Hiking and Biking Peru's Inca Trails

40 trekking and mountain biking routes in the Sacred Valley

By William Janecek

ISBN

9781852846312

Availability

Published

10 Jul 2013

Edition

First

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.60cm

Weight

320g

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Guidebook to hiking and mountain biking Inca trails in the Sacred Valley of Peru, including 7 routes to Machu Picchu. A range of mountain bike and trekking routes: half-day, full-day and multi-day. All routes graded for difficulty, and the guidebook includes many previously unpublished routes away from the tourist trails.

Seasons

best months to visit are May to September, when the weather is virtually guaranteed to be dry; the other months fall in the rainy season but there will also be plenty of sunshine.

Centres

Agua Calientes, Cusco, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Huancancalle, Ausangate

Difficulty

the trekking and mountainbiking in the Sacred Valley is often strenuous and difficult; all routes are graded for difficulty and terrain indicated and also whether it is better to go with a trekking agency or hire a local guide; a few glacier climbs are outlined which require the correct expertise and equipment but most routes require no special equipment or skills and can be accomplished by anyone of average fitness.

Must See

the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu but also many other routes to many other Incan sites such as Choquechirau, Espiritu Pampa; spectacular Mt. Ausangate.

ISBN

9781852846312

Availability

Published

10 Jul 2013

Edition

First

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.60cm

Weight

320g

Overview

Guidebook to hiking and mountain biking in the Sacred Valley of Peru, including the Inca Trail. 40 routes (7 to Machu Picchu) visiting all major Incan sites discovered from Cusco, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Vilcabamba and in the remote region around Mount Ausangate. The routes are graded for difficulty, and most routes can be done on foot or by mountainbike and timings are given for each, as well as advice on whether it is preferable to undertake a particular route with a local guide or trekking agency, in the less well-known areas. The guidebook includes practical information on getting to and around the area, how to make the most out of any trip as well as plenty of background detail on the Incan history and places of interest explored on the routes. The Andes are the second highest mountain range in the world, after the Himalaya, but they have the most spectacular range of altitude - from 6000m down to just above sea level - making for some thrilling MTB descents on ancient Incan roads. The area also has a spectacular collection of ancient Incan sites, with new sites yet to be uncovered, and is still farmed by the direct descendants of the Incas, often seen in their colourful traditional dress in the local villages.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview maps

Foreword

Introduction

The story of the Incas

The Sacred Valley

History in the making

Don’t miss…

Exploring by bike or on foot

Centres and bases

Getting there

Getting around

When to go

Accommodation

Food

Health matters

Safety

Language

Money

Communications

Trekking

Mountain biking

What to take

Cultural impact

Maps and waymarking

Using this guide

1 Tourist Trails to Machu Picchu

Route 1 Agua Calientes to Machu Picchu

Route 2 The Classic Inca Trail

2 Around Cusco

Route 3 To Calca via H’uchuy Cusco

Route 4 The back way to Ollantaytambo

Route 5 To Urubamba via ‘44’

Route 6 Urquillos Canyon

3 Around Urubamba

Route 7 Salt Mines of Maras and Moray

Route 8 Moray to Paucarbamba

Route 9 Abra Azulcocha to Calca

Route 10 Calca to Lares

Route 11 Chicón summit

Route 12 To Lares via the Pumahuanka valley

4 Around Ollantaytambo

Route 13 Pumamarca

Route 14 Choquechaca

Route 15 To Lares via Abra Wakawasi

Route 16 To Lares via Patacancha

Route 17 The Weaver’s Trek

Route 18 Inca Raccay and Q’orimarca

Route 19 Ñaupa Iglesia (Pachar Caves)

Route 20 Las Canterras quarries and Inti Punku

Route 21 The Veronica glacier

Route 22 Patacancha valley

Route 23 To Quillabamba via Abra Yanamayu

Route 24 To Quillabamba via Abra Malaga

Route 25 To Ivochote and Pongo de Manique

Route 26 Machu Picchu ‘back door’ route

Route 27 To Huayllabamba and the start of the Inca Trail

Route 28 Ollantaytambo to Soraypampa via Salkantay

5 South and West of Machu Picchu

Route 29 Mollepata to Huayllabamba

Route 30 Soraypampa to Machu Picchu via Salkantay

Route 31 Soraypampa to Machu Picchu via Hydroelectric

Route 32 Choquequirao from Cachora

Route 33 Inca Wasi from Yupanqua

Route 34 Huancancalle to Choquequirao

Route 35 Huancancalle to St. Theresa via Yanama

Route 36 Huancancalle to St. Theresa via Abra Mojón

Route 37 Mollepata to Choquequirao

Route 38 Espiritu Pampa (Vilcabamba)

6 Ausangate

Route 39 Tinqui to Pitumarca via Ausangate

Route 40 Tinqui to Pitumarca via Puca Punta

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Glossary of Spanish and Quechan words

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D Further reading

Updates

November 2021

Reader updates

We've had the following updates from Hervé Fagard.

Route 14 (Choquechaca): To reach Choquechaca from the ruins at Pumamarca, the start of the description is correct: go north, then NNE through an eucalyptus forest. The path then goes down to eventually reach the bottom of the valley E of the ruins ("Rio Yuracmayo" on the guidebook map, but "Riachuelo Choquechaca" on Opentopomap.org). Going up this valley but staying on the right bank of the river (W of it), you may see the small stone bridge mentioned in the route description, but do not cross it! The path goes up the valley but always on the W side of the river. There is NO path uphill on the opposite bank, unlike what the description says. You will eventually reach Choquechaca, which is well below the quoted altitude, in fact slightly above 3800m: both my GPS and the contour lines on opentopomap.org agree on this. In fact if you zoom in enough on opentopomap.org, you will see the correct route. On your way back, rather than returning to the ruins, cross the small bridge, and you will find a very well marked and very pleasant path going down the valley, on the E bank of the river. It will eventually lead you to the small village of Pallata (wrongly placed on the map in the route 13 description: it lies in fact at the rivers intersection, not SW of it). Then you will have to catch a ride back to Ollantaytambo. A very nice day walk, very recommended to acclimatise before higher altitude hikes.

Route 20 (Las Canterras quarries and Inti Punku): The direction arrows on the map need to be reversed, since they do not match the description: "Inca bridge --> mirador --> quarries", and "quarries --> Cachiccata". On the way back, the trail split towards Cachiccata is shown near the quarries: this point is 3.5km below Inti Punku, not 2km. At this point there is an obvious path towards NNW up to a couple of buildings. But then the path disappears, going on at the same altitude off-track towards NW will eventually lead you to a much better path going down to Cachiccata. On our way down from Inti Punku we saw a good path branching off to NE, which may be the one mentioned in the description 2km down from Inti Punku (but this does not match the map). It is probably the same path we crossed after the off-track section, and the best way to reach Cachiccata. Again, the opentopomap.org map seems to show the actual paths. Very recommended day hike, which allowed us to see a pair of condors.

Reviews

'The author, reassuringly, is a north American - 'gringo' in local Peruvian parlance - who's settled in Ollantaytambo where he runs a hotel and adventure tour business - see www.kbperu.com - so should know what he's talking about and we reckon the book is potentially indispensible for anyone heading off on a trekking or biking holiday to one the most popular areas of Peru.'

Read the full article

Jon, Outdoors Magic, August 2013

...'The book is incredibly comprehensive, with detailed directions, maps and photos that direct hikers to some amazing, but surprisingly little visited, Incan sites.
My wife and I were so inspired by the book that we changed our plans and decided to spend several days in Ollantaytambo hiking to these hidden gems.'...

Extract from Trip advisor review of Hiking and Biking Peru's Inca Trails. May 2014. Our thanks to Trip advisor, and to their contributor for the review.

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William Janecek

Will ‘KB’ Janecek grew up in the US on a small lake in Minnesota, where he learned his love of the outdoors from his father. His pursuit of high altitude mountain biking and trekking led him first to Colorado and then Europe and Africa, before finally settling in Ollantaytambo, Peru where he runs a small hotel and adventure tour guide business (www.kbperu.com). In his spare time, he enjoys drinking coffee, listening to music, and high altitude mountain biking and trekking (preferably simultaneously).

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