Peru

Peruvian Resources
Very good personal account of a
tour
Useful link-INDEPENDENT TRAVEL GUIDE TO PERU
Cuzco
Cuzco, the capital of Cuzco department in southern Peru, was the capital of the INCA empire from its beginnings in the 14th century until the Spanish conquest in 1533. A tourist attraction, the city is known for its Inca ruins and Spanish colonial architecture. Situated at an altitude of 3,416 m (11,207 ft) in a broad valley of the Andes, it is the busy hub of a thickly populated agricultural region where sheep are raised and cereals and tobacco are grown. The population is predominantly Indian, and the city, with its open markets, adobe houses, and narrow, winding cobblestone streets, is Indian in character. The area is subject to earthquakes
Inca Trail

The Inca Trail is Peru's best known hike, combining a stunning mix of Inca ruins, mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest and rich subtropical jungle. Over 250 species of orchid have been counted in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, as well as numerous birds such as hummingbirds, waterfowl and the majestic Andean Condor. The star of the Sanctuary is the spectacled bear - a shy, herbivorous animal that is extremely rare and close to extinction.

Essentially the Inca Trail is a mountainous jungle hike leading to the sacred Inca city of Machu Picchu. The 45km trek is usually covered in 4 days, arriving at Machu Picchu at daybreak on the final day before returning to Cusco by train in the afternoon.

Prices & Services
The Inca Trail can be hiked year round although the months of May till October are probably more comfortable since the weather is drier. June through August is the high season when reservations must be made well in advance.
If you are searching the web for information about the Classic 4 day Inca Trail you'll probably be overwhelmed to find hundreds of tour companies offering this popular trek amongst their services. Many of these companies are acting only as agents for the relatively few that actually operate the trek. Prices for the Classic 4 day trek start at about US$240 per person (including entrance fees and return on train) and can climb anywhere up to a staggering $1000. For a clarification of why the price can vary so much for walking the same 45km path see below:
The main difference between the various Inca Trail services are the number of people in the group, the level of comfort that you can expect, the quality of the guide, food and camping equipment and whether the company will actually guarantee their departure date, even if they can't find anyone else to fill up the group. The prices quoted below are to be used as a guide only and may vary considerably from company to company .
Prices for the 4 day group service Inca trail trek generally range between US$300 and US$400 per person including entrance fees and return on train (You can almost double these figures if you buy the trek with a tour agency outside Peru even though the service is the same). This price includes Peruvian sales tax known as IGV which is currently at 19%. A US$30 discount is offered to students who have valid ISIC cards and to children under 16 years old. This is the standard service offered by most tour operators in Cusco and offers the most economic way of hiking the Inca Trail as part of an organized group. Group sizes tend to be between 12 and 16 persons. Although services can vary from operator to operator, generally speaking, the following services are included: Bus to the start of the trek, bilingual guide, assistant guide for groups of 9 and over, entrance fees (US$60 adult or US$30 student), tent, sleeping mattress, cooking equipment, cook, meals, porters (to carry the tents, food and cooking equipment only) and return to Cusco on the Backpackers train service (currently US$46). The following items are not usually included: Breakfast on day 1, snacks along the trail, tourist bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes (US$6), meals on the final day apart from breakfast, porters to carry your personal items (can be hired separately for between US$60 and US$80 for the 4 day trek), entrance to the thermal springs in Aguas Calientes (US$3), any tips for the porters or guide.
Itinerary

Peru Treks - tour operator

Calle Garcilaso 265, Office 11, 2nd Floor, Cusco, Peru

Tel: (51 84) 805863

Web: www.perutreks.com

Small family run tour operator specializing in trekking in the Cusco region of Peru. Offer Inca Trail 4 day group departures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Their 2007 standard 4 day Inca Trail trek is priced at US$350 (Jan) and US$365 (March to December). Excellent treatment of porters. Private treks to Lares Valley, Choquequirao, Salkantay, Ausangate & Vilcabamba. Can also arrange cultural homestays with local Quechua families in the village of Chinchero. Package tours, private treks, custom trips. Voted Best Travel Agency in Cusco 2006 by Peru's Ministry of Tourism. Recommended by the South American Handbook 2007 and Cusco & the Inca Trail Guidebook as well as by the South American Explorers Club. US$10 Inca Trail discount for SAE members