Of course we didn’t plan in advance, forgot our hiking shoes at home and didn’t figure out that “Summer” in South America is synonymous with “Wet Season” in South America.
But the historic trail to Machu Picchu wasn’t something we were going to miss.
So we bought ponchos for 3 soles, pulled out our trusty Chaco sandals, packed a day pack and a fanny pack with a few layers and boarded a bus for kilometer 82, the starting point for the four-day pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.
As soon as we had left Cusco, we could see the intensely green mountains, clothed in fog and rainbows, rising before our eyes. We knew we were in love with the Andes.
Our trek started at the Kilometer 82 check point and we began our hike up the first set of several hundred stairs, stopping to see a few Inca ruins and take pictures of the beautiful rolling green hills. Although the vistas only became more beautiful as we gained elevation, they also became harder to capture on camera.
The Inca Trail is an interesting tourist attraction. By Peruvian law, you have to go with a tour company. Although I usually like my independence in the mountains, our tour guides had been raised in the highlands of Peru. Their knowledge of the country, the history and the culture was invaluable.
Plus, despite my initial resistance, one could easily get used to someone else carrying your mat, sleeping bag, tent, mess tent and food for four days.
By the time we reached our first camp site, we had pulled ahead of the group. Our porters, an army in red, had set up little red tents all in a row, overlooking a valley between two mountains. Straight ahead of us was the Peruvian glacier, behind which sat the last capital of the Incas: Ollantaytambo.
Dinner every night was a feast. In traditional Peruvian style, the meal began with tea, then soup, then a main course (fried Yuca root, trout, rice, etc.) and then tea again. After having risen at 3 a.m. to catch the bus, we had no problem going straight to bed. Day two was the hard day, so we were told.
Our guides began the day at 4 a.m. with some Coca tea and a Coca leaf rolling/chewing lesson. Despite claims that the effect of Coca is placebo, we could feel our altitude headaches dissipate. We began our hike through the first cloud forest, past a few streams and out to a plateau before the first big ascent of the day, taking a break to soak our feet in the freezing cold mountain stream.
First Ascent: Dead Woman’s Pass at 14,000+ feet. The view at the top was a victory.
The entirety of the Inca Trail leads you up and down through passes, thousands and thousands of uneven stone stairs, taking you through mountain top views and Amazon-like cloud forests. The cloud forests are known for their rain, especially in wet season.
After lunch it started raining, right before we began our second ascent of the day, this time only 1,500 feet up from our lunch stop. We stopped in a cave to wait it out, but it just started raining harder.
There was a group of six of us that pulled ahead. We stayed together, helping each other up and down the precarious stairs in the pouring rain.
Our sandals killed us that day. Our feet slid around on the way down the hill, creating massive open blisters.
But the rain was a blessing in disguise.
Because of the weather, every time we reached a summit, the fog had been cleared and we had idyllic views over the expanse of the Andes. Our guide told us that the dry months (their Winter and the popular season to see Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail), actually had less views.
We went to bed that night smelling (and feeling) like wet dogs. But we were happy. We had laughed, we had bonded, we had hiked through the worst conditions and seen some amazing peaks, valleys and ruins.
Day three it was still raining. All morning we hiked in the rain but our final ascent marked the end of the rain, and our first view of Machu Picchu Mountain.
From there we had 3,000 steps down to our camp for the night. Our knees hated us. We probably should have rented those trekking poles.
At camp, we had an afternoon off, soaking in the sun, running around in the green fields and exploring two of the best Inca sites on the trail.
Our favorite site was Wiñay Wayna,”Forever Young.”
The beautiful terraced Inca site is surrounded by mountains and waterfalls with a beautifully constructed Rainbow Temple. We broke the rules, saw a bear and took a million pictures.
The next day was Machu Picchu. We planned to arrive at the Sun Gate at sunrise. This meant getting to the check point at 3 a.m. Those bitter cold hours before the sunrise were tough, but the 15 minutes by ourselves at the Sun Gate, seeing Machu Picchu for the first time and watching the sun patterns over the ancient ruins, made that early morning wake-up absolutely worth it.
From there we descended into a world of tourism.
Although I love Machu Picchu for it’s location and some of the innovative and advance construction, it was so crowded with tourists that you missed that rare, raw beauty we experienced at the other Inca sites. It felt like we checked something off the bucket list with Machu Picchu, but with the Inca trail it was different. It was a pilgrimage. An experience.
To escape the crowds, we decided to hike up to the top of Machu Picchu mountain, no easy task after 4 days of hiking and those blisters. In record speed we went up and back, arriving at the bus station seconds before a heavy downpour began.
That 20 minutes spent on the top of Machu Picchu mountain was the perfect cap to our Andean Adventure.
For us, the best part of Machu Picchu was the journey.
– L.
Trip Advice: Use a reputable tour company to hike the Inca Trail. Our recommendation is Llama Path. Look for a company that treats their Porters well. Hire at least a half porter. It may be an extra $35-$70 but it could make or break your trip. Pack light. We wore one outfit all four days. Bring extra memory cards for your camera. Go in rainy season. Don’t follow only Lonely Planet advice.
