New hike to Machu Picchu

Location: This trail starts at Soraypampa, 4 hours North of Cusco, and ends in Machu Picchu.

Weather: It's very rainy from December to March, that's why the trail is closed on those months. The rest of the year, it's very sunny and hot during the day, but cold at night. Temperature drops below 0°C (32°F) in the night between June and September.

Landscapes: In the first part it are rocky mountains and snow-capped peaks surround the trail. It are gorgeous views of the mountains, specially at dawn and dusk. In the second part it's the cloud-forest, with tropical weather, and the trail goes beside a river. You will see waterfalls and fruits plantations along the path.

Description (day by day):

The Classic Inca trail has become harder to book due to the new regulations, and also it has lost its charm due to the crowds of tourists who does it every day. That's the main reason why we are offering a NEW trail to Machu Picchu that has the beauty of the first one but keeps the sense of adventure and untouched that the Classic Inca trail used to have.

1st day: Cusco to Rayan-niyoc
You leave the city of Cusco in the morning (4 AM) heading North. The first part of the bus ride is 2 hours to Mollepata, along the road you will see an amazing view of the Salkantay snow-capped peak. Once in Mollepata, you will have the chance to stretch and eat something if you want. Then you will continue with the bus ride for 2 more hours to Soraypampa. The dirt road gets narrower and bumpy but the sceneries are worth it.

In Soraypampa (altitude: 3,850 meters / 12,705 feet) you will get ready to start the hike and the porters will load the mules with the tents, gear and supplies for the next days. You can not start hiking without taking a picture first of the Umantay snow-capped mountain that stands next to you. It's wonderful and it looks so closed despite its altitude (above 6,000 meters / 20,000 ft). The first part takes 4 hours to the highest point of the trail, the Salkantay-Umanata pass at 4,600 meters (15,180 ft). There is a switch path section called "7 turns", it is the hardest part of the day, but fortunately it isn't long. Then you will reach a lagoon, from where you will see the Salkantay snow-capped mountain. You will have lunch there.

After lunch you will continue for another 45 minutes before reach the pass. From there is 4 hours downhill to the campsite, Rayan-niyoc at 2,890 meters (9,537 ft), it's much lower than the beginning of the trail. There you will have a lovely dinner and then a nice sleep dreaming with the mountains you saw today.

2nd day: Rayan-niyoc to Playa
In the campsite there is a wonderful view of the Umantay and Salkantay snow-capped mountains at dawn. After a good breakfast, you will hike down for another 3 hours and an half to the lunch site, Winaypoco. The trail goes through a tropical forest and you will note the increase in the heat and humidity. In the lunch site there is a wonderful view of a white-water river.

After lunch, you will hike for another 4 hours and an half to Playa campsite. This section of the trail is very nice because you will go through a tropical forest with orchids, wild-berries, coffee plantations, and many waterfalls along the path.  Once in the campsite, you can refresh yourself in the river or drink a beer in the village before dinner.

3rd day: Playa to Aguas Calientes
After breakfast, you will hike up a mountain for 3 hours and an half until Llaqtapata lookout point, there you will be able to see Machu Picchu for first time, from an angle that is not seen by many tourists. Then you will hike down for 2 more hours to the bottom of the Urubamba valley to take the local train to Aguas Calientes town. There you will stay in a comfortable hotel with a nice hot-shower.

4th day: Machu Picchu
Early in the morning (6 AM), you will take the bus up to Machu Picchu. The bus takes 25 minutes to reach the Inca site, once there you will have a guided tour for 2 hours, and then you will have free time to explore the site by yourself. You will be among the first tourists in the site, before the crowds arriving with the train at 11 AM. In the afternoon (4 PM), you will take the train back to Cusco.

Testimonial:
Indiana Expedition's Director, Ivan Gallegos, hiked this new trail last November, the following is his testimonial. Be aware that the trail he followed is slightly different on the last day (3rd day).

The first day started very early in Cusco, at 4 a.m. I met my hiking partners: Hugo, Pedro and Richard, and we drove for two ours on a nice paved road to Mollepata town. During the ride I had the chance to see the sunrise and watch how the snow of the Salkantay snow-capped mountain (6,271 meters / 20,694 feet) was brighten by the first sun beams of this exciting day.

In Mollepata town we had the chance to stretch and walk around its plaza full of morning sunlight and haze. We got into a cafeteria and ordered breakfast. Once ready, we got into the car again for two more hours of amazing sceneries. On the road we saw a "taruca" (Andean deer), something you don't see very often on the regular Inca trail (I have seen it only twice in 5 years). We stopped many times to take pictures, the views were amazing, with valleys, rivers and snow-capped mountains in the picture.

After two hours ride we got into Soraypampa, at 3,500 meters (11,550 feet), slightly higher than Cusco city (3,400 meters / 11,220 ft). Once Pedro and Richard packed the supplies for the next days we were ready for the hike. Hugo led the way. I couldn't stop staring at the Umantay snow-capped mountain, it was so close. The first part of the hike was 4 hours uphill to the pass at 4,600 meters (15,180 feet), the highest point of the whole trail. It included a part called "7 turns", it was a zigzag climb on the slope of the mountain to reach a lagoon called Yanacocha. There the turquoise waters of the lagoon gave us a reason to stop for a light lunch. Hugo pointed the sky and I saw the most amazing view of the day, the peak of the Salkantay snow-capped mountain at 6,271 meters (20,694 feet) was brighten by the sun. It was a view that I will treasure forever.

Once we finished our lunch, we continued with the hike. The last 45 minutes to the top weren't very hard despite the altitude. Hugo suggested to me to pick up a small stone to carry to the pass and leave it there as a gift to the mountains' spirits called "Apus" by the locals. Therefore, I picked up a stone big enough to grant the protection of the Apus but that wouldn't kill me in the try. Once at the pass, we had a not very welcoming rain, so I placed the stone among the "apachetas" (piles of stones brought by the local people to the mountains' spirits) and we continued with the descent.

After two hours of descent from the pass we reached Huayramachay, a good place to camp at 3,500 meters (11,550 feet), the same altitude as the beginning of the trail. But we decided to continue for 3 hours more to the next campsite. The trail got into a forest but the mist and the light rain didn't let us enjoy the views. At 6 p.m. we finally got into Chauyay at 2,850 meters (9,405 feet). There were few farmers' houses and a good place to camp. After a nice warming dinner, I was ready to get into my sleeping bag, tired but happy due to what I saw on this incredible day. I fell sleep remembering the view of the Salkantay snow-capped mountain.

The second day welcomed us with a bright and sunny morning. After we ate a good breakfast and packed our stuffs, we started the hike, we continued with the descent to get into the cloud forest of the Urubamba. After half an hour we got to Colqapampa. The view of the White river from there is what I remember the most of the second day. We continued with the hike through a trail that went down to the shore of the river. The forest there got thicker and more tropical, I could see coffee, wild strawberries, passion fruits and other trees and plants. The heat and the humidity also increased as the day went on. We reached Wiñaypoco after 1 hour and an half, there we stopped for a break and a light lunch.

The last part of the trail went parallel to the river and was crossed by waterfalls, some of it really gorgeous. After three hours walking we got to the town known as "Playa" (beach). There we had a cold beer and I had the chance to refresh myself in the river. From that town a truck took us to Santa Teresa town, where we planned to stay for the night. The one hour truck ride was good fun, and the sceneries were again impressive. Once in Santa Teresa town we staid in a guests' house where we had a hot shower and a nice dinner. We spent the rest of the evening chatting about the trail.

The last day was very simple, after a nice breakfast we hiked for only one hour and an half next to the Urubamba river. To cross the river we got into a basket, big enough to carry two people at the same time. In this basket we slid hung on a cable to the other shore. It was great fun to do it. On the other shore was a truck waiting to take us to the train station. Only 15 minutes after, we were in the train station at the feet of Machu Picchu. I saw the terraces and walls of the Inca citadel on top of the mountain. I have been going to Machu Picchu for the last five years, but it was the first time I saw the ruins from that side. Certainly it was a trip that not many people have had the privilege to do, that's why I'm so thankful to my hiking partners: Hugo, Pedro and Richard.

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