While the Inca Trail is the most popular trail amongst travelers hiking to Machu Picchu, it’s often crowded, and at times, difficult to acquire permits in time. Luckily, the serene Quarry Trail is an alternative route that winds its way above Ollantaytambo, offering quiet off-the-beaten path moments and breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley of the Inca.
Over the course of this 16-mile (9-.6-kilometer) trek, hikers pass through small villages and little-known Inca ruins off the typical tourist map. The highest pass is 14,685 feet (4.5 kilometers), which is attainable for hikers in moderate fitness levels. At the end of this lovely sojourn through the Andes,hop on the train to Aguas Calientes, the last stop before Machu Picchu. Most guided treks for the Quarry Trail depart from Ollantaytambo and drive into the countryside to the small town of Rafqa, where horses are loaded with camp gear and supplies.
Quarry Trail tours start at Ollantaytambo, which is about 12 miles (19.2 kilometers) from Urubamba, and 37 miles (60 kilometers)from Cusco. Trains running between Cusco and Aguas Calientes (for Machu Picchu) stop at Ollantaytambo, which is the halfway mark along the route.
June through September are the driest months (and also the coldest and most popular), rainy season is generally from January through April. The Quarry trail is never very crowded, and there are plenty of times when groups won’t encounter another group for long stretches.
Perched at the northern end of the Sacred Valley of the Inca, Ollantaytambo was once the administrative center of the Inca Empire. Learn the secrets of Inca urban planning at its finest in this well-preserved archeological park, much of which has been rebuilt according to its original construction. The massive Inca fortress soars above the village’s cobbled streets and the monolithic stones of the Temple of the Sun built by Pachacuti in the 1400s.
