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Published: January 15th 2012
Dear All:
Before our final entry about the trek, we must tell one funny story:
On Friday, December 30th, we hired a taxi driver from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm to take us to various ruins around Cuzco. It was immediately apparent that he did not speak one word of English and, initially, we were disappointed. However, about 30 minutes into the ride, Lauren and Kate decided it was a great thing, because it made us use every Spanish word we could. The challenge turned out to be fun and effective!
Toward the end of the day, as we were re-entering Cuzco, countless dogs would race into the road. Kate pieced together a sentence in Spanish that said, “In the United States, it is a law that dogs have…” We could not think of the word for “leash” or “rope,” so Ken, thinking he could just add an “a” to an English word to make it Spanish, said, “ropa.” Lauren and Kate started laughing so hard, since “ropa” means clothes, so now our driver thought all dogs in the US are required to wear clothes. We soon set him straight, but we all had a good laugh. Then,
just another 5 minutes down the road, we saw the funniest thing: a dog wearing a red jacket and collar and we all had another good laugh!
So, the trek. Oh. My. Gosh. It was beyond description – definitely the second best thing we have done after the ATW trip. It was 6 days of hiking in the rain (mist to downpour), either in the rain forest or above tree line, slogging through the mud and dodging the mule dung at high altitudes (generally, 8,000 – 15,000 feet), but then you got to stay in these exquisite, luxurious lodges each night. Perfect! We hiked a total of about 45 miles, up and down thousands of feet. With us were a guide, assistant guide, 2 cooks, 5 porters, and 14 mules (4 porters and 13 mules went ahead with our gear each day; one porter and 1 mule stayed with us as we hiked, carrying oxygen, water, and first aid).
Most visitors take a train and then a bus to Machu Picchu. Those who hike usually take the classic Inca Trail, which is 3 days and 2 nights, and limited to 500 people/day (with leaders and porters, this translates
into about 200 guests). The Salkantay trail is much lesser traveled, with no restrictions – a few people camp each night and the newly-built lodges hold only 12 people in 6 rooms.
We met our guide, Pepe, assistant guide, Helen, and the 8 other members of our group on Christmas Eve, at a hotel in Cuzco. Our guide set the stage: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing (paraphrasing British explorer Sir Rannulph Fiennes)." The others consisted of 4 couples – two couples on their honeymoon, one married for 10 years, and the other for 22 years. None have children. They were from LA (the Hollywood couple – the wife used to do costumes for various movie stars and the husband is a sound person on the show, “Switched at Birth”), Chicago, Milwaukee, and Nashville. All were easy-going, great with Sam and Lauren, and lots of fun to be with. Kate was the only woman who had not run at least a half marathon, so that tells you a bit about the fitness level!
Pepe was an experience – he is 52, bald, tattooed, and reminded us of Dog, the Bounty Hunter (without the
hair). His English is fantastic and he has a broad knowledge of everything we encountered. He took great care of everyone – responsive the minute someone reported a headache or illness – and Sam and Lauren loved him (they hiked every day up front with him; we often went hours without seeing them!).
Sunday (Christmas morning): we were picked up at 7:00 am and drove several hours to where we would start hiking. The road was muddy, single-lane, and up the side of a mountain. At one point, our tire tread ripped, so we had to drive slowly until we reached a mountain village. Everyone was out at 10:00 am on Christmas morning – food market, kids lined up and excited to be getting hot chocolate and sweet bread courtesy of the government – and stores all open. By the time we got to the end of the drive, above tree line, it was pouring rain. We hiked 5 miles to the first lodge (at 12,690 feet) and were awestruck by it and its location – in view of two dramatic snow-covered peaks (that look like they would be in Nepal). We were greeted, as we were at every
Sam & Lauren before Salkantay pass
Sam & Lauren before Salkantay passlodge, by two people – one with a tray of hot washcloths and with a tray of hot tea. The lodge, like all the others, is made of stone and wood, with gorgeous art, furnishings, and linens. We had heated towel racks, hot water bottles put in our bed each night, incredible food at each meal, snacks out each morning for hikes (nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruits, and candy), and then snacks at 4:30 each day (pound cake, marshmallows, crackers, smoothies, and hot drinks; one day – air-popped pop corn). Each common area had games. Sam and Lauren had their own room.
Monday: we took a day hike from the lodge to a beautiful lake at 13,845 feet elevation and witnessed a very cool Incan ceremony to the mountain god (Apu), put on just for us. We spent the afternoon back at the lodge, playing cards, reading, and learning SAT words (Sam started each day by reciting 3 SAT words which we all tried to incorporate into our vocabulary that day).
Tuesday: we left at 8:00 am (the mules took our large bags and we carried only our day pack) for our toughest day. We hiked 8 miles,
in 7 hours, climbing to 15,213 feet at Salkantay Pass, and then descending 2,400 feet to the second lodge (all above tree line). The day was rainy and foggy, with only occasional glimpses of snow on the nearby peaks. Uphill was challenging with the altitude and downhill was challenging, since the trails were streambeds, full of rocks, mud, and mule dung. We arrived at the lodge exhausted, but, after a hot shower (sooooo glad we didn’t camp!) and nap, spent the afternoon and evening playing Scrabble.
Employees at the lodges are local and work 20 days on, then get 5 days off. The guides work for 10 months and then get 2 months off. We were Pepe’s last group for the season – the lodges are closed for January and February.
Wednesday: we hiked 6 miles – 3,400 feet down to the next lodge, entering the cloud forest. Terrible mud – you end up just walking through it, since it spans the entire trail. When we got to the lodge, where we had a Pachamanca lunch – beef, chicken, pork, and guinea pig (but they’re so cute running around people’s houses!) were cooked by hot stones on an
outside fire. Lauren, Sam, and Ken tried the guinea pig. Our hiking boots were cleaned and dried for us!
Thursday: we had to alter our route and go down the opposite side of the Santa Teresa River Valley because of several landslides in the last few days which made the scheduled trail impassable. For part of the time, we walked a single-lane dirt road with hard hats to protect from falling rocks. We passed through some small villages with huts and farms. We were met by a bus that took us further down the single-lane, muddy road (perched on the side of a steep mountain!). If we met a car coming up, someone had to back up until there was room to pass. No guard rails, of course. The bus dropped us at the beginning of an old Inca trail – about 15 feet wide and stepped – it was very cool to walk on something so old. We hiked up to our next lodge, where we finally saw the sun! We showered, had lunch (typically at 2:00 or 3:00 each day), played Parcheesi, and then visited a nearby family who makes coffee.
Friday: started at 7:00 am
Muddy Trail
Cloud Forest trail for another challenging 7-mile day: 2-1/2 hours up to Llactapata pass, and over the other side, where we had the most incredible view of Machu Picchu! You can see it only if you have made this hike, which makes it very special. We had lunch prepared by a couple who live in a small house in this remote spot (fish, avocado, and sweet tomato), high above the Urubamba River Valley. We then walked down 3,100 feet (more mud, rocks, and slipping – completely exhausting) and along the river to catch a train to Aguas Calientes – the town at the base of Machu Picchu. That night, we stayed at an incredibly luxurious resort and had our final dinner together. The town is squeezed in between mountain walls and our resort filled every inch between the river on one side and the train tracks on the other.
One highlight of the final evening was everyone saying how much they enjoyed having Sam and Lauren along. The guide acknowledged that he wants to strangle 75-80% of the children who come on the treks – they are rude to their parents (“whatever….”), aren’t ready on time each morning, and leave things behind.
He was pleased that our children did none of those things (Sam and Lauren did everything themselves – set own alarms, packed, checked room for belongings, got trail snacks, and appeared on-time every morning!). One set of newlyweds said that they were seriously considering not having children, but, after spending time with Sam and Lauren, were reconsidering. Another couple asked what our secret was to having such great kids (Sam and Lauren’s flip response: “we raised ourselves”). Anyway, it was a very special evening.
Saturday (New Year’s Eve day): we met another guide at 6:30 am to take the 20-minute bus ride up all the switchbacks (more backing up of buses as they came nose-to-nose) to Machu Picchu. At 7:00 am, the place is relatively quiet, but, by 11:00 or so, the limit of 2,000 people is probably reached. We had a 2-hour guided tour and then were on our own to explore. One cannot describe what it is like to be there. The mist constantly creates a new scene and the stonework is beyond comprehension. It is estimated that between 500-1000 people lived there from the mid-1400s to the 1530s, after the Spaniards came, and there are 18
Post-Hike Relaxation
Did we mention the hot tubs overlooking the mountains? different types of stone construction (reflecting the varied people who came to live there), most without mortar. It is believed to have taken at least 50 years to build, even with thousands of builders. Only 50% is currently visible and the rest is underground. After our guided tour, our family hiked out to the old Inca Bridge – it is on the side of a cliff and you can go close to it, but not on it. We stayed on-site for 5-1/2 hours, including just sitting and taking it all in. When the mist dissipated for a few seconds, we could see the place on the far hillside where we had lunch the day before, with the unusual view of Machu Picchu. We could see the Urubamba River 2,000 feet below, wending its way around the base of Machu Picchu, and back through Aguas Calientes…
Once back in Aguas Calientes, we had a final lunch together and then took PeruRail for 1-1/2 hours to the town of Ollantaytambo where we caught a bus. The train ride included lunch, a jester dancing in the aisles, and a fashion show! We returned to Cuzco (where we stored some of our luggage)
Colpa Lodge
Creature comfort! around 8:00 pm, had dinner, re-packed, and then fell into bed, exhausted!
Some things we were glad to know in advance: do not drink the water and the public restrooms do not have any toilet paper (it gets stolen).
New Spanish phrases learned: “I am just looking”
“My tire is flat and needs air”
“But officer, Budget rental car did not tell us we had to keep our car lights on in the day”
“Thank you for not honking your horn”
Evolution of trek toileting practices: Day 1: hold it until the van stops somewhere with a bathroom (don’t forget to bring own toilet paper)
Day 2: no more van, so go in the bushes, out of sight of others, using toilet paper and plastic bag provided by trekking company
Day 3: no more bushes, so go behind a rock, out of sight of others, and skip paper (too much hassle in the pouring rain)
Day 4: go behind a rock with several other women, skipping the paper (can’t find it, any way)
Day 5: all women line up a few feet apart along the side of the trail and ask the men to look the
Lunch at Llactapata
Machu Picchu is in middle of second ridge other way until we are done – no one bothers with paper
Thanks for staying with us on this journey.
Love, Kate, Ken, Sam, and Lauren
p.s Don't miss the additional photos below. Lauren is working on a video (complete with Peruvian music) and we'll send the link when it is ready.
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