INCA QUARRY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU WITH BAMBA EXPERIENCE - 4 DAYS

Price
$765.00
Ask a question

The Inca Quarry trek is a good alternative way for getting to the Machu Picchu. It's a less crowded route that passes through wonderful Andean scenery with waterfalls, including also some interesting archaelogical sites such as the Cachicata Quarry. The trek lasts 4 days and ends in Aguas Calientes. Here we spend the night before ending the tour with the visit of Machu Picchu, South America's number one tourist attraction.

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

The Inca Quarry trek is a good alternative way for getting to the Machu Picchu. It's a less crowded route that passes through wonderful Andean scenery with waterfalls, including also some interesting archaelogical sites such as the Cachicata Quarry. The trek lasts 4 days and ends in Aguas Calientes. Here we spend the night before ending the tour with the visit of Machu Picchu, South America's number one tourist attraction.

ITINERARYITINERARY
DAY 1 –  Cusco - Rafca - Socma - Perolniyoc - Rayanniyoc
Meals: lunch and dinner
You will be picked up at around 5.00 from your accommodation and we start our bus drive to the town of Rafca (2800m). From there, we continue for another 30 minutes till we reach the village of Socma (3000m) - this is the starting point of our trek. You will have a short briefing and get ready for setting off - also, here you will meet the muleteer that will be helping us during the trek. We everything is ready, we begin our trek to the archaeological site of Perolniyoc (3200m). It takes about 2.5 hours to get there and once in Perolniyoc we will have lunch and we will visit the beautiful waterfall nearby as well as the ruins located at the top of the valley. We then continue for another half hour and get to Rayan-Niyoc (3,600m), where we set our camp for the night.

DAY 2 – Rayanniyoc - Inti Punku - Choquetacarpo
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
This is the most challenging day of the trek. We have an early breakfast and then start today's trek to the first high pass of the trek - it is located at 4,400 meters above sea level and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. In spite of the high altitude, locals still cultivate this area and you will be able to have a close look at their lifestyle as you go on with your trek. It takes about 4 hours to reach the pass and we will stop there for a bit in order to recover our energies and take in the wonderful views around. We will then stop at a camp for lunch around 4,300m and then continue hiking to reach a second high pass of 4,500m - this is the highest point of the whole trek.  We will spend some time there to enjoy the spectacular views of the valley below and then we head down to an archaeological site the Incas used to refer to as Inti Punku ("sun gate") - it takes about 3 hours to get there and upon arrival you will be amazed by the incredible views over the Veronica mountain rising over the horizon that you can have from there. Then, it's just a short distance from Inti Punku to Choquetacarpo (3600m) - here is where we will set our second camp of the trek and spend the night.
 
DAY 3 – Choquetacarpo - Cachicata Inca Quarry - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
After a hard second day, today it's mainly downhill and early in the morning we start our descent to the Inca quarry of Cachicata (3820m) - here we can witness the amazing work of the Incas. This quarry was used by the Incas to build the town of Ollantaytambo - also, there are several more points of interest such as ruins of large buildings, quarried stones left half-finished, cave with Inca mummies still visible and a few chullpas (burial houses). We take our time to explore this site before continuing down the mountain for about 3 hours till we reach the town of Ollantaytambo - this is the ending point of this hard but fascinating trek. From there we'll catch a train to Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night (shared hostel accommodation).
 
DAY 4 – Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco 
Meals: breakfast only
Today we wake up early and catch the shuttle bus Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu site. The ticket control entrance should be passed about 6.00 am and we will enter the site to see one of the wonders of the world. At the ruins you will be taken to a 2-hour-guided visit of the site. 
Before starting the guided tour on the site, you will have time to grab some snacks from local shops, check we have got everything you need on you (sunglasses, suncream, a hat and a waterproof poncho are definitely recommended) and get ready for the final part of this unforgettable experience.
During our guided tour we will visit enclosures, plazas, sacred fountains, temples, towers and our guide will explain the different functions of each area such as the agricultural and urban sections. The tour lasts for about 2 hours and you will then have free time to explore the site yourself. During your free time, you can also climb the Huayna Picchu mountain (2720 m) as an additional option (see below). Great spots around the site in order to take the best pics are the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock and the Sacred Plaza with amazing views over the Cordillera Vilcabamba on the background and Rio Urubamba below.
After spending some hours at Machu Picchu we unfortunately have to leave and the group will make its way down to the town of Aguas Calientes (you can walk or there is also a bus service which is included in the price) before taking the train back to Cusco. If time allows, you can also go to the local hot springs in the town (entrance fee not included for this) in order to chill out and relax a bit before ending your tour. You must be at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departure time and the train journey takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Ollantaytambo, where we will transfer to a tourist bus to take you back to Cusco (you will be dropped off at San Francisco square in Cusco at around 22.30).

INCLUDED / NOT INCLUDEDINCLUDED / NOT INCLUDED
INCLUDED
  • Mandatory briefing a day before departure - you must be in Cusco the evening before for this
  • Pickup from your accommodation in Cusco
  • Transportation - bus from Cusco to Huaracondo/Socma and Ollantaytambo to Cusco, train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
  • Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu
  • Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town and back
  • Professional guide - English and Spanish-speaking
  • Porters to carry tents, food, cooking equipment and shared equipment
  • Horseman and mules to carry the shared equipment and 5 kg personal equipment for each person (2.5 kg sleeping bag and 2.5 kg personal belongings) 
  • Professional cook
  • Meals as indicated in description (veggie option available)
  • 1 night hostel accommodation in Aguas Calientes
  • Camping equipment - tent, mattress, dining tent, kitchen tent (including all-season 4-man tent for 2 people and basic sleeping mattress)
  • First aid kit, emergency oxygen bottle and assistance in case of problems
NOT INCLUDED
  • Airport or bus station pickups
  • Hotel dropoff at the end of the trek
  • Thermal sleeping bag (can be rented) - required that you have a sleeping bag or rent one
  • Trekking poles - metal tipped poles are NOT allowed on the trail and you must use rubber tip covers (poles can be rented)
  • First day breakfast and last day lunch (or dinner)
  • Personal medical kit - recommended
  • Travel insurance - recommended 
  • Sunglasses and sun cream 
  • Insect repellent 
  • Extra snacks
  • Tips for porters / cook (recommended 50-60 soles to main guide, 30-40 soles to horsemen and cooks)

EXTRA OPTION

Huayna Picchu climb - You can decide to climb the Huayna Picchu mountain on day 4 for an extra price - see below.

IMPORTANT INFORMATIONIMPORTANT INFORMATION
  • The trek has confirmed departures only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Trek briefings - You are required to attend a mandatory pre-trek briefing one day prior to departure at 19.00. During this meeting we will give you detailed information about the route, a list of what to take with you, coordinate and confirm the pickup from your accommodation for the morning of the trek and be able to answer all the questions you might have.
  • Accommodation - For the first 2 nights, solo travellers will share a tent with another solo traveller, and couples will have a tent themselves. For the third night, solo travellers will share a room with another solo traveller whereas couples will have a private room.
  • Campsites are subject to change according to the designation of the governmental institution regulating the use of the Inca Quarry Trek, as well as to our guide’s criteria and the group progress.
  • Groups are usually small, from 4 to 8 but can be up to 15 people per group during busy times. There is a minimum of 2 people booked to confirm this trek but we can check for other people if you are a solo traveller.
  • This is a challenging trek. There are two passes during the hike that make it more strenuous. We recommend that you acclimatize to an altitude of around 2500-3000 meters for some days before attempting this trek and that you are in reasonable physical condition. Temperature changes quickly together with altitude (from 4000 to 2000 m). If you have any illnesses or conditions you MUST inform of these when booking. In some cases we will require a medical certificate in order to permit you to take part in tour.
 
WHAT TO BRING
  • Original passport 
  • Hiking boots or strong footwear, waterproof recommended!
  • Trekking poles: METAL TIPS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE TREK (you can rent trekking poles from us - 1 pole - $7  2 poles - $12)
  • A backpack (30 to 40L) with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek
  • Water bottle - minimum 2 litres or plastic bottle
  • Rain gear - jacket + trousers or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
  • Warm clothes, including fleece jacket. Thermal clothing is highly recommended and can be also worn in the sleeping bag during cold nights
  • Trekking pants, zip off model is recommended
  • Gloves or mittens, scarf, woollen hat for cold nights
  • 3 pairs of warm socks
  • Sandals or jogging shoes for comfort while at camp
  • Sleeping bag  (you can rent one from us -$15 for the whole trip)
  • Flashlight / headlamp and extra batteries
  • Swimming gear for hot springs in Aguas Calientes
  • Binoculars
  • Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions) and waterproof bags for your camera
  • Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
  • Sun block
  • Insect repellent
  • Sunglasses
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Personal medical kit / supplies
  • Extra cash for snacks, water and energy drinks to buy on the way
  • Travel insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read through these common questions & answers - if you cant find what you want to know send us your questions using the Ask a Question button

No Questions Here Yet - Why Not Ask Us One!

Booking Form

HOW TO BOOK

Fill in the required details and click "add to cart".You can then continue shopping for more items or click on the "cart" link at the top right hand corner of the page to complete your booking.

IMPORTANT

You must provide details for each passenger that you are booking for and also ensure that you change the qty box to show the correct amount of passengers that you are booking for.

  

* Required Fields