The Inca Trail

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We have just finished our 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The trek was great however we are both well and truly exhausted.

This trek was a little different to our last one, as our group consisted of just Andrew, myself, our guide, a chef and five porters. This is apparently unusual, as another group which started on the same day as us had 50 hikers and 100 porters.

Our guide was an interesting character. When he told us that his favourite artist of all time was Vanilla Ice and went to the extent of playing "Ice, Ice, Baby" on his disc man for us, we knew we were in for an interesting few days.

It was a great time of year for the walk, as there was no rain, the valley was still green from the wet season and the american holiday season hasn´t yet started.

The hardest day was definatley the second day. We had to climb a mountain to what they call "dead womans pass". This was an endless 45 degree climb for four hours. We even saw a few people get loaded onto stretches and carried out of the valley.

Otherwise, the whole trek is littered with Inca ruins which are all fascinating in their own right.

Due to a landslide within the immediate vicinity of Machu Picchu, we had to walk down to the valley floor and walk along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes, before catching a bus back up to the Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is an amazing place. It is nestled between two high mountains, which themselves are located in an amphitheatre of other mountains. The ruins themselves are in excellent condition and despite what everyone kept telling us, there weren´t that many tourists there. Truly a once in a life time experience.

We have one day to rest in Cuzco before we head into the rainforest for nine days.

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Photos

Huayna Picchu
This is the top of the mountain in the background of the classic Machu Picchu photo - it was a tough climb...

Inca steps
Damn those Incas and their steps!