Day 1: 14km: 2380m → 2980m
After a three hour bus ride to reach Km 82 (start of the usual 4day Inca trail) we could see the snow capped peaks framing our trek into the Andes. Much commotion of porters, guides, drivers, cooks and market sellers greeted us at the checkpoint into the start of the trail. 400 people per day are allowed onto the original trail, of which over a half are porters.
The first day’s walking was hot, dusty but thankfully leisurely. The small uphill stretches testing some members but the pace was easy with a stop almost every 2km.
What Fran and I didn’t realise is that the Inca trail is scattered with an array of other spectacular ruins and so it wasn’t long before we came accross the first major Inca farming settlement (Patallaqta) where we were given a 30 minute history of the Incas and their empire. At this point, Inca farming terraces were an amazing site and Orlando’s teachings were keeping our attention.
Patallaqta
Day 2: 14km: 2380m → 2980m
It had been made clear to us all at almost every opportunity that day 2 was the hardest. With an ascent of 1,200m (more than England’s highest peak!) we woke at 5am, again, to get going in the cool air. Two hours later we passed the last of the Gatorade and Snickers selling stalls and started an ascent to the reassuringly named “Dead Woman’s Pass”. (Named so for the shape of the mountainscape… With enough Inca imagination and Coca tea you can make out the shape of a reclining woman)
Dead woman's pass
With hindsight, the climb wasn’t too hard – Huaraz was much more difficult. The descent of 900m of thousands of steps had Fran cursing the mere existence of the Incas and their stupid trails!
Inca steps... (a few of them)
After some comfoting and some lunch (perhaps that was on her mind??) the next climb to 3780m offered spectacular views into the luch green valleys beyond.
Our second major Inca site (Sayaqmarka) was dramatically built on a mountain’s limb and would overlook our second and highest camp at 3600m.
Sayaqmarka
There was no possibility of going hungry… Behold the diet of an Inca trekker in 2009:
06:00 - Toast, coffee, quinua porridge, pancakes, coca tea
13:00 – Soup, lomo saltado, pasta, meats, dessert of chocolate sauce with biscuits.
18:00 – “happy hour” of tea, coffee, popcorn and biscuits
19:30 – Soud, rice, curry, fried aubergine, potatoes, tortilla, coffee, chocolate and even rum after the second day!
And I have to mention the hospitality… the harsh environment of an Inca trekker…
Greeted in the morning with a bowl of hot water and soap and towel; water boiled overnight for our flasks; dining tent for breakfast, lunch and dinner; tents ready for our arrival, Greeting party of applauding poerters (who have run with their 27kg each just to get there early to pitch tents and start dinner.)
Day 3: 16km: 3600m → 3780m → 2690m
After a lie in until 7am, the morning view of Sayaqmarka and the valley was tremendous. Usual morning stuffing and a day of long, hot, gradual ups and downs. It was a chance to enjoy the scenery and look forward to the hot shower and beer at the end of the third day. The day finished with a vist to Wañaywayna and an overview by the trainee guide, Maurlo the Peruvian Borat. This was a good taste of what was to come at Maccu Piccu tomorrow. The sheer remoteness of these villages was spectacular as I hope the photos show!
Our last evening meal was appended with a porter leaving ceremony and some cake to celebrate. One beer was enough for us and another early night to prepare for our 5am ascent to the Sun Gate overlooking Maccu Piccu city.
Day 4: 7km: 2690m → 2472m
Our morning hike was speedy in order to beat the crowds to Maccu Miccu sun gate. Needless to say there are always the keenos that run and get there first but despite the crowds, the view was awesome. The early morning queue-skipping by our guides was not so awesome with people (mostly from the US) kicking off at us, one person even accusing us of being a “bunch of ______ Italians” – a little harsh on the Romas I feel!
We arrived at Maccu Picchu city at about 9:00am and Orlando gave us a great tour and overview of the history of the place, which you can find here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_picchu
Nige at Macchu Picchu
Memorable points of the Inca Trail have to be the amount of food and hospitality, being a little easier than we had built it up to be in our minds, and the sheer quality and remoteness of the ruins, not just Maccu Picchu itslef.
Lastly, a quick introduction to a typical group:
2 guides with 400 and 4 trips experience respectively, 21 porters, a family of four from Chicago, a post A-level Scot, three post A-level English boys, Aussie lad, Aussie girl, a Nicaraguan and Dutch couple, Fran and I. (Dave and Aileen who unfortunately couldn’t make it – enjoy the photos and see you in London!)
The group
Aguas Calientes
The small town of Aguas Calientes (translates to Hot Waters) servers the tourist demand of Maccu Picchu. Hostals and restaurants abound, the main (only?) draw is the hot and smally natural volcanic baths. It was great to enjour a pisco sour after a day of sightseeing. This set us up for a well deserved sleep in A BED and an early morning scenic journey on the gringo express to Cucso. After holding tight to our belongings and enjoying the Corpus Christi celebrations it was time to say goodbye to lush green Andes and welcome harsh, cold volcanic canyons of the south.
