Enjoy the natural colors of the rarely visited Rainbow Mountain, located in one of the mountain ranges of Peru that has the highest concentration of snow-capped peaks and near the highest peak in southern Peru, the Ausangate (6,377 meters) in the mountain ranges of Vilcanota. This creates beautiful high-Andean landscapes with extensive snow-capped mountains and beautiful lagoons. We will travel through some isolated communities, where you can interact with the locals that still keep alive the culture that are mostly alpaca breeders, which will make this tour a unique experience. You will see snow-capped peaks, herds of llamas, glaciers, and turquoise lakes, all within an incredibly colorful mountain range.
We pick you up in your hotel around 3:30 to 4:00 a.m.
then we’ll travel 02 and ½ hours on a bus to Pitumarca, where you’ll have a delicious breakfast. After we continue to K’ayrawiri (4326 m/14192 . ft), this is the trailhead where we start the hiking.
First we walk 2 and a 1/2 to three hours until you will find a beautiful landscape, big mountains, and local people with their typical clothes making their daily lives. You will find big groups of alpacas, llamas, and sometimes wild Vicuñas, as well as small lagoons created by the thaws of the glaciers. Once you arrive at the summit (5020 m/16469 ft.), you will have free time to rest and to take your pictures.
Then, we start to go back by a different way, the “Red Valley." We call it that for the red color of the mountain soil; they look pretty nice. This will be another three-hour walk downhill to arrive again in Japura, where you will have a comforting lunch, and then we will bring you back to Cusco again (arrival around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.).

Little presents for kids of communities along the trail such as school supplies, second hand clothes
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RobiWanKenobi
October 6, 2026
Non esistono parole sufficientemente potenti per descrivere quanto questo breve ma intensissimo trekking possa cambiare la prospettiva del Tutto. Portato con impressionante maestria da Percy, una guida di grande esperienza e profonda conoscenza del territorio, della sua cultura e dell’animo umano più in generale, affiancato da Fran e Isa ed un esercito di ottimi cuochi e portatori di grande livello, il nostro gruppo ha solcato il Cammino Inca senza timore, ritrovando forze ed energie troppo spesso chiuse nei cassetti delle nostre vite frenetiche. Il tempo non esiste: in quei pochi giorni si vive e si respira un’aria diversa, usando uno specchio interiore che ci porta ad avvicinarsi passo dopo passo alla Meraviglia di Machu Picchu che a quel punto è sì la meta finale, ma di fatto il coronamento di un’esperienza ben più complessa. Il mio consiglio è quello di scegliere (ove possibile) la Persona che ci accompagna in una simile esperienza. Per quanto riguarda le attrezzature, sarebbe forse indicabile di avere spazi più ampi affinché le tende possano essere montate correttamente. Bollino nero per i servizi igienici nelle diverse aree campeggio che (come le nostre guide ben sanno e segnalano regolarmente) meriterebbero una seria manutenzione, vista la notorietà del cammino.
Pernille L
October 6, 2026
I recommend this Inka Trail tour with Iza, Percy, and Frank if you really want to feel at home in a foreign country while experiencing the most amazing scenery. These 3 guides are absolute delights to be around. They are funny, friendly, and welcoming, and, most importantly, they CARE. They care about nature like no one I have ever met before, and they care about you too. By the end of the trail, they felt like friends, even though we only knew each other for 4 days. Furthermore, they have everything under control, yet everything feels so relaxed. They are knowledgeable and share stories and insights in ways that mesmerize you. Additionally, I can recommend using their porters. This group of men and women is absolutely extraordinary, and the work they put in must not go unnoticed. They make everything work behind the scenes, making sure you have a comfortable, dry place to sleep every night, fresh water, and that camp is set up for all 3 meals. Speaking about the meals… The cook, Julius Caesar, knows what’s good. He cooked 3 meals a day for us, making sure we got plenty of protein and carbohydrates to sustain us during the strenuous hikes, and at the same time, he managed to make everything taste wonderful with great attention to detail! I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of all the meals he provided for us, and these were not quick camping meals. They ranged from mango ceviche to lomo saltado and many other fresh, tasty Peruvian dishes. And there was plenty for everyone. I would do this again in a heartbeat (once my legs have recovered from this one!), and I hope to find this team again.
Flora W
October 6, 2026
Excellent experience of the short Inca Trail. I booked very last minute and they helped to get the permit and make it happen. The trek was very well organized. Lunch box and snacks were well prepared. The guide helped shooting great pictures for us.
BackPacker170509
October 6, 2026
A once in a lifetime trip! Best experience for solo women in her fourties! Yapa Explorers handled everything door to door from pre briefing at my hotel to private taxi drop off making for a seamless trip. The group size was small and intimate. Our guide yisus was informative, knowledgeable and made us feel safe and cared for over the challenging terrain. Our chef Vicente created delicious, fresh, locally sourced and inspired food at every meal and the 8 porters were hard working, fun, friendly and supportive offering a genuine family/team spirit vibe. The equipment such as tents and rented items such as sleeping bag and poles were clean and in excellent condition. Once arriving at Machu Picchu, we had full access to the site and a deeply informative tour. I can’t recommend this tour group any higher! Some tips are train and be fit for this hike, wear very good GTX hiking shoes/boots. Take layers, water proof clothes, toilet paper, head torch, battery charger, Sun block, coins for toilets and antibacterial hand wipes. Take money for tipping as they deserve every cent. Only complaint is toileting facilities which every person on the Inca trail has to put ups with.
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