The most talked about hike is the Dead Woman’s Pass (“Warmiwañusca” in the Quechua language). This natural feature is so named because, when viewed from the valley below, its ridges resemble the shape of a woman’s supine body.
The meaning of Warmiwañusca is “woman who died” or “woman died”, which comes from Quechua warmi = woman, wife; wañuy = to die, also spelled Huarmihuanusca, Huarmihuañusqa, Warmihuañusca, Wamihuanuscca, Warmiwañuscca, Warmiwañuscca, Warmi wanusca in Wanusca mountain).
Warmiwañusca is located on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, southwest of the archaeological site of Patallacta. It is located at an altitude of 4,200 meters (13,780 feet).
The landscape is covered with ichu or thatch. It is a geography of mountains with abundant flora on one side and snow-covered peaks, which are shown as a backdrop to the landscape.
The Warmiwañusca pass is the second most photographed point by tourists on the Inca Trail (the first is Machu Picchu). The hike up there is considered the most difficult of the entire route.