I Survived the Inca Trail!!

The four days we spent on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu were one of the most incredible and amazing experiences of this trip (and actually my entire life)… It is really hard to put into words- so hopefully the photos can do it justice.

In addition to the GORGEOUS scenery (Peruvian Andes) and the incredible history, what really made this trip for me was the company we went with and the group of people we had! We had the most fantastic group of 14 people ever. By the start of day 2 we were more than just friends - we were a family. And I cannot speak highly enough for Peru Treks.  Our two guides were so incredible! They were really into the history and ancient beliefs. One thing they said that I really liked was that when you sleep your body is essentially dead and your soul wanders  around. When you go to a place in the day it's no mistake that you find yourself where you are because your soul has already been there. It sounded much more poetic when he said it, but that's the main jist. In addition to the guides we had an amazing cook- Apu - who made the most elaborate and delicious meals (atop of a mountain at that!) and such nice and strong chaskis (porters) who amazed me with their strength and ability to run past us as they carried backpacks weighing more than 50lbs.

The trail itself was pretty difficult but we made it taking plenty of breaks. The second day was the most grueling day by far. It is an all day, all uphill climb to 4,200m. We left at dawn (4:30am) on the last day and made it to the Sun Gate by sunrise. We arrived at Machu Picchu at about 8am and had a guided tour and individual time to explore. We had postcard worthy weather. Honestly it really is one of the most impressive sights!  The complex was so big and meticulously put together.  It is so crazy to think how did the Incas create the trail and towns without the use of modern technology?

**Please not the following excerpt has been taken from Laura’s blog:
I don’t know how else to do this, so I’m going to break it down by day:

Day 1: On the first day, we were picked up from our hostel very early and bussed to the starting point, known as “Kilometero 82.” We then checked into the National Park and started the trek – stamps in our passport and all! The first day was a relatively easy 11 kilometers that were described in the itinerary as “flat.” We quickly learned that there is a BIG difference between “flat” and “Inca flat.” Inca flat is when you start and end at the same altitude, but there are very steep climbs and descents along the way. It was a good way to warm us up for the trek, though, and we got to see some ruins, old Incan towns, and lots and lots of flora and fauna. Once we got to camp, while our cooks were preparing our dinner, we played some pickup soccer with the locals and some porters…and by “we played,” I really mean we watched the guys from our group lose twice in a row… and then have to pay them for losing…apparently all games are for money in Peru. Ha!

Day 2: The second day of the trek is infamous for all who have done the hike before as the most grueling day by far. It is an all day, all uphill climb from 2,800 m – 4,200m (that’s nearly 5,000 ft vertical climb…if I never see a step again, it will be too soon). We started bright and early at about 5am, but took many breaks along the way and got back to camp relatively early for some time to relax, play some cards with the group, eat, and recover for the following day. It was so cold at the campsite that none of us were able to sleep and that made for a more difficult Day 3.

Day 3: One of the best things about the company we chose to use, Peru Treks – besides the amazing guide and delicious food, was that they woke us up every morning by bringing us tea in our tents. Talk about room service! This made it a little bit easier to start the day with no sleep as I was able to caffeinate right away. Day 3 started with another 2 hours straight uphill, which yielded some AMAZING views! The rest of the day was 16km of downhill and “Inca flat.” As we walked downhill, we got closer and closer to the Amazon, and the climate became much more tropical as we were clearly entering the jungle. Let the mosquito bites begin! The thing that kept us all going on the third day was that we knew there were hot showers and beer at the campsite. After 3 days of trekking, we were all pretty disgusting and that hot shower was glorious (despite the fact that in any other situation, I never would have stepped foot in a shower of those conditions…not very clean is all I’ll say). The last night was a big gathering with the Chaskis and guides, celebrating the fact that we had (basically) completed the trek.

Side note/historical anecdote: “chaski” is the word for the indigenous men who carry all the gear…aka the porters. Chaski means “fleet footed runner” and they carry up to 35 kilos (80ish lbs) on their back and literally run the trail. They pass us, set up camp, cook, pack everything up, and take off again. Apparently they had a competition amongst the chaskis a couple of years ago to see who could run the 30 mile Inca trail the fastest (with no gear). The fastest time was in 3 hours and 40 minutes! With intense hills and altitude, it kinda makes our 4 days look pathetic, no? Anyway, I digress…

Day 4: The last day is an easy shmeezy 5km hike to the Sun Gate that overlooks Machu Picchu. We left at dawn (4:30am) and made it to the Sun Gate by sunrise. We arrived at Machu Picchu at about 8am and had a guided tour and individual time to explore until about 1pm. We had postcard worthy weather and the pictures don’t do it justice…it really is one of the most spectacular sights!

After Machu Picchu, we went down to the town of Aguas Calientes and met up with our whole group for lunch, a (couple of) well deserved beers, and a trip to the local hot springs to relax our tired muscles. The lunch and beers were great…hot springs – not so much. They were more like big hot tubs filled with yellow water. I was thoroughly grossed out, but since I have paid for the entrance already I still went in and must admit that though I did NOT feel clean by any means, it did feel pretty relaxing. And at least I didn’t have to rent a used swimsuit like half our group…that was pretty gross.