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Published: November 12th 2007
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Jamie: The legendary Inca Trail! The world famous trek starts on the bank of the Urubamba river at a point known as km 82, and runs over the mountains, through high passes until you reach the ruins of Machu Picchu. The Incas built much of this path, although it is likely that more tourists have trodden this route than Incas. So popular has this route become that the authorities have restricted the number of people allowed on it (to 500 per day), and close it in February for maitenance. Despite it being the start of the rainy (and hence low) season, the Inca trail was heaving with trekkers, reflecting its growing popularity. However, this did not spoil the dramatic scenery and fantastic views that we had along the way (the clouds threatened to do this), and while it is not the toughest trek in the world, it is certainly hard going, and completing it gave us a sense of achievement.
Our main guide was Marcelo, assisted by Ceasar. Both were great people to have as guides - friendly and very knowledgeable, and seemed quite passionate about what they could tell us about the Andes, its people and history. The porters
mostly come from various Andean villages, including the one we stayed at during our homestay. They are quite amazing. In the mornings, they would pack up all our tents, including the mess tent, and, carrying quite a heavy load (tents, food, cooking equipment, etc) and wearing little more than trainers or sandals, they would jog past us on the trail, cheeks stuffed with coca leaves, to the next campsite or lunch spot. By the time we get there, they would have the tents up, and would applaud us as we come into camp. The food was great too, and with the quantities served, it is hard to imagine losing weight on the Inca Trail.
Jenny: We were picked up from our hostel at 5am and headed out to km82 in a minibus. En route we stopped to buy some breakfast and of course a trusty walking stick to help us on our way (see photos). We had to queue to start the trail, where they even stamped our passports! We had been told to expect the first day to be very easy (at least in comparison to the rest of the trek), but despite our walk the day before
it still took a bit of getting used to the altitude, and it was very sunny and hot. We saw our first Incan ruins at Llactapata, and our guide gave us a talk on the Incas (which reassuringly matching up with the pre-reading we had done). It was only a fairly distant view but it was big and the terraces looked very impressive. Lunch was our first experience of the great porter hospitality. We arrived to a dining tent erected, and were welcomed with glasses of juice (much needed). We all (there were 16 in the group) sat round a big long table on little stools and were served a 3 course meal. This was the first of the 6 bowls of soup we were to have over the next few days! After such a big meal it was hard to get going in the afternoon, but we only had a couple of hours to walk to our camping spot for the first night. We were to have afternoon tea (with popcorn) at 5, and another 3 course dinner, before we all retired to bed and about 8.30pm.
The next morning we were up bright and early at 4am!
Awakened by our guides with a cup of tea in the tent (normal for me, Coca for Jamie) Leaving the camp at 5am just as it was getting light (after delicious pancakes with fresh tropical fruit). This second day was a long day, climbing 1200m to cross Dead Women's Pass (4200m) and descending a further 600m down to our camp. And we did all this before lunch! I thought this day would be a real endurance test, only enjoyable when it was over, but it actually wasn't too bad, and we had great views from the top. In fact there was less than an hours difference between the fastest and slowest members of the group (Jamie and I were somewhere in the middle) so we were all able to meet at the top for a photo. We spent the afternoon chilling out in our tents, during which it rained. In fact we were incredibly lucky with the weather, and it only ever rained when we were in our tents: lunch the first day, the second afternoon and during the nights. As always we were in bed by about 8.30am!
Jamie: The third day began with a steep climb up
to the second pass (3950 m). On the way we passed some more Inca ruins - Runkuracay - which are thought to have served as a base for messangers running across the Andes. This morning was more cloudy than the others and the views more obscured. Coming down from the second pass, we should have seen some magnificent views of the Andes and more Inca ruins. We weren´t able to see the clifftop fortress of Sayaqmarka until we were in it, and we had to reach it by a narrow, steep stone staircase. From there, the cloud began to clear and after lunch, the sun begn to come out. From our lunch spot, the trail began to follow the contours of steep hillsides. It is amazing how the Incas were able to build such cliff-hugging footpaths! They´d even been able to cut through rock to make a tunnel at one point. It was a relatively easy climb up to the third pass (3670 m) where we were able to catch our first glimpse of Huayna Picchu, the mountain above Machu Picchu. Just below the third pass were the ruins of Phuyupatamarka, possibly a religious place that was never completed. From
here it was a steep descent (affectionately known as the Gringo Killer) along more narrow, cliff-hugging Incan paths towards the final camp at Wiñay Wayna. A short detour took us past the Inca terraces of Wiñayhuayna just before we arrived at the camp. At the camp we were able to get a hot shower and beer. Since it was my birthday the following day, the cook had kindly baked a cake, which was brought in after dinner. Everyone sang happy birthday (including an excelent rendition of the Dutch version, by the Dutch couple) and had a piece, but there was to be no late night celebrations as we had a very early start the next day.
Once we were all ready, we headed off but soon stopped to wait at a checkpoint with all the other groups before they would let us in. After almost two more hours of (quite fast) walking, we arrived at Inti Punku, the sun gate, where fine views of Machu Picchu in the dawn sun may be had. Not for us though, and we sat for a quarter of an hour staring into mist. Another 45 minutes walk and we arrived at Machu Picchu,
which still remained shrouded in mist. We went down to the entrance, checked ourselves in, and had a bit of a rest. By the time we began our tour, the cloud was lifting.
Jenny: We spent a hour and a half looking round Machu Picchu with our guides. It was very interesting and they pointed lots of good stuff out, however I think everyone in the group was very tired and we jostled for space to sit down during the talks. Once the tour was over Marcello asked who would like to climb Huayna Picchu, naturally Jamie and one or 2 others volunteered. Since it was Jamie's birthday I decided I should make the effort, and so 5 of us climbed to the top. It was quite a climb, stinking hot (I got sunburnt yet again) and steeper than anything we had encountered on the rest of the Inca trail, but the views from the top were worth it! We made our way back down and then down to the town of Aquas Calientes where we were meeting with the rest of the group. After a few beers and a big pizza we were much happier. We had planned
to go up to the hot springs, but in the end a last afternoon with our new friends drinking beer was too much of a temptation. We caught the train back to Cusco, arriving back about 10pm (way past our bed time), and after a quick shower headed out to try and find somewhere still doing food. We eventually collapsed in bed about midnight, to get a few ours sleep before we headed off to the jungle... but that's another story... (which we'll write later cos now we need some food!)
Jamie and Jenny
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Marika Leigh
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You guys are so organised!
Nice blog guys, you are so organised! We are well behind now and so many pictures of the trail I just don´t know what to put up! Hope the rest of your trip is going well