Get ready for an unforgettable journey through the breathtaking landscapes of the Andes as you hike the Inca Quarry Trail 5 days to Machu Picchu! This exclusive trek offers a unique and less crowded alternative to the Inca Trail, taking you through hidden archaeological sites, ancient quarries, and stunning mountain scenery.
Your adventure begins in Cusco, where we’ll pick you up early in the morning and take you to the charming village of Socma. From here, the trek unfolds through lush valleys, picturesque waterfalls, and fascinating Inca ruins like Qorimarca. As you ascend towards the first campsite in Charcahuaylla, you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley.
Be among the first to explore the legendary Lost City of the Incas before the crowds arrive.
Enjoy breathtaking sights of the Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, and Verónica Glacier from this ancient Inca temple.
Discover massive carved stones intended for grand structures in Ollantaytambo, offering insight into Inca engineering.
Experience a unique and peaceful alternative to the classic Inca Trail, surrounded by stunning landscapes and hidden ruins.
Elevate your adventure with a spectacular panoramic view of Machu Picchu from above (limited availablity).
This trek is the perfect mix of history, adventure, and breathtaking scenery!
Your adventure begins with a morning pickup from Cusco and a drive to Socma, where you’ll have breakfast and meet your horseman. The trek starts through scenic valleys, passing a waterfall where you can refresh. After lunch, you’ll explore the Inca ruins of Qorimarca, an ancient agricultural site. A challenging 3-hour hike uphill leads to Charcahuaylla, your first campsite.
After breakfast, you’ll ascend to Yana Orco Mountain, enjoying stunning views of the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo. Reaching Inti Punku (Sun Gate), an ancient Inca temple, you’ll admire the breathtaking panorama before visiting the Inca Quarry, where massive stones were carved for unfinished projects. After lunch near Choquetacarpo, you’ll descend for 3.5 hours to Ollantaytambo, explore the town, and take the train to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have dinner and prepare for the big day ahead.
An early morning ascent to Machu Picchu allows you to explore the legendary Lost City of the Incas before the crowds arrive. A guided tour covers key sites like the Royal Quarters, the Sacred Sun Dial, and the Temple of the Three Windows. Optional hikes to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain provide spectacular views (extra cost applies). After exploring, you’ll take the train back to Cusco, concluding your unforgettable journey.
The trek will begin when we pick you up from your hotel/hostel at 5:30 a.m. and drive for one and a half hours to the small village Soccma where we will stop to have breakfast and meet our horseman. We will start our hike up a lush valley of scattered farmhouses and crop terraces. After 40 minutes of walking, we will see a tall waterfall where we can pause to refresh ourselves amidst the cool spray, or enjoy a refreshing shower and dip beneath the falls. After a picnic lunch, we will continue hiking for another hour and visit the little-known Inca ruin of Qorimarca, perched at mid-altitude on a shelf high above the Soccma valley. Qorimarca was probably built by the Incas to control the agricultural production of the surrounding valley. From here we will hike uphill for 3 hours until we reach our first campsite, Charcahuaylla.
MEALS: Lunchs, Dinner
Many of our hikers say that this is the most unforgettable day of the trek. After breakfast, we will have a one hour hike up a gentle path until we reach the mountain of Yana Orco, where we will have spectacular views of the valley, its river a silver ribbon far below us. We will encounter a stunning view of Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley as we reach the imposing gateway of Intipunku, an Inca temple thought to be dedicated to worshiping the snowcapped glacier Verónica. After pausing at the amazing site, we will continue walking for about 30 more minutes before we reach the ancient Quarry. Once there, you can explore different sectors of the Incan quarries that testify to a great building project that was never finished. You will see impressive rocks that were destined for the Inca temple at Ollantaytambo, (6 km/4 miles) away on the north bank of the Urubamba River. We will have lunch facing a breathtaking mountain and panoramic valley, near the well-preserved Inca complex of Choquetacarpo. We will continue our hike for 3 and a half hours downhill to Ollantaytambo, where you will have some time to rest and explore the historic town. In Ollantaytambo, we will catch the train to the town of Aguas Calientes. Once there, you will have a dinner at a restaurant in the town and discuss with your guide what time you wish to wake up in the morning. Your hostel in Aguas Calientes can be upgraded to a hotel if you prefer.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You will take your breakfast very early in the morning. Then we start our last day, climbing up the hill to the famous Inca citadel Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas. Avoiding the crowds, you will be one of the first visitors of the day. Your tour guide will take you around the vast ruins for about 3 hours, comprehensively explaining its historical significance and place in the Inca Empire. After this you have some free time to wander around.
Machu Picchu is the best known of all the archaeological Incas sites, as it is recognized worldwide! Experts believe that the citadel was constructed around the mid-15th century by the Inca Pachacuteq and was then rediscovered by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911.
The guided tour of this fascinating place will be an unforgettable experience! You will visit the Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial and the Burial Grounds. After the guided tour, you are free to hike up Huayna Picchu (the mountain behind Machu Picchu), where you will enjoy stunning views over the whole complex! However, there are only 400 entrance tickets available every day; therefore you must let us know in advance if you want to do the hike so we can reserve your ticket at an extra cost of US$ 20.00. Due Huayna Picchu is very fast oversold, we offer Machu Picchu Mountain as a second optional climbing. The advantage of this hike is that it will be less crowed, but not less beautiful! The cost for this hike is also US$ 20.00 per person.
Having one of these two additional entrance tickets to hike one of the mountains, you can afterwards go on an unguided walk to Inti Punku, the SUN GATE, which is the traditional end of the Inca Trail (hike of 3 hours) or you can visit the beautiful Inca Bridge (hike of 1 hour). Otherwise you can simply relax and take in the awe inspiring atmosphere, as well as take many breath taking pictures.
After the time in the sanctuary, we take one of the frequent buses back down to Aguas Calientes for a late lunch.
In case you don’t want to take the bus, feel free to walk down through the beautiful jungle which will take you 45 minutes. In the late afternoon at 7:00 pm, you take the train back to Ollantaytambo and from there the tourist transport to Cusco.
If you want to return to Cusco in the early afternoon, please let us know so we can book an early train at 2:30 pm or 4:12 pm. The early train has a cost of +US$ 35.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleeping bag, back pack and personal items.
To drink coca tea during the day: Helps reduce the effect of altitude (avoid drinking it before going to sleep, as it could be a stimulant and you may not sleep well).
If you consider that you are not in good physical shape and want to be better acclimatized: You can ask for a tour that involves physical activity at high altitudes (trekking, mountain biking, camping, among others). Ask for more information and check our programs.
Wear appropriate clothing for trekking.
Inform us if you have setbacks or delays when arriving in Arequipa City.
Leave your heavy suitcase in Arequipa City, unless you are going to Puno City from the Colca Valley: (Ask for information about transfer to Puno City from the Colca Valley).
Inform us if you need equipment: (walking sticks, bag, boots, headlamp, among others).
Inform us if you have any health conditions.
Inform us if you have any dietary restrictions.
offers 3 types of services.
(shared service)
The entire tour will be shared by 10 or more people, the members of the group will be made up for people from different nationalities, languages, beliefs, ages, and gender, among others.
(semi private service
This service is consider semi private because we only shared the tourist van to get to the canyon, then the rest of the service is private exactly for those who do not wish to hike in big groups with people from other nationalities, so the hiking expedition will be exclusive only for your group so that you can fully enjoy this adventure
(Private Service)
This service was created for those who are looking for a real experience of travel with a very high quality service, all inclusive where there is a true personalized treatment as well as great flexibility to develop the program with modern vehicles, the best tour guides, the best food and places to sleep inside the canyon.
If you like to be out of the ordinary and regular excursions, let us know to send you our secrets trips.
Our group of experts is prepared to develop the trip on the way that you prefer, if there is any special activity that you want to do, contact us that we will kindly answer you.
We are experts in Mountaineering, Rafting, Mountain biking trekking in the deepest canyons in the world Colca and Cotahuasi, we also develop horseback riding, hiking, rock climbing, bird watching, and visits to the largest petroglyph deposit in the world, cave paintings or any other excursion that we can combine to create the best experience that you deserve.
We operate in Lima, Pisco, Paracas, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco Puerto Maldonado among others to obtain an immediate response from our travel agent, contact us at whatsapp number +51939394105 or write to our corporate emails:
✔️ Hiking boots – Comfortable and waterproof for the trek.
✔️ Warm clothing – Layers for chilly nights in the Andes.
✔️ Rain jacket or poncho – Weather can be unpredictable.
✔️ Sun protection – Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat.
✔️ Daypack – To carry essentials during the trek.
✔️ Water bottle – Hydration is key.
✔️ Camera – Capture the stunning landscapes and ancient ruins.
✔️ Passport – Required for entry to Machu Picchu.
The best months for trekking the Inca Quarry Trail are April to October, during the dry season when the weather is clearer. The rainy season (November to March) can make the trails slippery, but the landscapes are lush and green.
Moderate to Challenging – The trek involves long hikes with altitude changes, so good physical condition is recommended.
Experience the magic of the Andes and Machu Picchu on this incredible journey. Book your trek today and embark on an unforgettable adventure!
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