“In the kingdom of the Andes there was a beautiful young princess. She fell in love with a brave and handsome warrior of the Inca. Once her father knew of the love affair, he prohibited any relationship between them because the princess was destined for the Sun God.
When the princess learned of his decision, she ran over the Andes, crying for her forbidden love and was turned into the beautiful “Waqanki” flower. So, each time the warrior found this flower in the Andes, he also would cry remembering his lost love.”
This ancient Incan myth, passed through generations through oral tradition, highlights the importance of orchids around Machu Picchu. Home to over 3,000 varieties, the Incan people revered the flowers for their beauty and abundance. Because of Peru’s humid rainforests and mild dry seasons, more species grow here than anywhere else in the world. The abundance of birds and insects also promotes cross-pollination, which means that there are still orchid species left to be discovered.
Orchids can grow on the ground (terrestrial) or on rocks (lithophytes). Because the jungle is so thick, sunlight hardly reaches the forest floor. Because of this, many orchids you’ll see on your trek are epiphytes – plants that grow on top of other plants, like branches, leaves, and even other epiphytes!
In this blog, we list various types of orchids, how to spot them, and, if applicable, more Incan folklore about the flowers. To learn more about other than orchids, take a look at our Flowers of Machu Picchu blog as well.
Planning Your Visit to the Orchids of Machu Picchu
Blooming season begins in October/November and lasts until March. This correlates directly with the rainy season, as more rain means more orchid growth. The Inca Trail is closed in February for maintenance, which is also when the rain is heaviest. Make sure you bring a packable raincoat, you’ll almost definitely need it! The CleverHiker guide has recommendations for various budgets and needs.
There’s also an identifying app made solely for orchids. With Lookuq (pronounced Lookup), you can take a photo of a flower to learn its name, description information and caring guide. This is a great tool to enhance your orchid-viewing experience! There are also plenty of identifying apps for flowers in general. Compare and decide which one is best for you here.
Orchids of Machu Picchu with known mythology
Waqanki Orchid
This myth-inducing bloom is often found growing in the crevices of rocks near Machu Picchu. Literally “You will cry” in Quechua, this flower is thought to be the national treasure of Peru. It’s even referred to as the king/queen of Machu Picchu! Keep an eye out for a single flower with orange sepals and purple spots on the side. In other parts of Peru, this flower is known as gallo-gallo, meaning rooster after its rooster-comb like petals.
Wiñay Wayna Orchid
This orchid is typically white or fuschia with multiple blooms. Meaning “forever young,” the Wiñay Waynaflower is thought to preserve youth and vitality. While on our [look up specific inca trail trek], you’ll travel through the Wiñay Wayna Pass, named after this flower. Although this is one of the more common orchid species found near Machu Picchu, it’s ephemeral, meaning blooms only last for a few days.
Paradise Orchid
courtesy of globalorchids.info
Although this is one of the more common orchid species found near Machu Picchu, it’s ephemeral, meaning blooms only last for a few days. Colored deep pink and white, the plant typically has 5-8 blooms per stem. Paradise orchids are thought to have grounding and calming effects.
Lycaste Orchid
Lycaste Orchid
The lycaste orchid has light green sepals, darker petals, and an orange lip. The triangular shaped flower grows singularly on bare canes, typically in the summer. It has been claimed that the essence of the Lycaste helps interpret dreams and to open repressed memories.
Other Orchids of Machu Picchu
Schomburgk’s Epidendrum
courtesy of orchidroots.com
One of, if not the largest orchid found in the Machu Picchu sanctuary, this flower can grow stems up to 5 feet tall! The bloom is brick orange, with a yellow-capped center. Be careful when admiring this one though, as it has been associated with stinging ants.
Prosthechea Vespa
This medium-sized epiphyte is characterized by elongated pale pseudo-bulbs with clusters of brown spots, almost like the print on a cheetah’s fur. While flowers in the Prothechea genus typically only bloom once a year, the bloom lasts for months, so seeing these clusters is very likely on your trek through Machu Picchu.
Bee Orchid
One can find this orchid between the Hatunchaka and Huayllabamba communities along the classic Inca trail; it blooms from January to April. The orchid uniquely resembles a female bee, so that male bees fly in and pollinate the bloom.
Oncidium scansor
courtesy of orchidspecies.com
This brown-spotted, bright yellow flower is typically spotted growing along the tree trunks and branches. It’s been known to be a difficult plant to grow in a domestic environment, but Machu Picchu’s cloud forests nourish these orchids to grow plentifully.
Leave No Trace Around Machu Picchu
While looking for Machu Picchu’s orchids, it’s also important to remember that this is their home, not yours! We’re committed to keeping our area beautiful, but we need your help too. Following Leave No Trace principles ensures these species and their habitats will be around to admire for years to come. Make sure you stay on established trails and leave the area the same or better than you found it – that means zero trash. Our excellent guides will answer any questions you may have, but if you want to brush up on the best way to leave an environment intact before your trip, check out the Leave No Trace site.
It’s no question that you will get to enjoy viewing a plethora of vibrant orchids on any of our treks – and this list only scratches the surface of species that inhabit the Andean cloud forests! But with just a little bit of extra preparation, you’ll be able to identify them as well. If you capture any stellar photos you want to show off, we’d love to see them! Tag us on social media @AlpacaExpeditions. Want to stay up to date on all things Machu Picchu and Alpaca Expeditions? Sign up for our e-mail list here.
Alpaca Expeditions Recognitions
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.
World Travel Awards
Alpaca Expeditions is internationally recognized as a leading tourism company in Peru. As proof, we have been awarded the World Travel Award for Peru´s Best Tour Operator 2021 for the second time.
TRIPADVISOR RECOGNITIONS
Our goal at Alpaca Expeditions is to create the best experience for all of our clients. We create journeys that are to be remembered for a lifetime. Journeys you can be proud of and can share with everybody around you.
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Hotel to Hotel service
Regarding the transportation provided by Alpaca Expeditions, we are committed to delivering a quality service. We strive to ensure that passengers feel supported throughout their journey. To achieve this, we coordinate closely with our guides and representatives to ensure timely pick-up at the start of their tours. Additionally, we have representatives responsible for escorting our passengers to their hotels at the conclusion of any tour.
Our drivers are not only trained in customer service but also come properly uniformed, and many are fluent in English.
Typically, all transportation types are included in each of our services. For instance, if you have booked a trekking tour, we will pick you up early, typically between 4 AM and 5 AM.
When visiting Cusco, it's important to note that traffic here is generally moderate. However, there are peak traffic times, such as between 7 AM and 8 AM, which coincide with school hours, and in the evening between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Therefore, if you have a flight during these times, it's crucial to be at the airport at least 2 hours in advance. The drivers of Alpaca Expeditions ensure their vehicles are prepared with all necessities before each service. They are acutely aware that delays can lead to missed trains, flights, or other connections. Consequently, they are always more than punctual, arriving at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time for any service, understanding the responsibility they carry in executing these tasks.
Personal Porter of 7KG
Remember that Alpaca Expeditions offers an extra 7 kg allowance for your personal belongings on any of our tours. We include a personal porter who is responsible for carrying your duffel bag without any additional fee. You will not have access to your duffel bag until you reach your evening campsite. The bag should not exceed 7 kg, which includes 4 kg for clothes and 3 kg for your sleeping bag and sleeping mat.
When you visit our Alpaca Expeditions office, you will receive your duffel bags at your briefing. The porters will carry them and return them to you at each campsite. The bags measure 66 cm in length and 36 cm in width (approximately 2 ft long by 1 ft wide). Porters will carry up to 7 kg of your personal items, which must include your sleeping bag and air mat (if you bring or rent one). From us, these two items weigh a combined total of 3.5 kg.
Each Alpaca Expeditions porter is paid directly after each trek, allowing them to return home more quickly. They receive better wages than our competitors, health insurance, and all their equipment free of charge, including hiking boots, pants, jerseys, fleeces, jackets, hats, flashlights, sleeping bags, and high-quality food. We ensure each of our porters has a comfortable bed in a pleasant room to sleep in before and after each trek. We also visit the communities they live in, providing toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and other necessary supplies to their families, along with books for their children.
This is just the beginning for us, and we are always looking for ways to do more.
While the government allows each porter to carry up to 25 kg, we limit this to 20 kg to prioritize their health and safety. Each porter carries up to 15 kg of company equipment and 5 kg of personal items. This is why it is crucial to keep your personal duffel bag weight under our 7 kg limit. You might see other companies allowing their porters to carry more than the allotted weight, but at Alpaca Expeditions, we strictly adhere to these limits to ensure our porters' well-being.
Clases de Cocina
Alpaca Expeditions offers its passengers the chance to experience local cooking. We aim to immerse trekkers in Inca life by walking them through the original Inca paths and teaching them about Inca culture. Food is a significant part of Inca life, making it a special element in any tour or trek with Alpaca Expeditions.
In 2022, Alpaca Expeditions introduced a cooking class as part of each of our treks, conducted by our amazing trekking chefs and interpreted by our guides.
We will transform your dining tent into a makeshift kitchen, providing all the necessary supplies to prepare a Peruvian specialty. Your chef will guide you step by step through the process of making a traditional Peruvian meal, such as Lomo Saltado, and share some essential mountain cooking tips.
Peru is recognized as a top culinary destination, largely thanks to the popularity of our renowned beef dish, Lomo Saltado. This is most often the meal you will learn to cook, but there is also the opportunity to learn how to prepare other dishes like traditional Peruvian ceviche or even our signature drink, the pisco sour.
Cooking Class on the Inca Trail: These classes are voluntary and designed to be a fun, educational experience. Our clients consistently marvel at the amazing ability of our chefs to create culinary magic on a mountaintop. As you learn to prepare and cook Peruvian specialties, you will also see firsthand how such elaborate meals can be created on a small campsite stove.
Enjoy a cooking class in the mountains and be sure to take plenty of photos, just in case your friends won't believe your incredible experience.
Satellite Phones
The best way to hike in the mountains of Peru is to completely disconnect from technology, especially the internet and cell phones. The most impressive and exciting aspect is the opportunity to experience the true and wonderful nature that we often miss when we are at home, watching TV or absorbed in our cell phones during our leisure time. The feeling of being disconnected from work and the daily routine left at home is incredible.
However, this remoteness means limited access to emergency resources. That's why Alpaca Expeditions has invested in satellite phones for every trek.
We are prepared to assist you in case of any emergency, particularly health-related issues. For this reason, Alpaca Expeditions has invested in satellite phones, as they are one of the most crucial tools for any operator trekking in remote areas where telephone or television signals are absent. This means that every guide on our treks will be equipped with a fully charged satellite phone as well as radios. While these are primarily for emergencies, we allow our clients to use them at any time.
We ask that you cover the cost, which is $2.50 per minute. This fee can be paid in cash at our office or via PayPal once you have completed the trek.
Being just a phone call away from any doctor, hospital, or friend helps everyone feel assured of their safety. Radios, which all our guides carry, have limited reach, so Alpaca Expeditions includes satellite phones to ensure that we can connect no matter where we are on the mountain.
Portable private toilet
We understand that our clients will need restroom facilities at various times and locations during their journey. Along the Inca Trail, there are restrooms available, particularly those belonging to the communities near the trail. Alpaca Expeditions provides portable toilets to enhance this service, which will be set up at each meal site or campsite.
As with any mountain trip where we are exposed to nature, it is possible to use natural areas as restrooms. However, it is crucial to be mindful of the waste we generate, such as toilet paper or wet wipes used for cleaning. These should be carried with us and not discarded on the ground or left along the trail. Remember, the Inca Trail is a protected area overseen by a government institution. In places where garbage bins are unavailable, particularly at our camps, we provide special plastic bags for waste. Our porter team will be responsible for carrying out our waste.
Please be aware that although there are designated bathrooms for men and women, in practice, both genders often use the same facilities. Functionally, there is no significant difference between men's and women's bathrooms. Therefore, it is common for people of all genders to use whichever bathroom is available.
