Name: Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu (4 Days)
Brand: Encuentros Peru Adventure
SKU: 1
Price: 620 USD
Availability: InStock

+51 973 124 984 info@encuentrosperuadventure.com

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Tour Details

Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu is a new trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It takes you through some high altitude glacial lakes, remote Andean village untouched by modernity. You will have the opportunity to meet and interact with locals and get familiarised to their daily life.

Ask around in Cusco about Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu and you will see surprising looks. While renowned treks like the Classic Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek are filled with trekkers, Ancascocha Trail remains pretty much unexplored. This is one of the treks that has been considered as the most beautiful treks by National Geographic Travel Magazine.

This however just adds to the beauty of this trail. It is very unlikely that you will be encountering other trekkers almost throughout the circuit. This makes it the best to beat the tourist crowd and spend time amidst the nature.

The highest point of Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu is at 4,500m (15,000 ft). Hence, we highly advise you to spend some time in Cusco acclimatising before the trek. As an outdoor company, we have dedicated local guides who are passionate about mountains, culture and traditions.

Why Encuentros Peru Adventure?

We maintain an optimum level of safety standard on our treks and hikes. All our guides are trained on first aid and on using oxygen in case if you feel altitude sickness. We also have dedicated camping areas which would offer you a good night’s rest after an arduous day of trek.

Join us in retracing the footsteps of Incas on this lesser known yet a rewarding trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu. We operate the trek both in small group and as a private trek.

This is a challenging trek, we highly recommend you to spend at least 2-3 days in Cusco and acclimate to the high altitude before the trek. It is highly recommended to experience the trek during the dry season – between March and November.

Departure & Return Location

Cusco Hotel Transfer

Departure Time

0500 AM

Price Includes

Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel
Pick up from your hotel and transportation to Soqma (start of trek)
Bilingual English speaking tour guide (additional tour guide for groups of nine people or more)
High quality, 4 person tent for every 2 people
Inflatable Mattress and pillow
Kitchen tent
Dining tent with tables and chairs
Toilet tent
Professional Chef and assistant chef
Wranglers and horses to carry all equipment
Horse to transport up to 8 kg of your personal gear
Duffle bag for your personal gear
Emergency horse (in case we need it!)
Four breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners
Hot water for washing twice daily
Daily morning boiled and cold water to fill the water bottles.
Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Poroy
Private van transportation from Poroy to your Cusco hotel
1 night hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes (double occupancy)
Round trip bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
Entrance to Machu Picchu
First Aid Kit

Price Excludes

Sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
Trekking poles (can be rented from us)
Day 4 Lunch in Aguas Calientes
Any Private Expenses

Recommended To Carry

Original passport (nb. if you have acquired a new one after you made your booking you MUST bring both)
Down or synthetic feather sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
Clothes (trekking boots, warm fleece jacket, tops, a few t-shirts, socks, sun hat, thermal underwear, light long pants, gloves, poncho, rain gear)
Toiletries (toilet paper, wet wipes, personal towel)
Sun block (factor 35+ recommended)
Head lamp + batteries*
Sunglasses and sun hat
Binoculars
Trekking poles (recommended especially for the steep descents, can be rented from us) MUST have rubber tips
Insect repellent – 15% DEET
Snacks (while your crew will prepare the most amazing meals, everyone’s energy needs are different, particularly at altitude, and so you should pack some suitable snacks to make sure you are always fully energised)

Itinerary

Day 1Cusco – Soqma – Rayan – Chancachuco Valley

We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco quite early in the morning. Then we will embark in our private transportation to Soqma. It is the trail head of Ancascocha Trek to Machu Picchu.

Here you will be meeting the muleteers and the rest of the crew. Once we have everything organised, we will start the trek. Our first stop will be in Perolniyoc waterfall. It is a highland waterfall. We will be reaching there in two hours. If you wish to, you can get drenched under the natural waters.

Our next stop will be in half an hour. We will be reaching an archaeological site named Perolniyoc. This is an astonishing site perched on top of a hill. Our guide will give you a detailed tour of this site.

We will then hike up the hill to Rayan at 3,700m. It will be an hours hike.

Here we will be stopping for lunch.

After relishing on a freshly prepared nutritious lunch, we will do an up-hill hike to our first mountain pass of the trek, Kuychicassa pass (4,450 m /14,596 ft). This will be a four hours hike. The route will offer you some unique views of highland Andean farmlands. You will also get to see Llamas and Alpacas around.

The pass offers a panoramic view of the valley below. From here we will walk down the hill for 45 minutes to our campsite in Chancachuco Valley. Our crew will welcome you to a warm cup of tea and snacks. This will be followed by dinner.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Lowest Elevation: 3,205 m/ 10,512 ft
Highest Elevation: 4,450 m /14,596 ft
Distance to walk: 18 km/10 miles
Approximate walking time: 9 to 10 hours

Day 2Chancachuco Valley – Ancascocha – Huaynay Pass – Quesqa valley

We will be waking you up with a hot cup of coffee or Coca tea. Then we will gather for breakfast. After breakfast, we will start the hike with an imposing view of the snow capped mountain, Mt.Veronica.

We will be then descending to Ancascocha community. Here you will get to see how the people have preserved their traditions and culture.

Then we will hike up the hill for an hour. We will be hiking with a sight of glaciers and Inca ruins. Gradually we will be reaching closer to the blue waters of Ancascocha Lake. Here we will be stopping for lunch.

Following the lunch, we will hike up to the highest point of Ancascocha Trek to Machu Picchu. Huayanay Pass (4,550 m/ 14,924 ft), is roughly a two hours steep hike.

After enjoying the imposing view of the valley from the view point, we will start with a descent for three to four hours to a lower valley. Along the way, you will get an imposing view of the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

We will then be reaching Muyu Muyu community (3,850 m/12,628 ft). This will be our campsite for the night.

- Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Highest Elevation: 4,550 m/ 14,924 ft
- Campsite elevation: 3,850 m/12,628 ft
- Distance to walk: 18 km/ 10 miles
- Approximate walking time: 10 hours

Day 3Quesqa Valley – Paucarcancha – Kilometer 82 – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

After breakfast, we will start with a two hours downhill hike to Paucarcancha. It is an archaeological site. Here our guide will give you a detailed tour of the site. From here we will join the esteemed Inca Trail. We will be hiking along for almost five hours to Kilometres 82. This is the trail head of Inca Trail.

Along the way, we will visit Llactapata a renowned ancient Inca site. More likely on this section of trail you will get to see other trekkers.

Upon reaching Km.82, we will have lunch. Then we will transfer you to Ollantaytambo in our private transport. From here, we will board the train to Aguas Calientes. Here, you will be spending the night in an ensuite basic hotel room.

Later at night we will gather for dinner before calling it a day.

- - Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
  - Lodging: Hotel
  - Highest Elevation: 3,850 m/12,628 ft
  - Lowest Elevation: 2,792 m/9,158 ft
  - Distance to walk: 13 km/ 7 ½ miles

Day 4Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco

After picking up your boxed meal from the lobby of the hotel, we will take the first bus to Machu Picchu. As you will be entering the lost city of Incas, you will be welcomed with the golden rays of the morning sun shimmering on the walls of the citadel.

Our guide will give you a detailed tour of the citadel for two hours. On this guided tour you will be visiting the important sites of the citadel. After the tour, you will have some free time to walk around the citadel.

If you have booked to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, our guide will direct you to the respective entrance.

Alternatively you can hike to the the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). You will get a different and stunning views of Machu Picchu from here. It is a two hours walk to and back to the Sungate from the citadel.

After your visit to Machu Picchu, you will be taking a bus back down to Aguas Calientes town. You will be boarding a train from here back to Ollantaytambo. Our representative will meet you and will drive you back to Cusco.

Meals: Breakfast
Lowest Elevation: 2,040 m/ 6,691 ft
Highest Elevation: 2,440 m/ 8,052 ft

Photos

2 Reviews

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Tracey

Couple Traveller

This was an exceptional trek. The guide was very informative and helpful. It was just me and my partner on the whole Ancascocha Trail and we seldom saw any other travellers. Often we had the sites entirely to ourselves. I can totally recommend this.

March 3, 2020

Davion

Group Traveller

We visited Salkantay Humantay lake with Encuentros and did Ancascocha Trek. Both were wonderful experience. The guide was fantastic.

October 17, 2019

Ancascocha Trail to Machu Picchu (4 Days)

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