This is an amazing route that starts in the mountains of Cuzco, passes through the archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo and finishes in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
This tour starts at 7 am in Lamay from where we will take you to the community of Q’enko to begin our hike. (We can arrange your transportation from Cusco or the Sacred Valley to the starting point and back for an additional fee of 30$. You can choose this option in the booking process).
First, we will ascend for about 1.5 km until we reach the highest point of the day, with amazing views of the Cordillera Vilcanota and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The trail will then take us along creeks and agricultural terraces, facing the Vilcanota river and the Urubamba mountain range until we arrive at Pukamarca. In this ¨Red Village¨, we will meet the Inca Trail hidden in a narrow and biodiverse gully, with water channels, ancient stairs and bridges, as well as other archaeological remains amidst breathtaking nature.
We will arrive at Huchuy Qosqo, an important Tambo (strategic military and religious site) in the heights of the Sacred Valley. History tells that this was the refuge of the Inca Viracocha, defeated by the Chancas who invaded the city of Cusco, until his son Pachacutec beat them and recaptured Cusco for the Incas.
After visiting the citadel and enjoying the views and landscape, we will descend back to the village of Lamay to finish our trip at 4 pm. From here, you can return to your hotel or head to your next destination. Gourmet and nutritive box lunch are included en route.
As you probably know, the city of Cusco lies at 3.400m (11.150 feet), which is why you might need a few days of acclimatization here. We recommend you this one-way tour for one of these days to get used to the altitude. As soon as you feel ready to go on longer hikes, you can check out our Multiple-Day Tours departing from Cusco!
Please note: On certain dates, this tour might be unavailable if you book less than two weeks before. Should that be the case, don’t worry! We’ll find a solution together; either changing the date, opening a new group or showing you another similar tour that will be available that day. You also have the option to do the Inca Road to Huchuy Qosqo with llamas. This is a private tour, which can therefore be booked every day. And, of course, the best thing about it is that you will be accompanied by llamas during the whole experience!
During this hike, an exhaustive interpretation of the environment is given. By doing that, we aim to raise the traveler´s awareness of how important it is to preserve the local flora and fauna. A payment to the earth is made to further increase that awareness, local food will be served, and all packaging is sustainable.
You will pay an entrance fee to enter the archaeological site, which is partly used for conservation projects. Also, part of the income generated through this tour goes into reforestation projects. Around the paths of Lamay, local trees like the Qeuñas (Polylepis) are planted. In 2021, they were 12.000 trees in total!
For $30 per person, we´ll take care of picking you up and dropping you off again in your accommodation, be it in Cuzco or in the Sacred Valley.
You can also come by public transport from Cusco or any point in the Sacred Valley. Keep in mind the distance of the trip to arrive on time at the starting point of the activity.
The difficulty is about a 3/4, there is not much uphill but a lot of downhills, so that is why it is a little bit challenging.
The hike itself is about 6 hours or about 12 kms long (always depending on the group, if you guys are really good hikers maybe it can be faster, but we adapt to your pace).
The activity as a whole has a duration of about 7-8 hours (full day).
This excursion might be shared with other travelers (maximum 12 people). But don’t worry; if there are other people participating, they are most probably nice because let’s face it; this is a unique tour, right?
If you want to do the tour in private, please enquire first, thank you.
No, that is not necessary.
It is 4100 masl (13451.44 feet) when at the Qoriccasa pass.
The Sacred Valley has a typical Andean climate; when there’s sun it’s warm, when there’s no sun it’s cold. The rainy season is from December to April but occasional rains can occur anytime throughout the year.
Find more info about climates in Peru in our blog “Best Time to Travel to Peru“.
Please refer to our article What to Pack for your Trip to Peru for all your questions about packing for your Peru trip. Whether you’re going to the jungle or the mountains, you’ll find the answers you need. You can also download a full Packing List for free.
For questions about booking a tour, prices, preparation for your trip, health and safety or other themes, please check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you can’t find your question & answer, email us and we’ll add it!
I was born in Lima, I studied tourism and hotel management at San Martin de Porres University, and I have been living in Cusco for 25 years. My motivation is to preserve the environment and foster sustainable development of the local communities through tourism and other activities coherent with the destination. Together with the communities, I am learning more and more about sustainability. The truth is, the locals often know a lot more about it than we do.
After so many years of seeing how tourism has had a negative impact, I think there is only one way to maintain our activity: adopting an inclusive way of thinking and educating the traveler that the destination belongs to the people who inhabit it.
