Peru Expedition: Trek the Great Inca Road

12 days
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Small Group Tour
You’ve heard of the Inca Trail, but what about the Great Inca Road? Made up of ancient Inca trade routes cutting through the Andes, the Great Inca Road is every bit as significant and special as its more famous counterpart – it just doesn’t have the crowds. On this 12-day trekking expedition you’ll join a local leader and traditional llama caravan to hike sto...
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Strenuous

Highlights

    • Hike on the ancient and little-visited trade routes of the Great Inca Road, taking in seriously spectacular views of the Andes and visiting well preserved yet remote Inca outposts.
    • Get acclimatised to the altitude in the adventure hub of Huaraz, a low-key city surrounded by mountains, lakes and glaciers waiting to be explored on your included hikes.
    • You’ll not only be accompanied by a local leader on your adventure – a traditional llama caravan will join you on the Great Inca Road, meaning you only need to carry a daypack.
    • Your hiking journey comes to an end at the incredible Inca site of Huanuco Pampa, where you’ll meet a local guide for a private tour of these significant ancient ruins.
    • Visit the intriguing Caral-Supe archaeological site, left behind by a civilisation pre-dating the Inca and built at the same time as the first Egyptian pyramids.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Awamaki. Donations help them empower indigenous women artisans in Peru with skills training and job opportunities that provide financial independence.

What's this trip about?

    You’ve heard of the Inca Trail, but what about the Great Inca Road? Made up of ancient Inca trade routes cutting through the Andes, the Great Inca Road is every bit as significant and special as its more famous counterpart – it just doesn’t have the crowds. On this 12-day trekking expedition you’ll join a local leader and traditional llama caravan to hike storied paths that few travellers have ever seen, visiting archaeological sites along the way. To get acclimatised to the altitude, you’ll spend time in the adventure hub of Huaraz, hiking the spectacular surrounding landscapes. You’ll soon find out it’s not called the Great Inca Road for nothing.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityLima
End CityLima

Travel Themes

  • Hiking & Walking
  • Trekking & Expeditions

Destinations

  • South America
  • Peru

Attractions

  • Inca Trail
  • Lima

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Lima

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Lima, Peru. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers and find out important information about your trip, including what to expect on the storied Great Inca Road. As this trip...

Day 2 Lima to Huaraz

Get ready to reach new heights (literally) as you say goodbye to Lima and drive to the city of Huaraz, sitting at an altitude of 3000 m. Your drive will be broken up with plenty of stops and the everchanging scenery is sure to keep you occupied. Surrounded by mountain...

Day 3 LLanganuco lakes & Laguna 69 hike

After breakfast, board a transfer to the Llanganuco Lakes in Huascaran National Park for your hike to the unbelievably blue Laguna 69 (Lake 69), sitting at 4600 m above sea level. Your first hike will be fairly short, steep and slow – you’ll be taking it easy so you c...

Day 4 Laguna Churup hike

Another day, another awe-inspiring hike. Today’s destination is Laguna Churup, a seriously spectacular turquoise lake at 4450 m above sea level, surrounded by snow-dusted mountains. While not as well visited as Laguna 69, it’s every bit as beautiful. Still taking it e...

Day 5 Pastoruri glacier hike

Travel south of Huaraz today to begin another super scenic hike. First, drive through Andean villages, seeing local shepherds and farmers working in the fields using traditional methods before entering the Huascaran National Park. While it doesn’t cover a huge distanc...

Day 6 Great Inca Road: Castillo to Soledad de Tambo

Now that you’ve had a chance to acclimatise to the altitude of the Andes, it’s time to say goodbye to Huaraz and drive to the little town of Castillo, where your Great Inca Road trek will begin. Far from the crowds of the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, which host...

Day 7 Great Inca Road: Soledad de Tambo to Quenhuajirca

Lace up your boots and depart your camp in Soledad de Tambo, this time hitting a section of the Qhapaq Nan, an ancient Inca network of roads covering 30,000 km from the Andes to the coast. The trails have been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO thanks to th...

Day 8 Great Inca Road: Quenhuajirca to Tambo Grande

After breakfast at camp, descend into the village of Ayash, coming across a wide stone staircase that proves just how advanced the Inca’s engineering was. After entering a pleasant valley, climb up another section of the Qhapaq Nan to the village of Huamanin. You’ll t...

Day 9 Great Inca Road: Tambo Grande to Isco

Your journey along the Great Inca Road continues today as you follow the path beside the Taparaco river. This is one of the most impressive stretches of the trail thanks to the Inca’s brilliant engineering – you’ll see walls here that are in amazing condition despite ...

Day 10 Great Inca Road: Huanco Pampa

Continue your hike towards Colpa, the point where the Taparaco and Vizcarra rivers meet. From here, you’ll climb to Huanuco Pampa, an incredibly significant archaeological site. Join a local guide for an in-depth tour. These vast ruins contain the remains of more than...

Day 11 Huaraz to Lima

Buckle up for the journey back to Lima. It’s another long driving day, but it’s the perfect chance to kick back, watch the scenery and reflect on all you’ve seen and done over the course of your adventure. There’s still time for one more fascinating stop along the way...

Day 12 Lima

With no activities planned for today, your adventure comes to an end after breakfast. If you’d like to spend some more time in Lima, just get in touch ahead of time and we’d be happy to arrange additional accommodation (subject to availability). Looking to also visit Machu Picchu and hike The Inca Trail? Check out the combination trip- Trek the Great Inca Road and Inca Trail, Tripcode: GGXGC.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,947
Price per day$329
Last Updated: 3/12/2024
Start Date
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Availability
21 Jul 2024
01 Aug 2024
$3,947
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11 Aug 2024
22 Aug 2024
$3,947
12 spots left
12 Jun 2025
23 Jun 2025
$4,360
12 spots left
10 Aug 2025
21 Aug 2025
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Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Intrepid Travel.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
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  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
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Why we love this operator
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for active and adventurous travelers at a range of different price points and service levels.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotels (7 nights),Camping (4 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,Bus,Taxi,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle,Bus,Taxi
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines PERU Demonstrations and protests occur regularly and can turn violent. National or regional strikes can be called at short notice and can disrupt domestic air travel, public transport and road networks. In the past, protestors have also caused disruption to Juliaca airport, Cusco airport and rail services to Machu Picchu. Avoid protests, demonstrations or large gatherings. Street crime, including muggings and thefts, is a significant problem in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa and other major cities. Be vigilant in public places and when withdrawing cash from ATMs. Avoid walking alone in quiet areas or at night. As with travel across the country, you should remain aware of your surroundings and avoid wearing or displaying expensive items. In the event of a robbery, do not attempt to resist attackers or take any action that puts you at greater risk. Tourists have been the targets of robbery by bogus taxi drivers. Do not hail taxis on the street and instead only use licensed telephone or internet-based taxi services whenever possible, or ask your hotel to book one for you. Be particularly careful when arriving at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima and only use one of the official taxi companies located at desks directly outside the arrival hall. Tourists are sometimes offered ‘spiritual cleansing’ programs in the Amazon area, Northern Peru and Cusco. These are sometimes called Ayahuasca or San Pedro and typically involve the consumption of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an hallucinogenic drug. These practices are not regulated and people have suffered serious illnesses and in some cases death after participating in these ceremonies. HIKING IN PERU In accordance with local laws governing tourism in Peru, trekking groups of up to and including 8 trekkers must be led by one local guide. The evacuation of an injured traveller in normal conditions may take more than 8 hours. For your own safety, it's crucial that you adhere to the local guide's safety instructions, particularly in regard to how to prevent trekkers getting separated or lost. Your leader will also conduct a safety discussion before our trekking activities. PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. MONEY WITHDRAWAL: In order to avoid fraud and theft, it is advisable that you withdraw money from ATMs located inside banks or guarded shops during business hours only.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information
Finish point Arawi Miraflores Express Hotel Bolivar Street 464 Miraflores, Miraflores Lima PERU Phone: 51 1 743 4660
Trip ID
intrepid-GGXG

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