Has anyone done the 4-night Inca Trail trip?

[IncaTrail]

We are doing this in July. Me, DH and 2 teen boys.

Looking for tips and the good, the bad and the ugly so I can prepare.

Yes. Take wet wipes. Get good walking poles and take cash to tip the porters and guide. Make sure your walking boots are really worn in and comfortable. Are you spending time in Cuzco first to acclimatise to the altitude?

You will be exhausted every evening and sleep like a log! It's amazing though. One of the best things I've ever done.

Keep your day pack as light as you possibly can - it really makes a difference. Although it does get chilly high up so make sure you have enough warm stuff.

Enjoy. It is amazing!

It is amazing and exhausting. Machu Picchu is incredible.
I felt bad for the porters - we paid extra to have our 'own' ones, but fairly sure they just divided the money up so they had more each. The poverty there is quite desperate.
I do remember at the end of the walk, when you get your first view of Machu Picchu there are these tiny black flies that bite like buggery and itch like mad. Keep skin covered as much as possible.
Visit the thermal baths if you can. Aquas Calientes is pretty cool - loved the market set up along the train track. Also if you get the chance to climb the peak behind Wayna Picchu I think, it is something else. Incredibly steep stone steps (ise all fours!), the best views of MP and an almost vertical sheer drop to the river.

Peru was one of my most favourite counties to visit.

Take as much time to acclimatise before the trek as possible - we visited the Incan sites close to Cusco and climbed to the top to try and get used to the climbs at altitude.

I didn’t use poles but I agree with a PP worn in and comfortable walking boots are a definite must. The second peak is worth climbing for the views but it really is incredibly steep.

I don’t know how long you have in Peru but if you have time to do a Colca Canyon trek too, I’d really recommend it.

Hope you have an amazing time, I’d really love to go back with my kids!

We did the km104 trek which joins with the last day of the Inca trail so you walk for 1 day rather than 5 (we were only in Peru for a week).
Id recommend really good waterproofs! We climbed basically through clouds and it was absolutely soaking wet. Somehow our jackets were dripping but the porters whizzing up the trail past us were fine in those disposable plastic ponchos and flip flops!
we stayed in Aquas Caliente overnight which was amazing - visit the hot springs if you can! but because of the very high humidity you couldn't dry out your clothes.
Machu Picchu itself was amazing.

Sun cream, layers, worn in shoes - I made my DD wear hers for 2 weeks around the house and then to London (abuse apparently!), and on various walks. Her feet grew at a bad time.
Make sure you’re fit. Altitude is one thing but the trail is like climbing stairs for hours. One part is referred to as the ‘oh my god steps’ and you almost scramble up them.

I did a 4 day trek, I stayed in Cusco the night before. The altitude sickness hit me within hours of being in Cusco, especially when I had to walk back up the 100's of steps to my hotel from the main square. Coca tea does help massively with altitude sickness, it literally saved me as I was feeling so ill until I drank some. Its probably a controversial thing for me to say that on here but that is my experience.

Definitely make sure you break in your walking boots! Also pack light as previous posters have said.

Machu Picchu was so amazing. It made climbing the steps/stairs worthwhile!!! It is hard work to climb up there but my god it is worth it. I will never forget it. This will forever be the best photo I have ever taken! Enjoy your trek.

Agree with PPs that you should try to spend time at altitude. Definitely also on the making sure you’ve got comfy and worn in boots and other clothes are all comfy and lightweight.

Take plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses - the light can be very bright and on top of altitude it can give you a cracking headache.

My other tip is to be careful about what you eat, the water you drink and take medication and so on for a stomach upset - rehydration tablets and the like. Almost all our group had sickness and diarrhoea - we were lucky and didn’t - but it didn’t look fun! So maybe sensible things like take the water bottles that clean the water for you, avoid meat etc etc. Altitude can cause upset stomachs too.

Have you been at altitude before? You may want to research and consider taking Diamox.