Brendan Kent (Google Reviewer)
Myself and a mate absolutely loved our 6-day Salcantay/Inka Trail combo for his 40th birthday! Led by super puma & experienced tour guide Leo and the team assisted us in having us a seamless trip from booking enquiry through to dropping us back at our accomodation.
We can’t recommend Trexperience more highly for your adventure tour operator based in Cuzco.
Our trip commenced with a hotel pickup by private transport to the start of our trek. From there we were supported by horseman Mario who carried our gear, food and kitchen equipment. Masterchefs Augusto & Esteban creatively entertained our tastebuds for breakfast, lunch & dinner in the comfort of a shared kitchen-dining tent. The 3 course meals were perfectly paired to the temperature and that of our energy requirements ahead. Most importantly cleanliness and hygene was of a high standard & our tummies were in tip top shape. The salsa garnish is a must try while in Peru, although this may result in additional exhaust emissions!
Tour guide, Leo was an Inca race champion back in the day with over 1000 Inca trail runs and is a walking encyclopedia on the Inca history, flora and fauna of which you will pass a great variety. Leo’s experience enabled us to make the most of the trip, see more, rest a little at times & drink Momma’s beer by optimising the schedule to suit our interests & the weather when the “super kangaroos” were ahead of schedule.
Our first stop to Humantay Lake was serene and a good walm up for the following days.
Camp sites were in some amazing places, a highlight was overlooking the snow capped Salcantay mountain and witnesssing a couple of avalanches from a more than safe distance but could still hear and feel the power of the event. This camp site was at an altitude of about 15,000 feet and we woke to a powdering of snow in the morning.
The treks in the whole area are rocky and at times steep and my Keen ankle boots looked after my ankles and feet.
Walking poles are an option which we would recommend taking up to assist with uphill and downhill step downs.
Upon entering the Inca trail horses are forbidden so we were joined by a fantastic porter crew consisting of Cerilo, Santos, Ruben, Fortunato, Marcelino, Porfedio. We had a great time with our chefs and porters and if you include them in your trip it will really make the experience better. So dont be snobby - we shared plenty of laughs, music, food and stories with them sometimes through translation as we didnt speak fluent Espanol.
Along the way there are the occasional stall to buy drinks or if things workout you may get to stay in a village and try some locally made Inca beer of which we helped make the night before.
Tipping is optional but don’t be a tight arse - the support team work in exceptionally hard conditions, carry up to 25kgs on their backs compared to your 6kgs if that and run a fantastic operation. Tipping was by separate envelope to ensure funds go directly to the chef, porters & to guide.
On weight keep your packing to a minimum - spare jocks and socks for each day & you’ll get a number of days out of pants and shirts, a couple of sets thermals/compression gear, warm jacket, rain jacket - follow the packing instructions provided and you’ll be fine.
I bought a garmin watch which lasted 2 days GPS tracking our route, heart rate & O2 saturation & charged with a powerbank.
There are some opportunities for showers but most are cold and most camps are next to a crystal clear creek to ice bath your legs in and make things easier for crew.
Altitude sickness wasnt an issue although we could feel the effects of the thin air. A mate put us onto Diamox tablets(sourced through your doctor) which assisted with this, otherwise just taking it easier and focussing on solid breathing helped get us through without having additional things to deal with.
Its an incredible trip which you will have a great time if you do a little homework and preparation. If an 80 year old can do it or a guy with a kevlar knee im sure you can do it too! Thank you for a once in a lifetime experience, Trexperience 😘