Duration: Full Day. 9 – 10hrs hiking
Distance: 18km/ 11miles
Elevation: 3,850m (12,551 ) – 4,050m (13,200 )
Difficulty: Moderate/ Difficult
Today we ascend again to a second pass, about halfway up lies an Inca ruin of Runkuraqay (small, round, roofless stone building and thought to have been an astrological site and a sort of checkpoint for couriers following the trail to Machu Picchu), afer a short tour, we continue up the pass at 4,050m (13,200 ). From here the group walks down on the original Inca Trail, passing a small lake and the rst signs of the cloud forest. Soon after we will arrive at a second, larger Inca site called Sayacmarca, “Town in a Steep Place” at 3,850m (12,551 ). Thiis Incan ruin was built on a rock overlooking the trail and is accessible only via a single narrow stone staircase- a beautiful location overlooking the Aobamba Valley. After touring we continue along the ridge through amazing landscapes, viewing Mt. Salkantay from the western side and Mt. Pumasillo, a silhouette to the north on the horizon. Time for lunch. After lunch we continue walking through a rolling flag stoned trail and a tunnel before arriving to yet another Incan site called Phuyupatamarca “the village on the edge of the clouds.” From here the flag stoned trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna “Forever Young”- a well restored Inca Ruin.