Salkantay Trek - Day 2

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We were woken up at 5am with a knock at the door and some coca tea. We then had half an hour to sort all our stuff out, get dressed and appear for breakfast. We had made the mistake of leaving all this to the morning and struggled so the next few days we made sure to be more organised before going to bed. Anyway we got to breakfast where again there was a lot of choice and huge quantities. After breakfast we topped up our water in our day packs, made sure we were wearing enough layers and included our jackets and raincoats as it was going to cold at the top. We were ready and set off up to the pass at the same time as the other group. Getting out of camp was actually tough as it was extremely muddy and actually was an example of the bits to come on the trek in the coming days. We had been told the hike up to the pass was in three sections. The first section was a bit uphill but not too bad. Then there was a section called the seven snakes which all the local horseman nicknamed the gringo killer. This was to be a series of switchbacks going higher and higher up the mountain which was supposed to be very tough. Then there was another bit going straight up which was also very steep and tough before the pass at the top. Kira and Jannine were setting off on horseback 30mins after we started to hike. There were two paths for the first section which we only noticed once we were well along it as the other group were on the other side of the valley and had taken the other path. Our side was a mixture of ascents and flat sections. Myself and Steph again were trailing at the back from about 20mins in. We were trying desperately hard to keep up with the others but it just wasn't possible. Remembering what Leo had said yesterday about it all being in the mind and our time target of 3 hours in our heads and we were starting to worry a little. Our group took a couple of breaks where we caught up where we could have some water as we were literally having no time to do anything else but keep walking so we could try and keep up. Even stopping to have water was almost impossible.



As we reached the beginning of what we thought was the Gringo Killer we were joining up with the front runners of the other group. Kira and Jannine had already passed us towards the end of the first section on horses and we had to wait to the side while they walked by along with our horseman Alex and the horses carrying our duffel bags and all the food etc. We found ourselves mixed in with the other group and thought we were doing ok. We were finding it tough which was to be expected but just kept going, plodding on as fast as we could go uphill using the walking poles to give extra support and propulsion. We talked to a couple of other people in the other group as there was a British couple called Liam and Sophie who were the only English speakers in a group of Spanish speakers so whilst their guide was trying to translate conversations etc for them at their lunch and dinner they weren't finding it as easy to bond with their group as us because of the language barrier. We chatted very little as breathing was difficult and going uphill was tough. However in the little time we did chat we found out that not only had their group been told by their guides that they should go at their own pace, but that it would probably take their 4-4.5 hours to reach the top. They also said it wasn't a target and was just an estimate. They were shocked that we had, had the 'time trial' the day before going up to the lake and said they hadn't had anything like that. They also said out of the first two routes taken for the first section that our guide had taken us the more difficult route which was going uphill for longer but with a slight descent where they had walked along pretty flat. We were beginning to feel that we had somehow booked the extreme version of the normal tour. After talking with them going up for about two minutes, Leo appeared and took us both to one side. He then told us we were going too slow and needed to speed up. He told us to stop talking as it was using more energy and we needed to be at the top in three hours to stick to schedule. In hindsight I should have asked why we only had three hours when the other group were only given an estimate of potentially 50% longer. However it was only the second day and I didn't want to get on his bad side.



We carried on up the gringo killer with Leo's words ringing in our ears and were really trying to pick up speed but it was so difficult. The rest of our seemingly super human group were out of sight. We trudged up feeling more downhearted as we went. We knew it was going to be tough and it was but we were still doing it and kept going at what we thought was a steady pace. We stopped talking and just concentrated on ploughing on, step after step. We were still amongst the other group and some of their guides. About ten minutes later Leo appeared again and yet again took us to one side, he said I recommend we get the horses to come and get you after dropping the others off at the top as he said we were still going too slow. I was annoyed at this as we were still well on target to reach the top at about 3.5 hours. Struggling to stop my frustration come out, he kept asking if we were OK and I said yes we were, we were going as fast as we could but we just couldn't physically go as fast as the others in our group. I said we didn't want to take horses and wanted to carry on because we could do it. He replied that he knew we could but we had to stick to the three hours again. He then pointed out that we were now behind the other group who started after us (they literally started 2mins after us) but the only reason we were now starting to be behind them was because he kept pulling us to one side to talk to us. He then said its not like I'm asking you to run up, which really bugged me and I told him that was good because it wasn't going to happen. It didn't feel fair that the other group were not being treated as harshly as we were and that despite the fact I'd told him the day before I was doing it for a personal challenge he just wanted to stick us on horses and couldn't handle the fact we were not keeping up with the others. He told us we were 8-10mins behind the others which was substantial in his eyes. In the end I managed to negotiate with him not to go on horses if we caught up and kept up with the rest of the other group which he seemed happy with. However another ten mins passed and we were very down heartened by this point. I felt we'd had no encouragement and were just being told we were slow which actually compared to the other group wasn't the case it was more that the rest of our group were quite fast. He then appeared again and then first took Steph's daypack off her and walked off ahead with it, then came back down and took mine. He said he was leaving them further up to help us walk faster. However he had now left us with no water at all. By this point I was fuming and it was really hard mentally to start focussing and getting in the right head space to carry on putting huge efforts in as it seemed to be for nothing in his eyes. We only had our own motivation to us at this point. We caught up with the rest of the other group who had stopped for a break and managed to get a bit of water from Liam and Sophie who couldn't believe what was happening before we then carried on pushing ourselves as much as we could.



We caught up to where our backpacks had been left and Leo was stood waiting there saying he was waiting there because there were horses there. We were ahead of the other group at this point. He then started telling us we could take the horses again and was practically forcing us too at this point. We were both really disappointed, We asked how much further it was to the top and he said 20mins walking or 10mins on horse. Then he said the rest of the group were at the top waiting where it was very cold and they couldn't wait much longer because it was too cold and because of the risk of altitude sickness so we felt guilt tripped into taking the horses as we didn't want the rest of our group to be affected. After getting on the horses which in itself was comical, and after mine decided to try and walk off back down the mountain with me on it and I had to shout for help we reached the top literally five mins later. Leo had also jumped on a horse and ridden to the top and told us it was our secret from the rest of the group. Trying to break the tension a little I joked that we wouldn't tell about him taking the horse too as it would ruin his street red and he laughed. Secretly me and Steph were both gutted we had been 20mins away from getting to the top of the pass on our own steam, ahead of some of the other group and actually it would have been within 3.5 hours.



At the top were some of the other group who had overtaken us while we were getting on the horses, paying the horseman and sorting out our walking poles, we looked around to find the rest of our group to find they had already started walking down. This was fine it was pretty freezing cold at the top. We were given a sandwich and some coca tea and took one photo spending about 5mins at the top before Leo asked us to start heading down. We asked which way and he said there is only one way so we headed off down one of two paths which was going downhill. The other group were all at the top having photos and waiting for the rest of their group. Me and Steph then going downhill picked up speed and were fine, the altitude wasn't affecting us and we carried on for a good half an hour not seeing anyone and actually thinking we were somehow lost up the mountain before Leo appeared behind us, asked if we were OK and then carried on ahead of us saying he was worried for the rest of the group. We were doing well and actually reached the rest of our group who had stopped to have another break eating snacks and water. They cheered when we arrived catching them up and we had a quick five minutes break before we all started off again and managed to all reach the lunch point together 6 hours after starting in the morning so actually within Leo's schedule. The other group were ages behind us and nowhere to be seen. After lunch it kept raining on and off and we all set off again knowing we had another 3 hours hiking to do before reaching camp for the night. We all stuck together for quite a way and then had a break together where Leo then took over half an hour to talk to us about maths and how the Quechua people had created a lot of maths formulas etc. During the 30mins the other group caught us up had a break and started off walking again before us. We had barely seen any of the scenery up until this point as the whole time had been focuses on speed and hiking as fast as possible. We haven't got hardly any photos or footage from this section of the trek.



After the break we all started again and the group started to get more strung out. It was like everyone knew we were towards the end so we're taking time to take things in a little more and take some photos along the way. Kira was struggling with her knee and was at the back of our group with Cameron. Me and Steph caught up with Liam and Sophie and walked the rest of the way with them at a steady pace. They said they were really happy with their guides and couldn't believe what was happening with our experience. We all agreed the whole point of the trek was about the journey and not just the destination of Machu Picchu so whilst we were at a steady pace we were taking photos and just enjoying the walk. There was a very muddy section that we came to where there had been a small landslide and this was tricky to get across especially as their was a drop on the one side. The path to walk on was thick with mud, downhill and about 18 inches wide. I managed to get across OK and Steph tried to take a photo but it doesn't really show the full situation! We caught Leo up a couple of times and then he went ahead and the same with some others in our group. Eventually myself, Steph, Liam and Sophie made it to camp about 6.30pm just as it was starting to get dark. Their guide was waiting for them at the bottom along with Leo our guide. Their guide gave them high fives, congratulated them on completing the toughest day of day two and asked them how they felt etc. Leo's first words were, where are the others (Kira and Cameron) and we said we didn't know we hadn't seen them but they were quite a bit behind us. He then said hmm, turned around and said follow me and as we were following his said 'Finally you got here'. We had no congratulations, no high fives and the difference between the guides in the two groups was so plain to see. It was actually now making me pretty angry as our experience was starting to be tainted by what was going on and despite the fact I really like all the members of our group I was really started to wish we were in Liam and Sophie's group with their guides.



We were directed up to some tents under a metal roof and got all our stuff and set up camp. I found out the front runners of our group arrived about 15mins before us so not too long really. I was trying hard not to become too focused on the time as I had really wanted to enjoy the scenery, the views and the overall experience but it was clear Leo was all about timing and sometimes it seemed like he wanted to be the first group to get to camp like it was a race against the other group. After the other two arrived we found out we were supposed to have two hot showers available but we only had one working to share between 9 of us. So we all made do and took turns. Whilst we were having dinner, the choice and quantity of which was amazing again! Leo was on his phone a lot and seemed a bit angry or like something wasn't right. One of the group asked him about it and after dinner he told us that for the route tomorrow a landslide had happened that day and was blocking the way and the horses wouldn't be able to cross it so he had been talking to the company about a plan of action. The plan of actions turned out to be that we would have to either cross the landslide and then carry our day packs plus our duffel packs (prob about 12kg plus) for 1-2 hours whilst all the food and cooking equipment etc got carried by porters who the company would have to hire. The other options if the landslide was too dangerous to cross was to go in a basket cable car across the river and walk on the other side with all our stuff as well. After everything else that had happened that day it was a bit of a mood killer and we went to bed, annoyed and really starting to doubt why we had booked onto the trek in the first place as things were not going to plan at all.

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