1. How difficult is the hike?

  It is relatively easy and with long walks to smaller altitude.                                          2.Can I trek the Inca Trail 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.                   

 3. Should I make a reservation for the trek in advance or wait until arriving in Cusco? Because the numbers of persons permitted on the trek has been dramatically reduced it is advisable to make a reservation 5-6 weeks in advance. This is particularly important if you are planning on arriving in Cusco during the peak season (June-September).  

 4.What is the food like on the Inca trail?

A cook accompanies every group on the Inca trail. Almost invariably, travelers comment on the delicious menu. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hearty snacks are provided for your hike. Meals are a mix of local specialties and international favorites. Vegetarian meals are also available upon request. Other special dietary requests can usually be accommodated as well with sufficient.

5. What do we do for drinking water? Inka Wasi will provide boiled water to fill your bottle at meal times, although the water is clear always use sterilizing tablets and follow the instructions. The sterilizing tablets 'MicroPur' can be bought in most pharmacies in Cusco . With these tablets you have to wait 40 minutes before drinking. Take a bottle of at least 1½ liter capacity per person. Bottled mineral water can also be taken from Cusco, bought at km104, just before Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu.

6. What are the toilets like along the trail?     Toilets have improved a lot in the last couple of years and all of the larger campsites have toilet blocks with flush toilets and running water. On the whole they are kept pretty clean. There are hot shower facilities are Wiñay Wayna on Day 1, although they are usually pretty unclean and you have to pay a little extra.  

7. What do I need to bring for the hike?

small back pack and personal clothes, mosquito repellent, hiking shoes, a flashlight, a camera, and 1-2 refillable water bottles are recommended. Rain gear is also recommended during the wet season (December- March) and cold weather gear (warm jacket, thermals, hat and gloves) is recommended for the dry season (especially June- August).

8.What does All Trek Perú do to minimize environmental impact?

We use biodegradable soap and transport all garbage back to Cusco. We also use environmentally-friendly chemical portable toilets that allow us to pack waste out. We highly recommend that travelers bring one or two large Nalgene bottles to use on the hike to limit plastic water bottle waste.

9.What if I have a medical emergency while hiking the trail?

Guides carry a first aid kit for basic medical problems (traveler's diarrhea, cuts/ scrapes, etc.). They receive Red Cross First Aid and other emergency training every year. Our guides lead over 500 travelers along the Inca trail each year and we have rarely had a traveler unable to complete the hike. In these rare instances when someone has not felt well enough to finish the hike, he/ she has been escorted back to Cusco and generally felt well enough to re-join the group in Machu Picchu via train a few days later. Cusco has the nearest modern medical facilities so travelers with a serious medical emergency would need to be evacuated there. Guides and porters have pre-established evacuation strategies in place should this need occur