Travel Tips

Day One

We started out on fairly flat terrain, departing from the town of Chilca and trekking along the Urubamba River.

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We continued our trek until we reached the ruins of Llactapata, a former Inca settlement.

We slept here our first night.

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Day Two

We started ascending in earnest by day two, going through dry gorges and brambly forests before reaching a high plateau for the evening.

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There were horses grazing in this valley, and I could hear them whinnying at night.

Some of the porters preferred to sleep outdoors with only a blanket to cover them.

It was very, very cold here.

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Day Three

We continued ascending through cloud forests and misty terrain, passing through "Dead Woman's Pass" at nearly 14,000 ft (4050 m).

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We broke camp near the impressive ruins of Sayacmarca, at approximately 11,000 feet.

We all felt great, knowing we would soon be coming face to face with our reward, the following day.

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Day Four

We were full of energy and excited on our last official "hiking" day. Energized, we began a descent past several hidden Inca ruins, including Hunay Huayna and past that, Intipunku.

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Intipunku is Quechua for "Gate of the Sun", and formed the main entrance to Machu Picchu, in the distance.