9 Essential Tips For Your Inca Trail Trek To Machu Picchu

 Check out our better 9 essential tips for your Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu.  We desire to make sure you obtain all the information you require for a protected and positive trip on this historic trail.  Over the past 17 years, we have increased our service along the Inca Trail, managing more than 800 trips per year. Here are some reasons to select Salkantay Trek Machu for your Inca Trail trek.

 Our best advice for your trek on the Inca Trail

Don't admire the Hurds. We have created the top itinerary for trekking to Machu Picchu. HERE IT IS. Subsequently managing 500 treks on the Inca Trail, is an excellent way to feel the positivity of Machu Picchu. Likewise, with the current limitations at Machu Picchu, we have 2 tours that suggestion you the most incredible experience of the trail and the wonderful city of Machu Picchu.

 Advice to choose the best route

There is only one recognized trail that principals to Machu Picchu. We recommend this trek as part of the conventional 4-day trek, the classic 4-day trek, and the 5-day Salkantay trek. However, our preferred program is the classic 4-day Inca Trail trek.  This program permits us to occupy more time in the sites along the trail and even proposes two visits to Machu Picchu.  There are a smaller amount people on the trail each day and you have the chance to camp at some of the most attractive sites along the trail.

 1). Training

Emphasize in top corporal condition for this trek. Start developing an exercise plan precise to this trail. You need to identify the daily elevation changes and the variety of terrain you will be walking on.  Every person should prepare 2-4 times a week to organize for the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. However, it is problematic to come up with a particular training plan, so it is best to work with us to improve a plan.

Take a fitness test

Each person starts from several locations and has dissimilar levels of access.  So, your training program will differ in a wide diversity of aspects. We advise that you take a health test previously you start training, so you know your determined heart rate and training zones. Most of your workouts should be done in your durability zone. You should also start by reducing the time and weight of your pack, then progressively increase it. Your goal should be to make endurance, leg strength, overall body strength, equilibrium, and lung function. Comprehend the heart rate training zones for climbing.

 Training for the Downhill

The most essential aspects of your trip are building strength and endurance for long days on your feet.  Strength is needed to carry the body up and down steep stairs. Learn more about downhill instructing. Endurance training is needed to keep you performing for 4-6 days straight. The vital training is walking up and down hills and stairs with a weighted backpack, going from 4kg to 12kg.

 Hill and Stair Climbing

This action will dispute your legs and give you strength before your trek. If you don't have an entrance to hills or stairs to train on, you should utilize a stair climber for up to 40 minutes a day with a weighted backpack. You will need to prepare for strength training and long walks with steep climbs and descents.  Lunges and squats should also be a key part of your training. Contact us for more information.

 2). Be aware of your surroundings

Keep a close eye on your surroundings. There are numerous porters running ahead of you on the trail, so you must reside on the mountainside of the trail to evade getting knocked down. If you see porters coming, warn your teammates so that they too can move safely down the mountainside of the trail. This is particularly vital when descending the steep steps of the Inca Trail. They are steeper than you think, so you must accomplish your own safety on the trail. Your personal safety should be your principal concern at all times on the trail.

 3). Stay out of the deposition areas

Constantly continue on the mountainside of the trail. Because of the steep drop-offs and rough trails, you should always be careful with your footing and stay off the edge of the trail. There are very few railings on the trail. Continue on the mountain side of the trail. Always stay away from the drop-offs. There are some very steep descents and you need to stay off the drop offs and manage your foot position.

 4). Consider all cold water on the trail

Be sure to treat all cold water throughout the trek. On all Salkantay Trek Machu, we boil all water. Though, you don't want to get sick from untreated water. If you are supplied cold water in your bottle on the trail, you MUST treat the water with water sanitization tablets before drinking it. Drinking dirty water will ruin your trip. It is difficult to acquire bottled water on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. If you are given hot water for tea, coffee, or in your bottle, you can drink it without tablets.  Pay consideration to your personal hygiene every day on the trail. This can make your trek a success or a disaster.

 5). Acclimatize in Cusco

Exercise is an essential part of the acclimatization process. It is very vital to arrive early in Cusco and walk around the city and the surrounding hills. Exercise is vital, but you don't want to strain your muscles by pushing your heart rate to its maximum. Once you have prepared and trained, this should not be a tricky.

On the trail, you will be walking for 6 hours straight approximately, with 30-40% less oxygen than your body is used to at sea level.  Your muscles, heart, and body will be under a lot of pressure. It is not desirable to move rapidly along the trail each day. Our pace will be slow and steady, with many breaks, particularly on the longer hills. You must control your heart rate with each climb of the Inca Trail.

6). Hydration, hydration, hydration

The dry climate and low oxygen levels necessitate you to drink 4-5 liters of water per day. There are no exclusions to this rule!  Hydration is important for proper body function at altitude.  The International Society of Mountain Medicine defines high altitude as between 1,524 m and 3,500 m, very high altitude as between 3,500 m and 5,486 m, and extreme Altitude than any altitude above it. The higher the altitude, the greater the impact on the body and the more important it is to stay hydrated.

Dehydration occurs much more quickly at higher elevations. If you don't stay hydrated, you risk altitude sickness and ruin your hike. You may not even realize how much water you are losing through exertion, but because of the low oxygen levels, you are breathing in and out faster and deeper, which causes you to lose more water through breathing. According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water loss through breathing at high altitudes is twice that at sea level. The high altitude may also cause you to urinate more frequently and weaken your sense of thirst, further increasing the risk of dehydration.

7). Don't ignore the signs of AMS.

Don't ignore the signs of acute mountain sickness (AMS). Our Inca Trail treks include good acclimatization in Cusco. It is extremely important that you sleep at an altitude of 3,400 meters for the two nights before the trek. You must be able to make the climb safely and not be afraid to tell your guide how you feel. Altitude sickness can be deadly, so respect the mountains and the decisions of our guides. Our guides are trained to deal with altitude sickness, so let them help you. We carry oxygen on all of our hikes.  If you become ill, the only way to recover is to descend to a lower altitude as soon as possible.

8). Always stay together

You hike as a team, not as an individual. You need to take care of yourself and others around you while hiking. Teamwork is essential for a safe group trip. If you look out for each other, you will enjoy the tour much more. If someone can't keep up with our minimum pace, they need to be distracted before they become a danger to themselves and the group. If a team member is not feeling well, please let the guides know.

Pace, heart rate and attentiveness to breathing are very important when climbing the 3 passes. This is especially important on the Dead Women's Pass, which is as high as 4,215 meters. You will be climbing up and down steep steps in the most difficult areas and on the most difficult days. A slow, controlled pace is therefore essential for your recovery and your ability to complete this trip safely. We want you to enjoy all the Inca sites along the way. Focus on deep breathing, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Your goal should be to keep your heart rate as low as possible throughout the trail.

9). Have the right equipment

Wear the right clothes, the right gear and the right equipment. There are too many people traveling with cotton clothing, inferior trekking shoes, small daypacks, and improper clothing with little water. Don't compromise on trekking shoes, backpacks, waterproof gear, air mattresses or sleeping bags. Check out our PACKING VIDEO. When you sign up for an Inca Trail Machu trip, we'll provide you with a detailed list of your gear in our 35-page packet.

Even if you are traveling in the best months for an Inca Trail hike, you will need good gear as it can rain every day on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. You need to make sure you have a good, lightweight daypack that holds at least 25 liters.  It should contain 2 to 3 liters of water, waterproof rain gear, a down jacket, poles, sunscreen, personal medications, protective gloves, your first aid kit, and other personal items you may need. Every day you can deal with any weather, so make sure you have the right gear every day as you walk this magical trail to Machu Picchu. Consider additional acclimatization before trekking.

You should consider several nights of acclimatization in Cusco and during the trek. You should carefully choose the right route for your adventure. Our team in the office has done many treks on the Inca Trail and we have all the information you need!  Don't hesitate to contact us today and make an appointment with us! 

The 09 best tips for your trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Extra nights for acclimatization will give you the best chance to be successful, safe and make the most of your experience on this famous trail. You only have one chance, so you must choose the route that works best for you. A more flexible route can make a big difference in the experience you have. I hope our tips were helpful to you and I look forward to accompanying you on this magical path to Machu Picchu.

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I hope our top 9 tips for your Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu were helpful. Contact us today and we'll help you get ready