  Machu Picchu
Click to get the inside scoop from
real travelers here at VirtualTourist. See the Machu Picchu Travel GuideInside advice from real people on:Overview, Hotels, Things to Do, Restaurants, Nightlife, Shopping, General Tips, Transportation, Off the Beaten Path, Tourist Traps, Warnings or Dangers, Local Customs, Packing Lists or Sports Travel.
 717 Machu Picchu Tips.1645 Machu Picchu Photos.1 Machu Picchu Videos. Machu Picchu Pages by Alain_Smeets Sponsored Links for Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu Vacation
Eco-tours to Peru & Machu Picchu. Call & Speak with an Agent Now!
Vacations In Peru
Specialists in Group Tours to Peru. 8 day tour to Machu Picchu for $580
Peru Holidays
Huge Choice Of Peru Holiday Trips! Book Today and Get Up To 10% Off
Hotels at Machu Picchu
3, 4 & 5 Star Hotels Near Machu Picchu. Great Rates. Book Now.
Peru Vacations
Peru & Machu Picchu 10 Days & $1850 Tours Standard & Luxury, Visit Now!
|
 Alain_Smeets' Machu Picchu Travelogues | | | |
|
| Page Views: 627 Last Visit to Machu Picchu: October, 2002 | EL CAMINO DEL INCA - DAY 1 by Alain_Smeets - last update: Sep 30, 2003 |
| Group picture at the start of the Inca Trail (Jean |
|
| First explanation by our guide (Guy) |
|  | Friday 18 October is D-day. It's 4 o'clock when we get out of bed and at 4h30 is all the material that we were thinking was redundant stacked together in one room. (Roger was thinking that his big poncho was redundant material, what a mistake). Our guide Erich, who was yesterday in Machu Picchu and not ill like the organisation told us before, is greeting us on this unchristian hour. We step into the bus from United Mice and they take us towards Ollantaytambo, were we get our breakfast at 6h00. We take the opportunity to buy quickly a walking stick and a plastic poncho from some local boys. We have to leave before 6h50 otherwise we will be standing in front of a closed road, there are some construction works going on. We are driving via small villages and very small roads, without the possibility to pass another car. Everywhere we look, we see water running in small ditches next to the road. We see in the distance some clouds wrapping themselves around the mountains as a veil, but chased away by the wind they continue their journey to a destination unknown. |
At km 82 we gear up our backpack, we hang the water bottle in his carrier around our neck and with our walking stick in our hands we feel ready for it. We are the first group who passes the control gate and it's now 8h15 in the morning. After the crossing of the bridge over the Urubamba, we take our first group photo of the Inca Trail. We are at 2.750 meters high and it's 8h30 when we start our trip. First we walk up a smooth slope with in the dept next to us the Urubamba. We take our first stop at 2.785 meters and we get a short briefing about the trip of today. He says we are lucky today because we are camping on the highest campground, close to the first pass. He explains that the companies have to share campsites and that they get each day another campground to stay. He introduces his aid Chaime en together with him and the 12 porters and 1 cook, we are forming one big family. | | | Inca trail: Llactapata (photo Michel) |
|
| | Now we can really start the Inca trail. First it's reasonable flat and the surrounding mountains are cloaked with some clouds strings and in the depth next to us the Urubamba is flowing. We make good progress and en route Erich gives plenty of explanation about the plants around us. First we pass some isolated farmhouses where they sell some fruits and drinks and then we see Llactapata (2.600 m) on the flank of a hill beneath us. It's now 11h07 and we are at 2.865 meters high, we didn't climb so much until now. Llactapata means in the local Quechua language, the town on the hillside. This is a new name, because nobody remembers the old Inca name anymore. We look down up the ruins at the other side of the Kusichaca valley. It was in the Inca times probably an administrative Centrum that according to Inca tradition is divided in a religious complex with temples, an agricultural and living area. They received various goods from the jungle and transported these further towards Cusco. |
Erich tells us about the "Quchichaqa" or the running of the Inca trail toward Machu Picchu. This is 32 km over rough terrain, where we will be walking the next 3 days. The contestants are usually the porters and they do this in a record time of 3 hours 44 minutes. They are running on normal running shoes and at each pass they get some provisions. In the mean time they will chew on coca leaves. This has only some effect when you use a catalyst. He shows us how they do it and he tells us that you will get a num feeling in your jaw. | | |
| Passing a small stream on the Inca trail |
| | While we are sitting there, we see a group from Denmark stopping here also. After this short break, we have the first difficult part of our trip and we take a short rest at a farm. We walk further to our first lunch spot and Bart and I are the last ones who reach it. It's now 12h00. Bart and I are forming the rear together with Chaime en the altitude meter is reading 2.930 meters at the moment. For the first day there is a cold lunch programmed. After that lunch we take a rest, just lying done in the grass and just breath and do nothing. 45 minutes of doing nothing and then we have to start again. The road is going more and more up and after another short break in an open cottage, we put on our plastic ponchos, this on Erich's advice because the sky is closing up in the distance. Until now I always walked in the back of the group and I also leave now in the back of the group. Then we end up in the middle of a caravan with horses. They are carrying ceramic tiles toward the top. These horses have a better life than our porters, who are carrying 15 kg on their back. But 2 years ago they had to carry up to 45 kg into the mountains. Can you imagine that? I can't and luckily they made a law two years ago to limit the load. Erich let's the group stop on regular intervals so that we can all get together and for me and Bart that is good for us, but the others cool down while they stand there and wait for us. |
It started to rain, at one hand this is an advantage because now we are not suffering any more from the burning sun. But it gets chilly and due to the rain I decide to walk faster. It's just a matter of being earlier in the campsite. The most difficult and hard part is coming up now, the Inca steps. Oh yes, in making buildings they are superb, but those stairs are unequal, some are very small and other very high and all unequal. It's very hard and tiresome to walk these Inca steps and in the mean time while you are almost dying (-lol-) you have to try to enjoy the view of a small mountain stream that is finding his way downhill via several small waterfalls through a small strip of a tropical rainforest. I stop very regular to look at the nature, but above all to take a breather. At this moment only Erich and Guy are walking in front of me. | | |
| | Then we pass the Yajapatu campsite this is the place of the dead in the Quechua language. There are 4 tents standing here and indeed this place looks dead and quiet. There is no live besides us "jokers". This place thanks his name at a coincidence: the local people found her a few years ago some skeletons. From now on it's every man and woman for themselves and the trail is getting even more steep with more of those beautiful Inca steps. It's hard and we walk further, at least if you can call our stroll walking. And then on top of it all while we are almost dying there is a guy passing is while he whistles a song. It's one of the Danes, he's passing us with his daypack of a few kilo's while we all dragging a backpack between 6 and 8 kilo. I guess we can whistle to if we can loose more then half of that weight. But my force is coming to an end and I'm looking on regular moments back over my shoulder or take a short break, gasp for air and further, gasp for air and further. Then I see two porters coming towards me and 10 minutes later I see 2 porters sitting on the side of the road and the say something to me in Spanish. I guess that they are telling me that the campsite is close by and this gives me extra courage. I tell this also to Roger and Mick who follow me at a close distance and together we see the campsite. |
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
| Alain_Smeets' Machu Picchu Travelogues | | | |
|
 Comments for Alain_Smeets about Machu Picchu | | | | |
Pablos_new Sun Apr 20, 2008 19:29 UTC
great! I put it in my wish-list! :) | glyndywyr Wed Nov 21, 2007 15:17 UTC
Firstly Happy Birthday. We are going to Peru in May and have read your report with great interest. regards Glyn D | staindesign Sun Nov 4, 2007 21:14 UTC
Excellent Page!!! MP has been my dream vacation for a long time, now i'll definitely take in consideration to do the Inca trail! Thanks for the info! | elpariente Thu Jun 15, 2006 14:02 UTC
I should like to make the Inca Trail . If I do will follow your recomendations |
|
|
email me
add as friend
