Inca Land Adventures
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  • Deluxe Cultural trips Machupicchu.
    • Amazing Cusco Machu Picchu 4d/3n
    • Cusco Short Inca Trail Machu Picchu 5d/4n
    • Amazing Cusco Machupichu 5D/4N
    • Explore Cusco Inca Trail Machupícchu 7D/6N
    • Amazing Cusco Machupichu 7D/6N
    • Explore Cusco Machupicchu Puno 11D/10N
    • Deluxe Tours Discover Southern Peru 13D/12N
  • Luxury Inca Trail Hikes - Machupicchu
    • Luxury Short Inca trail 2 Days
    • Luxury Private Inca trail 4 Days
    • Luxury Private Classic Inca Trail 5 Days 4
    • Luxury Salkantay Hike Via Inca Trail 5D/4N
    • Luxury Salkantay Hike - Machupicchu 5 D/4 N
    • Luxury Lares Hike to Machupicchu 5d/4n
  • Inca Trail treks
    • Group Inca Trail Short Trek 2D/1N
    • Private Inca Trail Short Trek 2D/1N
    • Group Inca Trail Classic Trek 4D/3N
    • Private Inca Trail Classic Trek 4D/3N
    • Group Inca Trail Pilgrimage 5D/4N
    • Private Inca Trail 5D/4N
    • Salkantay Inca Trail 6D/5N
    • Full Salkantay Inca Trail 7D/6N
    • Salkantay Tomacaya Inca Trail 8D/7N
    • Choquequirao Salkantay Inca Trail 12D/11N
  • Classical Inca Trail -Packages
    • Classical Short Inca Trail Package 5D/4N
    • Inca Trail Packages7D/6N
    • Classical Inca Trail and Cusco 8D/7N
  • Alternative Treks
    • Mandor Waterfalls Trek to Machu Picchu 2D/1N
    • Huchuy Qosqo Trek 2D/1N
    • Huchuy Qosqo Trek via Patabamba 3D/2N
    • Kachiqhata Trek to Machu Picchu 2D/1N
    • Ollantaytambo via Kachiqhata Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N
    • Inca Jungle Biking Trail 4D/3N
    • Express Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N
    • Moonstone Trek to Machu Picchu 5D/4N
    • Salkantay Snow to Jungle Trek 5D/4N
    • Salkantay via Ancascocha Trek to Machu Picchu 6D/5N
    • Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu 6D/5N
    • Last Refuge of the Incas Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu 6D/5N
    • Climbing Salkantay to Machu Picchu 6D/5N
  • Ausangate Rainbow Mountain treks
    • AUSANGATE RAINBOW MOUNTIAN 4D3N
    • Ausangate Rainbow Mountian trek 2 D/1N
    • ​Ausangate Rainbow Mountain – Hike 1D
  • Choquequirao Treks
    • Amazing Choquequirao Trek 5d/4n
    • Last Refuge of the Incas Choquequirao to Machu Picchu 6 d/5 ni
    • Amazing trail choquekirao to machupicchu 8d/7n
    • Unique Choquequirao Trek- Machu Picchu 9d/8n
  • Manu Birding Tours
    • ​Birding Manu Expedition 4D/3N
    • Birding Manu National Park 6D/5
    • Birding Manu Park - Maldonado 7D/6N
    • Birding Manu Park By Bus 8D/7
    • birding Abra Malaga- MachuPicchu Manu Park 10d/9n
  • Multiple Day Tours
    • Sacred Valley of the Incas Trek to Machu Picchu 2D/1N
  • Full and Half Day Tours
    • Private Half Day City Tour
    • Private Full Day Machu Picchu Tour
    • Private Full Day Sacred Valley Tour
    • Tipon, Pikillacta & Andahuaylillas Tour
    • Maras, Moray & Salt Mines Tour
  • Equipment Hire
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adventure for lifetime
Inca Trail vs Alternative Treks - which trek should I do?In 2004, the government regulated the traditional Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, limiting total staff and trekkers to 500 per day. We support the sustainable tourism - but the impact of this regulation has changed the face of trekking around Cusco forever and creating the so-called alternative treks.
Why are they called Alternative treks? Because if the Classic Inca Trail permits are sold out (and they are usually sold out 3-4 months in advance) then you will need to do an “alternative.”
The Salkantay trek has absorbed much of the "overflow" from the Inca Trail, and is the main “alternative” trek – with other popular ones the Inca Jungle Trail and numerous Lares treks.
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Some Thoughts / AdviceWhat makes the Inca Trail so special?
• It’s one of the most famous treks in the world
• Hikes right into Machu Picchu using the Royal Road of the Incas - no other trek does this. 
• You arrive at Inti Punku, the famous Sun Gate with an impressive view over Machu Picchu at dawn. 
• Has a wonderful array of stunning ruins every day
• Breathtaking scenery - from snowcapped mountains to dense lush cloud forest and jungle. 
• Good facilities and toilets at campsites
• Despite large amounts of people, still moments for solitude in the mountains. 
• Sense of completing a very famous trek.
What’s not so good about the Inca Trail?• 500 people depart every day (this includes tourists and trekking staff)
• You need to book about 4 months in advance for high season and you MUST make the date you booked for. No changes allowed. If someone cancels then their permit will not be used. There is no waiting list. 
• Many groups are as large as 25 people (Apus Peru maximum group size is just 10 people) 
• Campsites very full, with full facilities - it’s not exactly a wilderness or adventure camping experience. 
• It’s a bit like a highway with many people on the trek 
• Locals can be a bit tired of seeing tourists. 
Good aspects of the alternative treks• On some of the treks (Moon stone ) you might be the only group departing that day
• Sense of adventure and discovering new trails. 
• Real wilderness camping. 
• Isolation and remote atmosphere
• What is lacking in ruins is usually made up by cultural interaction, meeting the locals. 
Not so good aspects of the alternative trails• You don´t walk into Machu Picchu
• Not as well known, and therefore you can be concerned if you have made the right choice. (ie sometimes hard to find other trekkers who have done these routes.
• There are not the high quality spectacular ruins along the other treks that you find along the Inca trail
• Need to spend the night before your Machu Picchu visit in Aguas Calientes, and we recommend you take the bus up on the morning of your visit.
• When you go home, no one is going to say “wow, you did the Vilcabamba trek!”
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