What Happens If I Get Hurt On The Inca Trail?
Solid preparation is extremely important before taking on the Inca Trail.
Not only is it demanding physically, however you’ll also need to navigate various challenges along the way. Unfortunately accidents can and still do happen (even to those who are best prepared), which may affect your ability to continue along the Inca Trail route.
In this guide we’ll take a look at what happens if you get hurt on the Inca Trail, which includes various scenarios depending on where you are along the route. This will hopefully put this worry to rest for you, and later on we’ll also look at the best strategies to avoid having any accidents in the first place.
What Happens If I Get Hurt On The Inca Trail?
Quick Answer: It all depends on the extent of your injury, however rest assured your hiking operator will take full care of you until you are back off the Inca Trail (or at hospital in more serious cases).
There are several risks that can injure you along the Inca Trail, and in the event that something happens to you then you will be transported to the base of the route by your porters (or donkey if available).
Here at ABExpeditions we have strict protocols on what to do for every type of situation (as well as bringing emergency satellite phones to call for help). We’ll be exploring these in detail next in this article.
Different Injury Scenarios And Their Respective Protocols
Let’s now take a look at what happens if you get injured on the different days of the Inca Trail.
What Happens If I Get Hurt On Day One of The Inca Trail?
The first day is the most simple, where we’ll be close to small populated towns along the route.
In the event of any injury here, we will call for a local motorcycle to pick you up and transport you to the start of the trail (at the marker of Km 82). From here you will then return to Cusco
What Happens If I Get Hurt On Day Two of The Inca Trail?
On the second day we hike deeper into the mountains, towards the Dead Woman’s Pass.
Given the terrain is trickier, in the event of an injury the porters will transport the injured person using a stretcher back to the road (where vehicle transport will be waiting to head back to Cusco).
What Happens If I Get Hurt On Day Three of The Inca Trail?
By the time we reach the third day, we will have already trekked through the Dead Woman’s Pass, and will be on the second part of the route (which leads until Machu Picchu).
If you were to get injured here, your porters would help you back down to the trail. They may use a stretcher depending on the severity of the injury. They can also call for help using satellite phones if needed to collect you.
What Happens If I Get Hurt On Day Four of The Inca Trail?
The last day is spent around Machu Picchu and Aguascalientes, so in the event of any injury there are both emergency services and transportation will be available at all times. Whilst the risks of getting injured are lower on this day than the others, you’ll still want to take care when exploring around.
What Happens If I Get Hurt On The Inca Trail?
And that’s all for this guide on what happens if you get hurt along the Inca Trail.
Whilst this hiking route remains one of the spectacular that you can take on in South America, there are still many risks that can cause potential injury. However rest assured that there is a protocol in place ready if something did happen, which varies depending where you are on the Inca Trail.
Are you ready to take on the Inca Trail? Be sure to learn about the other potential hazards to be prepared for before starting your trek.