Hello all. I am about 99% sure my next trip will be to Peru but I can't decide if I want to do the Inca Trail or not. I am a 44 year old female and quite physically fit, but I am concerned about the altitude. Worst of all, I am a weenie-wuss when it comes to camping!! However I do love beautiful mountain scenery and ruins and I'm wondering what I will miss by not doing the Inca Trail. So I'm looking at a 2 week tour which includes the Inca Trail vs. a 2 week tour that includes time in the Amazon Rainforest with wildlife viewing. This tour also includes time in Aguas Calientes--is that worth seeing? Needless to say, I will NOT miss Machu Picchu, regardless of which trip I take.

Thanks for your input.

My wonderful trip to Peru did not include the Inca Trail, so from my perspective it isn't essential. However I am writing primarily to mention that altitude reaction does not seem to be based on fitness, age, etc and is rather arbitrary. Some get it, some don't. In Peru I had no difficulty, but two years later in the Sawtooths I ran into trouble at an altitude I had hiked many, many times before.

I can hardly wait for your trip report! Buen viaje.

Thanks for your reply, cmcfong. I did a hiking trip in the Swiss/French Alps a couple of years ago and I did get tired easily the first few days but otherwise no ill effects. However the Inca Trail is an even higher altitude and an entirely different climate so who knows what will happen? I guess you can't know how the body will react until you get there.

I'm hoping to go in June so I will have a lot more questions between now and then.

We went in September of this past year and did the 2 day Inca Trail hike. It was a definite highlight of the trip. We explored the idea of doing the full 4 day hike but just didn't have that much time. Also, the idea of camping out just didn't appeal. The "two day" was great...it is really just one day of hiking starting in the morning and arriving at MP via the Sun Gate in the early afternoon. There are several ruins along the way one gets to explore and the scenery is great. I highly recommend it.

We went up again the next day to explore MP a bit more and I must say, getting little glimpses as one negotiates the switchbacks on the bus is so anti-climatic. I am so happy I got to see it for the first time via the Sun Gate. It really is amazing.

While in Aguas Calientes we stayed at the Inkaterra and had a marvelous time. The resort was terrific and we took advantage of much it had to offer including the nature walk to see the Spectacled Bears, the Incan sauna and, of course, the complimentary Pisco Sours at Happy Hour.

You will have a great time whatever you chose.

Taitai

If I could find a tour that does the 2 day hike that would be a good compromise. I'll keep looking. I would be OK with traveling without at tour, but I'll be traveling alone and I enjoy the company of a group.

Thank you for your reply, taitai that's a good idea.

Any outfitter that does the four-day hike can also arrange the two-day excursion for you. As taitai says, these days, what is billed as a two-day trek is really just a few hours of walking on the first day. You're on the last stretch of the four-day trail hike, and would be walking at altitudes around 8,000-9,000 feet. It's nothing like the first two days of the regular Inca Trail that take you through elevations about 4,000 feet higher.

Two- or four-day hike, though, you need reservations, and June spots fill up quickly. It's not too soon to take care of that.

Jeff, thanks for the reminder about limited space on the Inca Trail. I suppose I need to make up my mind ASAP.

dcm08, I'll look into that company.

Thanks again to all who replied.

this is great info. my husband and I are also planning a trip to Peru in June and would like to hike the inca trail (and slowly do the rest of the sacred valley/cusco)but did not think we would have enough time to do a 4-day hike during an 8-9 day stay. Taitai, can you let us know what outfitter you used? The 2-day sounds perfect for us!

Hamburger, we used Southwind Adventures to plan our trip. They were great and our guide, Janet Leon, was unbelievably knowledgeable about not only the flora and fauna and ruins and history but also all the politics (we arrived two days after Fujimori). A caveat, they were very expensive and had we had the time, we would have planned much more ourselves. We are fiercely independent travelers and have traveled all over Asia, Africa and South America solo. However, when we decided to go to Peru, it was an incredibly busy time for us and my husband was of the mind to just "throw money at the problem" of planning our trip and that is what we did and everything did proceed flawlessly and quite first class. In the limited research I had done prior to booking, I came across an article in Travel and Leisure "Iconic Itineraries" all about Peru http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/...rticleId=10518
and the author used Southwinds and so I called the owner, Tom Damon, and said that we wanted to do the exact same trip with just a few modifications (we stayed at the Ninos Hotel in Cusco as we read of the mission and really wanted to support it and didn't consider the Monasterio or any other, bigger, lusher, lodging options). We also stayed at the Inkaterra and LOVED it.

As Jeff Costa Rica said, there are many, many outfitters that do the "2 day trek." For the 2 day, one needs the same permits, guides, etc. as the 4 day so acting on it now rather than later, is imperative. There are only so many permits a day and when they are gone, they are gone.

I found that the Tripadvisor boards on the Sacred Valley, Cusco and MP are all very good. There is one guy there, xolchil (I am sure I butchered his screen name) that is a native of the area and very helpful and knowledgeable. I would play around there for a bit while planning your trip. You will learn a lot.

Good luck. Do the 2 day...it really is worth it.

taitai