[silly_traveler]

Peru - Part 1 of 3 Cusco - Sacred Valley - The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu We spent most of October in Peru. Our first stop was the city of Cusco (10,900 ft.) and boy did I get sick that day Nobody told me I was suppose to take diamox the day before to prevent altitude sickness Hrm.... taking it once you get there is too late! At first I didn't feel anything, but after a couple of hours it hit hard. I spent most of that day in bed.

Mallqui Hostel

Mallqui Hostel

Cusco

Cusco

Cusco

We joined an all day Sacred Valley tour on the 2nd day. It was nice to see what's beyond Cusco.

Sacred Valley Tour

lunch spot

Then it was time for the Inca Trail! After tons of e-mailing back and forth, I found a local company called Peru Treks to take us on the Inca Trail. We booked it almost 6 months in advance because the Peruvian government now limits the number of people on the Inca Trail at any one day to 500. Our group consisted of 1 guide, 1 assistant guide, 1 cook, 1 assistant cook, 16 porters, and 14 travelers. It took 4 days and 3 mountain passes to get to Machu Picchu and the highest one being Dead Women's Pass at 13,744 ft., and that one almost killed me! It was all worth the effort as Machu Picchu is just spectacular! 1st Day

Inca Trail group

everybody on the trail

first ruin

Inca Trail - Peru

view

first camp

snack time

2nd Day

snack place on 2nd day

Dead Women's Pass

everybody on top of Dead Women's Pass

3rd Day

cloud forest

ruin along the way

lunch spot on 3rd day

layers of mountains

giant Inca steps

our guide's favorite ruin

I'm all happy after a shower!

4th Day

shoe shot at sun gate

everybody at sun gate

leaving sun gate

Machu Picchu

Jake arrived at Machu Picchu!

we made it

Scot

everybody listening carefully

Tony

hey there

Pachumama means Mother Earth, and our guide talked about it endlessly on our trip.... Pachumama this, Pachumama that!

Scot giving coca to Pachumama

a traveler enjoying the view

Wayna Picchu is the bigo mountain behind Machu Picchu that you see in every classic picture of Machu Picchu. They allow 400 people to climb it daily. We were able to hike to the top of it and the coolest thing is that Machu Picchu is in the shape of a condor when you look down on it!

on top of Wayna Picchu

looking down at Machu Picchu

After visiting Machu Picchu, our group met up at a restaurant in Aguas Calientes (town below Machu Picchu). We spent a couple of hours there before our return train ride back to Cusco.

Aguas Calientes

part of the group at Aguas Calientes

market place at Aguas Calientes

The porters on the Inca Trail are really amazing, they run the trail in sandals and who needs backpacks when you can just throw things on your back with some rope and tarp? They always beat us to break/lunch/camp spots and set up everything before we even get there!

introduction of porters

celebration of porters

the tip business

The cook is amazing also.... for our first meal, he made us avocado salad for starters, then a pasta soup, then some rice, broccoli with cheese, and trout! We ate like kings and queens everyday and had snacks in between. On our last night he made us a cake to celebrate!

cake!

We had a lot of fun hiking the Inca Trail

[GeoTom]

Dead Women's Pass? Why would you ever even think about hiking over it with a name like that? Waiting for parts 2 and 3...

[Matt]

Wow, that's really steep. And amazing construction in such steep terrain.

[Pumarinri]

Seventeen of us from the Pacific NW did the same Sacred Valley Tour and Inca 4 day trek using Peru Treks in July this year about 2 weeks prior to the Peru earthquake. It was great. Seven of us also did a 12 day trek in the cordillera Huayhuash. Did you see much quake damage? Did you try eating cuy? I want to go back again.

[TrailPair]

Oh yea....K had trouble at Dead Woman's Pass too. But what a great trip. Glad you had a good time. We certainly enjoyed it....except for the Inca's revenge (and we aren't even of Spanish Descent)!!! Of course we were glad to see you signature shoe shot

[Bryan K]

Uber cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing, can't wait for more pics

[dacker]

WELCOME HOME!! What a trip you had. Great pictures...can't wait for Parts 2 & 3!

[Rich Baldwin]

Very cool, ST!

[bobbi]

thanks for sharing.....i was there for their inti raymi 2003 (festival of the sun). talk about party hardy! your pics brought back memories of my own trek via the inca trail to machu picchu, arriving on their winter solstice (our summer). i also love the hike to hauyna picchu. i want to go back!

[Quark]

4 days and 3 mountain passes, wow, what a trip! Was there an occasion for this trip, or was it just for the heck of it?

[silly_traveler]

GeoTom- Pumarinri- I'm eyeing that Cordillera Huayhuash circuit We spent 8 days in the Cordillera Blanca, TR coming up soon Not any earthquake damage where we were.... and no cuy, but we did have some alpaca in Cusco TP- I learned one word in Spanish, BANO! That's about it bcfc53- We heard about the inti raymi, sounds like a great time! I didn't want to leave! So much to see.... Quark- Just for the heck of it HJT- Luggage! Jake got all dirty on the trail, I had to wash him when we got home

[mike]

[Magellan]

What a great trip report! Welcome home Silly.

[touron]

Nice pictures! The degree of precision that they used to cut the rocks in their buildings always amazes me. It's like a giant jig-saw puzzle.

[jenjen]

I have to ask, what's cuy? It sounds like you had a truly neato trip. I'm jealous!