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Published: July 19th 2009
Salkantay means ¨Wild Mountain¨ in Quechua. This foreboding name was given to the glacier Salkantay to note its propensity towards ferocious avalanches that spelled danger for the Andean, Inca peoples. Today, Salkantay is known as a popular alternative trek from Cusco towards Machu Picchu and many travellers set off towards the glacier and the lost city of the Incas on a five day excursion that will take them up to an altitude of 4,650 m. and down again, through jungle and along a river, into towns and campsites but also off into the rugged wilderness along narrow trails. I found this ¨tramp,¨ as my New Zealander companions called it, to be absolutely breathtaking - as much because of the beauty as the altitude.
We set off early: I tagged along with Lucy and Dylan from NZ and Juan Carlos our Peruvian guide plus our cook and his son and a horseman. After driving for a few hours through winding, mountainous roads we stopped and ate breakfast before beginning to walk. The first day we passed through rolling hills, some of which were cultivated with corn or potatoes and all of which were much greener than one might expect Peru to be. It was beautiful scenery and there were only a few really challenging uphill climbs which tested us. When we stopped for lunch, our first meal cooked by Benedicto and his 11 year old helper, we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. It was even vegetarian for me! After lunch we kept up a quick pace and, although we were walking with other groups around us, were soon at the head of the pack. The Kiwis in my group were both about six feet tall and avid hikers back home so as well as being fantastic company they kept me walking quickly! We made it to the first night´s campsite before the other groups and slept in a bit of a valley overshadowed by two glaciers. That was a chilly night and I wore all of my clothes trying to keep out the bitter cold. That llama wool gear that is ¨cheap as chips¨ in Peru and especially Bolivia really came in handy.
We all knew that the second day would be the hardest. For one, it was the longest day with 21 km to cover. More importantly, we had to climb straight up the rocky edge of a steep grade along a path of switchbacks for a few hours in the morning until we would reach the summit at the edge of Mt. Salkantay. Having such a small group was great at this point becuase we all stayed together and encouraged each other. Our guide credited his Peruvian lungs for his ability to power on without getting out of breath but we were all amazed by his fitness. For the rest of us there were plenty of stops: breaks for water and to shed layers, mostly, as the morning was freezing but as soon as we got into the sun we were all sweating from the hard work. At the top of the mountain we followed the traditions of the Andean people and built what looked to my Canadian eyes suspiciously like ¨inuksuit¨ under which we placed a triad of Coca leaves to offer to the mountain. Juan Carlos patiently taught us local traditions and customs and we were keen to learn about his culture.
The rest of the second and the third day were all about descending into the valley. We no longer had to worry about freezing nights but instead applied bug spray and sunscreen religiously - debating which should go on first and wondering why combination bug-spray-sunscreen wasn´t more readily available. The landscape changed dramatically from icy tundra to lush valley and we saw orchids and tropical fruits as well as plenty of birds and creatures. It was the second night that I got sick: feverish and violently throwing up. I couldn´t eat anything on the morning of the third day and of course I hadn´t slept much so hiking was tough. We were following a river but had to continually climb up and down along ancient pathways to stay out of the way of the raging water. I was better by the afternoon of the third day and felt great by the evening when, after having had no real access to running water beyond streams and rivers, we were taken to the Santa Teresa hot springs. Those were absolutely the best thermal baths of my life - and not just because I needed a bath so badly!
Our fouth day of hiking was mostly flat, following train tracks. We all felt like we were in ¨Stand By Me¨ but our own were the only bodies that were a little bit dead. We got in to Aguas Calientes, as the foot of Machu Picchu and stayed in a basic but definitely adequate hostal where I got my own room complete with hot water. We ate at a restaurant and went to bed early, resting up to ascend to Machu Picchu, the magnificent finale to our trip, early in the morning.
One of the great things about youth hostels, where I have been staying for most of this trip, is the free flow of travel advice for other backpackers who are going to places that you have already been. I have so appreciated the tips I have been given on different things in this trip and the following strategy for the Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu excursion was recommended to me by a lovely Quebecois woman and I will pass it along to anybody who will listen. Here´s the conundrum: Machu Picchu is high above the town of Aguas Calientes where you are likely to stay if you are going to ascend. You can either take a tourist bus up for $7 USD or follow a trail that is about an hour and of course, free. As tempting as it might be to save a buck and climb I strongly suggest bussing it this time if you want to have sufficient energy to get up Winyapicchu and have the birds eye view of the site. If you line up at 4:30 a.m. at the bus terminal with your ticket already purchased, you can get on the first buses at 5:30 a.m., scamper across the site trying to take in something as you run and get your ticket to climb Winyapicchu. If you can, go for a 10 a.m. entry as the other option at 7 a.m. may be more clouded by fog. You can always walk down the path and not pay for another bus, which will allow you to see what kind of hell the early walkers go through as they climb up massive steps that seem endless. On my very comfortable bus ride up the mountain two woman flagged down the bus gasping and crying and saying that they couldn´t walk any more. A few more people who had been at some of the same campsites as us told us that they had no interest in climbing Winyapicchu becuase they were so exhausted from the trek up. Just get up early and take the first bus!
Anyway, once at Machu Picchu however you arrive, the site is remarkable. It is impossible not to sound trite when describing it. Basically, the image on the post cards is true to form. The Incan stone walls are perfectly constructed and the city´s divisions into agricultural, religious, industrial and residential sectors remain clear. Our excellent guide for the trip, Juan Carlos, continued to show us around and offered loads of information on the culture of the Incas that demonstrated how advanced they were in their work. I don´t know how anyone could leave Machu Picchu unimpressed with the site. Watching the sun rise over that lasting piece of history was beautiful and I think it only got better from there. There has been a real effort to maintain the sacrity of the area and I did not get the sense that the place was a tourist trap but rather a well cared for relic that should be respected. Climbing Winyapicchu, the mountain behind the site in the pictures, was a bit grueling but once I made it to the top the view over the entire area made the last little bit of a hike worth it. Worth it, but I didn´t want to see any more huge Inca steps for a while!
To say that seeing Machu Picchu, a mystical place that I had for years dreamed about getting to, was a highlight of my trip might be an understatement. Juan Carlos said that plenty of people cry when they get there. Not only is the site an archeological feat and a cultural wonder, but also the embodiment of adventure and travel. I felt so fortunate to be standing there - to be doing this trip at all. Trekking to the site past mighty, wild Salktay was an adventure of a different sort and those five days will certainly always be remembered.
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Leah Adams
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You describe the trek so well. It sounds like an amazing adventure. Are your parents there with you now? You didn't mention them in this post. Give them my best if they are with you. Cheers, Carole Leah