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Published: November 19th 2005
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Inca Trail ii
Only 33 km to go! A taxi from Miraflores took us to the Hotel Kamana in central Lima for the start of our 9 day Inca tour with
Tucan Travel. Our tour guide was Daniel Torres, a trendy young guy, if slightly camp! Turned out he had a taste for extravagant meals out and well built airline cabin crew!
Daniel took us for a walk around the Plaza de las Armas (Main square) and the shopping district of central Lima. Lin and I then went on a tour of the San Francisco Convent, and the catacombs which contained thousands of bones, mostly tibia´s, fibia´s and skulls. Bit creepy, but quite interesting.
Heading out for a meal in the evening, we happened across the Plaza San Martin where there was an open air concert in full swing. We were ushered through security to the main stand, whilst the locals had to wait outside. The stage was backed up by a kind of giant dolls house, where the different performers were waiting on three different levels for their turn to come down to the main stage. The funniest, were a group of dancers who performed like the Cossacks, with lots of acrobatics, and bouncing about the
Inca Trail..
..and we´re off! stage on their bum's.
The following morning, we were taken by minibus to Lima airport, where we checked in and then went for a cheeky breakfast of cheese straws and lovely freshly squeezed orange juice...mmm. Arriving in Cuzco was amazing.. the plane flew low between mountains before hitting the tarmac at alarming speed!
Transferred to our Hotel, the Cuzco Plaza 1, we were given Coca tea by the gallon to help fend off the effects of altitude sickness.
After a walk around central Cuzco, I sloped off to bed feeling extremely jaded. Unfortunately, although I made the restaurant in the evening, I couldn´t stomach what I´d ordered, so my Alpaca steak went to Daniels air hostess mate!
Our free day was intended for acclimatisation, however we took the optional White Water Rafting tour on the Urubamba river. It was great fun if a little tame, and the scenery was fantastic. We livened things up by jumping out and giong for a swim in the freezing cold waters!...luckily the wetsuits protected us from hypothermia!
The morning of 30th, we set off to the first Trail checkpoint at KM 82. We were late starting due to compulsory Peruvian
Porter
Rather him than me! elections, which held up our guides, but after our first lunch prepared by the porters, we went through the checkpoint to start the Trail.
Our first day was intended as a warm up, but by the end of a good day´s walking, two girls from our group had decided they´d had enough, and asked to be taken back to Cuzco the following day.
Arriving in the dark at the campsite can´t have helped their spirits, and it didn´t help us find our tent!
Day 2 was the ´
Difficult Day´. Starting at 3,000metres high, there were lots of large steep steps, and not much downhill ot flat at all. We were grateful that our first food stop was at 10:30am, giving us a boost to get to the first high pass on the trail at 4,200metres.
After the obligatory group photo at the top, we descended top our second campsite ´Wayllabamba´at 3,700m. Our legs were like jelly after so many steps coming down.
The porters surprised us at dinner by making two huge sponge cakes with delicious soft icing. Amazing what they can do with so little equipment.
Day 3 was the longest day and this meant waking at
6am. Even so, the porters still brought our morning cup of Coca tea to the tent!
We visited several Inca sites where we were given detailed information by our guides on why and how the Incas built them and the importance of the sun and the gods relating to the architecture.
After lunch and a further two high passes, it was on to the long descent of 3000 steps to our last campsite. Thankfully, this site had hot showers, and we took full advantage to freshen up. We had drinks with the porters, then after dinner the group presented them with their well earned tips. ($20 per porter.)
Machu Pichu Day! We were woken at 4am so that we could have breakfast and be at the last checkpoint in time for the 5.30am opening before big queues of trail'ers formed. Once the checkpoint opened , our group surged forward and we overtook all but five of the first big group before reaching the sungate, an Inca structure from where you first see Machu Pichu. Unfortunately, after racing to get there in time for sunrise, we found all we could see was mist!... something our guides didn't tell us!
Tea Tent..
Rise and shine with a hot cuppa! We made our way down to the main entrance for the official formalities, then the guides took us around the ruins telling us about the various temples.. sun,moon and condor and other interesting facts before leaving us free to wander. We took loads of pictures then walked to the 'Inca Bridge', a tiny bridge along the face of a cliff. Then we headed back down for our bus to Aguas Calientes in the bottom of the valley.
After a welcome lunch, we took a dip in the hot springs and had to hurry back to the meeting point when the heavens opened and it poured down with hailstones for good measure.
We caught the train back to Cuzco in the afternoon, which was a really nice journey with fantastic views of the mountains and the raging river Urubamba. Back at the hostel, we collapsed into bed for a well earned rest.
The final day of the tour was in the Sacred Valley. So called because of the number of Inca burial sites in this valley, and that the old Ince trail to Machu Pichu runs through it. We stopped off at Sacsay-waman (To remember..sexy woman), an Inca ruin
Machu Pichu
..we reach our goal at last! above the city of Cuzco. This had huge stone walls, the largest stone weighing 130 tons. Then we continued to Pisac , where Lin enjoyed looking at all the market stalls and we both had some amazing Chocolate & Kahlua cheesecake for lunch!
Our final stop was at Ollantaytambo, where we climbed the agricultural terraces, and saw how the Inca's designed their towns to be defended easily.
Our last night in Cuzco with the tour group was a good one. We went out for a meal, then to an Irish bar... and then on to a local club, Mama Americas for a boogie.. Great fun, and a good send off for us as the rest of the group continued to the jungle the next day.
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