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Published: September 30th 2007
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Earliest start yet - 4.30am! Half asleep, we were given pancakes for breakfast, and then taken on a short walk to queue in the dark, at the Winay Wayna guard post for entry to Machu Picchu. Inca ticket control! After a half an hour wait we were allowed entry, unfortunately this would be too late for sunrise at the Sungate.
Stumbling in the darkness, with our torches we walked for approximately two hours, along the shadows of cliff-hanging mountainous scenery and cloud forest before reaching the inspiring Intipunku Sungate, some very steep steps! The views from the Sungate were amazing, beautiful mountains surrounding the mysterious lost Inca city Machu Picchu dicovered in 1911. A great achievement & lots of photo shots along the way. It is definitely worth participating in the Inca Trail, although challenging, it is possible to gain a better insight into the Inca history, incredible mountainous views and get to see many more ruins along the way. This enables a better appreciation and understanding of the main site itself. Retracing the route originally taken by the Incas themselves to the ceremonial centre is quite a fulfilling experience. It also allows people to get their earlier, and gain
better photo opportunities of the ruins, without having too many people in the background!
As we made our final triumphant descent to the ruins (duration of almost one hour), we gained fantastic views. We made our wishes before we entered leaving gifts, and met some friendly llamas roaming freely on the terraces. Next we got our passports stamped with the Inca permit, & took lots of photos before the popular train arrived. There was a beautiful Angel Trumpet tree & then we had a tour around the lost city, learning about the architecture, beliefs and Inca history - incredible workmanship and quite eerie. We saw the still functional aqueducts, the Incas were famous for their irrigation systems often in remote places.
We noticed some of the other group members who had either participated in the Lares trek or who had taken the train. We decided to go and reward ourselves with some chocolate cake at the café, before returning to relax on the terraces and wander further around the fortresses of the incredible deserted lost city. Unfortunately then the rain set in for a short while, as we discovered Jon just awaking from one of the terraces! It
is also possible to climb Huayna Picchu (a 90 minute trek) for further views, but only one person from our group had enough energy & they also limit the number of tourists climbing the mountain!
A little strapped for cash, we decided to make our way down to Aguas Calientes on foot. Lots more steep steps, exotic vegetation including Birds of Paradise, & a gushing river containing huge boulders. On the way we had to dodge either side of the passageway, as young boys darted by, dressed in traditional clothing ready to greet (wave) the bus as it turned each corner. This involved high speed running down steep terrain. Only once did we see one of the boys miss the bus, very disappointed and frustrated he headed back to the site.
As we arrived at the town we saw a few nice campsites, & we watched rocks being prepared by builders for restoration of the site, which occurs on a regular basis in order to maintain this heritage listed site. This walk, a lot longer than anticipated one and a half hours, made us resort to running a little towards the town, to make it in time for
Nick Enjoying Views
At the Gate of the Sun our arranged group buffet. We had to cross the train track, in order to find the restaurant. The square was very pretty decorated with statues and narrow streets leading in different directions. After lunch we wandered up to the market, we found the town a little commercialised.
Later we caught the 4.20pm train back to Ollantaytambo, great mountainous views and small traditional villages along the way. The train was very nice, even though it is known as the 'backpacker' train, being the slightly cheaper option. Then we caught our bus back to Cusco, which took a little longer, as there were not enough seats for all the passengers! When we arrived back in Cusco, we enjoyed a long awaited shower, & then decided to venture out to Jacks for a light meal. We knew the food had a good reputation here, as there are always queues outside. Then we made a brief appearance at the Irish bar, before heading back exhausted to our hotel. Really pleased of our achievements, as we have been thinking about this challenge for sometime, & surprised how quickly it was all over! An incredible and rewarding experience!
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