My tour with Inca Runners was a custom Itinerary along with 5 friends I knew through marathon and trail running training groups. We were looking for a trip that allowed us to do some running along the Inca Trail. The trip included a 6-day trek plus a few days in Cusco, the ruins of Machu Picchu, and touring the Sacred Valley.

 

During the trek, Porters carried the bulk of our gear, and the cook was exceptional for camp food. I have done 3 similar types of multi-day treks and never had camp food so good. The cook was able to accommodate one member of our group’s need for gluten and cheese free diet.

 

Our group had trail runners of different speeds. As we ran (or power-hiked on the steep sections) the trail between campsites during the trek, the guides adjusted their paces amongst the clients to have someone near both the fastest and slowest runners as a precaution in case anything happened.

 

The terrain was challenging due to the elevation changes, but well worth the effort. There was incredible scenery everywhere. 

This was my second trip to Peru. Several years before, I did the classic Inca Trail route to Machu Picchu over 4 nights.

 

This trip with Inca Runners used a different route away from the main tourist path. Where the classic Inca Trail is much more crowded with many groups hiking the same route, on this route there were few other tourists. This allowed for a much better experience. We trekked through and camped in remote villages, miles from the nearest road and without electricity. Those villages seem barely impacted by tourism where people, appear to live off the land pretty much the same as a couple of hundred years ago.

 

Such things are not seen on the classic Inca Trail route. The route we took also passed by several Inca ruins, some of which were newly being excavated after being hidden under jungle growth.

 

The tour was one of the best experiences, and I would certainly recommend this company to anyone regardless whether a regular runner or not.

John Frierson, Austin, TX

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