The Inca trail & Machu Picchu

Looking fresh at the start of the trail

The ruins of Llaqtapata

 After a day in Cusco it was time to embark on the Inca trail. After a brief stop in Ollybatrambo to pick up hiking poles, snacks and breakfast, we were dropped off at km 88, the start of the trail.







In a great group of 16 with two guides, we spent the next 3 days hiking through amazing scenery that changed from antiplano to jungle, stopping at several Incan sites along the way.

The first day eased us in gently but the second day of almost continual climbing was really tough going, and the third day with over 3000 steps downwards was pretty hard on the knees. But on the afternoon of the third day we reached our campsite just a short walk away from the final checkpoint before Machu Picchu.

With my usual limited fitness I had been pretty worried about the trek but both Josh and I held our own in a group of about five of us who led throughout most of the trek. Although it was still probably the hardest thing I'd done in a long time, if not ever. It was certainly too much for this little boy who was carried by his Dad in a backpack for most of the trek!

 On the fourth day, we packed up early (4am) and headed down to the checkpoint which opened at 5.30am. Sitting in the dark, knackered, with 100 other people waiting for the gate to open whilst listening to choice 80's and 90's music was a bit surreal but a moment I won't forget. Suddenly the gate opened and we all rushed forward to get to the Sun gate as quickly as possible and to our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

However when we reached the Sun gate it was clouded over. We kept walking and finally, the clouds began to clear. We waited. It seemed like the clouds had cleared over every bit of the valley except the ruined city. Finally, the last clouds parted. The ruins of Machu Picchu are impressive in themselves but the backdrop against the mountains makes it pretty spectacular. And after three days of walking we'd earned the view.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins close up before taking the bus down to the nearby town of Agues Calientes where we were due to take a train back to Cusco that night.