHUPICCU, HOW I WILL GET BACK TO AGUAS CALIENTES?
Our guides will do the best to be as early is possible to arrive on Machupicchu on time for the Sun rise, then you will get the tour for two hours around the most important highlight. From after the tour you will have plenty time to go up to Huaynapicchu, go in the Inca Bridge, go to the Manuel Chavez Ballon museum, and to go the hot springs thermal baths.
After the tour the guide will give you the bus ticket that’s included for going down to Aguas Calientes and meet your guide later to lunch together and get on the train back to Cusco.

WHAT TIME IS THE TRAIN BACK TO CUSCO?
The train service that we provide you is call BACPAKER, and leaves from Aguas Calientes 6pm to arrive in Ollantaytambo(town in the sacred valley) at 7.45, then we take the bus to Cusco, arriving approximately at 9:30pm.
If the train schedule is different we are going to communicate you the change as soon as we know this. If you prefer to take an earlier train then you can book the train back directly on line, at this web site: www.perurail.com; and we are going to give you the price from the train back

WHAT KIND OF FOOD ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ON THE TRAIL?
Our cooks are professional chefs, every thing they know from cooking they have learn from natural skill and from taking courses of international food and principally local food,  for that they don’t have any problems to cook for you any special diet, like vegetarian, vegan or any kind of intolerance to lactose, gluten, sea food, peanuts and others.
Peru is a country very rich in different kind of cereals, products, that grows natural organic, for that is not going to be hard for us to make you a special diet.
The food that our porters make in the Inca trail are basically made in a good balance in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, look at the set menu
 
DO THE GUIDES SPEAK ENGLISH?
Our guides are very well prepared, and they speak very good English to let you know more about the Inca trail or any other subject.
Our guides they up date their knowledge by taking courses from  Archeologist, Geographer, Biologists, Botanist, Astronomers, Civil Engineers, Architect, Bird Watchers, and Doctor in medicine.

WILL I NEED ANY EXTRA MONEY?
Yes, to have extra money in local currency will be very helpful to cover some expenses that are not included in your tour:

First breakfast at the first day is not included in our tour; you can either take breakfast at the hotel or take breakfast with us in a restaurant on the way to the start point of the Inca trail. Will cost approximately US$6
To buy water on the Inca trail, almost every two hours there are local people selling drinks on the first two days, day 1 and day 2.An the cost aproximatly will be for personal bottle US$1 an half; for big bottle will be US$3.
Unlike to the last two days, we are going to provide you boil water to fill up your bottle two times in a day to provide you sufficient water for drinking, boil doesn’t need purification tablets.
To take shower at the last camp on the Inca trail, Will cost approximately US$4
Last lunch after the tour in Machupicchu; will cost approximately US$10.
Hot springs bat at Aguas Calientes town after Machupicchu. Will cost approximately US$4
You should take at least 300 Peruvian soles emergency money that you will hope to come back to Cusco with.
To tip your guide, cook, porters.

IS THE TRAIL STILL GOOD DURING THE RAINY SEASON? IS IT SAFE?

The trail is perfectly safe during the rainy season, especially because the GOVERMENT closes the trail on any day that is deeming unsafe. Some people actually like to go during the rainy season because of the lower amount of tourists. If you are one that doesn’t scare easily by the rain, then we say, ‘GO FOR IT’. You will just have to be sure and bring good rain gear and waterproof boots.

AM I ABLE TO CHANGE DATES AFTER THE INITIAL RESERVATION?
Once you have booked the Inca trail for one date and you have received the confirmation, then you can not make any changes; because the tickets entrance fees and the train tickets had been already bought; according to the strict regulations from National Park of Machupicchu.

WILL I BE ABLE TO WITNESS THE SUNRISE AT MACHU PICCHU?
Our priority is to make you have very good memories from your trek, for that our guides will take you very early on Machupicchu, to get on time to see the sun rise.