Camino Inka (The Inca Trail) - Day 4 - Machu Picchu...Done!:D

Day 4 - The race to Machu Picchu...

So the group 'voted' (lol) last night at dinner to try and be the first group to the final checkpoint of the Camino Inka that would allow us to hike the last 5km (3.1 miles) to our final destination of Machu Picchu - the forgotten Inca city hidden in the clouds which saved it from the Spanish conquerors.

Translation: we're waking up at 3 am - breakfast at 3:30am then racing to be first in line at the government manned checkpoint that would open at 5am to let the 1st Inca Trail hikers through... I thought the guide was kidding.

Nope - pitch dark 3 am; Headlamp flashlights - we pretty much packed the night before and I slept in my new set of hiking clothes so I could literally roll out of the tent once the alarm hit.  Note: if you forget to set your alarm or don't have one - not to worry!  Your neighboring tent mates are sure to have one set (Thanks Anna and Remon!) or if you snooze through theirs, our ever courteous and bright-eyed porters will kindly knock on your tent and waft an enticingly warm cup of coca tea at your tent flap to get you on your feet.

Heading down, down, down...

Train tracks to Machu Picchu run along the top side of the Urubamba river in this pic...

Spotting finally of the Forever Young pink orchid :D

View from Inti Punku "Sun Gate"; last Inca ruin stop before the grandeur of Machu Picchu

Our group taking a quick stop for Inca ruin "explanation" and respite from a sheer "gringo-killer" set of stairs that I literally had to scale with both my hands to climb up.  A native guide, however, raced up the stairway and by me in 15 sec flat...omg

Our first view of Machu Picchu from Inti Punku complete with transient clouds ... stunning.

Photo op and documentation of success time!!! Note: Train travelers to Machu Picchu can hike "backward" up to Sun Gate to get this pic as well.

Start of our final guided 2-hour walking tour of Machu Picchu (2430m/7970ft) grounds starting at the storage granaries with re-constructed thatched roofs.

ME:) - New accomplishment: I can now say that I have hiked a marathon in the Andes mountains over 4 days!

View of Wayna Picchu mountain - optional 45 min worth-it hike I've heard from friends AND you can leave your heavy backpack behind!! Note: tickets sell out so reserve in advance. Unfortunately I did not conquer Wayna Picchu this trip:P

A brief stop for 'explanation' and rest (yes more stairs lol they never end in Andes!)

Temple of the Sun  - note polished Inca imperial stone structure.

Note Inca architectural incorporation of natural large stones into their structures

I admit...I have forgotten this temples name (but it is under the sun).  All the temples celebrating the elements and nature (sun, wind, stars, etc) are pretty near each other...

Currently a measurement 'string' has been attached across this courtyard to measure if Machu Pichu or sides of it are sinking due to tectonic plate movement.

So steep!! Large green courtyard also serves to separate upper religious and royal sector from lower urban/warehouse sections of Machu Picchu grounds.

Inca trapezoidal cubby holes: for personal belongings storage in houses or religious idols if in a temple.

Now familiar agricultural ...yes...terraces.

Free time after the guided tour to explore Machu Pichu more - spent reviewing hundreds of pics and napping lol

A quick 20 minute bus ride down to Aguas Calientes town, lunch with our fellow Andean conquerors and then taking advantage of our "cushy" train return to Cusco....we did it!!! :D

(Track our progress on the Llama Path map)

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Am I glad I chose to do the full Camino Inka pilgrimage route immersion to Machu Picchu?  Yes!
Would I do it again? Hmmm...possible but would take a different trail maybe...Salkantay? :D  Lol there will always be the train too....

Camino Inka (The Inca Trail) - Day 3 - Final push...

Morning view (imagine 360 degrees) right outside of our tent...my iPhone doesn't do it justice;P

 Woke up on Day 3 still alive...yay!  And yes night 2 was pretty cold (low anticipated of -2C) but apparently it wasn't as cold as it could have been due to some light overnight rain.  

Trip tips:  You would be have been comfortable/warm in a down sleeping bag.  Unfortunately, I (being allergic to down) opted for regular sleeping bag PLUS 3 bottoms, 4 tops, 2 socks (1 wool), "maybe" alpaca mittens and a very comfortable cashmere beanie (thanks Sienmi!).  I survived but after I woke up and covered my head with the sleeping bag as well.  Another note to keep in mind before you try to find a portable heater to bring on the trip...  I am a person that runs "cold" usually.

Day 3:  Chaquicocha to Winay Wayna (Forever Young) 

Whoo hoo!  Today's hike was previewd by our guide to be only 1/2 day til 1pm...what to do with our "free time" in the afternoon???  I kid you not, this was the best news all trip haha.  I was already in mental 'survival' mode by this time.

I voted nap...lol - yeh, that did not happen.

So peaceful up on top - so quiet:)

Just after hiking our 3rd mountain pass of the trip, we see...another Inca ruin! They love their mountain side constructions:) ...the ruins are starting to get larger now...

Note that most larger ruins always have agriculture "steps" as part of the community.  The steps allowed the Incas (and Andean) farming area to span multiple altitudes (and therefore temperatures) so that a variety of crops could be grown.  Okay maybe mountain-side building had some benefits in addition to inaccessibility lol :D

Phuyupatamarca "The City above the Clouds" (3680m/12073ft)

Close up on the five stone Inca "baths" (from above pic) - more for ritual water cleansing than actual baths.

Aguas Calientes is the small town nestled by the river near the top of the pic...where the train from Cusco or Ollaytaybambo would take you to get to Machu Pichu base...getting close!!!

Be careful not to step or sit on the llama "beans" lol...they're pretty fragrant so can't miss!

This llama was hilarious! Totally just sat there an deadpanned the camera...awesome photo op loved it:)

Killing some time between popcorn happy hour and dinner with Anna's Banana-grams!  Seriously a hit on this trip...may buy myself the game...

So instead of a nap in the afternoon "free" time...I took advantage of my Andean surroundings and visited "Little Machu Pichu" or more accurately known as Winay Wayna in the Quechua language....yes more steps:)  But the steps still amaze me since they are so huge!!!!  Looks small here but you can not jump down from step to step...well you could but ummm you might incur some injury.  You also might find a llama grazing on one of them as well...super cute:)

Winay Wayna (translation: Forever Young) or mini-Machu Pichu preview...located right by our campsite on the 3rd night

Managed to squeeze in a tiny photo nap after all...

We are now literally right around the corner from Machu Pichu!!!! (Alas, in the real world still a 2 hour hike away...for now dinner and rest...)

(the zig-zag trail to the right is the 30 min bus ride from Aguas Calientes city up the Machu Pichu)

 Trail tip:  Yes, on our orientation, night 3 was the campsite where there would be showers to refresh ourselves and be once more tolerable to our tent roomie.  However, as of 06/2013 - the running water was MOUNTAIN cold water (i.e. freezing!) as testimonied by the 3? 4? guys that braved the showers (kudos!!!).  So be prepared or bring a billion kid/diaper wipes (you still have to carry them!) for a "sponge" bath on the go if you're not into mountain cold showers. 

(Track our progress on the Llama Path map)

Cuanto cuesta? : Shopping in Cusco - Mercado San Pedro

June 21st

Hmmm... Sacred Valley tour from 8am - 6pm while still nursing some altitude sickness or a kick back day of sleeping in and shopping?

With 3 girls and 1 guy traveling you can guess what our agenda entailed for the day:)

1st stop:  Mercado San Pedro - Cuzco's central market - total flea market (or as I called it the local "Costco")

Imbibing some refreshing  $$ coconut (S/.4) just after a queasy stomach night getting use to the local fair..

Fruit lover heaven!  Unfortunately I could hardly name any but Sienmi was a pro!

Reminds me of the markets in Asia as well with a "Meat" aisle (not pictured...I just had to walk quickly by the raw chopped chicken innards and thighs with feet still attached).

Fruits aisles were lovely and colorful...wish I ate fruit on a regular basis so I could identify them.  Sienmi was pretty good at locating her favorite cherimoya for a "steal" (1 kilo for S/.7)!

Cherimoya!  Super affordable per Sienmi - her fave fruta!

Then there were herbs and textile sections.  Then lunch at the food court!  I had a little stomach queasiness from yesterday's ceviche (possible culprit) so the hearty chicken soup looked awesome...until the woman scooping the fusilli noodles used her hands to pull out the chicken meat and also count the money AND package the to-go noodle bagged orders.  Um non, gracias.


So pretty...wishing I had an apt to bring them back to!

So we picked the busiest food court bench and got:



Fried Trucha (trout)...Yay learned another dish to order:D

Pollo apanado (grilled chicken)

Food court restaurant menu...what would YOU order?

Umm...translator please!! lol




2nd stop:  Museo de Cacao (free!) - Chocolate museum

Yum, lovely dark Peruvian chococolates.  I had hot milk and melted some dark cacao with nibs into it.  Chocolate tea was lovely and sweeter than expected (like water hot chocolate)

Cherimoya truffles...what???! :D

Coca leaves...DO NOT bring back with you to US hehe