The Inca Trail – Am I Fit Enough?

One of the most common questions we get from people interested in the Inca Trail is ‘am I fit enough?’...

What to expect on the Inca Trail

Firstly, and without trying to scare you off right away, let’s take a closer look at what to expect from the Inca Trail.

The trek is roughly 26 miles (43 kilometers), usually spread out over a 4-day period, walking about 6 hours a day. The highest and most revered point of the trek is Dead Woman’s Pass, which peaks at 4215 metres (13828 feet) above sea level, which is about 1800 metres higher than Machu Picchu itself. Temperatures on on Machu Picchu really vary from day to day but expect tropical weather as it’s deep into the Peruvian jungle. The average temperate is 16°C (61°F) but it can reach 26°C on its warm days and temperatures can plummet to -2°C on some early mornings.

Can I do that?

How does that sound? Not so bad, huh?

Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering if you’re fit enough to do the Inca Trail. Could you manage a 6 hour walk in the UK? Do you exercise already? By exercise, I don’t mean do you do the London Marathon every year. If you go to the gym, play some kind of sport, or even spend a lot of time gardening, it’s more than likely you’ll be able to trek the Inca Trail. Thousands of people do it each year, from teenagers to travellers in their 70s, and people of all abilities.

Even if you don’t exercise already, remember that you will have experienced guides there to help you, and you’ll be in a group with fellow travellers challenging themselves to complete the trek. You’re all there to support and encourage each other. It’s also not too late to get into shape.

Get in shape for the Inca Trail

It is always good to prepare yourself physically, so here are some things you can do to get yourself ready for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu:

Wear in your hiking boots. Walk around in them a good amount before the trek because new boots can be really uncomfortable and sometimes painful when you first use them, and you want to be as comfortable as possible when on the trek.

That’s also a good reason to do some training, so get on your new boots and go for some long walks, preferably with a bit of a climb too. Remember, some of the days on the trek you’ll be walking for up to 6 hours so try replicating that. If you don’t have anywhere like that, just walking around the town and then maybe up and down sets of stairs will get your legs ready for the trek.

It really is just about walking so it’s important your legs are ready for it. There are a lot of exercises you can do to strengthen your leg muscles like squats and calf raises.

Try eating healthily and avoid smoking before going, which will help a great deal, especially when it comes to the altitude.

Altitude acclimatisation

This brings me onto my next and possibly most important point. No matter how fit you are, one of the keys to success is altitude acclimatisation. Much of the Inca Trail is done at about 4000 metres above sea level, so you will need to get your body ready for that. Most people will recommend that you should spend a minimum of two full days acclimatising before taking part in the trek. Cusco is 3300 metres above sea level so it’s a perfect place to stay beforehand. It really doesn’t matter how fit you are physically; altitude sickness can affect anyone so it is vital to bear that in mind and prepare your body for it. Find out more about altitude sickness here and what you can do if it happens to you.

So am I fit enough to do the Inca Trail

If you have any medical issues, particularly if your knees cause you any discomfort, you should certainly consult your doctor. Otherwise it’s generally a self assessment, so if you want to do it and you believe you can do it, it’s highly likely you will. And remember that there are plenty of different tours you can choose from so you can pick the one that’s right for you.