Inca Trail Trek

What an epic and memorable trip. Well planned too in that the itinerary and our great tour leader, Pabel, gave everyone a chance to get used to the altitude. As a result everyone was able to complete the Inca Trail without suffering from altitude sickness. Another stand out point was that up until the last day of the trail the itinerary and Pabel somehow ensured we stayed away from other walkers (and there are quite a lot!) so we still were able to experience the remoteness and stunning beauty of the route on our own! We've been away with Explore on a number occasions and would certainly recommend them. Even on the rare occasions where there have been problems they've been swiftly dealt with - always the sign of a good company.

Inca trek leader good at explaining history but appeared a bit impatient at times eg kept saying to my husband when they were a little ahead ‘where is she’. We went over Dead Woman’s Pass on day 2 & camped at the last site on day 4 so we’re in the town for lunch (should have been included). We were left at times on difficult descents but he was more attentive & cheerful on day 4.

The outstanding aspect of this wonderful hike was the planning of the campsites. We stayed largely in smaller campsites out of phase with the 200 other hikers joining the trail every day so one would not have known there were so many people on it. The exception was the final campsite which was unmissable given its views over the Andes and clouds. The other advantage compared with the average tourist is the walk down into Macchu Pinchu, I had previously visited there on a tour and the experience was infinitely better this way.

This was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life, and a huge amount of that comes down to how well Explore organised the whole thing. Pabel, our tour leader, was absolutely brilliant - knowledgeable, warm, and incredibly well-organised. Everything ran smoothly from start to finish, and you could tell the whole operation had been carefully thought through. The route Explore uses is particularly impressive - we managed to avoid the bulk of the crowds on the trail, which made the whole experience feel far more immersive and special than I'd expected. We were a small group of seven and that made such a difference. Everyone gelled immediately and we had so much fun together. The porters deserve a special mention: they were phenomenal, and the food on the trail was genuinely outstanding. They even baked a birthday cake at the highest elevation campsite, which tells you everything about the spirit of the team. The one thing that held me back from a perfect score was the main hotel in Cusco. The location is excellent, but my room was really noisy - you could hear the reception phone and conversations drifting in from the courtyard throughout the night. For a trip this good, it felt like an easy fix that would make an already brilliant experience flawless. Highly, highly recommend Explore for the Inca Trail. Already thinking about the next one.

Our Inca Trail Trek was an amazing adventure! Our guide, Ludwig, was amazing. His passion for the Inca Trail and Peruvian history shone through in his story telling and explanations. Joining him on his 243rd trek was inspiring. Don't worry about going hungry on this trip. The food was delicious and servings were plentiful. Roberto, our cook, out did himself with every single meal. Everything about this trip was perfect!