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Cusco: Adventure everywhere

Reading : 5 min August 1 2022

Adventure, adventure and more adventure. Are you visiting Cusco with the idea of getting to know everything in the most extreme way possible?. You can find yourself  walking through the beauty of the high andean landscape, climbing snowy peaks or making a trek of several days camping under the icy starry sky of the peruvian highlands, following the routes walked by the ancient inhabitants of the millenary Cusco.

Having an adventure is simply exciting and if you already tried that feeling, you wanna feel it again and again, for sure. Cusco has a lot of adventure destinations where you can test your physical conditions, your mind and emotions, too. In these experiences you will achieve great things and create memories and fabulous stories to share with your friends. Adventure is not only a pleasure, it's a way of living. At Inca Rail we understand this urge of excitement and that is why we have chosen four super experiences for you and your adventurous soul. Join us and discover what each of them has to offer.

Hike to Humantay Lake

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Hiking means a great physical effort and even more when you walk 13123 feet high (4000 masl).  But there is nothing compared to the satisfaction of overcoming any difficulty of a trek in the middle of the mountains and even more when you can be amazed by the extraordinary colors of the Humantay Lake.

This natural jewel comes from the snow-capped mountain called Humantay, next to the beautiful Apu Salkantay. These icy mountains  are over 16400 feet high (5000 masl), so the waters of the lake are truly icy, reaching up to 32°F (0°C), and of a turquoise tone that charms everyone who visits.

Unfortunately, even if you had  the appropriate equipment to swim in this freezing waters, diving at the lake is forbidden, as the lagoon provides water to nearby communities.

Humanyat Lake is located  36 miles (100k) from the city, so you will have to go by car until a specific point. But of course you don't have to worry about that, because we will pick you up from your hotel and take care of everything.

Our Humantay package includes transportations to the Soraypampa community, where you will start hiking, a certified guide who knows every detail about this beautiful place, entrance tickets, a tasty lunch and of course transportation back to Cusco. The only thing you need to take with you is your adventurous heart and the willingness to know this breathtaking destination, where you will feel at peace.

 

Live this wonderful experience and treasure unforgettable memories by clicking hereHike to Humantay Lake

 

Important tips:

-Total Walking Distance: 3 miles (5 km).

-Maximum altitude: 13780 feet (4200 masl).

-Hiking hours: 4 hours.

-Difficulty level: 3 out of 5

Hike to the Condor Viewpoint

IProbably you haven’t heard of this place before, because although it is fantastic, it is one of the least known tourist destinations in Cusco.

The Condor Viewpoint, as its name suggests, is a special place from which you can appreciate these majestic birds flying over the lands of the ancient inhabitants of Peru, shedding beauty while flapping their huge wings and gliding in an elegant and mystical dance.

But in order to get to this natural spectacle, you will be go through a couple of wonders that deserve to be known, that is why to reach your final destination, you will first visit Quillarumiyoc, a sacred place where the moon was worshiped as an important deity for the Incas, then the route continues to a tambo called Tarawasi, a resting place built by the Inca Pachacutec. The community of Chonta is the next stop, from where you will continue the hike to the Condor Viewpoint.

The trail is demanding and you may even want to turn back at some point, but everything you see and every special place you visit along the way will be worth your effort and will be kept in your memory forever.

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Walk along this mystical path and enjoy a unique natural wonder by clocking Hike to the Condor Viewpoint

The Inca Trail

If you are an adventure fan, you already know a few things about the Inca Trail, a route walked by the ancient peruvian people that we want to invite you to go through today.

Inca Trail or Qapac Ñan is a sort of road network built by the Incas to connect Cusco, the capital city,  with the rest of the territory and the most important cities in the empire. This road covered an 18641 miles distance  (30,000 k) and extends in South American territory crossing countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, countries that were once part of the great Tahuantinsuyo Empire. The Inca Trail was full of constructions such as bridges, tunnels, large retaining walls, stairways, tambos and qolqas. The tambos and qolqas were built for the rest of travelers and food storage for the people who walked this road.

Today many of the routes have been lost between modernity and oblivion, but fortunately there are still important parts in the three regions of Peru. At Inca Rail we want to invite you to live the experience of the Inca Trail as the ancient inhabitants of the empire lived it, climbing steep roads and sleeping under the stars of the andean sky, until you reach the Citadel of Machu Picchu where your adventure will mean so much more than it meant at the beginning of your journey.

This is a four whole day experience where you will be walking a lot, so you must be physically prepared for it. The route is perfectly signed and at the end of each day, you’ll get to a camp where you’ll be able to rest and regain your strength. We must insist for you not to go separated from the group and follow your guide every step of the way so you won't get lost in the middle of nowhere. 

We’ll pick you up  from your hotel in Cusco to begin this magnificent adventure and we will transport you by bus to the starting point of the hike in Piscacucho.On the first day, the rout will be gentle so you get used to the altitude and get ready for the second day which will be much more demanding, physically speaking, because you will ascend to 13864 feet height (4226 masl). Then the descent will begin until day number four, when you will arrive at Machu Picchu’s spectacular Citadel, just like Incas did long before you.

During this hike  you will have wonderful experiences, you will meet people from different places with whom you’ll share the love for adventure, you will also witness the transformation of the flora as you advance towards Machu Picchu, and you’ll feel like a professional explorer climbing mountains and walking through narrow rocky paths.

This experience will connect you with nature and make you feel that you are part of the earth, the mountains, the river, the stars and that you exist in perfect harmony with the andean world.

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Come with us and experience one of the most extraordinary treks in the world: Full Inca Trail.

Just so you know, you will start this trek at 8759 feet height (2670 masl), you will ascend up to 13864 feet (4226 masl), to finally descend to 7874 feet height (2400 masl) once you are in Machu picchu.

Trekking Huchuy Qosqo

Is a 8.6 miles (14 k) trek in which you will go up to 14763 feet height (4500 masl), while you are surrounded by the landscape's spectacular beauty.

Huchuy Qosqo is an archaeological site located between Chinchero and Pisac, in the district of Lamay, at 11811 feet height (3600 masl), which was built by the Inca Viracocha as an administrative and military center and as his rural residence. Once there, you can also see qolqas, warehouses that served to store grains and ensure the food of the people during the whole year.

To visit Huchuy Qosqo or Little Cusco as it is translated from Quechua, you must go to Tauca’s community first, from where the hike begins. Along the way you will see South American camelids such as llamas and alpacas and a lot of local flora, as well as a spectacular view of the Vilcanota River and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. On this trek you will be able to take amazing pictures of the landscape and you will get to know very well the history of Huchuy Qosqo thanks to our certified guides who will walk by your side all along the way.

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Visit this charming place and enjoy a wonderful experience with us by clicking Trekking Huchuy Qosqo.

 

Plan your trip to Cusco with all the amazing experiences you want to live. Get on our website Inca Rail and find out everything that Cusco has to offer. Don’t let anything stop you from having the best trip ever. Adventure is a way to feel the world around you and we definitely get it.

 

Travel with no hassle, travel safe with Inca Rail.

 

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