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This table will assist you with your trek planning in the Cusco area! Before making your final plans for a trip, you should visit the trek page and read the itinerary in detail, including the price and inclusions for the trip. This is the best trek comparisons chart for treks in the Cusco and Machu Picchu area!
Apus Peru are specialists in Inca Trail Alternative Treks and provide unique alernate routes to arrive in Machu Picchu. We hope that these treks will be developed sustainably and responsibily and at all times ask that the visitor to Peru consider their impact on the places that they visit - see our Responsible tourism pages.
Tossing up between the Lares and Salkantay treks? check out these trek comparisons and comments from people that have done these treks!
How difficult are these Inca Trail alternative treks? For notes on trek difficulty see below the table.
|
Treks
(listed in alphabetical order)
|
Sites
visited
|
best trek for |
Category explantations please view actual pages |
Terrain
|
Length
|
Difficulty
|
Hours
of travel (approx)
|
Highest
Altitude
|
2008 price per person (for 4 people) $US * |
|
ancascocha community, sacred valley, machu picchu |
remote, rugged experience |
snowcapped monuntains |
3 days/2 nights |
medium - difficult |
5 hours |
4650 m |
$355 |
||
|
ancascocha community, sacred valley, machu picchu |
remote, rugged experience |
snowcapped monuntains |
5 days/4 nights |
difficult |
5 hours |
4650 m |
$495 |
||
|
Ausangate
mountain, Tinqui village
|
snow views |
high
mountains, snow
|
6 days/ 5nights
|
moderate,
if acclimatized
|
6
hours
|
5,100m
|
$340
|
||
|
Ausangate mountain, |
snow views, high alpine lakes |
high mountains, snow |
7 days/ 6nights |
moderate, if acclimatized |
8 hours |
5,100m |
$365 |
||
|
Choquequirao
- Vilcabamba (Vitcos/Rosasapatas)
|
history & isolation |
high
mountains, no snow, ranging vegetation
|
8 days/ 7 nights
|
difficult
|
8
hours
|
4600m
|
$455
|
||
|
Santa
Maria to Machu Picchu non- hiking option
|
alternate entry to machu picchu |
jungle
|
3
days/ 2 nights
|
easy
|
13
hours
|
-
|
$price on request
|
||
|
Huancacalle
- Machu Picchu via Abra Muhun
|
isolated inca ruins & alternate entry to machu picchu, untouristed |
snow
capped mountains
|
6
days/ 5 nights
|
moderate-
tough
|
16
hours
|
over
4000m
|
$455
|
||
|
Choquequirao ruins |
views of canyons |
canyons, apurimac river |
4 days/ 3 nights |
Difficult |
8 hours |
3300m |
$335 |
||
|
Choquequirao ruin and leisurely visit |
views of canyons |
canyons, apurimac river |
5 days/4 nights |
Difficult |
8 hours |
3300m |
$375 |
||
| salkantay trek in 4 days! | quick salkantay trek | traditional Adventure | snowcapped mountains, high jungle | 4 days/ 3 nights | moderate-difificult | 6 hours | 4800m |
$395
|
|
|
Santa
Maria, Llactapata, Wayna Picchu, PutuCusi & Machu Picchu
|
unique study of machu picchu |
extraordinary
views of machu picchu, high jungle
|
4
days/ 4 nights
|
tough
|
13
hours
|
-
|
contact
us
|
||
| please note: you should always check the trek's full itinerary, inclusions & pricing in conjunction with this page! | |||||||||
|
Choquequirao
Machu Picchu
|
long hike ending in machu picchu |
canyons,
high puna, jungle
|
9
days/ 8 nights
|
moderate
- difficult
|
8
hours
|
4850m
|
$570
|
||
|
Huchuy
Qosqo Ruins
|
unique 2 day trek |
pretty
sacred valley views
|
2
days/1 night
|
easy/
moderate
|
2.5
hours
|
-
|
$195
|
||
|
Huancacalle
- Puncuyoc -Espirtu Pampa
|
remote route |
low
jungle
|
8
days/ 7 nights
|
easy
|
24
hours
|
-
|
$465
|
||
|
Espiritu
Pampa & Pogo de Mainique
|
little visited ruins and jungle |
amazon
jungle, ruins, ponqo de mainique
|
7
days/6 nights
|
easy
|
24
hours
|
-
|
$525
|
||
| lares, traditional communities visits machu picchu | weaving | traditional Adventure | high mountains | 4 days/ 3 nights | moderate | 10 hours | 4460m |
$425
|
|
|
lares
valley, lares hot springs
|
high alpine lakes |
high
lakes, cloud covered mountains
|
4,
5 and 6 day options available
|
moderate
|
5
hours
|
4460m
|
$305
for 4 day trek
|
||
|
lares
valley, lares hot springs, machu picchu
|
high alpine lakes& machu picchu |
high
lakes, cloud covered mountains
|
5
days/ 4 nights
|
moderate
|
10
hours
|
4460m
|
$525
|
||
|
jungle
|
exploration
trip
|
9
days approx.
|
rough
conditions
|
contact
us
|
|||||
|
Ampay
mountain, Abancay
|
exploration
hikes
|
high
puna, mountain, snow
|
6
days approx
|
-
|
12
hours
|
-
|
contact
us
|
||
|
huchuy
qosqo ruins, machu picchu
|
short trek, includes machu picchu |
sacred
valley views and machu picchu
|
3
days/ 2nights
|
easy/
moderate
|
11
hours
|
-
|
$365
|
||
|
Vilcambamba
, Puncuyoc, Vitcos- Rosaspatas
|
isolated ruins, archaeological aspects |
high
craggy mountains, remote
|
5
days/ 4 nights
|
moderate
|
24
hours
|
3954m
|
contact
us
|
||
|
Ratchi
ruins, Pitumarca, Ausangate mountain
|
exploration
hike
|
-
|
11
days approx.
|
rough
conditions
|
14
hours approx.
|
high
|
contact
us
|
||
|
Santa
Maria to Machu Picchu - hiking option
|
bicycle and hiking option |
jungle
|
3
days/ 3 nights
|
easy
|
13
hours
|
-
|
$355
|
||
|
Salkantay mountain, Santa Theresa, Machu Picchu |
well known alternative entry to machu picchu |
snowcapped
mountains, high jungle
|
5
days/ 4 nights
|
Moderate
|
6
hours
|
4,800
m
|
$455
|
||
| please note: you should always check the trek's full itinerary, inclusions & pricing in conjunction with this page! | |||||||||
Going trekking? Take the time to check out the Inka Porter Project, and particularly Guidelines for independent trekking in Peru This page also provides a list of questions to ask your agency when booking from outside Peru, with a focus on porter welfare.
Trek Difficulty - we have tried here to describe the trek difficulties as best as we can. It is very subjunctive as it depends on your fitness, experience and a whole range of factors including your health on the day. Trekking in the Andes is never easy!!! It is nearly always harder than you think! However, most people can do it as long as they have average fitness and a good attitude. We strongly suggest that if you do not consider yourself very fit (be honest!) to talk to us prior to doing a trek! Also, please advise us if you have any medical conditions prior to doing a trek - ie bad back, sore knees, weak ankles as well as other medical conditions. If you do not tell us we assume you are 100% healthy!
* Discounts for holders of valid ISIC cards are available on most treks which have entry into INC operated ruins.
Not found the trek comparison you were looking for? Please email us and make a suggestion for an addition to this table!
APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au
© A.Svenson 2005. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru.
