hi everyone, and so glad Voyage Forum is back up and running!
my partner and I, along with some friends, are planning a trip to Peru in May 2025.
I’ve got some questions about the Machu Picchu excursion.
we’re in our 60s and 70s, and while we’re pretty fit at European altitudes, I’m a bit worried about hiking above 2,500 m!
that’s why we didn’t hesitate to skip the 4-day Inca Trail trek.
but I’m wondering about the 2-day "short Inca Trail" offered by some agencies—basically one day of hiking with visits to a few sites, and the second day, the classic Machu Picchu visit.
has anyone done it? do you need to be in top shape?
thanks for your tips
Hi Alain,
I didn’t do this trek during our trip to Peru in 2017 (if you’re curious, I recount everything in my travel journal here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=7776366;#7776366).
The main issue you might face is altitude sickness (or *Soroche* there), which often kicks in above 3,000m. Everyone reacts differently, though…
The best way to prevent it is acclimatization. If you fly straight from France to Cusco (which is already at 3,000m!) and tackle the Inca Trail right away, it *can* be problematic—even dangerous. But if you take the time to acclimate by gradually ascending from Lima, your body will adjust. Slowly but surely.
Personally, I struggled with it in Puno, but that’s at 3,800m…
Local tip: use Coca tea and *Mounia*—it’s a game-changer! !
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Thanks for your reply.
We’ll already be acclimatized since we’ll have been in Peru for two weeks.
Plus, last year we were on the Tibetan plateau at over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) without too many issues.
Best regards
Thanks for your reply.
We’ll be acclimatized since we’ll have been in Peru for two weeks.
Plus, last year we were on the Tibetan plateau at over 3,000 m without too many issues.
Best regards
So I think the trek won’t be a problem for you. Just double-check in the many agency descriptions that the elevation changes aren’t beyond your limits.
Have a great trip—you’re going to love it!!
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Access via the Inca Trail lets you discover the site from above. The trail isn't too difficult, and if you're able to handle 4 days of hiking with 800m of elevation gain per day in the Alps, you should be fine. Anyway, you'll arrive first in Cusco (airport) where you'll need to acclimatize to the altitude at 3,400m (there's plenty to see there), which means 800m lower should be manageable. Very few people have altitude issues below 3,000m.
In short, it all depends on the time you spend in Peru and how you organize your trip. If you have some time, I'd recommend starting your trip with 2-3 days in Arequipa at 2,400m before heading to Cusco at 3,400m (between the two, the Colca Canyon is also a classic spot to see the great condor). If you're worried about altitude, avoid Vinicunca, or do like we did—save those magical landscapes for the end of your stay when you're well acclimatized, because hiking between 4,500m and 5,100m can be tough. (We did 3 weeks in Peru-Bolivia 5 years ago)
Our route was: Arequipa (2,400m) – Colca Canyon (3,200m-2,200m) – Titicaca (3,800m) – La Paz (3,200m-3,700m) – Uyuni – Sud-Lípez (around 4,000m) – La Paz – Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Thanks for your reply.
We’ll be acclimatized since we’ll have been in Peru for two weeks.
Plus, last year we were on the Tibetan plateau at over 3,000 m without too many issues.
Best regards
Hi,
So there shouldn’t be any problem. AMS (acute mountain sickness) doesn’t seem to change with age. (Though it *can* be unpredictable.)
We did the Salkantay trek, which at the time didn’t require any special permit.
I talk about it on my blog if you’re interested.
Hello.
I spent a month in Peru.
I arrived from San Sebastián to Lima, then connected to Arequipa to acclimatize since the city is at about 2,300m. I stayed eight days, then took a 45-minute flight to Cusco.
The city is at 3,300m–3,700m.
Perfect acclimatization in the first city.
I always do it this way with an intermediate altitude.
One day of sightseeing in Cusco, visiting the Inca temple I’d already seen 20 years ago.
Then headed to Palcooyo and Vinicunca, which is at 5,200m, with no problems despite my age (77). Visited all the high-altitude sites I hadn’t seen before.
Took a little walk to Laguna Huamentay. Gorgeous.
In short, I recommend all travelers start with an intermediate altitude, and Arequipa is a great choice.
When I visited Bolivia, I opted for progressive acclimatization, which allowed me to go up to over 6,000m.
If you have issues, don’t hesitate to turn back—it’s happened to me before.
Enjoy this country and CUSCO!
PS: Always been into mountains, often solo. Visited volcanoes in Ecuador.
Gérard
Then heading to Palcooyo and then Vinicunca, which is at 5,200 m, without any issues despite my age (77). Visited all the high-altitude sites I hadn’t seen before.
Hi,
We all react differently to altitude. It seems, in fact, that the effects of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) aren’t directly linked to fitness levels or age. As you mentioned, the most important thing is to acclimatize properly by taking it step by step.
Personally, I struggled a bit with it when I was younger above 4,000 m, and surprisingly, as I’ve gotten older, I don’t suffer from it anymore—even above 5,000 m. I attribute this to the fact that when you’re young, you tend to push yourself harder and manage your efforts less effectively. With age, you walk more slowly and always stay within your physical limits.
@AlainHP: If you have persistent AMS issues, don’t continue ascending. Just descend 300 m, and everything will be okay again.
Hi there.
Whether you're young or old, you should always acclimatize and ascend gradually.
Altitude sickness can strike when you least expect it.
In Bolivia, on a summit over 6,000m, I felt the effects of altitude at the top.
One minute later, I was descending.
We’re not all affected the same way.
I’ll definitely head back to the cordillera in 2025 if my health allows it.
Gérard
Hi Alain, I’m jumping on this post because, like you, we’re heading to Peru for three weeks in May.
We’ve already got our flight tickets and booked all our accommodations for the trip.
But today, when we tried to buy entry tickets for Machu Picchu, we found out that the access road to the site entrance collapsed over an 8-meter stretch, taking trees with it… which led to the road and site being closed indefinitely.
We’ll be there on May 20th, so in two months. For now, online ticket purchases are blocked. Do you know any other trick to make sure we get two spots for circuit 2B on the day?
Aller jusqu'au bout de ses rêves est la plus belle des destinations
Well, we finally managed to buy 2 entry tickets online for the Machu Picchu site.
There were no spots left for May 20th or the following days. There were 2 spots left for May 19th at 3 PM, which we immediately took by adjusting our schedule a bit.
All this to say it’s good news because it means the access road has been repaired and everything is back to normal. Safe travels to you all!
Danielle
Aller jusqu'au bout de ses rêves est la plus belle des destinations
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Bonjour,
Nous souhaitons faire le trek de 4 jours reliant Mestia à Ushguli sans agence. Il est précisé dans les descriptifs qu'il existe des hébergement à chaque étape, mais on ne trouve pas d'info sur ces hébergements. Quelqu'un a-t-il des infos et un avis sur ce parcours?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
Je pars en autonomie totale sur un trek au Maroc (10jrs) Imilchil - Aghbalou.
Trouve t-on des cartouches gaz à vis (Coleman, Primus) à Marrakech (adresse) ou villages entre Imilchil - Aghbalou ?
Si non , trouve-t-on des cartouches Butagaz pour camping-gaz (petit volume 230 gr ...)
Merci d' avance pour vos réponses
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
Hi,
I don’t know Switzerland at all and was wondering if Vallée des Joux and especially Dent de Vaulion are packed early in the morning or late in the afternoon in July and September?
If so, do you have any quieter spots to recommend in the area, or in Luxembourg (yes, I know it’s not the same country 😉)?
Thanks a lot!
Jaimerais savoir si quelqu'un aurait fait des treks sur le Ruwenzori et combien ça coute en moyenne, les infrastructures, les paysages la sécurité sur les lieux, merci beaucoup. J'attends avec impatience vos réponses.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Bonjour
Souhaitant faire de la randonnée sur cette île, je voudrais d'abord savoir quelle serait la période la plus favorable sachant que j'avais passé quelques jours en novembre 2018 pas pour cette activité mais plus pour une simple découverte de l'île et le temps n'était pas top notamment en montagne. Donc peut on choisir une organisation en étoile sachant que je louerai un véhicule avec éventuellement 2 points d'hébergement.
Je n'envisage pas d'intégrer une structure mais de partir à 2 et de s'organiser sauf si vous me conseillez une agence locale ou un guide local. Enfin même si je compte me procurer les différents supports, carte et topo guide plus gps je vous remercie de bien vouloir me communiquer les randos à faire en priorité
Merci beaucoup pour vos informations
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
I’m traveling solo by plane to Catania in May and plan to hike the northern side of Etna, starting from Linguaglossa where I’ll arrive by bus. After that, I’d love some info on how to get up to Piano Provenzana (shuttles or hitchhiking), since it seems there’s no public transport except in the summer. Can you sleep there in a free or cheap refuge, or camp? And how far up can you go without having to hire a guide? Thanks in advance. Bernard.
Bonjour a tous,
je pars en voyage au Maroc en aout et nous allons commencer par nous arrêter a Chefchaouen(nous sommes en voiture).
Ma question: quelqu'un peut il m'indiquer un itinéraire de rando en boucle d'entre 5 et 7 jours aux départ de Chefchaouen dans le parc de Talassemtane passant si possible par le pont de dieux?Ou un guide papier qui en reunis quelques uns?
Nous privilégions le camping sauvage et les gites.
Merci d'avance
Hi there, for those who’ve been recently—is it possible to find other solo travelers in March on the island to share transport or room costs? It doesn’t seem easy to travel on a budget.
If you have any recommendations for simple lodgings or places with dorms, I’d love to hear them.
For those who’ve done multi-day treks while moving around: do you need to bring your own sleeping bag? I’d love to hear about itineraries you’ve done without a guide, just with a map and GPS.
Thanks, and have a great day!
Hi everyone!
We’re planning a 15-day road trip to Scotland this summer, specifically to explore and hike on Lewis and Harris—places we’ve never been before. We’ve visited other islands on previous road trips in Scotland (we usually go in April for a week). This would be our first time in Scotland in the summer and for 15 days. We’re looking at late August to early September.
I’m currently drafting the itinerary. We’d be crossing from Ullapool and were thinking of spending 3 nights on Harris and 4 nights on Lewis.
Does that sound balanced to you? Is it better to keep the same accommodation on Harris and the same on Lewis to explore the area? I’d love to hear about any past experiences you’ve had on these islands.
Thanks!
Hi there, I’m trying to leave for 15 days very soon to São Vicente. I’m either looking to join an agency or figure things out on my own to go hiking on one of these islands or both. From what I’ve seen, it’s not easy to organize with local transport, so it gets expensive. Can I use the services of a small local agency? I’m looking for the simplest way to hike for several days. Also, how do you get from São Vicente to São Nicolau? Thanks in advance and have a great day!
Aichatou
I’ve been wanting to do this for several years, and this year’s the one. Next September, I’ll be trekking in Tusheti (Georgia), from Omalo to Shatili.
Of course, I won’t be renting a vehicle that’d just sit unused. No problem getting to Pshaveli, but from there to Omalo, it’s a dirt road (still the case?)
There must be some form of public transport since there are so many guesthouses, and not all travelers come in a 4x4.
If any of you have been to Omalo, could you confirm that these shared transports exist and how often they run?
we’re planning a trip to Yellowstone and hoping to do a three-day backcountry hike if we get a permit.
if any of you have done this before, could you let me know if it’s possible to find water along the way? And if we can transport it, are we allowed to use a stove?
Hello,
I’ll be in Nepal from March 6th to 29th (we’re flying into Kathmandu via Varanasi and leaving via Delhi).
I’m a bit confused about the regulations requiring a guide.
My wife and I (we’re 63 and 64) aren’t experienced trekkers—we’re more used to walking on terrain with very moderate elevation changes. I’m looking for fairly easy hikes, possibly day trips.
Here are my questions:
- Does the Poon Hill trek from Pokhara require a guide, or is it better to go through a local agency? (I’ve seen a lot of them offering 4-day packages)
- I’d like to do a few multi-day hikes around Jomsom (Kagbeni, Mukitinath, Lupra, Marpha)... Do you need a guide for those, and can you find accommodations easily without booking in advance?
Last question—I’m really hesitant to lug around a sleeping bag or down jacket during our 6 weeks in India. Can you easily find these kinds of items at reasonable prices in Pokhara?
Thanks in advance for any tips you can share!
Yann
