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Cachicata Trek

& SHORT INCA TRAIL

CACHICATA TREK

“I felt my lungs inflate with rush of scenery AIR, MOUNTAIN, TREES, PEOPLE.
​-I thought- THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE HAPPY.”
Sylvia Plath

The Cachicata Trek takes you to the source of one of the ancient Inca quarries; a place where you will find the answers to those questions.
Ever since the Spaniards came to the land of the Inca, the question over how the native peoples of the Andes managed to cut and transport the megalithic rocks that made up the Incan cities was a mystery and the source of amazing tales.
Join us on this fabulous 5-day hike on the way to Machu Picchu.

Cachicata trek

Trek Details:

  • Hike Distance:  .46km / 29 miles
  • Difficulty:​ Hard
  • Duration: 5 days/4    nights
  • Highest point: Sikllakasa  pass 15200 ft / 4700 m
  • Elevation Gain: 6,000 ft / 1900 meters
  • Weather: See below
  • Seasons: All year round. 
  • Hike Trail Map:   See below
  • Cusco drive time to starting point: 3hr 15min+
  • Town Nearest Hike: Urubamba
  • Beauty:   Paramo, Puna, Glacier lakes,  Vilcabamba mountain range views, scenic trail, Grassland area, local villages, wildlife: prairie horses and dogs, Vizcachas and  Andean foxes, Spectacled bear, Dwarfed deer. Birds; Condor, torrent tyranulett, black-chested buzzard-eagle, Chiguanco thrush, hummingbirds.
  • Activities:   Hiking trail, archaeological site tours, nature and Andean community visits.​

Includes:

  • Professional, bilingual Tour Guide
  • Collection from hotel
  • Return transportation (bus to start of trail plus tourist train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco)**
  • Entrance fees to Machu Picchu and the  Short Inca Trail
  • 1 one way bus tickets Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes on day 4, and 1 round trip ticket Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and back to Aguas Calientes on day 5.
  • Meals throughout the tour. (breakfast on the first day, and  lunch on the fifth day in Aguas Calientes town are not included).  
  • Dining tent with tables and chairs
  • Cook
  • 2 person  tents
  • Basic foam sleeping pads 
  • Porters, Horsemen and mules to carry food, cooking and camping equipment only. *
  • Extra oxygen
  • First Aid kit
  • Vegetarian/special diet options available upon request
​*Important!!! Our porters carry cooking and camping equipment only. YOU NEED to hire an EXTRA PORTER if you don’t wish to carry your own belongings on the trail. We recommend this as the best thing to do when booking a tour with us.

There is no such thing as a ‘free porter’. Companies that offer this complimentary service are usually engaging in exploitative practices that force porters to carry extra unpaid weight. Do not fall for of this fishy marketing scheme.

Prices from: $785 USD Per Person (Based on group size; see price chart below)

CACHICATA TREK

Day 1: Cusco – Socma – Rayan
We start out with an easy first day. Leaving from Cusco early we drive to the Pampa de Anta and Huarocondo Canyon heading for the village of Socma which is a short distance from the Sacred Valley of the inkas.

Today’s hike takes us up the valley behind Socma as we make our way to a small Inca temple and beautiful waterfall that lie at the top of the valley. Walking Through fields cultivated with potatoes, quiwicha and quinua we will have the opportunity to see a variety of birds and native plants and to learn about the Andean people. we will teach you a little Qhechua (the language of the Incas) so that you can communicate with the local peop
le in the mountains.

After a relaxing morning’s hike we’ll finally arrive to our destination, the Inca temple of Perolniyoc. After a guided tour of the site we’ll carry on a short distance to our campsite at Rayan (3650m / 11975 ft.) where we’ll stop for camping. In the afternoon maybe some of the local families or children’s will visit us so you can practice the Qhechua you learnt in the morning and have fun together.
Day 2: Rayan – Cachicata
Today is the longest day of the hike. Setting out from our campsite we’ll carry on up the mountain making our way to the first pass on the trail. This area is still cultivated by the local people despite the high altitudes and seeing the people caring for their fields. One of the few plants that seems to thrive at this altitude is a type of mint,(muna) and the scent infuses the air throughout the morning.

it’s about a 4 hour walk to the pass (4440m / 14567ft.) where we’ll stop to take in the panorama and catch our breath before carrying on for about another 20 minutes to stop for lunch. After lunch the walking gets easier; having reached the top of the mountain the terrain levels out and we hike across the high plateau through a strange landscape of what appear to be burial mounds but are actually glacial morraine (piles of rock deposited by glaciers during the Ice Age).

Our goal for today is the Inca quarry of Cachicata. Working our way down from the high plateau we’ll arrive to Cachicata (3820m / 12532ft.) by late afternoon, passing by the inca water canal and an Inca ruin which people refer to as the Sun Gate along the way

Day 3: Cachicata – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
Today is dedicated to exploring Cachicata. Despite it’s proximity to Ollantaytambo and the wide variety of interesting features, hardly anyone actually comes up here. Cachicata is an extensive site, it was the quarry used by the Inca for the construction of Ollantaytambo tonw there are various points of interest including several large buildings, quarried stones left half finished and abandoned throughout the site, chullpas (burial houses) and a cave with Inca mummies still in place and of course the incredible view of the Andes mountain range and the Sacred Valley of the Inkas.

After a guided tour of cachicata we’ll continue our way down the mountain following the original platform used for transporting the stones to Ollantaytambo and arrive to the town by early afternoon. From Ollantaytambo we’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes.
Day 4: Machu Picchu!
Waking up early we’ll take the first bus back up to Machu Picchu to enter the site as it opens. We’ll have a 3 hour guided tour of the site during which you’ll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel. After your tour you’ll have free time to explore the site by yourself and if you have permits to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo from where you will carry on by bus back to Cusco.

  • Professional, bilingual Tour Guide
  • ​Double visit to Machu Picchu . New    Addition for 2019!!!   More bang for your buck.
  • Collection from hotel
  • Return transportation (bus to start of trail and tourist train back to Ollanta)**
  • Entrance fee to Machu Picchu
  • 3 one way bus tickets up to Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes.
  • 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 afternoon snacks  and 3 dinners (breakfast on day 1 and dinner and lunch in Aguas Calientes town are not included).  
  • Dining tent with tables and chairs
  • Cook
  • 2-people tents
  • Sleeping mattresses
  • Horseman and mules (to carry cooking and camping equipment only, You must hire an extra porter to carry your personal belongings  if you are not an experienced hiker)
  • 1 night accommodation in hotel in Aguas Calientes
  • Extra oxygen
  • First Aid kit
  • Vegetarian/special diet options available upon request

Optional services not included.

  • Hire of sleeping bag (5 seasons) – $50 
  • Walking sticks (pair) – $20 
  • Inflatable mattress – $40 
  • Camping pillow $20


Rent  our TREKKING COMFORT PACKAGE (all of the    items   above) for   only   $100 USD

  • ​Extra Porter $180USD
  • Half extra porter $100USD
  • Single tent  supplement – $55

Cachicata Trek + Short Inca Trail Price: 

  • 1 Trekker $955 per person
  • 2 Trekkers: $855 per person
  • 3 Trekkers: $805 per person
  • 4 or more  Trekkers: $785 per person
CACHICATA TREK