Any nerves I may have felt at being summoned to an upstairs meeting room were swiftly assuaged by some fantastically exciting news. I was offered the opportunity to join one of our fantastic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu holidays and suffice to say I leapt at the opportunity.

However, as soon as I realised what I was getting myself into, an often repeated concern sprang to mind: “The Inca Trail? But that’s really busy isn’t it?” Knowing that there are only five hundred permits available each day for trekkers and support teams alike, I had images of joining a slow moving, snaking queue of tourists from Kilometre 82 and the official starting point, to the Sun Gate high above Machu Picchu.

I needn’t have worried. From the beginning of this holiday to the end every effort is made to give you the most authentic and enjoyable experience of trekking the Inca Trail. As we got off the bus following a short transfer from Ollantaytambo at I saw several other groups preparing for the off. We went down to the river and took the mandatory pictures by the ‘Camino Inka – Inka Trail’ and then instantly turned away from the main body of trekkers. I was gobsmacked that from this point until lunchtime on the third day of trekking we did not see any other trekking groups, other than as figures in the distance.

Each night we stayed in quiet campsites with nothing to disturb our sleep except for the desire to crawl from our tents and see snow-capped peaks puncturing a star-strewn sky.

Whilst we travelled comparatively early in the season, the way this holiday is structured is wholly aimed towards keeping you away from the crowds and finding the unexpected moments of quiet clarity that really make adventure travel an unforgettable experience.

Whilst I cannot promise that you will never see another trekker, and I certainly cannot promise you an empty background for your new screensaver shot that you'll take at Machu Picchu, I can guarantee that this holiday will deliver on every level you were expecting, and in one major way you possibly weren’t.

Inspired by Tom's adventure? Read our guide to trekking the Inca Trail to find out which holiday is the one for you.

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