http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Peru , Cusco , Inca Trail en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:29:15 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:29:15 +0000 So the time had come for the Inca trail. We weren't sure if we had adapted to the altitude well enough to do it but were excited when the bus collected us at 0500 from our hostel. The bus journey to the start of the trail km82 wasnt too long and we were ready to go after a breakfast of scrambled eggs. First stage was to get our passports checked it was nearly like going into a different country. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-459898.html JThe first drama of the trip happened before we had even left Cusco. Neither of us own hiking boots suitable for the trek and not wanting to buy them we found a place where we could rent them for a week. We tried on a few pairs and found some that we liked so booked them for the trip. We returned to pick them up on the evening before the trek only to find that there had been a minor problem. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-454507.html Day 1 up at 4am and then bus to a town called Ollantaytambo for breakfast. Back on the bus to KM82 2750m the famous starting point of the classic Inca trail. Then you walk along the river for a bit before you start to climb gently up and down rolling hills...the Peruvian flat. At one point we stopped and saw some ruins from a distance called Llactapata which were pretty big. This site was a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-454442.html The Inca Trail and Machu PicchuOct 21 24 2009CastmembersThe Hikers Kristy Kirstin Alan Rainuka Byron Helen Susan Asif Kelvin Janet Lisa Cathy David Alona and Dave meThe Guides Raul and RolandoThe Porters Too many to nameOct 21 2009 Day 1After individual briefings on Oct 20 our intrepid group of South American explorers were picked up by bus in Cusco starting at 600am. B http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-449048.html The Mission........ Trek to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail and raise money for Marie Curie Cancer CareMission status COMPLETE The history bit......Machu Picchu Old Peak is a preColumbian Inca site located 2430 metres 8000 ft above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru which is 50 miles northwest of Cuzco and through w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-449031.html Inca Trail Hiking httpswww.incatrailhiking.com a division of Zephyr Adventures httpswww.zephyradventures.com is offering the opportunity to Win a Free Trek on the Inca Trail as a promotion that is taking place with Firestone Vineyard httpwww.firestonediscoveries.com This trek will be enhanced with the accompaniment of a private chef and of course Firestone Discoveries Wine. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-447609.html 201009Well we all got woken up at 330id had a really bad nights sleep must have been excitedI got ready in the tent and supprisingly i was the first out and sat down to breakfastbread and jamwe set of from the camp in the dark at 420ish to the checkpointwe arrived and were 3rd in the queueevryone was sat around snoozing waiting for the gate to open at 530Ollie gave me a massage and i gave him http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-447299.html 191009Woke up at 515ishgot changed and packed uphad a lovely hot choc brought to me luxuarybreakfast was delicioustoast and a big fluffy pancake with G.A.P written on it in toffeeDeliciousWe refilled our water bottles then set off.I was really tired and not in the midset for walking and it was all uphillIt was a really hot sunny day and the skies were really blueOllie was really swe http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-447295.html 181009We all got woken up at 530 totally exhausted.They brought us a cup of tea in bed So lovelyWe washed packed up and then sat down to breakfastWe had bread then a maize porridge then an omletteYUMWe set off at around 7 and immediately we were powering uphillToday we were going to climb to 4215m at Warmiwanusca or Dead Womans PassThat meant a 1200m climbIt was such a hard climb http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-447292.html 171009Woke up and had a shower last chance to wash my hairPacked and dressed and went down to breakfast a lovely fluffy pancake and breadSO DAMN TIREDA lorry had blocked to road to Km82 the start of the inka trailwe had to wait for it to be cleared.when it was we all hopped on the minibus and headed down lots of little roads to the start.we gave our stuff to the proters and they packed http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-447288.html Hola amigosI write from my home for a week room 110 of La Casa de mi Abuela in Arequipa Peru. Arequipa is said to be the unofficial capital of Southern Peru. It is the second largest city by a small margin and it has a certain modern feel that did not exist in Cusco and from what I understand certainly not in Lima. It is arid here. You can feel it in your skin and your nostrils. I h http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-444506.html Hiking at 4800m camping in style well kind of... breathtaking scenery and more Incan ruins Saturday 26th SeptemberUp VERY early for a 6am breakfast then a bus ride to the Sacsayhuaman sexy woman as everyone says ruins on the outskirts of Cusco. Very impressive big temple ruins and hidden tunnels which we got to walk through although we were a little wary as someone has been lost in the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-442780.html I'm going there October 16. Maybe I'll see you on the hike http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-442742.html Hi guysVi er lige kommet hjem fra den mest fantasktiske fire dages hike i Andesbjergene Foerst skal I lige have lidt baggrundshistorie...Der har vaeret flere spoergsmaal mht Nazcalinierne. De er lavet ved at man har flyttet moerke sten fra oekensandet og stablet op paa hverside af det hvide sand neden under. Nazca kulturen fantes ml 200 f.kr og 700 e.kr. Man ved ikke hvornaar de er lavet men i http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-441296.html On Friday 18 September we follow the Inka TrailIt is an ancient path that the Inkas had constructed in order to establish communication between the numerous cities of their empire. We had the chance to do THE Inka Trail the traditional trail to Machu Picchu. The access to the traditional Inka Trail is controlled and we had to book from February in order to be included in the group of September http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-439913.html I really dont know where to start with this blog i have had such an amazing 5 days. But lets start at the beginning.On saturday we all met up at the tour companys office for a briefing of our trek. upon arrival we had to hand our passports over so they could make a copy. here comes the problem my inca trail permit was booked under my old passport number and they told me i may not be let on the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-435724.html TRAVEL TO CUSCO HAVE FUNldquo Cusco Travel rdquo was born with an innovative initiative to provide different services from those in the market with the best market rates bringing the traveler with nature and discover a variety of flora and fauna Machu Picchu and Inca trail. Coexistence with nearby residents and an active involvement with the customs and traditions of our environment http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-433307.html Many people often ask us about Alternative Routes to Machu Picchu or Alternative Routes to the Inca Trail. Many of them want to know if they can get to Machu Picchu other than by trainThe answer is yes. And you can either go by bus taxi hiking or mountain biking. The town to leave from is Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is 2 hours from Cusco in the same direction as Aguas Calientes and Machu Pi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-431727.html This was one the highlights of our whole trip there have been many though I have always wanted to do the Inca Trek and have now fulfilled this dream. We did the trek with SAS and would highly recommend them. Due to the popularity of the trip we booked it way back in March for a trip at the beginning of August. Our group 16 of us plus two guides and 20 porters oh and not forgetting most impo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-428782.html We knew what we would be doing on July 22nd even before we had booked our RTW flight tickets. Way back then we committed ourselves to the 4 days 3 nights Classic 45km Inca Trail. We had been told that spaces on the tour are very hard to secure and this only increased our determination to include it as part of the trip. No one told us however just how tough a trek it was going to beOur Machu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-423930.html