After hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, do I think it was worth it? Well, in short, the answer is “yes and no”. The trail in the Andean mountains of Peru is one of the world’s most fabled pathways, and much of the trek, which connects Cusco to Machu Picchu, its giant stone steps and stone paths, are of original Inca construction and part of the large road system that crisscrossed their empire.

And yet, hiking the Inca Trail felt like being caught in a disappointing tourist trap at times.

We visited some impressive Incan ruins along the trail (Patallacta, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Intipata, and Winay Wayna) that are accessible by foot only, but on the final day of the trek also got up at 3 am, waited in line for hours before sunrise and then raced to the famous Sun Gate in a throng of 200 bleary-eyed hikers and their guides. By the time we arrived at Machu Picchu, a few hundred day tourists from Aguas Calientes had already swarmed over the site.

There are some very pretty views to be had on the second and third day hiking, but no solitude to be found with 500 people (200 hikers and the supporting staff) starting the trek every day, crowding into mediocre campsites.

If you’re interested in seeing some lesser-known icons of Inca civilization, hiking the Inca Trail will probably be a fulfilling experience. If you’re in it for the hike itself, you may be somewhat underwhelmed. In any case, don’t expect any sort of explorer feeling “Indiana Jones style” to arise ever. The Inca Trail is much too busy for that.

I’m glad to have done it for the Incan ruins dotted along the route and the wonderful people we met – our guide, cook, and porters – but it falls far short of the best trails we’ve hiked.

If you’re looking for an amazing hike, consider choosing a different trek in Peru (like the Santa Cruz Trek or Colca Canyon) and visiting Machu Picchu by train from Cusco via Aguas Calientes.

Just be aware, that if you don’t hike the Inca Trail, you will not be able to walk through the famous Sun Gate, catching a first glimpse of the citadel in the far distance, but truth be told, we thought the view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate wasn’t nearly as spectacular as we’d been led to expect. Add to that a crowd of 200 hikers and their guides trying to get ahead of each other, and well, it was one of those moments when expectations (mine, at least) and reality differed significantly.

The funny thing is that everyone rushes to Machu Picchu early in the morning to be the first to arrive when Peru’s most visited tourist destination is actually much less crowded in the late afternoon. Most tour operators will recommend going early simply because it’s easier to get back to Cusco if you visit the site in the morning. If you’re told that clouds usually move in in the afternoon, well, you’re just as likely to have clouds and mist obscuring the site in the morning.

While I’m conflicted about recommending the Inca Trail, visiting Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley should be on everyone’s Peru itinerary. The citadel from the 15th century perched on a narrow ridge at 2430m with mountain slopes covered in lush tropical greenery cascading from pointed, craggy peaks into steep valleys is absolutely spectacular.

When the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the “Lost City of the Incas” in 1911, it was in ruins, reclaimed by nature. Nowadays, much of the site is restored, but with 5000+ tourists a day made to walk along four fixed routes (backtracking or wandering across the site, lost in wonder, is strictly forbidden), visitors are no longer able to explore the whole site in one day.

If you feel like you might want to see more of Machu Picchu than is possible during one visit, my advice would be to go in the afternoon, stay overnight in Aguas Calientes and visit again after the early morning rush the next day.

That will also give you enough time to hike up Huayna Pichhu mountain, the pointed outcrop rising in the background of the citadel. The top offers a nice bird’s-eye-view of Machu Picchu (although the road winding up the mountain from Aguas Calientes spoils the splendid landscape), but it’s a tricky and steep hands-on climb that inexperienced hikers, anyone who’s not surefooted, or those with a fear of heights may find really challenging.

Permits for Huayna Pichhu sell out very quickly, so buy yours well in advance, or if you’re hiking the Inca Trail, ask your tour operator to secure one for you. It’s an exciting climb, but in retrospect, I think I would have rather spent more time taking in the view from the terraces than hiking up Huayna Pichhu.