Inca trail dead woman’s pass

Inca trail dead woman’s pass

Dead Woman’s Pass, Inca Trail, Peru: The stones form the steps of the progression of a steep mountain pass forming a kind of staircase, located at 4,200 meters above sea level in the Peruvian Andes. The stones at the feet of the spectators form a section of the ancient Inca trail on the way to Machu Picchu. The Dead Woman’s Pass, “named after the silhouette formed by a nearby rock formation”, is also called “Abra Warmihuañusca”.

Hiking the Inca Trail
The strenuous but rewarding climb to the “dead woman’s pass”, is the highest point on the trail. Somewhere there is a warm tent and a cup of tea.

After breakfast all together in the group tent, we set off at 8 am. From the start, we would climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass. Here it is highly recommended that everyone climbs at their own pace to acclimatize to the altitude. The guides know this and at all times one guide goes with the fastest group and another stays with the slowest. It is not a race, there is no prize for arriving first, you just have to enjoy the scenery!

During the first kilometers of ascent you will enjoy a humid forest and the sound of the water of the small rivers in the area. The climb is gradual with some flat stretches in these first kilometers.

After another 2 hours of climbing we stop for a snack (hot chocolate, bread with jam, butter and coca tea) at the Llulluchapampa camp (3850 m.a.s.l.).

In this place, the highest point of the Inca Trail, you can enjoy incredible panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains. After a well-deserved rest at the top and after taking several photos, we begin a leg-breaking descent to 3500 m.a.s.l., where our second camp, Paqaymayu, will be located.