Cachicata Trail to Machu Picchu – Inca Quarry Trail

At 0600 AM, we will pick you up from the hotel in Cusco. We will then embark on a road trip to a town called Pachar. It is located in the Sacred Valley of Incas. 

From here, we will travel to the trailhead in Huaroncondor. Here we will meet our muleteer and horses. 

We will organise our personal belongings and camping equipment to start the four days Cachicata Trail to Machu Picchu.

Our first activity will be a hike to the agricultural terraces in the town. We will then start our hike to Raphcca. A remote town 2900 metres above sea level. Here we will stop for lunch. 

After lunch, we will continue our hike through the valley. We will be walking through many canals and agricultural terraces. 

This region is home to many native communities. They still maintain their traditions and customs. In Fact they continue conversing in Quechua. 

It gets a bit more interesting on the next segment of the trek. We will follow a steep trail that would take us to a highland waterfall. It is absolutely stunning here. We will take a short break so you can refresh your body and mind. 

From here, we will walk to an Incan archaeological site named Corimarca. Here we will spend the night in the camping area.

After breakfast, we will start the day with a hike through open meadows. We will be hiking through Puna. It is a high altitude shrub area. We will continue to the highest pass of the trek, Chancachuco pass at 4,400 meters above sea level. 

You will get a panoramic view of “Apu” Ausangate Mountain from here. Also, this place is home to many distinct birds and animals. 

We will then continue through a high plateau. This route passes through some high altitude lakes. 

From here, we will descend to Qeuñacancha, 4080 metres above sea level. Here we will camp for the night.

We will serve a nutritious breakfast. After breakfast, we will walk down the hill to an Inca Channel. This channel comes from Lake Maracucha. After spending some time here, we will hike to an ancient Incan temple called Intihuatana. 

This is located on the edge of the mountain called Apu Alambre. The view from here is out-worldly. 

Back in the days, people here managed the Inca quarries and performed ceremonies at Intipunku to express their gratitude to nature. 

We will continue our downhill hike to Choquetacarpo. It is an archaeological site. This was the residence of architects who worked at the quarry. Here, we will stop for lunch. 

After lunch, we will continue to Cachicata, the largest quarry of Incas. Here you will see some blocks of pink rhyolite, scattered in disarray. These stone blocks are a testimony of a huge Incan construction that never took place. Our guide will give you a detailed tour here. 

We will then descend to Ollantaytambo train station. Here we will board the train to Aguas Calientes. 

Once in Aguas Calientes, we will accommodate you in a basic ensuite hotel room for the night.

We will start early in the morning from Aguas Calientes town. After breakfast, we will board a bus to Machu Picchu. As you will enter the citadel, you will see the clouds clearing by. We will give you a two and a half hours guided tour of the citadel. 

If you have booked a trek to Huyana Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, do advise our guide. They will assist you in finding the entrance to the respective mountain. 

Alternatively, you can walk to the Sun Gate. Sun Gate offers an exclusive view of Machu Picchu. A view that only those on Inca Trail get to see.

After the tour, we will meet at the train station. You will board the train back to Ollantaytambo from here. Our representative will meet you at the train station. We will then drop you back to your hotel in Cusco.