The Inca Trail

It is hard to believe we just completed the Inca Trail and saw Machu Picchu! Having booked back in January this part of the trip has always seemed so far away!

We booked the four day traditional Inca Trail with a group called Llama Path, and right from the start we knew we were in for something special! (Thanks Josh and Amy for the recommendation!)

Over the course of the four days we walked on one of the best preserved trails the Incas used, wandered through ruins with no one else around, marveled at feats of engineering like aqueducts, drains, rocks cut a certain way to help support buildings during earthquakes, terraces that provided both locations to farm and help with erosion, and entire towns and cities that aligned perfectly with the Milky Way!

Day 1

Our day began at 4:30 am with a pick up at the main square in Cusco. A three hour drive took us to Kilometer 82, the starting point of the traditional Inca Trail! After getting our passports checked we were off!

The first day consisted of a pretty steady and “Inca flat” hike along the Ollantaytambo River, on the remains of original paths and roadways. Our guide used the term “Inca flat” to describe a trail that wasn’t too steep; our legs would beg to differ! This hike took has through valleys and passed Inca ruins. Some of the ruins were nestled low in the valley and others sat high atop the surrounding hills and mountains. As we walked passed the different ruins we found ourselves getting lost in what life may have been like back during the Inca empire. Seeing how some of the establishments were in perfect alignment of the Milky Way or contemplating the vast network of roads and checkpoints, it was hard not to be in awe.

Along the way we stopped for lunch, now this was not your usual hiking or camping lunch of sandwiches. No, instead we were treated to a feast of pumpkin soup with garlic bread, ceviche, trout wrapped around spinach and grilled veggies. After lunch we had to roll ourselves to get going again! We hiked another few hours until we reached our camp. We were treated to a delicious dinner of grilled chicken in a cream sauce, quiche, and veggies.  Dessert was flambeed rum soaked banana! Talk about glamping!

Day 2

We had another early start with a wake up time of 5am. Each morning we were woken by the porters and given cocoa tea and a bowl of hot water to wash up.

This was going to be the longest and hardest day of the trek. The hike started out with a steady climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass. After inquiring about this interesting name we found out two possible reasons for the name. One, the profile of the mountain looks like a woman and two, a mummy of a woman was found there. This was the highest point of our trek at 4,215m/13,828ft. We were about 40 min ahead of our group and got to enjoy the view and the clouds passing by.

Next was a steep descent down Inca stairs. Part way down it started raining and out came the rain gear. It was a beautiful hike down, but by the time we arrived at the lunch spot we were cold and hungry!

This was the trail we took down!

After lunch it was even harder to get ourselves motivated to go back in the rain and continue hiking. After a could hours the rain cleared and the path flattened. We arrived to a beautiful ruin and for about half an hour we had the site to ourselves. We wanted to stay for sunset, but that was going to mean hiking to our campsite in the dark. Since we had already been going for 11 hours and our stomachs were growling we thought we’d better get a move on. We arrived at the campsite just in time for dinner making it just under a 12 hour day.

Day 3

Another early morning got us on the trail at 6:30am. Since yesterday was a long day this day was the shortest and easiest, about two hours up and two hours down. We’d be done by lunch! Our muscles were looking forward to the short day.

This gave us plenty of time to explore huge two ruins. Phuyupatamarca was on the way and only about 30 min from the campsite. When we arrived we were again the only ones there! We had about 20 min to explore till the next hikers arrived. The ruin was so massive we never once passed by another hiker till the rest of our group arrived.

After lunch and a much needed nap we explored a second ruin, Winay Wayna, which was just 5 min from the campsite. This was one of the most impressive sites and the closest resemblance to Machu Picchu.

We were fairly warned that Machu Picchu, letting in approximately 5,000 tourists a day, would be an absolute zoo. We really soaked up the peace and quiet this site offered and slowly wandered around for about an hour.

Day 4 Machu Picchu day!!

Today was the day! Sleeping in our clothes we woke up at 2:45 am to leave the campsite at 3am. We had a 5 min walk and then it was waiting time. The park rangers open the gate at 5:30, we were the first in line. Soon after we arrived the other hikers started lining up and we saw why our guide insisted on the early start. This was the last campsite before Machu Picchu and hosted more than 200 hikers.

The trail would take us to the Sun Gate where we would get our first view of Machu Picchu. As we waited for the gate to open we felt like horses at a starting block. When the gate opened, we were the first ones sprinting through! We had a pretty good start, but about halfway to the Sun Gate other hikers started to catch up with us. Tobias was the second and Tiffany was fifth.

The view was breathtaking and we got to enjoy a few uncrowded making the early wake up, waiting in the cold, and rush on the trail totally worth it.

Next was a 45 min hike down to the top of Machu Picchu where you get the classic photo. As we descended, tourists who took the bus were hiking up to the Sun Gate. They were so clean!! Compared to them we realized how rugged we looked having hiked without showers for four days. But it didn’t matter, we did it and earned it!

One of the most beautiful things about Machu Picchu is its location. The other sites we passed were situated on the mountain side while Machu Picchu is nestled between Machu Picchu Mountain and Wayna Picchu Mountain. From Machu Picchu you get 360 panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountains and there are multiple viewing points.

From the Sun Gate

From the top of Machu Picchu site

From Wayna Picchu Mountain

We explored Machu Picchu for two hours with our guide. He pointed out various rooms and structures. Everything about Machu Picchu is a hypothesis from archeologists so everyone visiting gets a little bit different information depending on your guide and when you go. The mystery is what makes it so fascinating!

After wandering around Machu Picchu for a few hours we headed over to Wayna Picchu a small mountain that overlooks Machu Picchu and is believed to have been used as a religious site. The trail for this site took had a long a narrow pathway and then it slowly started to climb up. Soon the steep path that winds its way up the mountain turned into a vertical staircase that were barely wide enough to fit a shoe.

As we climbed higher and higher we came across ruins and terraces that gave us glimpses of Machu Picchu. After a grueling 50 minute climb up we had finally reached the top! From there we had panoramic views of Machu Picchu and mountains that surrounded it!

The four days on the Inca Trail was definitely an amazing experience! As beautiful as Machu Picchu was, the ruins we passed along the trail and the landscape that accompanied it definitely made the journey to Machu Picchu the most amazing part of the experience!