The Inca trail and Machu Picchu

Wednesday the 3rd of November 2010
We woke up early morning on Wednesday for our most touristy (and most expensive) four days of out trip. At dawn we got on the bus that would take us to the beginning of the Inca Trail. In the bus we met An, a nice 58 year old lady from Londen, Frederico and Patricia, a couple from Buenos Aires, and two dutch guys (Michiel and Lucas). Together with them and our two guides (Elias and Jose) we would spend the next four days on the path that so many Inca pelgrims and tourists followed before us. We made a short stop in Ollantaytambo before reaching the start of the Inca trail. Here we crossed the Urubamba river, the river that flooded in Februari this year and cut off the way between Aguas Caliente (the little town at the end of the Inca Trail and at the base of the Machu Picchu mountain) and the rest of Peru, blocking the return route for thousands of tourists.
The first part of the trail brought us through dry forest and passed impressive Inca ruines. Half an hour from these ruines we stopped for our first lunch break. The meal and service was very promising. Our porters, 11 local farmers in total, had passed us on the trail and had set up the kitchen tent and comedor and prepared a delicious three coures meal for us. The guys welcomed us with freshly prepared juice and before taking our seats at the table we were all presented our individual boil with warm water to wash our hands. To dry our hands we used paper towels offered to us in the most humble way be one our shy porters. Even moving our chairs appeared to be the job of the porters, because when trying to move them ourselves one of them would jump up and take over the job. They porters clearly considered this part of their job, we had to get used to being served in such a humble way. Anyhow, the lunch and service were excellent. After filling our stomachs we had two hours more to walk to Wayllabamba, our first camp site. Again the readiness of the porters was overwhelming and the meal astonishing. Before going to bed early (20h30) we played cards all together to finish off a perfect first day.

Thursday the 4th of November 2010
Following a nice quiet night we were woken at 6h by a team of two porters with tea (coca, the standard in the mountains). A third porter followed with our individual washing bowl and the paper towel. Half an hour later we were enjoying an extensive breakfast. Our working ants had already brought down and packed all the tents and were waiting to pull down and pack the rest of the equipment we were still using. Day two of the Inca trail is generally considered the hardest of all days because you pass the Warmiwanusca or dead women´s pass (=4200m - 1000m higher than our camping spot). We were adviced by our guide to walk in our own pace and stop at predetermined points to regroup. I remembered the tips of our guide on the Santa Cruz trek, found my ritm and walked to the meeting points in one breath keeping a decent pace. Nele followed at a short distance, the Dutch guys followed a bit further down, closely followed by An (58 years of age... chapeau!). Frederico and Patricia needed twice as much time as us to do the distance, but because they are twice as old as we are, that can be considered an absolutely normal situation. The last few hunderd meters to the pass were really killing everybody, step inca stairs that make you feel like you can drop backwards any time. Additionally you should consider the altitude and the lack of oxygen it implies. I constantly found myself among the porters, which gave me a reasonably good feeling I must admit, in the knowledge of the reputation of Inca trail porters as being speedy little guys. I should honestly admit that the porters carried more weight up than I. Their load usually weighs in between 20 and 25 kg, while I was carrying "only" 15kg (all Nele's stuff ;-) ). From the pass it was a two hour downhil walk on the Inca steps to our next camp site. There we witnessed the same lunch ritual as the day before. It didn't take us very long to get used to it. Later, before dinner, the porters introduced themselves to us (and vice versa). It was somewhat of an ackward group ritual, just little kids that meet for the first time in kinergarden and have to say their namens. The yongest porter as 18, the oldes 58, ... they all carried 25kg, impressive.

Friday the 5th of November 2010
Day 3 brought us over another mountain pass into the rain forest. The landscape and our direct surrounding looked completely different now and was even prettier than the days before. We also passed more Inca ruines, the Machu Picchu obviously came closer. Our little group stayed nicely together and in every ruine we encountered Elias learned us a bit more about the Inca's in his own funny, honest way. Often he would draw something on the ground, but afterwards carefully erase what he had drwawn. "Are you clearing the evidence, Elias? No, but another guide might have another theory." And in fact, that is the way it is with the Inca's. Because they did not leave any written testimony (they didn't know any writting) a lot of what we know about the Inca's is based on some guesses or stories orally transmitted stories. From our lunch spot we could see the backside of the Machu Picchu mountain. Our camping spot was 2 hours away and 1000m downhill. The way down went over 90% original Inca steps, some of which were carved from the rocks. Pretty special, knowing you are walking over 700 year old steps that were only known to a wider public some 60 years ago.

Saturday the 6th of November 2010
The last stage to Machu Picchu started really early. The wash-bowl barrier woke us up at 3h45. No time for tea this moring, the porters had to make it to the 5 o'clock train back to Cusco. After breakfast we had a bit of time left to wake up and then lined up for the entrance to the last kilometers of the Inca trail. The path passes through a magnificent piece of nature here, Orchides and humming birds everywhere. At 7h30 we reached the sun gate from where you have a magnificent view on the remains of Machu Picchu... That is if the clouds allow you this view. We were looking at a misty mountain landscape, but couldn't make out any ruins. However, 5 minutes of patience made a whole difference. The clouds slowly opened and it was as if a curtain was slided open and slowly revealed the most famous Inca ruines in the world. Magnificent!
After this show of nature and culture we walke down closer to the ruines. Our guide excellently explained us not only about the site, but also about the discovery of it with a personal touch/opinion (e.g. in his opinion the discoverers of the site under guidance of Bingham had destroyed the place but not taking into account the basics of archeology (write down what you take away where and do not tear down any construction). Despite the force with which he explained it all, our guide constantly reminded us of the fact that things might have been different, because of the reasons I mentioned above.
After visiting the site, we dropped down into Auguas Calientes. A city at the base of the mountain that only exists because the Machu Picchu ruines were discovered. We relaxed in the thermal bads of the town and later got on the train back to Cusco. The train ride is supposed to be very nice, but I cannot confirm that because I was trying to keep my last lunch in my system. I failed; near the end of the train ride I witnessed all the symptoms of someone who had ate somehting he shouldn't have. Back in Cusco, Nele therefor had to take care of all stuff, such as finding a hostel and carrying equipment. Once we found a bed, I passed out in it immediately. There was no change I was going to get on a bus the next day...

The pictures belonging to this the text are found here.