Peru: The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail is a 39km trek in Peru’s Sacred Valley that leads into the Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu. Starting at Kilometer 82 of the railway between Ollantaytambo and Aguascalientes, the Inca Trail takes around four days to walk. The trail passes through cloud forests, alpine tundra, and lush jungles. The high point is Dead Woman’s Pass, located at an elevation of 4,200m. There are also a number of terraced ruins along the way including Intipata and Wiñay Wayna. The trail ends at the Sun Gate, which provides the first view breathtaking view of Machu Picchu.
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Post Script: A night at Skylodge Adventure Suites
And this is how you save the best for last. This is, Without a doubt, one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Not to mention totally outside my comfort zone I discovered the existence of Skylodge Adventure Suites during the pandemic, more than three years ago. This was—even more than hiking the Inca Trail—my number one reason for wanting to go to Peru: for the opportunity to spend the night suspended, yes, suspended, off the side of a mountain. But sleeping in a capsule 900 ft (300m) off the ground is just part of the equation. The middle part. First you have to get up there. Then you have…
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INCA TRAIL DAY 4: WIÑAY WAYNA TO MACHU PICCHU
I fell in love. Then I was done. This last day on the Inca trail started early. The proverbial wake up call at our tents came around 3:30am. We had also agreed to forgo a proper cooked breakfast, so we hurriedly grabbed some basic provisions, and were on our way. It is Machu Picchu day! It was a hurry up and wait kind of a situation. Unlike the previous couple of nights, the campsite we spend Machu Picchu Eve at is the same one all the other groups do. Which means there are A LOT of people here. The campsite is essentially just steps from the check point that allows trekkers…
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The Inca Trail Day 3: Choquicocha to Wiñay Wayna
I feel so privileged. Privileged to be here in Peru. Privileged to have both the health and means to undertake The Inca Trail. And beyond privileged to experience ancient Inca culture in a way only a few ever will. Today was always meant to be our “easy day” on the Inca Trail. A day when we would take our time, and make frequent photo stops as we descended into the Cloud Forest that serves as a gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. As beautiful as yesterday was, I spent so much of it just trying to catch my breath that this was a welcome respite. And while the fog was our constant…
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INCA TRAIL DAY 2: AYAPATA TO CHOQUICOCHA
This second day on the Inca Trail began at 4:40am with a knock on my tent door and a cup of coca tea. A hot water basin and soap were left outside as well allowing me to freshen up before breakfast The meals here truly are over the top. How in the world our chef manages to whip up such a varied spread for 15 in just about an hour inside a kitchen tent is beyond me. Day two on the Inca trail is the hardest. At least it is if you sign up with Alpaca Expeditions. For one there are two mountain passes to overcome. Then there are the…
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Inca Trail Day One: Ollantaytambo to Ayapata
Day one on the Inca Trail started early for Debbie and I. But not as early as it did for the rest of our Alpaca Expeditions group. Back when I first started to research the ins and outs of the Inca Trail one of the first things I learned was that the overwhelming majority of tour groups will pick up their people in Cusco. Located in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Cusco is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. It is also the ancient capital of the Incas. As such it is the starting point for anyone looking to visit the Lost City of Machu Picchu. …
