Consider Professionally Crafted Self-Guided Trips for Hiking Adventures

Most hikers who have come to develop well-rounded skills in trekking routes, venture to explore the world on their own. The only thing that will make them resort to packaged tours, is when they lack the time needed to research about a travel destination, organize an itinerary and make all the booking arrangements necessary. After all, one cannot just go off on a vacation leave without making sure that every task that needs to be done has been accomplished. There are instances though, when little time is left to make a sound plan for a long-awaited, off-to-hiking vacation.

What is a Self-Guided Trip?

The great news is that most adventure tour providers are also offering self-guided trips for those wishing to explore a hiking destination on their own. This type of service will take on all the planning, including mapping out of routes and furnishing all information needed by a self-guided traveler.

Awesome even is that planning takes into consideration the skills, interests and preferences of the hiker. That way, from start off point, throughout the entire hiking adventure, up to finish, the self-guided venturer can proceed with confidence.

What to Expect from Self-Guided Trips

Providers of Self-Guided travels create a bespoke hiking plan  for the explorer; using information drawn from years of experience, and from connections established as expert travel/ tour guides. The tour company undertakes paying out in advance, travel accommodations and basic meals agreed to and confirmed by the traveler.

Information provided is comprehensive, as it will include not only topographical maps; but also trail notes, alternate routes, modes of transfers, refuge centers, and even where one can get laundry services.

Hiking Destination: Machu Picchu in Peru

Blaze your way to the fabled “lost citadel” of Machu Picchu in Peru, by hiking through the trail used by the Incas from as far back as the 15th century. The trailblazing experience is shrouded with spirituality, as hikers come across sacred valleys surrounded with mysterious history

.Machu Picchu – The Crown Jewel of Peru

Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca city perched high in the Andes Mountains between two towering peaks . Now listed as one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World”, the ancient city was unknown to the outside world for centuries. Hiram Bingham, an archaeologist, rediscovered the abandoned city in 1911. He marveled at the stone walls, edifices, and caves found in the citadel, revealing intricate Inca carvings, enigmatic altars, and about 600 well-engineered terraces.

Present day visitors wending their way to the central plaza of Machu Picchu will have close glimpses of revered sites such as those of the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Moon, Temple of the Condor, and Temple of the Three Windows.

An actual venture into Machu Picchu’s ancient grounds  make visitors wonder why a city so marvelously built had been abandoned.

What to Bring When Trailblazing Your Way to Machu Picchu

Planning for a Machu Picchu hiking adventure starts with booking a flight to Lima, and from there transferring by way of plane or train to Cusco. After which, book for an overnight stay at Cusco, or at Urubamba, or at Ollantaytambo. Guided tours usually bring hikers to the first Inca Trail Check at around 7:00 a.m. on Day 2, where you will have to show your passport before entering the Inca Trail.

Consult with your tour guides, regarding the particular types of clothing not allowed when traveling via the trail. Don’t forget to include a jacket or rain gear in your backpack, as rains are likely to occur. Moreover, know the dimension of the backpack  you can bring inside Machu Picchu, as the oversize types are not allowed.

It will take 3 days of hiking before reaching Machu Picchu, so make sure you have a hat and enough sunscreen on hand. During the period, you will be making ascents and descents through valleys. The trek will have you passing through communities, doing some sight-seeing,  to end daily with an overnight stay at designated campsites.

That goes without saying that you will have to bring sleeping bags or tents, mosquito repellents, as well as food to cook with your camping cookware. It is important to bring an ample amount of cash not only for buying souvenirs, but also to spend on bathrooms.

While hiking along the Inca Trail, you may chance upon some of the furry animals called chinchillas. In case you are interested in bringing one home, check with the local authorities in the area if they will allow you to do so. Just be sure you can prove you know how to take care of them, and of their needs, particularly about the right type of cages for chinchillas. Keep in mind that although it is legal to keep them as pets, the gentle creatures are already listed as Endangered Species in the IUCN Red List.

On Day 4, you will have reached the Sun Gate between 7-8 am, and from there descend a flight of stairs to reach the final checkpoint. Exploring the city on your own can be arranged with tour guides, since you will only be having a 2-hour guided tour.

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