Please refer to your tour voucher for details of the meeting point for this tour. Ths contains contact details for our local partners who run this trip on behalf of Kumuka Worldwide.

A trip briefing is generally held early evening the day before departure. We strongly advise you attend this briefing. Please advise your agent if you are unable to attend this briefing.

Trek to Machu Picchu on this fantastic 4-day hike following in the footsteps of the Inca people.

Wallyabamba to Pacamayo - Dead Woman’s Pass.  Day two is the toughest day as we reach the highest point of the trail at Dead Women’s Pass with an altitude of just over 4200 metres above sea level.

Leaving Wayllabamba, the trail climbs again, passing through sub-tropical vegetation before giving way to woodland, which in turn gives way to scrub vegetation. As you ascend higher, passing through rugged terrain, the views of the valley below become increasingly spectacular. One last steep ascent brings us to the fabled “Dead Woman’s Pass” and a welcome rest break – congratulations! You made it! This is the highest point on the trail at 4200m. Once your energy returns, we descend to the Pacamayo Valley and our campsite, situated at 3600m. This is the coldest night on the trail, where temperatures fall to 2 to 4 degrees in December and –3 to –5 degrees in June.

Total 12 kms / 7 hours walking.

Winaywayna – Machu Picchu - Cusco.  We rise very early on the morning of Day 4, trekking through woodland for a couple of hours, before climbing up stone stairs to arrive at the Sun Gate for dawn on the final day. Providing the weather is clear, the view from the Sun Gate down to Machu Picchu is breathtaking and something you will never forget. Imagine what it was like for the explorer Hiram Bingham who discovered this long lost city back in 1911 and gave the world one of its most breathtaking ancient sites. The city, with its temples, stairways and gabled dwellings is probably one of the most astounding engineering feats of the whole of the Ancient American civilisations. What you see is never to be forgotten - but have your camera ready as well, just for the record. Upon reaching the ruins, our experienced local guides will give you a tour of the ruins for approximately two hours and then the rest of the day is yours to explore. An ascent of the nearby Huayna Picchu mountain offers fantastic views of the city of Machu Picchu and some great photos as well. If you wish to guarantee your permit, this must be booked in advance. Alternatively you can kick back under a tree in the plaza at Machu Picchu. We descend to the town of Aguas Calientes (bus fare payable locally) to enjoy a buffet lunch and enjoy a hot shower. Sacks wll be given out for you to transport your personal belongings carried by the porters, back to Cusco. That afternoon you can lie back and relax in the hot springs at Aguas Calientes. The return train to Cusco (or train and bus combo) leaves Aguas Calientes at around 4 or 5 pm, arriving back in Cusco around 8.30pm, followed by a transfer back to Plaza Regocijo in Cusco arriving about 9pm.

Total 7kms / 2-3 hours

Permits are required for all travellers who wish to trek the Inca Trail. We cannot apply for this until you have provided us with your full name, nationality, passport number and date of birth. Without a permit you are not permitted to walk the Inca Trail.

500 trekkers, porters, cooks and guide are permitted to pass through the control point every day. Once this quota is full, no further permits are issued.

During high season (May to October) permits can be sold out several months in advance. We urge you to book 3-4 months ahead of your proposed Inca Trail date during high season. During low season (November to April) it is often possible to obtain permits at short notice, however, to avoid disappointment we advise you to book as far in advance as possible.

Once we have obtained your permit, no changes can be made. If you change your passport details, wish to change the date or have provided us with incorrect details, your original permit becomes invalid.  If we have to re-apply for a permit on your behalf, you must be aware that there is no guarantee that we can obtain this. Additionally, we are unable to apply for a new permit until you have paid a further deposit. You must carry your original passport with you on the trail.

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs as smoothly as possible but please note that Latin America does not run like clockwork, therefore do not expect the streamlined travel arrangements associated with some other continents. Things do not always go to plan; there will be times when you will need to be patient and philosophical about your travels. Conditions in South America can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary.

CONTINGENCY FUND:
Protests and civil unrest occasionally take place in South America, namely Peru and Bolivia. Occasionally this might mean that we have to fly between two destinations in order to continue the tour. We strongly recommend that you bring along a contingency fund (as a guide we suggest USD300) or a credit card to cover any unexpected additional travel costs that may arise in these circumstances.

Be flexible, you will enjoy your tour much more. Kumuka makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country you visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect.

Lastly, your tour leader is always conscious of everybody's views, but sometimes he/she will have to make an unpopular decision and your understanding will be appreciated in these circumstances.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your South America trip. Country  entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides visa information. Please consult your Travel Agent or relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

If you are beginning your trip in one of the Andean countries (Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia) please be aware that you may be susceptible to some form of altitude sickness. If you are starting your trip in La Paz, allow 2 days to adapt to these conditions.

You may feel nauseous, overwhelmingly tired, short of breath or experience headaches. There are methods though of minimising the levels of altitude sickness that each person experiences.

• Taking the following steps will greatly help in minimising the level of altitude sickness, but please be aware that every individual reacts differently to it.
• Drink plenty of bottled water. At high altitude your breathing is rapid and shallow, causing you to dehydrate. 2 litres of water per day is the recommended amount.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Avoid smoking. If you are a heavy smoker they should either cut down or stop completely for their time in the altitude (although some smokers say they have an easier time because they are used to having less oxygen).

Taking the above measures will in most cases mean that within 2 days your body should adjust to taking less oxygen but each individual will be affected differently.

We suggest you take a 1.5 litre bottle of water on the first day and then you can refill this on the trek. We boil water each night, which is available after breakfast each morning for your water bottles. We still suggest you take water purification tablets or filters for any unboiled water you take directly from streams or waterfalls etc. You can buy water along the first day, for the first few hours of Day 2 and the afternoon of Day 3 at the hostel at Wiñaywayna.

Introduction

This is a moderate to strenuous hiking trek to the Lost City of Machu Picchu. The gateway for this trek is Cuzco, where passengers leave their luggage at the hotel and only need to take their mats, sleeping bags and personal items necessary for the duration of the excursion (4 days).

Porters

Porters are included. General porters carry tents, food, cooking equipment. We also include personal porters for approx 7kgs per person. They carry sleeping bags, clothes etc. You need to carry a day pack with water bottle, jacket, camera etc. As porters are split between group members, 7kgs is a rough guide as to the weight that a personal porter will carry. Additionally, it may sometimes be possible to hire extra porters on Day 2 (the most difficult day of the trek) if you require, to carry day packs etc to second campsite. Approx cost is USD25 - this is not organised through Kumuka or our ground handler. Foam sleeping mats are provided by the ground handler, weighing 800g and counted as part of the 7kgs carried by personal porters.

Tipping

Tipping is entirely at your discretion although it is commonplace for trekkers to tip their guides and porters on the during the Inca Trail and Lares treks. We recommend you carry approximately USD50-60 to cover the tipping tradition.

Itinerary and Distances

This is a guideline to the average distances and altitudes during the Inca Trail (please note all the information is a guideline only and every person must judge their own physical condition personally). Should you believe you are not fit enough for this hike, you can go to Machu Picchu by train, please advise your tour leader.

• Day 1 - trailhead to first camp Huayllabamaba (2700 m), distance 13 km, an average hiking time 7 hours with stops.
• Day 2 - hardest day, ascending to 4200m, distance 15KM, average hiking time 8 hours with breaks.
• Day 3 - very scenic day with many Ruins en route, distance 14 KM, camp at Winaywayna 2700m. 7-8 hours hiking.
• Day 4 - start in the dark to get to Machu Picchu at sunrise, 3 hours hike and free morning to explore Machu Picchu. If you wish to climb Wayna Picchu, please co-ordinate this with your guide as the park has restricted climbing times and numbers to  An ascent of the nearby Huayna Picchu mountain offers fantastic views of the city of Machu Picchu and some great photos as well. If you wish to guarantee your permit, this must be booked in advance. Return to Aguas Calientes (bus down from Machu Picchu payable locally). For those who have hired personal porters, blue sacks will be given out a lunchtime for you to transport your belongings back to Cusco. Train back to Ollantaytambo.

Permit Availability

Availability of Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu permits is limited, particularly during high season when the number of tourists wishing to walk the Inca Trail is greater than the number of permits available. Whilst we will endeavour to organise an Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu permit for you, these are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. In the event that permits for the Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu are unavailable, we will advise you as soon as possible about the two possible alternatives for reaching Machu Picchu 1- The 4 day Lares trek and 2- The 2 day Classic Train trip. Our website tour departure dates are updated frequently to indicate availability or non-availability of Inca Trail permits, however, permit availability can change with little warning: whilst we endeavour to keep this information as current as possible, we cannot guarantee permit availability.

Passport Details

Please ensure that you provide Kumuka with your passport details at the time of booking. Failure to do so may mean that you miss out on an Inca Trail permit as these can sell out very quickly. Kumuka will apply for your Inca Trail permit with the passport details which you provide us at the time of booking. If you hold more than one passport you must advise Kumuka which passport details we should use in order to apply for the Inca Trail permit.

Pre-payment of Inca Trail deposit
The cost of the Inca Trail deposit  must be paid in full at the time of booking. This is in addition to the tour deposit and is non refundable. Inca Trail permits will be applied for ONLY once full payment of deposit,  and written confirmation of your full name, passport number and date of birth have been received. These deposits are  included in the total tour price, and this amount will be deducted from the tour balance once paid.  Please refer to http://www.kumuka.com/Inca-Trail-News.aspx for more information.

Late Permit Applications
Late Inca Trail permit applications may occasionally incur an extra charge as we may need to organise an additional guide and pay for their trekking permit in order to secure your permit. We will advise you at the time of booking.

Changes and Amendments
Note that fees apply if you need to make changes and/ or amendments to your Inca Trail permit due to factors such as passport loss or renewal, illness, failure to provide Kumuka with correct details, date changes and tour transfers. For full information, please refer to:  http://www.kumuka.com/Inca-Trail-News.aspx

No Permit Availability
We can normally arrange the alternative 4 day Lares trek. Lares departures generally coincide with high season. Due to lesser demand and inclement weather, departures on the Lares Trail are limited during the low season. If there is no availability for either the Inca Trail or the Lares trek, we can normally arrange for you to spend 2 extra days in Cusco and then take the 2 day Classic Train trip to Machu Picchu, where you will meet with your original group for the guided visit to Machu Picchu. Please note that if we are unable to secure you an Inca Trail permit and you do not wish to hike the alternative Lares trek or take the Classic Train trip, your deposit will be returned to you.

High Season/ Low Season Information
November to March is considered low season. We can often obtain permits at short notice during this time. April to October is considered high season. We require your passport details as far in advance as possible during this time. The trail is closed during the month of February for maintenance. If your tour coincides with the Inca Trail closure, we can normally offer Lares or the Classic Train.

If you are walking in the sun it can be very hot and feel like 26 degrees celcius, but when you enter a forest or are in the shadow of a mountain it can feel like 14 degrees almost immediately. At night on the second night the temperature can drop to -5 degrees if you are really unlucky, although the temperature will likely hover around freezing point!

One of the main tips for dealing with the varying temperatures is to try and keep your body temp as regular as possible by using layers of clothes.  When you feel cool it is advisable to put on an extra layer before you get cold. If you start to feel hot, then take off a layer before you perspire as this could leave you with a chill later if you don’t take care. The weather from Dec through to early March is usually the wettest on the trail.

Some days it may be drizzly all day or you may have a burst of rain and clear skies for the rest of the day - or it could be wet off and on all day! You need good rain gear for walking as well as something to protect your pack. We have dining tents for all meals so you are protected at this time.

We suggest passengers budget for between US$25-30 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evening out, alcoholic drinks etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

Take your money is US dollars only. This the only foreign currency readily exchanged in Latin America.

It is recommended that you take some US dollars cash in small denominations ($10 and $20) as well as larger amounts, all notes should have been issued since 2001 anything before that may not be accepted due to counterfeit concerns. In many countries, you may exchange US Dollars traveller’s cheques for US cash, or retrieve US dollars cash from ATMs (with a credit card), usually for a small commission but please do not rely solely on this option.

Credit cards are accepted frequently, particularly in the larger cities. They can also be used to get money from ATMs. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa being the most useful. If you choose to travel with traveller's cheques these should be AMERICAN EXPRESS which are the most readily accepted however, please note that exchanging traveller's cheques can be a lengthy process and you may not be able to exchange them in smaller towns or more remote areas. Travelex cards or other travel debit cards are an alternative option if you do not wish to carry much cash.

Most passengers will travel with digital cameras. Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.

With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in South America. However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission. Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated. It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.