Community Inca Trek or the Classic Inca Trail?

Dragomans Community Inca Trek is a unique trekking route that not only involves trekking through pristine unspoiled mountains along ancient Inca Trails, but also allows the trekkers to stay within local communities and get involved with our pioneering community-based tourism project, Tarpuy Yachay. This trek is all about getting away from the overcrowded thoroughfares of the Classic Inca Trail, instead getting out into the real Andes. Not to mention being part of a project with provides a genuine, direct benefit to the host communities we travel through, by supporting education, income generation and environmental sustainability projects.

The “classic” Inca Trail is the now infamous trek which you will see in every tour operators brochure and website that features Peru as a destination. It is the most common trekking route taken to get to Machu Picchu. 

Benefits of The Inca Trail & Quechua Community Project over the Classic Trail

Unspoiled and absolutely spectacular mountain scenery
Hands on involvement with local communities, including a variety of projects to provide infrastructure for the community.
A proportion of the costs are going back into the local community and the guides, pack animals and trekking staff are all from the local community. The community really benefits from your trekking. We will stay for 2 nights in local communities.
Virtually deserted routes, used only by locals and Dragoman Overland, most groups see no other westerners while trekking.
Llamas, mules and horses are used instead of porters to carry equipment. The local communities we stay in provide these. This is Responsible Tourism in action.
Horses and mules provide a much needed safety valve if people suffer from altitude or exhaustion... you can always swallow your pride and hitch a ride
Altitude Sickness, although we will trek higher than the Classic Inca Trail (4800m), we can always get you down to a lower altitude and into a local community if necessary. This is not possible on the Classic Trail.

Points against The Inca Trail & Quechua Community Project

The Sungate & Machu Picchu, yes, we certainly will visit Machu Picchu after the trek, but we will not trek through to the Sun Gate as you will on the Classic Inca Trail. However, many group members in the past six months have trekked back up from Machu Picchu to the Sun Gate to see the famous view. This is always possible and we do allow time during your visit to Machu Picchu to this. Alternatively why not trek up Huayna Picchu, the huge peak towering above Machu Picchu....why not.... because its hard!
The Inca Roads that the Classic Trail takes are the King's roads and therefore are better preserved that the Inca trails across the valley.
The ruins along the way on the Classic Inca Trail are more numerous, however you will see Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, Pisac and other remote Inca sites on the Community Trail.

The Classic Inca Trail

This "original" route is still the most popular route because of its history.
The Classic Trail is not quite as challenging as the Inca Community Trail and and the passes are not quite as high. That said, it is still a pretty tough and you will need to be reasonably fit.
The Classic Inca Trail finishes at the "Sungate" to Machu Picchu on the final morning of the trek, and you arrive at Machu Picchu by foot. On the Community Trek you will finish your trek the day before visiting Machu Picchu - and whilst we still arrive very early in the morning before the crowds, this is not a trekking day.
The crowds, unfortunately often as many as 500 people a day start the Classic Trail and it has become very overcrowded, especially during the peak months. Rubbish, dirt, sanitation and over crowding are a real issue now. The hordes of people trekking this route is unsustainable and the Peruvian Government are being forced to limit numbers. This has now meant that at certain times of the year, not only is the trail overcrowded but also it is hard to even get permits to trek.
The Classic Trail gives you no community involvement and you will be a trekking tourist in a national park.
However this is still the "Classic Inca Trail" and for some no other route will do. Hence we offer it as an alternative. The Community Trek is included in our trips, but if you would prefer to take the Classic then we will refund you the moneys for the Community Inca Trek and you can book and pay for the Classic Trail when you book your trip. The current cost of the Classic Trail is approximately US$300 and so the cost difference is now very little.

And Finally Our Opinion

If you were to ask Dragoman which one we prefer, there is no contest, our unique Inca Trail & Quechua Community Project is a much better experience.