We came, we walked, we conquered!

Machu Picchu
Originally uploaded by camandkristin.

We have finally completed one of the most anticipated stops of our trip- hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. 45kms over 4 days, 4 mountain passes (the highest being 4200m), a LOT of rain and fog, all capped off with some spectacular and unforgettable views.

Getting there wasn´t easy, starting with the bus ride from Arequipa. The trip should have been 10 hours, but ours took 21 after the bus broke down and we were left stranded on the side of the road overnight for 8 hours, nearly freezing to death. But we made it to Cusco with 3 days left to acclimatize to the altitude, and 3 days for Cam to be nice and sick. With almost nothing staying in his stomach for more than a few hours, and with our departure for the trail getting closer, we started to get pretty nervous about his ability to hike the distance at all, let alone carrying his heavy pack. But, in the nick of time (and with the help of some trusty antibiotics) he seemed to improve, and we set off at 5:15am on Nov 18 along with 12 other trekkers, 2 guides, and 20 porters.

The first day of the trail was pretty simple, 12km of relatively easy terrain. We stopped for lunch and realized that our money was being well spent! The food was gourmet and abundant, and the porters worked so hard to make us comfortable. The porters ranged in age from 18 to 41, and carry 25kg each. Regulations changed 5 years ago to limit the weight- they used to carry 50kg or more, but they are still amazing and it is humbling to have a 41 year old literally run by you wearing flipflops and with a 20kg bottle of propane strapped to his back.

The second day was the toughest day on the trail- 9km straight uphill to Dead Woman´s Pass, followed by 3km straight downhill to the second camp. We woke at 5am to pouring rain, and after breakfast of pancakes, porridge, and fruit salad we set off hiking at 6:30. We arrived at our camp at 1pm where we were fed even more.

The third day started out without rain, but the respite was only fleeting. We spent most of the walk (15km) in the pouring rain which gets to be a little disheartening. Without being able to see the spectacular views, Cam distracted himself by photographing any and every flower we passed. This secured our position well at the back of the line, but we have some great shots to show for it! Take time to smell the flowers, right?!

The last day was the earliest- we awoke at 4am to try and beat the rush to the Sun Gate- the first real view of Machu Picchu. It was only a 6km walk, but the weather continued to be crap and we all were convinced that the postcards in Cusco would be the closest we´d get to seeing the site. But we much have pleased Pachamama (Mother Earth) because as we descended from the Sun Gate the fog lifted and all our hard work was rewarded. Seeing it in pictures just isn´t the same as being there in person- it was truly spectacular. The archeological site itself is one thing, but being nestled into the towering peaks of granite, which drop off in shear cliffs, makes it unforgettable. Even the lingering fog added to its beauty.

We spent a few hours touring the site, and then six of us tackled Wayna Picchu with it´s almost vertical stretches of stairs and rope handrails. The view from the top was well worth the climb, which we did at midday under the blazing sun (not that we would even consider complaining about the sun after the previous days...).

We finally had to leave the site and return to Cusco by train, where we are now. Today is our recovery day, but we are both impressed as we have no muscle pains at all- the trek to Cañon del Colca prepared us well. Tomorrow we head to Puno to visit the Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca, and then it´s off to Bolivia. We have decided to change our routing slightly and from Bolivia will head south down Argentina instead of through Chile. Not only are the busses better, but there are large steaks waiting for us...

Love to all,
Kristin and Cam.