Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Inside the house

We broke camp at 4:30 a.m. and joined the throngs of people in a queue to gain entrance to the park. Once inside the gate, we were still about six kilometers from the legendary citadel. Fatigue didn't seem to be a factor and we quickly picked our way to Intipunku.

Machu desconocido

The sun gate was anything but sunny when we arrived. We were completely socked in, which made viewing the Inca city from above impossible. Still, arriving via the ancient portal was unique and memorable.

Cuidad Inka

After fifty kilometers and four days on the Inca trail we got our first rewarding glimpse of Machu Picchu. Included in the trek was a guided tour, which we joined after storing our packs at the main tourist entrance. Following visits to the agricultural sectors and all of the temples, we made our way up to Intiwatana and relished the view from the astronomical observatory.      

"I was not expecting that."

A farewell meal in Aguas Calientes and a trip to the hot springs wrapped up our time as a group. We were the only duo that chose to stay the night and return to Machu to explore further. Despite waking up to a flooding hotel room at 2 a.m. we rested well, free of our oddly designed six foot long tent. With beautiful weather we reached the summit of Wayna Picchu in the morning. Some onlookers were startled when we emerged from a tiny cave on the unconventional loop near the top. Bones 2.0 cut thirty pounds from Montevideo to Machu to squeeze through small openings like these.  

               

Amantes del trek

The expedition saw minor bits of adversity but overall, we were well prepared and had an incredible experience.

Gringo Killers

In defiance of their reputation, the "Gringo Killers" didn't cause us any problems. We threw caution to the wind and scampered to the top. The excitement of finally reaching the pinnacle took over and helped us temporarily forget about our dinged up bodies and limbs. 

   

Wayna Picchu

Reluctant to leave any stone unturned after visiting the amazing Wayna Picchu, we forced ourselves to climb the smaller, neighboring peak which in turn rendered a unique angle to view the sprawling ruins. This path was much less travelled and we enjoyed the hike and stunning views alone which was shocking for the downtrodden "Disneyland of Peru".

Entrada a las Tres Portadas

Under the hot sun, we returned to the main site to take some photos that were not possible just a day earlier. Still unsatisfied, I ran out to the Inca bridge, accidentally scaring a few folks along the way. 

Plaza principal

Llamasutra

After a full day at Machu Picchu we took a night train to Ollantaytambo town. Unfortunately we had to rely on a collectivo from there to Cusco. A blend of unparallelled ignorance and slow reflexes made that ride the most dangerous of the entire trip. We rolled in at midnight feeling quite ill. Ten more blocks on foot got us to our hostel. The heavy sleeping bags and outdated foamies given to us were overkill but we managed to use everything in the hardly justifiable twenty kilo pack. 

Twenty thousand dollar photo

22 hours on Oltursa's finest took us from Cusco to Lima. Two days in the capital turned out to be ample and before we knew it our 123 days in South America had come to an end. Perhaps we will return some day. We sign off saying thanks for reading. It's been emotional.  

Inca Trail

Kilometer 82

Yo Soy Porter

It all started with aimless wandering around the streets of Cusco. Eventually we flagged down the correct bus and with some difficulty, the guides were able to round up the remainder of the group. The driver ripped through the narrow streets to make up for lost time. It was all for naught when "no passport guy" announced the bad news. It was a rocky start but the road only got bumpier in the Sacred Valley.

Río Urubamba

At kilometer 82 we were funnelled through a checkpoint and onto the famous and all too popular Inca Trail. We quickly tried to separate ourselves from the masses. The crowd thinned as we walked along the banks of the Urubamba River. This was the flattest section of trail that we would encounter.

Willka Raccay

Within a couple of hours we arrived at the first Inca fortress on the trail. Our guide started moving his mouth but the poncho I had covering my pack was whipping in the wind with such ferocity that nobody in the group learned a thing about Willka Raccay that day.

Trail to Warmi Wañuska

After an hour or two of shuteye in the crappiest tent I've ever laid eyes on, we started the day with a long climb towards Warmi Wañuska Pass. We trudged through rain and wind and reached the 4,200 metre mark in under four hours. This point is also affectionately known as Dead Woman's Pass.  

Dead Woman's Pass

"Aquí, casi colgué mis tenis"

After a long wait for the stragglers we began our perilous descent in the increasingly bitter conditions. We were well prepared for inclement weather but the lengthy downhill pitch was surprisingly treacherous. Cindy deftly picked her way down the hazardous course while I lumbered and hydroplaned, compiling a list of near misses in the process.

Paqaymayu

   

Cloud Forest

After surviving the breakneck test and traversing the slopes of the valley we once again found ourselves in the cloud forest for the final stretch of our seventeen kilometer day two. Our campsite was perched on terraces overlooking some amazing terrain. The eleven hour up and down slog was worth it.

El Grupo

We dropped our gear in the tent with the least number of holes and headed to the mess tent for happy hour. We had an interesting and diverse group and used meal times to chat about the unsafe acts of the day and the trail ahead.

En las montañas

Inca Tunnel

Day three began with tea being served at the door of our tent. We faced a modest ten kilometers that would take us past three significant archaeological sites. Cindy was moving like a porter and lead the charge to the Inca tunnel. We were feeling good and enjoying the first bit of sunshine of our trek.

Runkuracay

We climbed to 3780 metres and appreciated the view from the second highest pass along the trail while putting another dent in our personal food stores. Although the food on the tour was quite good, the rations being served were inadequate.    

Ruinas Sayacmarka

The descent to Sayacmarca which means "inaccessible town" was another technical section that required one's full attention. The ruins themselves were impressively positioned, perched on the rocks of a steep slope. We weren't lucky enough to have a clear day and instead peered off the ledges into the abyss below.  

Intipata

Wiñayhuayna

After making a stop at the imposing agricultural site of Intipata, we continued down the path of granite stones, through the ever changing layers of cloud forest full of rare orchids, hanging mosses, bromeliads and tree ferns. Our final camp was set-up ten minutes away from Wiñayhuayna. After dropping our gear, we were able to leisurely explore the most impressive ruins to that point.

Forever Young