Wondering if the Inca Trail is right for you and whether you’ll fit in with other hikers? Peru’s Institute of National Culture has tracked hiker demographics since 2011.
If you are a woman, you will definitely fit in. Week after week more woman (53%) hike the Inca Trail than men (47%), not including guides and porters. Are woman more adventurous than men?
As you might expect, most hikers are young (21- 30). The next largest group is between 31 and 40. This is especially true during the bad weather months of January and March.
Surprisingly, the third largest group of hikers is older (51 – 60), proving that this challenge is suitable not only for the young, but for the young at heart.
By the way, people younger than 10 and older than 81 have also been among the hikers.
Most hikers are from the US, with hikers from the UK coming in a close second. If you hike in January and March, (the Inca Trail is closed in February) you are also likely to run into a fairly large contingent of Argentinians.