Colca Inca Trail
We explored this route almost 15 years ago and have not had the chance to go back again, but I´ve seen on Google some changes made by the local people, building some roads, maybe beside the former trail. Anyway, on that occasion, I went with César Ortega and Iñigo Maneiro, on those years Casa Andina Hotels wanted to develop adventure routes, so we were in charge to do the scouting, and we contact a local tour operator from Chivay named Pedro Samayani and a local rider, winner of local races, with them we went to explore.
We started from Sibayo village at 3800m. We crossed the bridge that goes to Espinar in Cusco and we turn right to follow then, the left side of the Colca River, at the beginning the trail is not clear but little by little it starts to show itself as a very regular path even with carved cliffs with stone stairs.
The track goes from 3800+ to 3500+ of altitude but is not a descend, on the way we found many points to climb, not a lot really, but at 3500m you can feel the lack of air in your head.
As ever, the advice is to bring all your mechanical and foodstuff, the trip takes some hours and there is no help to find.
The track ends very close to the Hot Springs of La Calera of Chivay, so it´s a great deal for an after-ride to enjoy a warm bath and some cold beers.