"If you never leave home, never let go...you'll never make it to the great unknown"
Both of us, we are physically fit, but not good hikers. We never hiked for long hours, and we were already planning to visit Machu Picchu. There are ways to reach Machu Picchu by train and Bus, most people do that. But after reading experience of others about Inca Trails, we were determined to hike it at least for a day. We will follow Incas path, and we will reach Machu Picchu on foot.
Peru is the land of Incas.
The empire is long gone, Inca footprints on the trail of the Andes still wonder the travelers.
We planned this trip with Alpaca (https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com). Three days tour, 2D/1N Inca trail & Machu Picchu, One day Sacred Valley. Without a doubt they are the most reputable tour company in the region. Cusco, Capital of Incan Empire. The city is at 11, 000+ ft elevation, Everyone who steps out of the airplane would feel the thin air, lack of oxygen.
It is highly recommended to stay in Cusco for few days to get adjusted with high altitude and thin air before hiking. We both employed full-time, everything for us is fast moving, we can’t spare a day sitting somewhere to take rest and reenergize. We planned to hike day after we arrived Cusco.
4:00 in the morning driver picked us from the hotel, two hours drive to Ollantaytambo (KM 68) train station. After a short train ride, we got off at the Trail Head (KM 104). From here we will be hiking for next 12 hours up thru Incas mountain and arrive Huayna Picchu, mountain located directly behind the ruins of Machu Picchu.
We had a private tour with Alpaca, at our request company provided a porter and tour guide with two of us. We both had to carry small backpacks, but what about water, camera, electronics and extra clothing we would need for night stay? The Porter carried our stuff on his back, highly trained, do it everyday for living. His name is Romel (in the middle), he doesn’t speak english, but without him we wouldn’t be hiking Incas tail.
We stopped for hot lunch up in the mountain. Tour company had a permanent establishment up in the mountain, but everything there had to be carried up by porters on their shoulders. Nothing much to talk about lunch menu, but it felt better than fine cuisine, and what a relief it was we reached to a point where they have some enclosed toilet. After all, it wasn’t only me, she also hiked more than a half a day without using one.
The hike challenged both of us physically, we knew pain will be gone, but the memories will remain intact for the rest of our life. It was not about how hard or how high the hike was, its was always a single step to reach Inca's wonder. After all day hike thru Incas mountain we have seen Machu Picchu from the top of Huayna Picchu. We were exhausted, but what a wonder we were looking at. After exploring Machu Picchu briefly we took a bus ride down to village where we stayed for a night.
Next morning, we returned to Machu Picchu from the village to take more photos, in the evening we took Luxury Peru Rail back to Cusco. You really don’t want to miss this train ride, to learn about this ride click here
Cost & Details on this trip:
Time: September 2017
Route: Cusco-Urubamba-Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes
Airfare between Lima-Cusco: 200 USD PP (Approxmate)
3D/2N Private Tour w/Alpaca including porter: 1500 USD (Approximate)
https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com/cusco-city-tour-sacred-valley-machu-picchu-tour-3d2n/
When we hiked thru Incas trail and stayed night in Machu Picchu, we left our extra large luggage in our Cusco hotel.
This is Inca’s Trail, our day long hike to reach Machu Picchu. At 8000+ ft elevation, this hike challenged us physically.
It turned out it was all about the journey and not the destination.
Inca Hike & Our Journey to Machu Picchu on YouTube
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