Are There Bugs On The Inca Trail?
If you’re thinking or planning on hiking the Inca Trail, you may have many different questions about the trail and conditions.
One of the most frequent questions we get is about the local fauna, and more specifically if there are bugs on the trail and how bad they can get.
In this guide we’ll take a look at if there are bugs on the Inca Trail, including whether certain parts are worse for bugs than others. We’ll also look at how you can prepare for any potential meetings with bugs here too.
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Are There Bugs On The Inca Trail?
Quick Answer: Given we will be hiking outdoors (and quite remotely too since we will be out for anywhere from 2-5 days), it’s natural that we will spot different kinds of insects along the Inca Trail.
Now the frequency that you will see them also depends on where you are, and the time of day too. For example at the higher parts of the trail that rise above 4000m, insects are much less common. We’ll look specifically at these different areas later on.
The majority of bugs that we will come across here are harmless, and of course it goes without saying that we must not touch them (which could cause certain ones to become aggressive towards us).
The Best Parts Of The Inca Trail For Minimal Bugs
As we mentioned before, there are less bugs when we reach higher points of the Inca Trail. Increases in altitude result in less oxygen readily available, which makes it difficult for bugs to thrive in these areas.
The second day is arguably the best, given we will be hiking around the 4000m mark which includes the section of the Dead Woman’s Pass. However in the evening we will be camping lower down, so you will still want to use mosquito spray as a precaution before the sun goes down.
The Worst Parts Of The Inca Trail For Bugs
Day three sees us spend a lot of time hiking through cloud forests and the jungle, so there will be more insects in these stretches. Again just leave them be and they probably won’t even notice you. In the event you get bitten or stung by a bug, our tour leader is trained to deal with these incidents and will have a medical kit on-hand to patch you up with.
This is similar on the last day when walking up to the Sun Gate, and also when taking a guided tour around Machu Picchu (it’s advisable to layer up with bug spray in the mornings before hiking on these days).
Mosquitos will be a risk on most nights, so make sure to seal up your tent properly and to also use a high DEET spray before walking around.
How To Prevent Bug Encounters On The Inca Trail
Of course we can’t remove all probabilities of seeing bugs since they naturally live here, however using a good quality bug spray will heavily reduce the chance of them bothering you.
When walking the route, make sure you stick to the well-defined path given bugs are more likely to be living in the surrounding vegetation (another good reason to not go off-piste from the Inca Trail).
Mosquitoes are most likely the biggest insect foe we’ll have to face on the Inca Trail, which are most active in the evening and early mornings. Whilst on day two you probably won’t see any given the altitude, on the other days you’ll will so you’ll want to use a high level DEET mosquito spray given it’s a more humid and jungle-like environment with rivers and wet forests.
Are There Bugs On The Inca Trail
And that’s all for our guide on whether there are bugs on the Inca Trail.
Known for its ancient ruins and diverse ecosystems, we have to remember the Inca Trail remains a wild path which passes through many remote regions. For this reason it’s likely we’ll see some bugs, however with good preparation you can avoid encounters and getting bitten by mosquitoes.
As well as packing a high level DEET spray and long trousers, there are also more must-bring items for this trek. Be sure to read our Inca Trail Packing List to make sure you’re fully prepared before coming.