Inca Quarry Trek - 04 Days / 03 Nights
Of all the alternative treks to the Inca Trail, the Quarry Trek to Machu Picchu is perhaps the least known. A far cry from the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, on this trek you are unlikely to see any other tourists for the duration of your trip. This is an option that will appeal to those who enjoy being different and who want to attempt a trek that few others will even have heard of.
The Quarry Trek is not the most difficult alternative to the Inca Trail but some would claim the scenery is even more spectacular than on the classic Peruvian trek. The walk takes in several sets of Inca ruins, including irrigation works, the Sun Gate and, of course, the Inca quarry for which the trek is named. The route also crosses two high passes, the Pukaqasa Pass (4,370 m / 14,327 ft), and the Kuychiqasa Pass (4,460 m / 14,632 ft), both of which are higher than the infamous Dead Woman’s Pass (4,215 m / 13,828 ft), the highest point on the Inca Trail. The trek does not actually finish at Machu Picchu but almost every version includes spending the final night at Aguas Calientes followed by a visit to the world-famous ruins the next morning before the return journey to Cusco.
Day 1: Cusco – Soqma – Perolniyoc – Rayan
We will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco (3,400 m / 11,154 ft) early in the morning and drive 2 hours through the beautiful Sacred valley of the Incas to Soqma (3,205 m / 10,515 ft), a small community close to Ollantaytambo. Then you’ll take your first steps on the Inca Quarry Trek. You’ll start with an hour and a half uphill walk to the Perolniyoc cascade lookout (3,460 m / 11,351 ft). Here you will view a gorgeous waterfall and take advantage of the many photo opportunities. From the waterfall, you’ll embark on another one-hour walk to the Inca site of Perolniyoc (3,600 m / 11,811 ft) where you’ll have a guided tour and have free time to explore and enjoy this fascinating place. This is also where you’ll have lunch somewhere near to the inca site.
After a delicious lunch you’ll adventure through beautiful fields of corn and quinoa, amidst the Andean mountains, all while experiencing variant Andean wildlife and landscape. You’ll make your way to the lovely village of Rayan (3,700 m / 12,139 ft), a small and close-knit community. Here our porters will set up camp for the night. You’ll share food and make memories with the other group members. Today is a light day of hiking as you rest and rejuvenate for a longer hike the next day.
- Meals included: lunch & dinner
- Maximum altitude: 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
- Minimum altitude: 3,205 m / 10,515 ft
- Campsite altitude: 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
- Distance hiked: 8.00 km / 4.97 ml
- Approximate walking time: 4 – 5 hours
Day 2: Rayan – Kuychiqasa Pass – Sun Gate – Choquetacarpo
You’ll rise early preparing for a long and gorgeous day with a nourishing breakfast and hot coca tea. You’ll set out up the valley reaching the first pass of our trek, Pukaqasa Pass (4,370 m / 14,327 ft). Along the trek today you’ll will be gifted with the pleasant aromas of muña, Andean mountain mint, which makes a beautiful tea. You’ll venture through fields, where despite elevation, the local people with ingenuity and skill still grow an abundance of food. Altogether, this is approximately a three-hour climb through the pass to once in a lifetime views. Once at the top you’ll take a break, soak in the surrounding views and take photos. Surrounding you, will be the Sacred valley of the Incas on one side and to the other the Chancachuco Valley. Then you descend for 25 minutes to find our lunch spot for the day at Charcahuaylla (4,300 m / 14,107 ft). You’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch prepared by our trek Chef and after a rest, it is mostly even terrain from here with slightly ascents and descents for two more hours to get to the highest pass of the trek Kuychiqasa (4,460 m / 14,632 ft). You’ll see interesting geological developments looking similar to burial mounds but are actually glacial moraines, however, they are rock deposits dating back from the Ice Age.
Then the trail goes downhill, you’ll hike 2 hours to visit the Inca site, Intipunku (3,900 m / 12,795 ft) or the Sun Gate, where you’ll have an amazing view of Veronica mountain. These are gorgeous ruins sitting on top of the mountain and all around you will be snow-capped mountains and views looking down into the valley. After 30 minutes more of hiking you’ll finally arrive to our campsite Choquetacarpo (3,600 m / 11,811 ft.), our home for the night. You’ll have enough time to unpack and settle in and enjoy a lovely dinner, cozy up and relax in your tent after a day with many accomplishments.
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Maximum altitude: 4,460 m / 14,632 ft
- Minimum altitude: 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
- Campsite altitude: 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
- Distance hiked: 15.00 km / 9.32 ml
- Approximate walking time: 8 – 9 hours
Day 3: Choquetacarpo – Inca Quarry – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
You welcome in the day with a beautiful sunrise and a hot cup of tea before another just prepared fresh breakfast. Then it is time to explore Cachicata (3,525 m / 11,564 ft) or the Inca Quarry, you’ll have a guided tour, learning about the history and appreciating the architectural beauty of this site. This extensive area was a quarry once used by the Incas to aid in the construction of Ollantaytambo. Then you’ll make your way down for about 3 hours to Ollantaytambo (2,800 m / 9186 ft), a beautiful town in the valley with ruins perched atop the surrounding mountains. Your lunch will be arranged in town and then you’ll hop on the train and travel from valley to high jungle to Aguas Calientes (2,000 m / 6,551 ft). Once you arrive to Aguas Calientes, you’ll check into a comfortable and lovely hotel. After that you’ll have time to explore the town, there are shops, the river, and the hot springs. The natural hot springs are a perfect way to relax after all the trekking and be fresh before Machu Picchu. At the end of the evening you’ll enjoy a celebratory dinner at one of the restaurants in town.
- Meals included: breakfast & lunch
- Maximum altitude: 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
- Minimum altitude: 2,800 m / 9186 ft
- Aguas Calientes altitude: 2,000 m / 6,551 ft
- Distance hiked: 11.00 km / 6.83 ml
- Approximate walking time: 4 – 5 hours
Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
After a great night’s rest and breakfast at the hotel, you’ll catch the bus to Machu Picchu. As you drive up the mountain through cloud forest you’ll reach Machu Picchu (2,400 m / 7,874 ft) to welcome the sun while watching the sunrise. You’ll enjoy a two-hour guided tour, visiting numerous significant sites and learn of the incredible ingenuity of the Incas. After the tour you’ll have time to explore at your leisure, or visit other places that may catch your eye like heading west from Machu Picchu in a 30-minute walk to the Inca bridge along a narrow path. If you want to do more hiking you can climb Huayna Picchu mountain (2,720 m / 8,923 ft) (tickets must be booked as far in advance as possible).
Once you have finished your exploration of the sacred citadel you’ll head back down the mountain by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch and catch the afternoon train to Ollantaytambo train station. In Ollantaytambo, an Epic Peru Adventures representative will be there to warmly welcome you and bring you back to your hotel in Cusco by private transportation.
Note: Huayna Picchu Mountain tickets are subject to availability
- Meals included: breakfast at the hotel
- Cusco altitude: 3,400 m / 11,154 ft
- Minimun altitude: 2,000 m / 6,561 ft
- Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m / 7,874 ft
- Huayna Picchu altitude: 2,720 m / 8,923 ft
Transportation and tickets
- Transfer in from the airport to your hotel in Cusco
- Hotel pick up in Cusco
- Private transport to the trailhead in Socma community
- Entrance fee ticket to the Inca Quarry Trek
- Tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
- Entrance fee ticket to Machu Picchu
- Round trip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
- Hotel drop off in Cusco
- Transfer out from your hotel to the airport
Camping equipment
- Comfortable 4-season sleeping tent
- Two nights camping
- One night hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes 3***
- Foam mattress
- Outdoor dining and cooking tents
- Food and drink utensils
- Portable chemical toilet tent
- Emergency medical first aid kit
- Emergency oxigen bottle
- Duffle bag for your personal items up to 8 Kg / 17 Lb
- Biodegradable soap and hand towels
- Portable transmitter-receiver radio
- Satellite telephone
Team
- Pre-departure Inca Quarry Trek briefing
- Professional trekking Tour Guide
- Personalized service
- Small tour group max 8 people
- Private walking tour in Machu Picchu
- Professional and well trained Trek Chef
- Horsemen and mules to carry provided equipment and food
- Extra horse for emergencies only
- Guaranteed departure
Food
- High quality meals while on the trek 3B, 3L, 2D & snacks
- Drinking water to refill bottles from first day lunch onwards
- Classic afternoon tea before dinner
- This tour offers vegetarian and vegan food options on request simply let us know the food option that you prefer
- Huayna Picchu mountain entrance fee ticket
- Machu Picchu mountain entrance fee ticket
- First day breakfast and dinner in Aguas Calientes
- Meals after arrival to Machu Picchu
- Personal sleeping tent (available for rent)
- Sleeping bag (available for rent)
- Sleeping bag polar liner
- Insulated air sleeping pad (available for dinner)
- Hiking poles (available for rent)
- Rain poncho
- Extra expenses
- Thermal baths in Aguas Calientes
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance
- International or local airfare
- Hotel in Cusco or Aguas Calientes
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