Inca Trail

Sunday July 8

OK OK, I'm sick of visiting amazing ruins and churches and have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon than sit in front of a computer screen while Flick sits on the balcony eating chocolate cake and sipping Inca Kolas (a popular local soft drink Inca gold in colour and rather like a super sweet version of Mountain Dew).

It was early on a clear Monday morning that we bussed along the Sacred Valley to the trail head, stopping to buy sturdy bamboo walking sticks. First the statistics. We started from so called km 77 on the railway line, at about 2,500m altitude. The modern town of Aguas Calientes (hot springs) at the base of Machu Picchu mountain is at about km 110.

However, after following the Urubamba river valley past km 82 (the end of the road) and to km 88, the trail diverges and heads up a secondary valley system. From there (camp site 1) we climbed up to camp site 2 at 3,800m and on the third day breasted the first and highest pass (4,200m) before dropping down to 3,500m then up to camp site 3 at 3,700m. On the fourth day we topped the second pass (3,950m), descended to about 3,500 and spent the fourth night at the top of the third pass (3,600m). The last day we descended to Machu Picchu at 2,400m. Total distance about 50km, including around 2.5km of vertical ascents.

It turns out that we have done the trail in about as much luxury as it is possible to do it. Our group of 10 tourists was supported by Gustavo (who played his Andean flute as we walked, the music echoing hauntingly around the mountains) and Paul (our guide assistant), head chef and two cook assistants, camp manager and a team of 24 porters, who carried all our luggage apart from our day packs. We set out before the porters each morning, but after they had finished dismantling the camp they quickly raced ahead of us.

At lunch time we would come across a temporary camp site featuring a table and stools set up beneath a tent fly, complete with a hot soup, hot drinks and make your own sandwiches. At day's end we would roll into a beautiful camp site with the tents already set up and bowls of hot water waiting for us to wash in prior to afternoon tea. The toilet tent, complete with toilet seat attached to a camp stool base would also have been prepared. We were served delicious three course meals at dinner, with soup prepared from fresh vegetables, mains that included chicken breast or stuffed capsicum (a local favourite), all accompanied by a palatable Chilean wine (not Peruvian because it's not available in casks). Our tents for two were roomy four person models, and the sleeping bags were top quality Antarctic strength down models.


Porter with toilet seat	Camp Site - 2nd night. Note red toilet tents at left	Gustavo entertains

Despite starting from km 77, which makes for a longer journey than most trekkers who start at km 82 or 88, we spread the trek over 5 days instead of the usual 4 (three for the die hards). Accordingly, the walking was easy and we had plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent natural scenery and the various Inca sites along the way.

Winay Wayna ruins, Day 5

The other benefit was that our camp sites were situated at different points from the main throng, and we only encountered heavy traffic on the fourth day. This is despite a daily limit of 400 people, which, adding porters etc, means there are several thousand people along the trail at any one time during the high season.

Due to the altitude we did have to take it easy, putting each foot in front of the other. We really noticed the effects on the steep sections up to the high passes. It was impossible to maintain a fast pace for long as the heart and lungs protested. But the rewards were fantastic. Breathtaking mountains and valleys, with a huge variety of flora (including heaps of orchids) and many birds. The plant life varied from alpine tundra to lush rain forest, with surprises round every corner. Although much of the trail has been rebuilt in recent times, we were able to walk over original Inca stone work, particularly on the fourth day where the trail hugged the side of the cliff with built up terraces and a couple of tunnel sections. Dawn on the fifth day brought a perfect sunrise and magnificent 360 degree views from the third pass, dominated by the 6,271m bulk of Sulcantay, the tallest peak in this section of the Andes. It has been suggested that the trail was constructed as a work of art, to inspire the pilgrims who had come to present offerings to the temples at Machu Picchu.

Breakfast on day 5

View of Sulcantay from breakfast table

The last day, after farewelling our porter team (who posed in their traditional ponchos and hats) and a kilometre descent down thousands of steps we reached the fabled Sun Gate and had our first view of our destination. I'm sure everyone has seen the pictures of the stone terraces and buildings perched on the ridge between two mountains with the raging Urubamba gorge far below. Fantastic, and way better in real life.

	On the way down we met a couple of the local llamas coming up the trail, who obligingly posed for the classic post card shot with the ruins in the back ground.
	After an initial look around we descended to Aguas Calientes by bus for a well needed hot shower, hot pool and sleep in a real bed before returning for a full tour on Saturday. Unfortunately by that time the rain that had dogged us on the fourth day had returned, and it was pretty miserable.

Still, it was with regret that we boarded the train for the journey back to Cusco. We can only recommend that you try to experience this adventure yourselves.

Another train journey awaits tomorrow to Puno on the shores of Lake Titiccaca, at 3,800m the highest navigable lake in the world.