Hello!
I have heard the Inca Trail to Machu Piccho can best be booked in advance because it can be fully booked, is that true?
Is there a difference in quality/price booking it through this or that person?
Anyone know some useful links for booking?
Thanx a bunch
Jean
Hey,
I am too trying to organise the Inca trail/Machu Picchu from he UK and have been told that you must try and book b4 you go as there are 500 passes a day - half of which will be allocated to porters annd guides. After speaking to a few people I have decided to go through a guy called Rodrigo Mino at Galapagostraveline who has been very helpful and they are based in Ecuador. He is also helping with a trip around the Galapagos too.
Good luck,
Anisha
I am in Cusco now and the Inka Trail is all booked up for a few months yet. I have booked mine with Llama Path as there are a few good comments about them on this site. But I haven´t yet done the trek so I can´t report back on them myself. I booked back in July.
If you want to do the classic inka trail then you do need to book in advance. However there are other, cheaper options for alternative routes that you can book when you get here. It just depends what you want to do
I hope that helps
Try one of the alternative trails; their advantages are mentioned in various other threads on the subject. I'd recommend Salkantay, which was cheaper, less touristy, quieter and much more challenging.
have fun,
Niels
Thanx to all for your replies!
Niels, by 'much more challenging' I suppose you mean on a physical level? And are you sure we won't miss anything booking an alternative route?
Cheers
Jean
I've done the Inca Trail a couple of times - once booking whilst in Cuzco (in 1999) and once booking from the UK (in 2003). The local tourist board has restricted access to the site and the trail which means that it's now less busy when you're on the trail, but as you pointed out, harder to get on in the first place. I would definitely suggest booking in advance.
The second time was far better - the company was much more organised, the guides were better informed on the history of the trail and the site and the equipment they used was much newer.
The company was called Andean Life and they still seem to be running tours so may be worth checking out - andeanlife.com
Thanx for all the help! Found quite some websites to book and the cheapest one seems to be alltreckcusco at 270 dollars.
I did the trail back in April this year and loved every second of it. But beware of the cheaper companies. They are cheaper for a good reason and its not usually to save you money. The guides may not be experienced or have all the info you want or may not speak fluent English. The porters may be paid less. The provisions may not be as good. I would recommend going with a well-known company. The bigger ones are bigger because they know how to run a business. Lots of companies over there dont.
Also be aware that the alternate treks do not go to Macchu Pichu.
If you cant get on the Classic trek to Macchu Pichu when you want I wouldnt worry. Just take the train there and spend a day or two at Agua Calientes and get up to MP at the crack of dawn. If you still want as trek, there are plenty of others going to very spectacular places that are easy to book once there.
Hi, Sandy, thanx for the information! The fact that the guides are not fluent English is not a problem, on the countrary, I would prefer to speak Spanish. And than how do you know the porters would be paid less? Did you ask them?
Anyway, has anyone done the Trail with All Treck Cuzco? And was it any good?
I went with Peru Trek last September and can highly recommend them. Great equipment & staff. I spoke with many people in Aquas Calientes & Cusco after my trek and everyone that used Peru Trek enjoyed their trip. LLamapath is another recommended company (I haven't personally used them, but I have heard good things).
The following companies have recently been fined for failing to pay their porters the minimum wage:Camping Tour, Colibri Travel,
El Dorado Expeditions, United Mice Tour Operator,Peruvian Higland Travel,Transtawa, South American Sites (SAS) and Apus World Expeditions. The article was in El Sol (Cusco paper) about a month ago.