Come with me on our climb up Wayna Picchu! by Samuel (and Mummy!)

"Wayna Picchu" is the name given to this mountain by the Incas. It means "Young Mountain". Well it may be young - but it's very steep! And it is high - I think it is twice as high as Snowdon! See the cool photos below!

The path is a steep old inca trail and considered a hard climb even for grown ups! (SEE WARNING SIGN!)

All this made us want to climb it even more!

We all got up at 5.00 am! We caught the bus and zig zagged up to Machu Picchu. I didn't sit near the window as the view down was so steep it made me feel scared! I don't mind if I'm walking but didn't trust the bus driver.

We were the first people into Machu Picchu and it felt deserted. It was very cloudy though so you couldn't see any of the views! We walked through the ruins and met some nice lamas.

You have to sign in to climb Wayna Picchu because it is so steep. They only allow a limited number to climb it each day (200). Mum and Dad were worried that they may not let children do it ,but they did. They just said we should stick together.

We were the first ones through the check point at 7.00 am.It normally takes just over a hour to climb if you're fit!

We started climbing up a bit and then we went straight down. I realised we hadn't even got to the bottom of Wayna Picchu yet!

When we did start climbing it was really, really steep. It wasn't scary because it was so foggy you couldn't see how high you were! You couldn't really see anything!

It wasn't raining but we were climbing through a cloud so it was very wet. We got so hot we took off our dustbin bag ponchos. It felt good to be wet!

Most of the climbing was up really steep stone steps cut into the mountain. Some of it was so steep you had to pull yourself up on ropes.

We were all worn out and had to keep stopping for rests and water. But we still wanted to be first to the top, so we kept climbing ... and climbing .... and climbing!

Near the top, we had to squeeze through really small caves that were completely black inside - I thought Mum was going to get stuck! She kept laughing!

At last we got to the top! We were the first there!!!

It was only 7.45 am! It had only taken us 45 minutes but it felt much longer!

The cloud was just starting to clear. Dad worked out where he thought Machu Picchu was and we all sat on the top of the mountain facing that direction.

Soon lots of other climbers joined us but we had the best spot!

It was still very misty but we had agreed before we left that if we made it we would wait at the top of Wayna Picchu for a few hours and see if the clouds would break.

So we waited, and waited. some grown ups were too scared to even get out their cameras - but I made an Inca spear and sharpened it on a rock.

I was right at the top of the mountain and I bet that in Inca times some young boy would have sat there too! I thought maybe he woould have made a spear - so that's why I did it.

Suddenly the clouds parted and you could see Machu Picchu. I normally don't get very excited about views - but this was good!

We looked and looked. I could see all the buildings and ruins I saw yesterday - but as if they were tiny models.

It was so amazing we did stay a few hours and then we climbed down. We went the same way because now you could see the views.

It was more scary really because you could see that if you tripped off the path or steps you would fall hundreds of feet straight down the cliff - to certain death! There were lots of narrow Inca Terraces and if I held Dad's hand I coud look over the edge and look straight down!

So when it was very steep we all held on tightly to the guide ropes!

But when it wasn't so steep we teased the grown ups who were walking up. Lots had proper climbing gear and poles - but they looked alot more sweaty and worn out than us. They were amazed to see children and kept saying - "Well if they can do it - so can we!"

They kept on asking us how far and we would say "oh you're about quarter of the way now" - even if they were nearly there!
Mum kept taking pity on them and telling them they were actually near the top.

So we had a good idea. Whenever we went past anyone going up, we started counting the steps to ourselves - but just made the numbers up to make them think they had miles to go.... (17,841, 17,842, 17,843.....) You should have seen their faces! Some started laughing but some looked horrified!

At last we got to the bottom. We took a few more photos of Machu Pichhu and then caught the train back to Cusco.

It had been a great adventure!

I've chosen and edited my favourite photos below. Leave a comment if you liked my blog!

See you!

Samuel x

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