Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

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Inca Trail
The trail to Machu Picchu is a mountainous jungle/cloudforest. We completed this 45-km trek in 4 days with the LlamaPath tour group, arriving at Machu Picchu at daybreak on the final day. We chose Llamapath because our coworker (Arturo Crespo) highly recommended this agency: 1) porters are treated like family (very well) 2) attentive & knowledgeable guides 3) happy & hardworking porters 4) thoughtfully planned trip - quiet & "uncrowded" campsites, etc.

We were really lucky with the weather. It only rained during lunch & at night. I was also lucky that I didn't have serious altitude sickness or stomach ailments during the hike. Whew!

Our route

Day 1
We hopped onto a bus for kilometer 82 (our starting point). Surprised that Halloween revelers were still loitering around the discotheques at 4:30am.
Group photo at the trail head

front row: Marlen, Bernd, Lars, Sandra, Lucia, Carolyn, Katie
back row: Cat, Li

We met our guides, Santiago & Edwin, and the Red Ninjas (our porters). 12 porters and 1 chef (who was also a porter) for 9 guests and 2 guides. Each porter carried 25 kilos of food & equipment (e.g. tents).
Landscape at the start

Santiago our guide explaining the Day of the Dead

Guinea pig escaped!

Patallacta

There are many Inca Sites along the Inca trail. Imagine that! Royalty would travel this path and stop at various sites to gain knowledge (e.g. astronomy) en route to Machu Picchu.

 Chicken's best friend

This remote beverage stands accepts Visa....errr?

Beautiful textiles


Day 2
We hiked to the highest mountain pass (Abra de Warrmihuanusca - 4200m). Hiking was quite strenuous because of the elevation. After lunch at the bottom of the valley, we started up our second pass of the day, Runkuraqay, at 4000m.
Dead woman's pass

Humming birds along the path

Inca site on our way to camp

Day 3
We hiked to Phuyupatamarca (town in the clouds) before reaching the third pass. We also visited another Inca site of Intipata and learned about farming in the terraces. We arrived at camp, napped, and then visited Winay Wayna (Forever Young Inca site).
Forever Young

Sleeping in our tent - rain pounding outside

Red Ninja appreciation ceremony

Day 4
We woke up at 3:30am to pack-up, have breakfast, and line up to wait for the opening of the trail to the Sun Gate. We got a perfectly clear view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate. As we entered Machu Picchu, Santiago and Edwin told us about the history of various artifacts and locations. We really appreciated the tour. Very informative!
Sun Gate view

Obligatory llama photo (free)


Nature + architecture


We off to the Peruvian jungle today. So, we won't likely post for a few days. Then, we'll spend 2 weeks in Brazil before leaving for New York (Li) and Kenya (Cat) for 1 month.

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