The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu

The reason for our visit to Peru – the Inca Trail and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu!

In a previous post, I mentioned Alpaca Expeditions – the only locally owned and operated tour company in the area. We selected their classic 4 day/3 night group hiking tour of the Inca Trail. Alpaca Expeditions made the trip exceptional – they provided porters to carry our gear, set up our tents, and most importantly prepared three amazing meals every day. If you are thinking about making the trip, absolutely book with Alpaca Expeditions.

Our guide picked us up in Cusco and we took a bus to the trail head near Ollantaytambo. Our day started with rain, but cleared up after a few hours. That was the only rain of the trip! Did I mention that this trek was challenging? No pain, no gain! We started at an elevation of 8,900 feet and went up from there.

The first day was exciting. I remember thinking, I can’t believe we’re here and doing this. As I walked on the weathered stone steps I imagined the Incan travelers on the same path hundreds of years ago. The mountains and valleys were breathtaking. The first day was well planned as our guide eased us into the daily grind. Day 1 ended at Ayapata at an elevation of about 10,900 feet. Easy peasy right?

The Notorious Day 2

Day 2 – the “challenging day.” We started the day at 5AM with breakfast and coca tea. Then we began our 4 hour hike up to the summit of Dead Woman’s Pass – it got that name for a reason! The hike was incredibly steep at times. And the elevation reached 13,800 feet. Catching your breath was difficult. So we took lots of breaks along the path. Slow and steady wins the race right? We may have doubted ourselves at times, but we made it!

From there it was downhill for a few hours and time for lunch. After lunch, another summit! This one was not as bad – 2 hours up to 13,060 feet to Runkuracay. From there we descended again to our campsite with a huge sense of accomplishment. We made it 16 kilometers, at altitude, and through the steep inclines and declines and elevation gain/loss. The altitude change on just this day was the same as climbing the empire state building twice, going all the way back down once, and then ascending it for a third time. We felt so proud after Day 2.

A Reward Day

Day 3! We woke up feeling like we could accomplish anything. Our legs may not have agreed if pressed, so luckily we had an easy day planned. We had 10 kilometer total for the day starting with what our guide called “rolling stones” followed by a descent down to 8,800 feet.

We made it to our campsite around lunch time which left us with the afternoon to rest, relax and explore the amazing archaeological site of Winay Huayana (Winaywayna). Aside from Machu Picchu, Winay Huayana is one of the largest and most well preserved Incan sites – and only accessible to hikers. What a great unexpected bonus!

Machu Picchu

Finally – Day 4 – Machu Picchu Day! Our day started very early with coca tea and a short hike via headlamp in the dark. We made it to the Sun Gate or Inti Punku a little after sun rise. Unfortunately, it was very foggy, so we had to wait a little longer for our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

The fog persisted once we reached Machu Picchu but we had a great spot to relax and wait it out. The weather gave us an unexpected treat – we watched as the fog would lift, and then cover the site again, and then lift a little more, and cover again. It was almost mystical and definitely felt other-worldly. Dusty captured a great time lapse of the fog – it’s included in his video on our You Tube channel here

After soaking it all in, we went on a tour of Machu Picchu and viewed some of the incredibly well-preserved ruins. From there we took a bus down to Machu Picchu Pueblo and had the best cold beers of our lives! Next we took the train to Ollantaytambo and then made our way back to Cusco. We have never been happier to sit in comfy train seats.

But Can’t You Visit Machu Picchu in One Day?

I won’t sugar coat it – this hike was challenging and outside of my comfort level. At times we were tired, dirty, scared, and mentally exhausted. Our legs and feet hurt. We slept in a tent for 3 nights and did not shower for 4 days. And we had porters! I cannot imagine being able to complete the hike any other way.

There is another option to see Machu Picchu – it’s easy to take the train or bus and be dropped off right at the gate. There is even a fancy hotel at the base of the site. When we arrived after 4 days in the wilderness, I was really jealous of the freshly showered, well rested people that turned their nose up at us (we did smell). So why did we do all of that?

We are on an adventure. This trip is about having once in a lifetime experiences. Seeing Machu Picchu is a wonder for everyone. But getting to see it after hiking 45 kilometers (almost 28 miles) to get there – it feels different. I am so glad we pushed ourselves to do something hard. And we reaped the reward. We had an unforgettable experience and those memories will last forever. Even though it was hard, it was more than worth it. So, if you have the option – take the hike, do the harder thing. You will be glad you did!

Dusty put together a great video to document our Peru trip. Check it out here!

Thank you for reading. Up next – Amsterdam!