Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru
7 am came early. A carb laden breakfast and we were off. We arrived at “Kilometre 82” by 9 am, our start for the Inca Trail; a 4 day, 3 night hike to Machu Picchu.
Getting there was an event all in its own. Winding roads only big enough for a single vehicle but somehow the bus driver managed to tuck into the mountains so passing vehicles could manage their way past us.
I was sitting on the driver side which was a “memorable” adventure as well. Every now and again I would look out the window and see where the edge of the road married with the valley below and I just about lost my stomach. “Loco” is the only word to describe it. I cannot image what the rainy season does to this place because it simply cannot afford having an inch of road eaten away.
After a few narrow misses with a family of piglets playing in the early morning hours and an uncomfortably close encounter with an oncoming train, we disembarked at “Kilometre 82”.
Here, we met our trusty group of Porters who systematically weighted our bags (6kg limit including sleeping bag and ground sheet), packed our gear and God-knows-what-else, covered their precariously arranged bags with pack raincoats, and started their superhero jaunt ahead of us.
The Porters, are truly the unsung heroes of the Inca Trail. The 46 kilometre hike completed by weary travellers, pales in comparison to the 46 kilometres travelled by these men of superpower. As we hiked, walked, dragged our feet and sometimes crawled, these extraordinary men, skipped past us at supernatural speed, with pots, pans, kitchen equipment, propane stoves, pup tents, communal tents and God-knows-what-else. They are simply amazing.
Humble and gentle in spirit, each stood at base camp every single night and in unison welcomed individual hikers with rounds of applause. They not only had our camp waiting, fully built, food cooked, pans of hot water to wash, they stood in unison, rallying us; welcoming us, congratulating us with sincerity. God bless these men.
The first day of the trail was described as “...A meandering path with simple incline, following the edge of the river.” Sweet Jesus. By the end of the first day I was seriously concerned that Day 1 was described as a “meander”. With that said, my feet were no worse for wear, we had a good attitude and were feeling great!
At 1 pm, having “meandered” along the river we reached our lunch camp. Our Porters had individual pans of water so that we could freshen up for lunch. They had a community tent erected, soup, rice, grilled salmon, tea and more besides to fill our gullets. We weren’t long having eaten and on our way that the Porters had camp disassembled, packed, strapped to their backs and were skipping past us.
Unbelievable.
We spent 4 more enjoyable hours hiking when we finally reached base camp. Inside our pup tent we washed up in a pan of warm water. We used the squat toilets located at the bottom of a small hill, past a path riddled with llama scat and later enjoyed a hearty supper before hitting the sack.
Tomorrow’s briefing was held after supper, just before bed. Our guide kept a few of us back for a quiet chat. He noted that tomorrow would be particularly challenging as the entire day, 16 km, would be up hill and the air thin, slowing everyone down. At maximum altitude we would reach 4198 meters or 13, 796 feet.
He suggested we get a head start on the group to ensure that we didn’t have to hike in darkness tomorrow evening. We all agreed and so, our wake up call would come at 4am. Sure thing boss! It’s not like there was a donkey to bring us back down and besides, we were here to do this. Anyone can take the bus to Machu Picchu!
Surprisingly, when our Porter quietly knocked on our tent with a friendly “Ola” at 4 am, we felt quite rested.
Going to bed at 8 pm will do that to you I suppose. He handed us a pan of water to wash our face and some special tea that acted as liquid encouragement for the day!
We packed up our gear and headed to the breakfast tent. Before we finished a second cup of tea and a pancakes with our names written in caramel, the Porters had our tent broken down, packed up and were ready to roll.
Just as the sun was peaking over the distant hills, the 5-Little-Engines-That-Could (really just 4; Paul hung behind for my sake), headed onward and upward. Our goal today was to make it up and over Warmiwanusica, a mountain pass known as Dead Woman’s Pass. Named for the formation of a hill resembling a woman in prone position, in hindsight, I wonder if any women died climbing this Pass. (Surely I wouldn’t be the first one!)
The scenery was stunning and the task ahead was daunting. There were three challenges today; the incline, the thin air and sight of the mountain pass itself. As you stood, looking forward, there was nothing but mountain ahead of us. The combination of the three was somewhat overwhelming. Our guides kept telling us to pace ourselves and to remember that the hike is all about mental strength; that it can be done. So, trusting in his wisdom, we trudged forward and I did it, 10 steps at a time.
There were times, that the sight of the Pass seemed so unachievable, that I could only focus on my feet. I watched the toes of my boots and the heels of the person ahead of me and I counted.
One....two....three....four....five....stop....breath. If I took ten steps, I sat down when I stopped. If I managed 20 steps, I sat and took off my pack, collected myself and repeated.
It was only when I stopped to regulate my breathing, that I could turn around and see the spectacular sight of the mountains behind and below us. When the task ahead seemed overwhelming, you could turn around and see the distance and inclination that you already achieved and it empowered you to keep going.
Within a few hours, the Porters were now passing us and as we inched our way up the mountain, we could see the little purple dots of Porters (the colour of the Porters’ packs), climbing the mountain ahead of us. The further they moved away from us, the visual they provided gave contour to the path ahead. Wee superhuman inchworms worked their way up the hill, over the Pass and onward. Thinking about the load they were carrying and the grace in which they attended to their work, helped me dig deep and hike the path ahead.
When we finally reached the Pass, we had 20 minutes set aside to stop, relax and relish our accomplishment.
I laid my pack on the ground, slept for 15 minutes, enjoyed my “moment” for 5 and off we went again.
As an aside, every stop we had during this day for 15 minutes or more, I slept. It wasn’t for being sleepy-tired, it was simply the way the thin air impacted me.
What goes up, must come down. After hiking up and over Dead Woman’s Pass (...and no, much to my surprise, I didn’t die), we spent 3 hours descending the other side. Slowly, and with great care and ever so thankful for hiking poles, we made it to camp late afternoon. With the applause of the the Porters and fellow hikers who arrived before us, we quickly freshened up in yet another bird bath and enjoyed an hour or so of sleep before supper and our evening briefing.
Shockingly enough, we went to bed at 8 and slept solid until our 5 am wake up. Following the same routine as the day before, we were on our way with the rest of the group by the time the sun was cresting the hills in the distance.
Today we covered two more mountain passes but the task paled in comparison to yesterday. Today’s hike was comprised of hours of enjoyable and gentle inclines and declines. At the very minute you thought you were being overexerted, you started another gentle decline. It was brilliant! The scenery changed along the way as we hiked past and through ancient Incan ruins, into a couple of dark and slippery tunnels and through cloud forests with snow capped mountains visible in the distance. It was a truly enjoyable and breathtaking day.
When we finally reached base camp, we settled in for the night. Each of our 12 hikers, with an air accomplishment mixed with a bit of sadness; we achieved so much in the past 3 days and only have 3 hours left to our hike until reaching Machu Picchu.
Up and at’em at 4 am, we reached the Sun Gate on a spectacularly sunny morning. The Sun Gate is the first viewpoint of Machu Picchu for those who hike the classic 4-day Inca Trail.
The Sun Gate used to be a control gate for people who entered and left the holy city of the Incas. Due to its rather remote location from the ruins, it is believed that Machu Picchu only welcomed people from the elite of its empire.
Either way, the Sun Gate offered a spectacular first view of the ancient Incan site of Machu Picchu. As we started our final descent from the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu itself, there was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. We passed many tourists, travelling in the opposite direction toward the Sun Gate. They looked fresh and clean, unlike the 12 of us, most of whom were wearing the same clothes for the last 4 days. As grungy as we all felt, we also felt like we had earned the right to be here. To be honest, getting to Machu Picchu turned out to be better than the actual visit to the site itself.
Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery.
As we wandered the citadel with both our guides busy enlightening us about the site’s history, we relished each moment in the blazing sun, knowing that we were amidst one of the Seven Wonders of the World and we hiked 3 mountain passes across 46 km to get there!
Today is a good day!
Good job Team!
Pam Seath
2019-10-14
Most amazing. What a place. I am in awe of you both. How incredible. Can imagine soaking up the atmosphere.
Agnes
2019-10-14
So happy for you. Spectacular weather and views - awesome that it all worked out
Jill
2019-10-14
Incredible! Well done! What an amazing adventure you both are having. You must be so stoked about your accomplishments. The pictures are fantastic and it looks as if the weather cooperated. I can’t wait to read more about your travels.
Kellie
2019-10-14
Amazing! Your pictures are beautiful and your writing is a pleasure to read. What an incredible adventure for you both!
Holly
2019-10-14
Way to go guys!
Lee Anne
2019-10-14
All I have to say is....wow!
Patti
2019-10-15
wow...Awesome
Linda
2019-10-15
Congratulations you made it ,Awsome pictures,amazing adventure
Susan
2019-10-15
Congrats on an amazing accomplishment! The pictures are breathtaking, what an indescribable experience! It makes me happy seeing you there cause I know you are truly in your happy place! Backpack on your back, new experiences...soak it up! Love you guys!