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Published: August 23rd 2010
Close up of Machu Picchu
Close up of Machu Picchu from the Sun GateINCA TRAIL - DAY 4 or "FINALLY!"
Wednesday, August 18th
3:30am comes really early but we didn't have much trouble waking up since we were already awake from the anticipation. We'd already packed just about everything the night before. After a quick breakfast of pancakes, toast, and coffee, we were on our way to Machu Picchu. The only reason we got up that early was so the porters could catch their train at 5:30am, by literally running down the trail, packs and all. Manoli, our guide Frank, and I went down to the Winay Wayna restaurant and waited with a lot of other anxious hikers for the last checkpoint to open at 5:30am. Most of them took off well before 5:30 so they could be at the front of the line, then race to the sun gate for sunrise. Manoli and I weren't in that big of a hurry to kill ourselves running the trail in near dark, plus it turned out the sun didn't strike Machu Picchu until after we got there anyways! At 5:30am we hiked down the short distance to the checkpoint, got our passports stamped and began the last leg to famed Machu Picchu.
We
Waiting in the dark
Hikers and guides waiting for checkpoint to open started in near darkness, but had plenty of light long before we reached the sun gate. Most of the way was fairly easy, considering all the ups and downs we'd already tackled in the last 3 days, but right near the end, we reached the "gringo killer" steps. Oh my goodness, its hard to describe how ridiculously steep they were. Think about a ladder you put up against your house, at the steepest angle you'd feel at all safe. Now add the fact that the steps are for giants, and you've got some idea. At least 100 feet nearly straight up! We did make it though... using our hands and feet and most of the stamina that we'd previously built up. We reached the sun gate (Inti Punku) where dozens of other hikers were waiting for the sun to rise over Machu Picchu. Even before the sun actually struck it, we werre totally awed! Even though it was still quite a ways away, it was just so impressive in size, especially considering the fact that it sits on the very top of a mountain surrounded by even taller mountains. Check out our photos is all I can say.
After
At the Sun Gate
Manoli and Frank at IntiPunku (Sun Gate) walking across to the entrance, we checked our backpacks into the storage place for 3 soles each, then went to the cafeteria to have a refreshing drink. When we finished our drinks, we met up with Frank for a couple of hours touring Machu Picchu. The ruins are very impressive both in construction and preservation. I won't go into details as you can get a pretty good idea from the photos. We then went down to the bus to go down to Aguas Calientes to pick up our extra bags, eat lunch then grab the train back to Ollyantambo. For lunch I had spaghetti with a creamy mushroom sauce and Manoli had quinoa soup. The train ride back to Cusco was with Inca Rail, with the coaches a bit smaller, but new I think. The ride went pretty quickly because we were sitting across, knee-to-knee, with a couple from Northern Spain and spent the whole time chatting about everything under the sun. When were stopped at Ollyantambo, we were met by one of the All Trek representatives that we'd met in their office. Apparently he had arrived from Cusco in a bus or pooled minivan and had to negotiate the
ride back for the three of us. The minivan/taxi dropped us off across the Plaza de Armas, so after a brief hike (again?) we arrived at our new Amaru Hostal, Hosteleria de Anita. We checked in, got our stowed bags and quickly took a nice hot shower. Manoli wasn't all that hungry, so while she repacked for our trip to the Amazon (Manu Park), I went back to the same restaurant, La Tratorria, and had a quick plate of Ravioli. Soon after I returned to the room, the agency representative arrived to give us our briefing on our trip to the Manu Reserve in the Amazon. At the time, he didn't know who our guide would be, but since I'm typing this a couple of days later, I can say that he, Jaime, turned out to be our guide. Soon after he left, Manoli was asleep, followed by me not longer after, since we had a 5am rendevous the next morning.
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