The Ruins of Intipata
The Ruins of Intipata
The Ruins of Intipata
4.5
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The Intipata ruins are recenlty discovered agricultural terraces. Inhabitants may have once used the terraces as a walking path to Machu Picchu.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
87 reviews
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64
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Gillian H
Portland, Oregon37 contributions
Sep 2011
My family and I decided to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We thought we were relatively fit having climbed Mt Adams, WA in August. I have to say the four day hike was the most challenging thing I have ever done! Our children (24 & 22) found it strenuous but had no problems at all. My husband suffered terribly from altitude sickness which slowed him down and made it more of a challenge, but he survived to tell the tale! I was fine, breathless but fine! I have the utmost respect for our guide, the porters and our chef! Yes, we had a chef who cooked the most amazing meals each evening. The porters were the real heroes hiking the trail ahead of us lugging 20kg, always smiling and offering us encouragement as they passed us!
If you have the desire to see Machu Picchu do consider hiking the trail. There are many companies offering tours from individual to large groups. We opted for a private tour which meant that we had a guide, a chef and four porters, and the four of us. It really was a very personal experience.
The first day is a relatively easy one, stopping for lunch part way - the dining tent was erected and a two course meal appeared, fresh water to wash our hands and even flushing toilets! Extremely civilized! Day two was the challenge day, a hike up to 14,000ft and then down to around 12,00ft to the camp. No time to stop for lunch but we were given a pack lunch to eat at our leisure. I thought this day would never end, it was exhausting! The trail is well defined, for those wary of heights there's absolutely no chance of falling off it at any point! The Peruvian authorities are very strict about the number of people on the trail at any one time, limiting it to 500 per day including porters. It was by no means crowded, I was pleased to be able to overtake younger hikers at times and at other times pleased to have someone ahead of me to aim for! The encouraging and sympathetic smiles from porters as they raced past with their loads (fancy carrying a gas bottle for cooking, not to mention the pots, pans, tents etc?) made me feel pathetically inadequate at times! With a smile and determination I made it, family and dignity in tact!
On the third day we set off at 5 a.m. having helped pack up the camp. The porters have to dash down to the train station as there is only one train for them, if they miss it they are left to walk back! Seems rather unfair considering how hard they have worked and that some of them start the journey all over again once the get back down! We joined the queue to go through the check point, all passes checked, a two hour hike to the Sun Gate and the prize of Machu Picchu! Great feeling of anticipation spurring us all on, head lamps glistening in the morning dew! Our guide, joker that he was, had promised no more hills. He lied! The first incline made us all grown, everyone on the trail was feeling the same way. We had had enough, it was laughable - thankfully! The final climb up a very steep staircase and through the Sun Gate, the clouds parted and......................WOW!
Machu Picchu in all it's glory. Phenomenal! I'm not going to say any more about it, you will have to discover it for yourself!
For those who don't wish to do the trail you can get there by train. It's about 3.5 hrs from Cusco. We had the luxury of taking the train on the return journey. I'd still be on the mountains if I had to do the reverse hike!
My recommendation is to make all the arrangements yourself. I booked all our flights except the internal one from Lima to Cusco. Big mistake. The tour company informed us that the airline no longer flew to Cusco and that we would have to go on standby for them to get us on another flight. Four hours in Lima no available flights, we ended up purchasing new tickets and then getting a refund for the others, this only covered half the cost. Our tour company (Peru Gateway Travel) didn't want to know and insisted on keeping their handling charges some $350! Due to flight delays, missed hotel rooms and extra air tickets our trip cost us a further $2,000. I would recommend taking out insurance, flights are often delayed resulting in lost hotel accommodation etc. Below I've given the web-site for our tour guide, Ro, rather than the attraction, there's so much information on the web. Most guides work independently of the tour companies. The chef's hire the porters and pick the camp sights, once you have a guide the rest falls into place.
Peru is fascinating for history buffs, students, backpackers, people of all ages and interests. Hotels vary from hostels costing $20 a night to five star hotels that cost over $400. We stayed in The Rumi Punku, two blocks from the main square in Cusco, great location, reasonably priced about $100 per night, clean and comfortable a very attractive hotel, we left our suitcase with them while we hiked the trail. In Lima we stayed at the Ramada, Costa Del Sol which is right outside the terminal, excellent restaurant and you can just walk across when you arrive late or depart early ($200 p.n. approx). On our return journey we stayed at the El Patio in the old part of Lima, an oasis! Inexpensive ($45) , walking distance to everything. We only spent one night there which was enough to see the city and do some shopping in the Indian markets (better prices than Cusco, same products with a little variation, no hustling, the people were friendlier and pleased to talk to you - in Cusco they just want your money). The fresh food market is worth a visit also.
We took stickers with us for the children we met, they all enjoyed having them stuck on their hands and faces! My husband says make sure you give yourself at least three days to acclimatise before attempting the hike or suffer like he did!
I hope this is helpful, have fun!
If you have the desire to see Machu Picchu do consider hiking the trail. There are many companies offering tours from individual to large groups. We opted for a private tour which meant that we had a guide, a chef and four porters, and the four of us. It really was a very personal experience.
The first day is a relatively easy one, stopping for lunch part way - the dining tent was erected and a two course meal appeared, fresh water to wash our hands and even flushing toilets! Extremely civilized! Day two was the challenge day, a hike up to 14,000ft and then down to around 12,00ft to the camp. No time to stop for lunch but we were given a pack lunch to eat at our leisure. I thought this day would never end, it was exhausting! The trail is well defined, for those wary of heights there's absolutely no chance of falling off it at any point! The Peruvian authorities are very strict about the number of people on the trail at any one time, limiting it to 500 per day including porters. It was by no means crowded, I was pleased to be able to overtake younger hikers at times and at other times pleased to have someone ahead of me to aim for! The encouraging and sympathetic smiles from porters as they raced past with their loads (fancy carrying a gas bottle for cooking, not to mention the pots, pans, tents etc?) made me feel pathetically inadequate at times! With a smile and determination I made it, family and dignity in tact!
On the third day we set off at 5 a.m. having helped pack up the camp. The porters have to dash down to the train station as there is only one train for them, if they miss it they are left to walk back! Seems rather unfair considering how hard they have worked and that some of them start the journey all over again once the get back down! We joined the queue to go through the check point, all passes checked, a two hour hike to the Sun Gate and the prize of Machu Picchu! Great feeling of anticipation spurring us all on, head lamps glistening in the morning dew! Our guide, joker that he was, had promised no more hills. He lied! The first incline made us all grown, everyone on the trail was feeling the same way. We had had enough, it was laughable - thankfully! The final climb up a very steep staircase and through the Sun Gate, the clouds parted and......................WOW!
Machu Picchu in all it's glory. Phenomenal! I'm not going to say any more about it, you will have to discover it for yourself!
For those who don't wish to do the trail you can get there by train. It's about 3.5 hrs from Cusco. We had the luxury of taking the train on the return journey. I'd still be on the mountains if I had to do the reverse hike!
My recommendation is to make all the arrangements yourself. I booked all our flights except the internal one from Lima to Cusco. Big mistake. The tour company informed us that the airline no longer flew to Cusco and that we would have to go on standby for them to get us on another flight. Four hours in Lima no available flights, we ended up purchasing new tickets and then getting a refund for the others, this only covered half the cost. Our tour company (Peru Gateway Travel) didn't want to know and insisted on keeping their handling charges some $350! Due to flight delays, missed hotel rooms and extra air tickets our trip cost us a further $2,000. I would recommend taking out insurance, flights are often delayed resulting in lost hotel accommodation etc. Below I've given the web-site for our tour guide, Ro, rather than the attraction, there's so much information on the web. Most guides work independently of the tour companies. The chef's hire the porters and pick the camp sights, once you have a guide the rest falls into place.
Peru is fascinating for history buffs, students, backpackers, people of all ages and interests. Hotels vary from hostels costing $20 a night to five star hotels that cost over $400. We stayed in The Rumi Punku, two blocks from the main square in Cusco, great location, reasonably priced about $100 per night, clean and comfortable a very attractive hotel, we left our suitcase with them while we hiked the trail. In Lima we stayed at the Ramada, Costa Del Sol which is right outside the terminal, excellent restaurant and you can just walk across when you arrive late or depart early ($200 p.n. approx). On our return journey we stayed at the El Patio in the old part of Lima, an oasis! Inexpensive ($45) , walking distance to everything. We only spent one night there which was enough to see the city and do some shopping in the Indian markets (better prices than Cusco, same products with a little variation, no hustling, the people were friendlier and pleased to talk to you - in Cusco they just want your money). The fresh food market is worth a visit also.
We took stickers with us for the children we met, they all enjoyed having them stuck on their hands and faces! My husband says make sure you give yourself at least three days to acclimatise before attempting the hike or suffer like he did!
I hope this is helpful, have fun!
Written October 18, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eddymollie
Tiptree, UK117 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
My Son and I did a five day walk over two mountains to get to Machu Picchu in Peru , this was one of the best thing,s I have every dun, also the hardest .
We left Cusco then picked up our porter,s before the start of the walk , there were 13 of us with a team of 19 looking after us so camping was not to bad . I could not carry anything as I found it so hard to breath and walk , but on the last day I felt so good .
One od thee,s thing,s should be on your bucket list , most of our group were over 50 and one 70 years old , I my self was 50 at the time and my son 25 but a lot fitter than me.
We both loved Peru and can recommend it .
We left Cusco then picked up our porter,s before the start of the walk , there were 13 of us with a team of 19 looking after us so camping was not to bad . I could not carry anything as I found it so hard to breath and walk , but on the last day I felt so good .
One od thee,s thing,s should be on your bucket list , most of our group were over 50 and one 70 years old , I my self was 50 at the time and my son 25 but a lot fitter than me.
We both loved Peru and can recommend it .
Written November 28, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
midway42
Georgia3,089 contributions
Jul 2012 • Friends
Located near the final campsite at Winay Wayna, the convex archeological terraces of Intipata were just recently uncovered in 1998. The only way to access these are by hiking the trail, so the isolation here works in favor of those who like a little peace and quiet associated with their ancient structures; we noticed maybe a dozen people here during our time on-site. There is ample freedom of movement with several llamas seen lazily feeding on the grass as we explored the area. Views across the valley are similar to those from Machu Picchu without the crowds pushing you around. A few members of our hiking group spent a good two hours here and only left when the sunlight did. At the risk of raising expectations, I rate the overall experience as the most memorable from the Inca Trail and perhaps of my time in Peru.
Written August 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NiallODonoghue
Cork, Ireland246 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
You reach this wonder at the end of day three as you make your way down to camp. The terraces are huge and very impressive and allows for some amazing pictures. The view of the valleys below are out of this world. The Inca trail is brilliant as each day you are treated to wonders like this as a reward for the hard work of the day.
Written December 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
femesign
Miami, FL40 contributions
May 2015
Magical place where you can see very patient llamas resting in the platforms. Lovely and very high place I visited during mu Inca trail and I had enough time to see it.
Written June 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thewanderingpassport
Sydney, Australia691 contributions
Jul 2013 • Friends
This was breathtaking!! by the time you get here you will be tired because it is towards the end of the hike for that day and the camp site is right below the steep stairs there... and boy were these steep! if you have a walking stick thingy this is where it will come in handy, looks steeper than it is really, i had to hold on to a scared friend and all went fine... make sure to take the time to sit and look around at the amazing view because at the time when you are tired and wanting to just take those shoes off you dont appreciate it... looking back now Im glad I took the whole hike slowly and took in every stop and view I could because it made me appreciate it a lot more
Written April 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dremotion
Miami Beach, FL20 contributions
Visiting Macchu Picchu is a wonderful experience when you find out how knowledgable was this ancient inca culture. To get there it depends on your budget and your adventure spirit. My first trip to this place was 42 years ago, and since then the great change is the better train service but expensive and confusing to get tickets online. The disadvantage is that from the city of cuzco you need a 30 minute taxi ride to Poroy central station, when before the station was in the city to a walking distance. There is a valuable package with train+lunch at the top of the ruins that has a restaurant which is part of the only hotel there. Great self service/buffet with tasty food. The buses to and from Macchu Picchu are great but the roads are narrow as 42 years ago so maybe be positive watching the amazing view rather than see the other bus coming from the opposite side anPd feeling .......Tickets online to Macchu Picchu are not easy to get....but is a matter that someone will do it in a simple way.
Written January 5, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriele H
London, UK3 contributions
what a wonderful experience it was - very mystic- and unbelievably impressive
Written November 28, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D P
Wellington, New Zealand6,692 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
The terraces and walls are spectacular and the views from them simply stunning.
You can climb the steep steps to higher terraces and explore this magically peaceful place.
You can climb the steep steps to higher terraces and explore this magically peaceful place.
Written July 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robjustrob
Calgary, Canada1,801 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
there is a lot of hiking, and a lot of stairs to get to these attractions in machu picchu. be prepared and make sure you are wearing decent shoes.
Written October 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Odiseo1288
7 contributions
Si me quedo 1 dÃa más en Aguas Calientes, se puede visitar este lugar por cuenta propia?, o sólo se puede pasar por ahà como parte de los Caminos del Inca?
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Ruins of Intipata
- Hotels near The Ruins of Intipata:
- (1.39 mi) Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
- (2.48 mi) Jaya Suite Machupicchu
- (2.38 mi) SUMAQ Machu Picchu Hotel
- (2.43 mi) Inti Punku MachuPicchu Hotel & Suites
- (2.40 mi) Tierra Viva Machu Picchu
- Restaurants near The Ruins of Intipata:
- (2.39 mi) Full House Peruvian Cuisine
- (2.39 mi) Chullos Craft Beer & Home Made Food
- (2.37 mi) Mapacho Craft Beer Restaurant
- (2.39 mi) Sami restaurant
- (2.43 mi) Perú Cafe Machupicchu
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