Peru Part 6 - Machu Picchu

 Morning came early once again. My room at the hotel was on the third floor and the dining and kitchen were on the fourth floor directly above me. They start serving breakfast at 5:00 am, so the noise started by 4:00. It could have been worse if I had planned on sleeping in, but we needed to be in the lobby ready to go by 6:00 am. So breakfast at 5:00, then finish packing and head down to the lobby to check-out, store our bags and head to the bus to take us to Machu Picchu. 

The sky had a mix of clouds, fog and some sunny spots. We weren't sure what we would encounter once we arrived up the mountain. We had it all - often from sun to fog to clouds and back to sun within minutes. It really added to the atmosphere of the place. I felt like it was perfect. 

We were booked in for Circuit 3. This one encompasses the best tour of the ruins. We were on Circuit 1 as we came in on the Inca Trail the day before. That has a view from above looking down for great photo ops. Circuit 2 which is the most popular for those that didn't hike in has a combination of views from above and touring some of the actual ruins. I was glad we were on Circuit 3. Our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to explain how the buildings were used and what their day to day lives were probably like. He was patient as everyone repeatedly stopped for photos yet managed to keep the group together. I think we spent over three hours touring the ruins before heading back to Aquas Calientes the nearby town that was built to accommodate the tourists. It is a very touristy town filled with hotels, bars and restaurants. They have incorporated quite a bit of art into the landscape and the river flowing through town adds a bit of sereneness. I will say though that walking down the main street with all the bars and restaurants was a sensory overload for me. I really did not like it. We had over three hours until our train would depart so to fill the time myself and another solo traveler explored a near-by market then found a nice coffee shop to get a bite to eat. We sat there for well over an hour. By the time we were to head to the train station it had started to rain. It was time to go! 

I was nearing the end of my Peruvian adventure with one day left in Cusco which I would fill with shopping and then a very early flight home the following day. Nineteen days had flown by. I wasn't sure if I was ready to return home, but my plane ticket said otherwise. It would be a long trip with the flight leaving Cusco at 5:00 am and my final flight (of 3) arriving in Austin at 9;45 pm. I had connections in Lima and Miami. The two hour lay-over in Lima was not quite enough time as I barely made my connecting flight. Miami went smoothly. I lost my phone in Lima - I think I left it at the Security screening as I was practically running to my plane. I didn't realize it until it was too late. That really made for a stressful day. I was so glad when I got to Austin and saw my daughter arrive to pick me up. I stayed with her that evening and drove home the following morning. 

Now to start planning for Nepal!

A few pictures from Aquas Calientes...

Peru Part 5 - Inca Trail from Km 104 to Machu Picchu

 The morning started early with a bus collecting me from my hotel in Cusco at 4:00 am. We had to be in Ollantaytambo for the train which departs at 6:30 am. The entire drive was in the dark until we were arriving at the train station. The train trip would be about 90 minutes and we would be disembarking at an unofficial stop to begin our hike on the Inca Trail. The train ride was very scenic. I enjoyed it very much. I was ready to start the hike though. 2 years of training and planning and I was finally here! 

The first two miles are the hardest. The morning sun is shining on the trail, and at that altitude it is intense. This is also the steepest part of the trail gaining over 1700 feet in elevation. It will still increase another 1225 ft, but will not be as sharply inclined and will be in the shade. The Sun made the day feel much warmer than what it actually was. That made the hike on the second mile a bit harder for me. I do not like hiking in the heat. I just slowed my pace down a bit and paused to take pictures frequently. I paced myself between the lead group and the last stragglers. That worked well in my favor as I often had the trail to myself. I do love hiking in solitude. At about the 2.5 mile mark is where we stop for a lunch break. It is also near the Waywayna ruins. We hiked up to it and spent about an hour exploring that area before heading back to our lunch spot. The ruins are in a beautiful scenic area with a waterfall and steep hillsides. I can imagine what a beautiful place it was to live for the Incas. 

I did this trek with Alpaca Expeditions (I highly recommend). They bring chefs on the trek, dining tents, and real dishes and cutlery. They are great at cooking for special dietary requests, we had a few vegans in the group and gluten free eaters. It was not a problem and there were many options to chose from, all freshly prepared. A very enjoyable meal. Our break was over all too soon and we were back on the trail. The next stop would be the Sun Gate where we would get our first sight of Machu Picchu. 

The portion heading down to the Sun Gate was and up and down hike. I found it to be quite easy, it was mostly in the shade which helped. I stayed with the lead group the whole way. I think I surprised a few people after being a bit slow that morning. The group guide kept checking on me to make sure I was okay. I guess he thought maybe I was pushing myself too hard, but I kept reassuring him that I was doing great and really was enjoying myself. The altitude on this hike has a total gain of 3038 feet. But stays below the 9000 foot elevation. It was around 7 miles in length with the side hikes and exploring we did a long the way.

I loved the hike and I am really happy with my decision to limit myself to doing this instead of the 4 day 26 mile trek. If you are in good physical shape and want to do a bit more than just see Machu Picchu without taking on the full Inca trail I highly recommend you to do the 2 day excursion. 

Now for those pictures!