Uncover the remote and remarkable Inca routes of northern Peru
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.
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.
This is an expedition trip and is new to our range this year. Despite rigorous planning and research, new itineraries can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a welcome surprise, but every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.
This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.
This is a hiking trip, and it is strenuous – you need to be psychically fit to fully enjoy all hikes.
For 4 nights (days 6-10) you will be camping. All gear is provided including sleeping bags, sleeping mats & pillows and two-person tents.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Peru Expedition: Trek the Great Inca Road trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. Please note this trip starts at 6pm on day 1. If you are unable to find a suitable flight it is possible to book additional nights at the joining accommodation. We recommend that travellers intending to depart Lima on the final day of the trip book flights out of Lima no earlier than 12 at noon.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Day 6-10 (Great Inca Road), where you will be camping in comfortable 2-man tents. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Parts of your trip go above 2800 m/ 9200 ft where it is common for travellers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude - regardless of your age, gender and fitness. Please consult your doctor for professional advice about travelling at high altitude if you have a health condition.
4. Due to remoteness of Great Inca Road, please make sure you bring all necessary gear, such as walking boots, rain gear, thermals, walking poles, etc with you. While you will be able to visit an outdoor store in Huaraz, it’s safer to rely on your own trekking gear. Please check out Packing List for further recommendations.
5. At the pre-trek briefing you will be given a small duffle bag to pack your clothes for the trek, sleeping bag and personal items. The maximum weight you can take with you is 7kg per traveller.
6. As you can choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), there is a small chance you may be the only traveller on your selected option.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip Information