Trailblazer The Inca Trail, Cusco & Machu Picchu: Includes Santa Teresa Trek, Choquequirao Trek, Vilcabamba Trail - Vilcabamba to Choquequirao Choquequirao to Machu Picchu - Lima City Guide

by Alexander Stewart

Fully rewalked, revised and rewritten 4th edition

 



Machu Picchu – Lost City of the Incas and one of the world’s greatest sights

Cusco – where to stay, where to eat, and what to see in the ancient Inca capital

The Inca Trail, the Vilcabamba Trail, the Choquequirau Trail, the Santa Teresa Trail and hikes around Cusco and the Urubamba Valley – ten hikes from two days to two weeks with 34 detailed route maps showing walking times, camping places and all points of interest. Best known is the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, which follows part of the old Inca highway over passes of 4200m (13,750ft). Also included is the Vilcabamba Trail, a fascinating four-day hike to the ruins at Espíritu Pampa, last Inca capital; the trek to Choquequirau and the trail to Santa Teresa.

Lima – street plans, what to see, where to stay and getting to Cusco

Practical information – planning your trip and getting to Peru from North America, Europe and Australasia

History of the Incas – plus ground plans of 14 Inca ruins

Green hiking – how to minimize your impact on a fragile region

Flora and fauna – full-color section

Language – Spanish and Quechua
50 maps and street plans

Genres: Travel, Sports

367 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Illiterate]

This guide is useful for background and trekking. It’s got helpful maps and is pleasingly free of fluff. I did the Inca Trail and Ausangate.

[Christy Keeler]

Stewart’s book is an excellent resource when preparing for a trekking trip to Peru. I found details of the trails with their accompanying maps helpful as I prepared my mind and body to face the altitudes.

My favorite parts of the book, though, were the narratives surrounding the trail information. The history sections were well-written and thorough in terms of their accuracy as evidence after reading scholarly texts on the same topics. Plus, Stewart’s insights into the interrelatedness of the lives of porters, political climates, and the land were interesting.

[McKenzie]

I don't normally include travel books on my Goodreads, but this fantastic book is more of a historical and cultural preparation for visiting Machu Picchu, and answered many of my questions about my upcoming trip. I found this much more useful than a general Peru book, and was very impressed by the level of detail included. Definitely recommend this for anyone looking to learn more about hiking the Inca Trail!

[Lamadia]

This was very useful and informative for many hikes and towns as well. Unfortunately, there was actually a couple things that were completely wrong that put me in a spot of bother, but there's no other guide with this wealth of information.

[Jason J]

Very thorough guide to not only the Incan trails, but to several cities. We stayed a few days in Lima as well as Cusco before spending a day in Macchu Piccu. The fact that all of the information was in a single book, was excellent.

[Liesl de Swardt]

Very good general and specific information for prospective hikers.