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Copyright © 1999, 2001 by Manfred P.. All rights reserved.

Aug 10 - Aug 13, 1999

Walking Forward While Stepping Back in Time

The Inka Trail and Machu Picchu

by

Manfred P.

Keywords: Peru, Cuzco, Cusco, Machu Picchu, tourist, travel trip report, travel log, travelogue.

"Machu Picchu", this word has a special ring to it, everyone has his special associations with this word. If you have been there or not, hearing this word creates an image in your mind. You have an opinion. It is a fascinating place.

Machu Picchu is mesmerizing. But getting there in a 3-day journey on a pedestrian trail that was carved out of the mountains and laid into the jungle 500 years by the Inca is even more so. This can be a climactic moment in one's life. For its rewarding experiences the Inca Trail is the most popular hike in all of South America.

Preparations

Day 1

A mere hundred yards from the Km 88 train stop is the booth to pay the entrance fee for the trail. Only US dollars are accepted here. The booth is conveniently and strategically located at a narrow pedestrian bridge. From here it is easy to control who enters. The Urubamba is already 15 yards wide and can be wild at times. The surrounding terrain is a mix of light vegetation and rock desert. We were also enclosed by mountains. In the distance the mountains got higher and higher. We were entering the Cordillera Vilcabamba with snow-covered peaks like the Nevado Salcantay with 20,570 ft (6,271 m). But these white peaks were far in the distance and we were still at 7,200 ft (2,200 m).

Having crossed the Urubamba the adventure could begin. We were ready for it. The backpack was heavy and filled to the rim with additional items attached on the outside. Big bushes with yellow blossoms greeted us. The soil was soft and pleasant to walk on. I was happy. Occasionally a house of the modern-day descendents of the Inca lined the trail or was to be seen further a field. We passed the Qente ruins. The Incas had built large agricultural terraces here. Slowly we walk uphill and upstream following the small river Cusichaca. Along the way were the Llactapata ruins also dating back 500 to 600 years but less impressive than others. Steadily we climbed and advanced slowly. We had enough energy to make a detour to visit a set of Inca ruins called Paucarcancha. Since it was not on the trail we were the only ones at this site. Besides the restoration crew that is. A team of ten Peruvians was partially working, partially resting. It was a beautiful sunny day. It was warm and we were in T-shirts. There was silence around us and we stretched out on our jackets to take a midday nap followed by a little snack.

We met up again with the official trail in the village of Huayllabamba. It lies at 9,000 ft (2,750 m) and is the last human outpost. There were no roads here, no vehicles, no shops, no electricity and the water comes from the river. Whenever the residents want to buy something they have to take the mule down to the train and then take the train to a neighboring town. The round-trip shopping tour certainly takes 5 or 6 hours. Beyond the village the trail started to increase in steepness following a different creek. Due to the abundance of water the proximity was green. Grass grew which is generally uncommon here. There were a few soft, gentle, green spots in flat areas. They made perfect campsites and were rented out as such. The late afternoon sun which added some yellow and the first red colors to the scene made the picture look even more attractive. Despite the temptation the trail was long and we better put some more mile behind us on the first day.

When it got dark two hours later we had reached the Three White Stones campsite. The word "campsite" is too big a term to describe the place. It is a field, semi-flat and with a bit of dry grass right next to the trail and the creek that we have been following during the last hours. There was no flat spot to be found and even before putting the tent up it was clear that during the night we would continuously slide downhill. In the dark we ate our meager meal. We didn't bring a stove to save weight and space. Hence the meal was cold. While I was used to rolled oats, milk made from powder, raisins, peanuts and chocolate, my girl friends wasn't very satisfied. Too sweet for her taste and not what she would call a dinner. Some sacrifices have to be made tough. It was also too cold to eat in the open. Inside the tent was a more protected place.

Day 2

Despite the altitude it was warm at midday. Us climbing the pass with the weight of the backpacks certainly also had something to do with it. It was pleasant to hike in T-shirt and the sun was strong. The trail up and down the pass was lined with steps laid here by the Incas. We are walking on a historic place. From large distances they carried in these large slabs. Half a millennium later the rocks were in rather sad shape.

Having passed the first pass it was downhill for a change, the first time since we started. One could see far from here. The next 2 to 3 miles of the trail were visible. The trail winded its way down to another campsite that was visible for miles because there were several blue tarps there and the unnatural blue color stuck out in the landscape. Beyond the campsite the trail entered a valley and starting climbing inside this valley towards another pass.

On the way to the new pass new Inca ruins appeared. The Runturacay ruins. They are also called "Egg Hut" because the various towers were oval shaped. Today only walls up to 12 feet remain. It looks like a lookout post t watch over the region and spot intruders. After the Runturacay ruins came the second pass and second highest point of our journey at 13,113 ft (3,998 m). From there it was not far to the next set of ruins, also visible from the far. The Sayacmarca ruins were big, like a small village all placed into a single building complex. It looked less like a surveillance outpost and more like a place that once had permanent living quarters for maybe hundreds of people. While the roofs were all gone, the walls were in very good shape. One can still walk up and down the stairs today. From the ruins we overlooked the valley and could see how our trail lowered itself into a more green area, indication that there is water and thereafter started to climb again.

At this point we both were tired. I even had to think twice before deciding to make the tiny detour to see the Sayacmarca ruins up close. It was getting tough. We were fatigued and I had problems with my hearing due to the high altitude. On one ear I couldn't hear anything, which is a permanent condition I have, and on the other ear I heard everything with an echo and distorted. It was hard to communicate and understand other people. On top of that I had an argument with my girlfriend and we both were sufficiently upset to be in an unhappy mood. For a couple of miles we were brooding while passing through the green area we had seen from the Sayacmarca ruins. It was a bit swampy here and the soil was soft and a nice change from walking on rocks for the last day.

As we crossed the wet area it got dry again and we had to climb the next pass. The sun set behind the tall snow-covered mountains. There was still light thereafter to walk, but with every 15 minutes it got notably darker. We were close to a mountain ridge and in one place in the rocks was a tunnel, again carved by the Incas centuries ago. The trail was wide, rather flat in comparison to other inclines we had passed already today. Somehow I liked the environment and it put me into a better mood. There were only minutes left until complete darkness and it was also getting cold despite the fact that we were walking and hence burning calories. Then as a surprise, earlier than expected the campsite popped up. It was a welcome sight. I had calculated that it would take us another half hour before we would reach it. It was a joyful moment. We had left the third pass with 12,136 ft (3,700 m) behind us and had reached a flat spot. It was too dark to see any details and there was some cloud cover so the stars and moon were not strong. From the celestial objects there was enough light to make out some contrasts in the vicinity, but not much more. We just wanted to get the backpack off our back. We were exhausted. We started to freeze. It was getting really cold really quickly. As fast as we could in the darkness we set up our tent on a flat spot that clearly was used beforehand many times as tent site. Once the tent was up we crawled inside quickly to escape the cold wind. The dinner was the same plain cold dinner as the night before. But tonight we barely had energy left to chew the food. We were so tired that we didn't have any appetite and eating the food was hard work.

Today I believe that being so worn-out, so tired, was also a blessing in disguise. Having done three passes today we just wanted to sleep. The exhaustion made us sleep like trunks. I slept so deeply and so well that I didn't notice anything all night. I woke up when it was light already. When I stepped outside, the brown soil was covered widely with white stuff. Ice. It was a surprisingly dense layer of frozen morning dew. Usually I freeze and sleep little if the temperatures drop to a few degrees above freezing. The last night, however, with temperatures below freezing I slept like a baby. That is why I think that the exhaustion was the blessing in disguise.

Day 3

From here on it was mostly downhill. The vegetation got denser. Soon we entered into a forest that reached as far as the eye could see. The trail is well restored here and for large distances you walk on large rectangular, cut stone slabs placed here under extreme efforts by the Incas. It is like a long staircase built into nature. The steps of this staircase are however occasionally two feet. And always made of a single rock. This also gives you an idea about the size of the rocks that the Incas transported.

This day was quite different from the day before. The walking was downhill and easy. It was wet rather than dry. We were in a forest rather than on mountains. We were in the shade rather then out in the sun. What was the same was that it was another warm sunny day. In the distance the next ruins came into view. They looked like an amphitheatre. As we got closer it disappeared again behind the trees until we emerged at the top of the ruins. It turned out to be a large set of terraces. Each level was some 3 or 4 yards above the predecessor. Some 15 levels in total. These are the ruins of Conchamarca. At the bottom are a small platform and a building with the traditional trapezoid windows. The views are splendid. Looking further down the valley one could see the Urubamba River reappear that we had left two and a half days ago. In the background the Andes peaks.

Just a little further on was yet another set of ruins: Huiñay Huayna, frequently translated with "Forever Young". These were crowded ruins. A second and shorter trail merges with the traditional Inca Trail here. Furthermore a basic hostel had been built at the junction of these two trails. The second trail, being shorter was also more frequented. Everyone seemed to have gathered at Huiñay Huayna when we were there. The ruins are nicely restored and a team was working there at this ongoing effort. Huiñay Huayna is a village with an adjoining line of baths and terraces. It has it all, houses, temples, baths, and terraces. 30 levels of terraces gave it plenty of room to grow plants. The scientists are arguing over the fact what was grown here and why it was grown. Some say these were experimental fields. Each level had a different plant. Others say they were only growing plants for religious purposes, plants that were later offered to their gods. There are many speculations. The guess that they were growing food here so they had something to eat is certainly not so unlikely either.

On the upper half, each level of the terraces also had its proper water container. While these looked very similar to the baths in Phuyupatamarca, it is more likely that these walled water containers were just used for irrigation. There is a total of 10 of these.

The Inca village below consists of some 20 houses, each one a two-story house with the typical windows at the ground floor as well as at the first floor. This must have been one charming village in the hills in the 15th century; located maybe a 2-week journey away from their capital in Cuzco. Water was abundant. Minutes from the village is a picture-perfect waterfall. At its foot is a wooden bridge crossing the creek. Plants are growing abundantly. The waterfall is some 60 feet tall and the spray got into our face while we were standing there taking pictures.

We had thoroughly explored these ruins and spent maybe 3 hours at the last two ruins. When we wanted to continue our hike towards Machu Picchu we were turned back. Nobody is allowed to pass the gate after 5 p.m. and it was 5:15. The guard told us to walk back and to spend the night at or near the hostel. It was very crowded there and we preferred some solitude. First I tried to convince the guide that it is only 15 minutes past the time of closure and because of those 15 minutes we shouldn't make such a big deal. I explained to him that we didn't know that there is a gate and that it closes at 5 p.m. and that we have spent hours here resting and relaxing. It didn't work. Next I tried a bluff by lying and explaining that we had a bus ticket for a bus in Aguas Calientes and that we would miss the bus and thereby lose the money of the bus ticket if we couldn't pass now. That didn't work either. Next I got upset. That didn't work either. He was budging. We were left with no choice but to walk back and put our tent next to maybe 20 other tents.

We were at a much lower elevation and at night it wasn't so cold anymore. We could even walk to the hostel and buy hot tea there. After having settled down and enjoyed the dinner, with more appetite than the day before, we sat down outside the tent to watch the stars. My girlfriend had carried star maps the full distance that she put to good use now. It was a day with only a modest amount of walking so we felt a lot better and had energies compared to the previous night. We used this energy to stay up and watch the stars.

Day 4

It was still dark at 5 a.m. and we walked with flashlights. We were not the only ones. It is a well-known tradition and several groups of people had the same idea. We walked fast on purpose. The breakfast was an energy bar that we ate while walking. The trail led through the forest with many root and rocks. It was also uphill again. I was sweating. By 6:30 a.m. we had reach Inti Punku, after this stress we could finally relax. We were among the first ones at the Sun Gate. It was still semi-dark. The sun was far from rising. All we had to do now was to wait. We sat down and looked in the backpack if there was any other edible item left. Slowly more and people arrived and joined us in the wait.

Even though the sun was out of sight, Machu Picchu and surroundings were already visible in the semi-dark. We could see the city of Machu Picchu in the shadow. We could see the road that leads up to its entrance in serpentines. To the right of Machu Picchu was the mountain peak Huayna Picchu. As the sun came up it first illuminated the mountain chain behind Machu Picchu. The next light beams fell on the center of Machu Picchu. That was unexpected because Huayna Picchu was a lot higher than Machu Picchu so I expected that the light rays would first reach Huayna Picchu and only afterwards Machu Picchu, but it was the other way around. The first light set on the center of Machu Picchu. As all of the city of Machu Picchu was exposed to the light it also reached the peak of Huayna Picchu. The sun worked its way from the top down. More and more of the hill on which Machu Picchu resides got exposed to the sunshine.

We took many photos of the sunrise over Machu Picchu from Inti Punku. We climbed an Incan wall to make shots of ourselves with the Inca city in the background. A llama also joined us. I don't know where it came from; it was lethargically standing around. From Inti Punku it is a short downhill walk towards and one never loses eye of the great city. This is without doubt the best part of the trail. You walk with the sensation that you have done it, that you accomplished it, that you have reached your goal. You are almost floating. On top of that it is gently downhill which makes it even more pleasant. The grand finale.

Machu Picchu is big. It stretches for more than half a mile. In the center are the religious temples. These are surrounded by the living quarters and at the fringes are the terraces. For most part the city is irregular. One has to walk up and down steps. The Temple of the Sun is a masterpiece. The rocks have been fitted more perfectly here than in other places. Also instead of using irregular rock, rocks have been cut into the shape of perfect equal-sized bricks. Below it is the Royal Tomb named after the fact that mummies have been found in this room. There are ceremonial squares, 16 connected ceremonial cascading baths, the carved rock sundial that was used to predict time of the year and solstices, and much more. The rock sundial was damaged a few years ago when they were filming a Pepsi commercial on this spot and a heavy camera on its tripod tumbled over.

Besides being a hip place for commercials it is also a mystical place. A site that -- according to many -- has special powers and a special spirit. No better place than to sit down in one of the many squares, lean against a rock with the face towards the sun, that the Inca's considered their father, close one's eyes and think about it. If you later open your eyes again, after a few minutes of meditation, you can absorb the views of the Urubamba River below and the Cordillera Vilcabamba above. Many people walking the grounds of Machu Picchu feel a special connection, some to the point of feeling that they are the reincarnation of an Inca.

To get a different perspective of the city we climbed the neighboring peak Huayna Picchu. It is a steep mountain but that didn't hinder the Inca's from building a trail with steps to the top. After one hour of climb we got rewarded with the bird's eye view of Machu Picchu. The peak itself is riddled with caves and holes also made by the Incas. Some are guessed to be former burial sites.

The last side trip from Machu Picchu was to walk down towards the Urubamba River. Not much above the Urubamba in the middle of a dense forest is the Temple of the Moon. It is a cave and inside the cave the Incas made trapezoid niches. In front of it is a forest clearing that is lined with Inca walls and remains of overgrown pavement.

Now our feet just had to carry us one last stretch -- from Machu Picchu to the village of Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is an average Peruvian village located on the railroad tracks as well as at the Urubamba River. At the train station was the same hectic as always. First we waited in line, then we were sent from one window to another and eventually they told us that all train seats are booked and no tickets are sold. There are worse things than being stuck in Aguas Calientes for one night, but it was not our plan, especially since we already had reservations for a hotel in Cuzco. At the train station we ran into a Peruvian who wanted to sell us his tickets. At first I was skeptic. That could be some sort of a trick, especially since I have no idea how train tickets are supposed to look like. But talking more with him it seams to be a fair deal. We bought the tickets and placed ourselves in line at the station.

The train was to come in 10 minutes. We were lucky holder of train tickets. What else could one ask for? One could also ask for a hot meal. I left the backpack in line with my girlfriend and dashed as fast as I could to the town center and into a pizza shop. I asked him how long it would take him to make two pizzas. I told the cook that I am waiting for the train, and that I give him 5 minutes. If the pizzas are ready in 5 minutes I will pay, otherwise I'll walk out the door without the pizzas and without paying. He said he would have them ready in 5 minutes. I used the 5 minutes to run out the pizza shop and buy a drink in some other store. The pizzas were ready and I as I ran out the store I could already hear the train. I ran as fast as I could. I was huffing and puffing like a steam train as I got to the station. I came in time. As a matter of fact the train engine still had to do some maneuvering. They changed the location of the engine from the front to the back of the train or something similar. This way I had time to catch my breath.

Once on the train we devoured the two pizzas with great delight and I had the feeling that other passengers enviously looked at us. Our fingers were all dirty and greasy but it didn't change anything, it was a one-of-a-kind pizza.

In Summary

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