The world famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was always going to be one of the highlights of our trip. We had been advised that bookings are required at least 6 months in advance due to an imposed limit of 500 people on the trail each day. In practice we booked our trip only 10 days earlier with Llama Path, a reputable trekking company, only to find we were in a group of just 7 people. Perfect. Having wolfed down a ridiculously hot pizza, a beer and a glass of wine in less than 10 minutes, Rach and I were still late for our 7.30pm briefing the evening before the trek. At the briefing we were introduced to our group. Ryan and Cynthia from Canada, Irish Dave and Scottish Debbie from Dublin and Drew from Northern California. Any reservations we might have had of getting lumbered with a bunch of imbeciles were soon quashed over a round of coca tea with a good level of banter. In came our guide Flavio to give us the run down over the next few days starting with the inevitable 4.30am start the following morning. Ouch!
Day 1
We arrived at the meeting point jaded but on time. As we clambered onto the bus half asleep we were greeted with a full round of applause by the Llama Path porters. We were amazed to see 13 of them (12 porters and 1 cook), more than a football team, all dressed in bright red Llama Path livery. It all seemed a bit ridiculous really but we were assured that 2 porters per trekker was the norm. These guys carry everything from tents, cooking facilities, food for 4 days, table’s chairs, the lot. We set off towards Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley where we had breakfast before a 40 minute drive up a dirt road to Chilca, the start of the trek.
After a quick group photo we set off over the Urubamba River for a 5 hour trek to our first nights camp site at Huayllabamba. Enroute, we stopped a couple of times for a break. The first being after the first real climb of the day where a local lady was selling Chicha, a traditional corn beer made on the mountain. We all had a taste to varying levels of enjoyment. Personally I thought it was quite good and could have managed a few pints. Dave managed to break the last of the proverbial ice by pointing out the 5 legged donkey making a bee line for Rachel. It was a hilarious moment and the catalyst for some classic comedy quotes, mainly by Dave, over the next few days. Just don't mention the quality of Andean music!
Lunch was in a shed at a small settlement half way up the pass. It was at this point the heavens started to open. Well it is the rainy season after all. To our amazement, the porters (we referred to them as the red army) had raced ahead, each carrying up to 25kg's each, to prepare a 3 course meal. It was top quality and much better than the backpacker food Rach and I have become accustomed to. After another 3 hours or so we reached our camp. The porters had arrived before us and had already put up our tents. The cook Cecilio was already busy preparing our dinner, another fine feast. How this guy was preparing meals, on a mountain, in the rain, with minimal cooking equipment, was nothing short of voodoo. We went to bed at 8pm ready for a 5.30am start. It rained most of the night but we were warm, dry and dead to the world.
Day 2
The following morning was the toughest part of the trail. A three hour climb up Dead Woman's Pass to the summit of the Abra Huarmihuanusca at 4,200 mtrs above sea level. It rained the whole way up but that did nothing to dampen our spirits. Whilst the views were sporadic and interspersed with cloud and mist, it gave the mountain a mystic feel and, in my view, added to the drama of this ancient trail. The wind at the top was relentless, wet and in just shorts and a T-shirt I was starting to get cold. After re grouping at the top big Canadian Ryan and I pretty much ran down the other side. Well I was running but I think Ryan was at normal pace. The descent was steep and slippy, especially in the rain. Poor Rach slipped and bruised her back but luckily we had plenty of pain killers and our guide had a special ointment. After a couple of offers from the porters I decided it was more appropriate for me to massage the ointment into Rachel’s back. After a few minutes she was back on the mend and ready to conquer the second climb of the day, imaginatively referred to as The Second Pass.
Half way up the second pass we stopped at an Inca ruin known as Runkuracay. Our guide Flavio described in detail how the Inca's used these sites for growing crops using Inca terracing transforming incredibly steep mountain slopes into flat areas for agriculture. Our second night’s camp was in the cloud forest just below the Inca site Sayacmarca to watch the sunset over glaciers and high Andes peaks. Once again, Cecilio cooked us a restaurant standard meal topped off with a cucumber carved into a very convincing Llama shape. Luckily Drew was on hand to bite its head clean off.
Day 3
The rain had been kind to us over night so I suppose the heavy downpour 10 minutes after setting off up The Third Pass (pure genius) was expected. Here the trail is completely original as the worn flagstone path weaves it way through the jungle. There were caves carved through solid rock and steps carved into the bedrock from a by gone age. After a 900 metre descent, passing too many different species of orchid to remember, we arrived at the ruin of Puyupatamarca 'The Town above the Clouds' before descending further into the valley to another ruin called Winay Wayna, almost as impressive as Machu Picchu. This place was used by the Inca’s as a type of biological experimental area. The steep slopes of terracing each had their own micro climate and it is thought the Incas experimented with different temperatures and humidity to produce different types of corn at different times of the year. Clever stuff.
Day 4
We started the day at 3.30am to reach the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu for sunrise. Our porters literally broke down the camp around us as we rushed breakfast to get to the start of the trail first. Surprisingly, throughout the last few days we didn't feel like there were 500 hundred people of the trail. We didn't really see many people at all until the last campsite. Perhaps because everybody is going in the same direction but also because the guides ensure the groups and campsites are staggered. That all changed when we reached the last checkpoint. Everybody wants to be at the Sun Gate first so we found ourselves in line at the last gate before entering the Machu Picchu citadel. After waiting around for an hour the gate opened at 5.30am an there was a last dash for 1hr to reach Intipunku (the Sun Gate). The view across Machu Picchu was incredible. Jaw dropping in fact. With Huayna Picchu in the background the setting could not be more dramatic. 3 days of trekking in the rain were rewarded by a beautifully clear morning with postcard mist rising up from the valley.
After fighting for space to take some pictures our guide Flavio gave us a 3 hour tour of the ruins explaining the reasons behind the location, the orientation of the Temple of the Sun aligning with the summer and winter solstice, the sacred rock and the discovery by the American Hiram Bingham in 1911. The amazing thing about Machu Picchu is that it is still pretty much intact. It escaped the destruction of the Spanish conquerors because the Inca's made sure they never found it. It was originally thought to be the last stronghold of the Incas. However, in 1940 doubts were raised and more recently the site of Espiritu Pampa in the jungle is considered to be such site. Either way, Machu Picchu is still considered to be the best preserved Inca citadel in South America. Our photos just don't do it the justice it deserves.
After a short ride down the mountain to the town of Aqua Caliantes we had lunch and a beer with our new friends. Rach and I spent the night here before returning to Cusco the following day to meet up with the group for a farewell lunch. Just like the way we met them we were late once again. Very late. Sorry to Ryan and Cindy who we missed. We had such a fantastic experience, shared with the perfect group.
Huaraz and the Santa Cruz Valley in the Cordillera Blanco next for yet more trekking....
Day 1
We arrived at the meeting point jaded but on time. As we clambered onto the bus half asleep we were greeted with a full round of applause by the Llama Path porters. We were amazed to see 13 of them (12 porters and 1 cook), more than a football team, all dressed in bright red Llama Path livery. It all seemed a bit ridiculous really but we were assured that 2 porters per trekker was the norm. These guys carry everything from tents, cooking facilities, food for 4 days, table’s chairs, the lot. We set off towards Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley where we had breakfast before a 40 minute drive up a dirt road to Chilca, the start of the trek.
After a quick group photo we set off over the Urubamba River for a 5 hour trek to our first nights camp site at Huayllabamba. Enroute, we stopped a couple of times for a break. The first being after the first real climb of the day where a local lady was selling Chicha, a traditional corn beer made on the mountain. We all had a taste to varying levels of enjoyment. Personally I thought it was quite good and could have managed a few pints. Dave managed to break the last of the proverbial ice by pointing out the 5 legged donkey making a bee line for Rachel. It was a hilarious moment and the catalyst for some classic comedy quotes, mainly by Dave, over the next few days. Just don't mention the quality of Andean music!
From left to right - Dave, Debbie, Ryan, Rach, Drew, Cynthia, Ryan
Lunch was in a shed at a small settlement half way up the pass. It was at this point the heavens started to open. Well it is the rainy season after all. To our amazement, the porters (we referred to them as the red army) had raced ahead, each carrying up to 25kg's each, to prepare a 3 course meal. It was top quality and much better than the backpacker food Rach and I have become accustomed to. After another 3 hours or so we reached our camp. The porters had arrived before us and had already put up our tents. The cook Cecilio was already busy preparing our dinner, another fine feast. How this guy was preparing meals, on a mountain, in the rain, with minimal cooking equipment, was nothing short of voodoo. We went to bed at 8pm ready for a 5.30am start. It rained most of the night but we were warm, dry and dead to the world.
Being overtaken by the Red Army as they rush to set up camp before we arrive. Hats off!
Day 2
The following morning was the toughest part of the trail. A three hour climb up Dead Woman's Pass to the summit of the Abra Huarmihuanusca at 4,200 mtrs above sea level. It rained the whole way up but that did nothing to dampen our spirits. Whilst the views were sporadic and interspersed with cloud and mist, it gave the mountain a mystic feel and, in my view, added to the drama of this ancient trail. The wind at the top was relentless, wet and in just shorts and a T-shirt I was starting to get cold. After re grouping at the top big Canadian Ryan and I pretty much ran down the other side. Well I was running but I think Ryan was at normal pace. The descent was steep and slippy, especially in the rain. Poor Rach slipped and bruised her back but luckily we had plenty of pain killers and our guide had a special ointment. After a couple of offers from the porters I decided it was more appropriate for me to massage the ointment into Rachel’s back. After a few minutes she was back on the mend and ready to conquer the second climb of the day, imaginatively referred to as The Second Pass.
The summit of the Abra Huarmihuanusca at 4,200 mtrs above sea level.
Cold and wet with genuine fake smiles
The group on the imaginatively named 2nd Pass with Dead Woman's Pass in the background
View from camp 3 with the Andes in the distance
Day 3
The rain had been kind to us over night so I suppose the heavy downpour 10 minutes after setting off up The Third Pass (pure genius) was expected. Here the trail is completely original as the worn flagstone path weaves it way through the jungle. There were caves carved through solid rock and steps carved into the bedrock from a by gone age. After a 900 metre descent, passing too many different species of orchid to remember, we arrived at the ruin of Puyupatamarca 'The Town above the Clouds' before descending further into the valley to another ruin called Winay Wayna, almost as impressive as Machu Picchu. This place was used by the Inca’s as a type of biological experimental area. The steep slopes of terracing each had their own micro climate and it is thought the Incas experimented with different temperatures and humidity to produce different types of corn at different times of the year. Clever stuff.
Group pose with porters. See if you can spot the cook...
An Orchid. It has a beautiful name of which I cannot remember, not a sniff. Sorry
The ruin of Puyupatamarca 'The Town above the Clouds'
View from our tent across the Urubamba Valley
Winay Wayna, an Inca biological experiment
We started the day at 3.30am to reach the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu for sunrise. Our porters literally broke down the camp around us as we rushed breakfast to get to the start of the trail first. Surprisingly, throughout the last few days we didn't feel like there were 500 hundred people of the trail. We didn't really see many people at all until the last campsite. Perhaps because everybody is going in the same direction but also because the guides ensure the groups and campsites are staggered. That all changed when we reached the last checkpoint. Everybody wants to be at the Sun Gate first so we found ourselves in line at the last gate before entering the Machu Picchu citadel. After waiting around for an hour the gate opened at 5.30am an there was a last dash for 1hr to reach Intipunku (the Sun Gate). The view across Machu Picchu was incredible. Jaw dropping in fact. With Huayna Picchu in the background the setting could not be more dramatic. 3 days of trekking in the rain were rewarded by a beautifully clear morning with postcard mist rising up from the valley.
A the Sun Gate, our first view of Machu Picchu after 3 days of walking, mostly in the mist and rain! Thankfully a beautiful clear morning
What you've all been waiting for...
Machu Picchu (Old Mountain) with Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) in the background
Knackered and ready for a bath...
After fighting for space to take some pictures our guide Flavio gave us a 3 hour tour of the ruins explaining the reasons behind the location, the orientation of the Temple of the Sun aligning with the summer and winter solstice, the sacred rock and the discovery by the American Hiram Bingham in 1911. The amazing thing about Machu Picchu is that it is still pretty much intact. It escaped the destruction of the Spanish conquerors because the Inca's made sure they never found it. It was originally thought to be the last stronghold of the Incas. However, in 1940 doubts were raised and more recently the site of Espiritu Pampa in the jungle is considered to be such site. Either way, Machu Picchu is still considered to be the best preserved Inca citadel in South America. Our photos just don't do it the justice it deserves.
After a short ride down the mountain to the town of Aqua Caliantes we had lunch and a beer with our new friends. Rach and I spent the night here before returning to Cusco the following day to meet up with the group for a farewell lunch. Just like the way we met them we were late once again. Very late. Sorry to Ryan and Cindy who we missed. We had such a fantastic experience, shared with the perfect group.
Huaraz and the Santa Cruz Valley in the Cordillera Blanco next for yet more trekking....
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