Inca Trail Peru Research Paper

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The Inca Trail, Peru: An Unforgettable Hike to Machu Picchu
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The Inca Trail in Peru is one of the world’s best loved hiking trails, not least because it leads to one of the seven wonders of the world - the incredible Machu Picchu.

The Inca Trail is located on a mountain ridge above an area called the Sacred Valley, and is loved by walkers and non-walkers alike.

It’s a 26 mile (41 km) walk, usually consisting of around 10 hours per day, taking 4 days and 3 nights of camping, over valleys, cliff edges, steep steps and up rocks. It’s not for the fainthearted, but it is an unforgettable experience!
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Get in shape before you go
Walking the Inca Trail can be tough on the body - so it’s important to be in tip top

Starting at 2,600 metres (8,500 ft), the trail ascends to 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) on the first day. The second day ascends over ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’, the highest point on the trail, which you’ll reach at almost halfway into your hike. From the bottom, it looks like a lady lying down, hence the name! It’s over 4,200 metres (13,779 ft) above sea level, so expect this climb to be a difficult one! When you reach the top though, you’ll feel proud of yourself that you made it, but then realise that there’s still a long way to go! This is the most dangerous point in terms of altitude sickness, however, you do not spend long at this altitude and by the afternoon you'll be back at 3,600 metres (11,800

It's probably best to deal with these extremes by using several layers rather than one thick jumper as the weather can vary from one hour to the next.

Machu Picchu - a breathtaking sight
Once you’ve completed the 25 miles (40 km), you’ve got just 1 mile (1.6 km) to go before you reach the end. It’s best to get up as early as possible, so you can see the sunrise over the incredible terrain. Just before Machu Picchu, about ½ mile (0.8km), is the Sun Gate. This was a gate that the ancient Incas lined up where the sun would shine directly through the gate, aligning with Machu Picchu.

Arriving at Machu Picchu is a breathtaking sight, and something that really cannot be put into words - it has to be seen to be believed! It’s a stunning area of Incan ruins, filled with wandering alpacas and many more tourists.

Machu Picchu, or the 'Old Peak' as it is also known, was built around 1450, and is a UNESCO world heritage site. One of the most amazing things about the site, and the trail in general, is that many of the building blocks weigh 50 tons or more, yet are so precisely fitted together that you couldn't even fit a thin piece of paper in between