Pilgrimage to Machu Picchu

I have made it (both hiking the trail and finishing my blog). I have hiked 45 km (approx 21 miles) over mountains and through valleys and have seen the sacred city of Machu Picchu. This experience has been a very emotional journey for me because I pushed my mind and body to limits that I have not known. The distance did not worry me about this hike, I can walk 45 km with no problems, but could I walk to 14,000 feet without having a collapsed lung or dying from altitude sickness?

Yes I can.


I chose the tour agency Llama Path to take this journey and I have no regrets. I had the best time with my guide, group, and porters. There are about 100 companies that will take you on a hike on the Inca Trail, and I chose Llama Path because of their mission statement and dedication to eco-tourism. Most companies, correction, almost all companies do not treat their porters with respect and do not provide them with necessary equipment to carry 29 kilos across the mountains (The porters are not allowed to carry more than 29 kilos) The 13 porters had matching hats, fleece jackets, t-shirts, and real stable backpacks, all in red. They were our Red Army: Eduardo, Fidel, Valentin (my 3 favorites), Milketes, Santiago, Santos, Rambino, Floreco (2 of them), Marcelo, Cecilo, Victor and I cannot remember the other one...they took excellent care of us and were always happy and smiling. At each rest point they clapped and cheered us on, they really were the best looking porters on the trail. There were 7 of us in the group, all women (which was another experience), 4 Americans, 2 Brits, 1 Northern Irelander. The two from England were mother and daughter and mom made sure to take care of all of us (those motherly instincts).


Day 1 started with a 4:30 am pick up. We drove about 2 hours for breakfast then another 2 hours to KM 82 which is the starting point. We started walking about 9 a.m. and by 11 I was exhausted. I decided to carry my own pack which was a huge mistake. The hike started going uphill immediately and I was not adjusting to the altitude. I made it carrying my 22 lb pack for half of the day and after the 2nd check in point, Casino said I could hire a porter and cute Fidel saved my life the first day. When I took that pack off it felt like 100 lbs had been lifted off of my shoulder.

We stopped for lunch and let me tell you, our chef, Milkedes can work wonders. We had a 3 course meal, appetizer of sliced avocado, soup, plus pasta with 3 different sauces. Eaten in a tent on real plates with real silver wear. The food was delicious. All of our meals were amazing and full of high energy foods, meats, pastas, nuts, and lots of cocoa tea.

I got to the point on that first day where I did not think I could go on any further. Casino (our guide) walked with me for the last couple of hours telling me we were almost there (which was not true because 2 hours later we hadn't reached the site yet). Without his encouragement I don't think I would have made it because I wanted to fall asleep on that trail. As we did get closer to the campsite the environment turned into a jungle and you could not see up the mountain, the trail curved like a snake up the side of the mountain. It was really magical and cool walking through that trail (even thought I felt like a dead woman walking). I would walk for 1 minute then stop for 3 minutes. At 6:00, I crawled to our camp site, Llulluchampampa, at 6:00 after hiking to 3800 m (12460 ft), for the night to the cheers and helping hands of the porters. We walked 16 km the first day - up a mountain...


Day 2 we hiked the remaining 400 meters (up, about 2 km in distance) to Dead Women´s Pass (at 4200 m, 13779 ft) and let me tell you, by the time I got there I felt like a dead woman. I can now imagine what a collapsed lung would feel like. I got to the point on the trail where I could not look up any more because the stairs and trail just never ended. I could see the top of the mountain, but it wasn't getting closer. The real tease came at the last 15 minutes when I could hear the porters cheering us on, but just could not reach them. You get to the point where you just don't look up, you are just looking at your feet slowing climbing those stairs trying to think about everything else, but the pain in your legs and lungs. I keep turning around and looking down at how far we had climbed thinking wow, I've done that much already or "oh god I've hardly walked anywhere." The climb was worth it because the view was amazing. However treacherous hiking this trail was, the views were spectacular. I have to admit I did not capture that many views because I was so concerned with breathing, but I do have some pictures. My fellow trekkers took a bunch and they are supposed to be emailing them to me.

We then hiked down to 11,700 feet and then up a couple of hundred feet for lunch, then down again to 11,800 feet for the night campsite in Chaquicocha, cloud forest. It gets it name because there are tons of low lying clouds surrounding the mountains. While the porters were cooking dinner I hung out in the kitchen tent with them talking to Eduardo and some of the others. I have no idea what I told them at one point because they all started laughing and I don't remember what I wanted to say being funny. I probably said I cook my shoes for dinner. That night after our amazing dinner, we shared songs with the porters at the command of Casiano. The 7 of us could only think of preschool songs, so we taught 14 Peruvian men "itsy bitsy spider," "row, row, row your boat," and "twinkle, twinkle, twinkle little star," complete with hand gestures of course. They in turn sang the Cusco soccer song which is in the tune of Wyno music (traditional Andean tunes) and lasts about 10 minutes long. Valentin asked me to dance and I thought the song would never end. Dancing Wyno consists of holding hands and jumping around in a circle (which is what you really want to be doing at 12,000 feet after hiking for two days). But it was a blast. After dancing and singing, most of the girls went to bed and two others and I played cards with Casino. We played Peruvian rummy which is similar to how I know how to play, but I was a little rusty so Valentin, Fidel, and Santos were my good luck charms and helped me out. Fidel takes Rummy very seriously and is very good...I won several games.

The next day was the easiest of the days. We hiked down, rather climbed down 10,000 stairs, to 8792 feet to Winay Huayna. This is the campsite that all of the other tour companies camp at the last night. It is only 3 minutes from the check in point to hike the last 5 km of the trail. Hikers are not allowed on this section of the trail before 5:30 in the morning because there is apparently a history of hikers falling of the side of the mountain. We arrived at our campsite around 12 and spent the afternoon eating, drinking cocoa, and for me, playing cards with the porters. That night was another great meal, drinking, dancing, singing and we thanked the porters for their help and said our goodbyes while Casino translated. More cards until 10:30 (where I won 4 soles, or about $1.30), then bed. We were up at 3:30, and at the check in gate by 4:30, to the joys of my fellow trekker who wanted to be the first. It then took 1 1/2 hrs to get to the Sun Gate (up and down stairs).

By the time I got to the Sun Gate I was exhausted because I had to carry my own pack (because the porters caught a train back to Cusco). The last stairs on the trail go up to the Sun Gate and when you walk through the gate (which is a stone doorway), you can see the entire Machu Picchu valley and all the pain in my legs and lungs disappeared. My pilgrimage was almost over and it was worth every painful step. I couldn't believe that this huge sacred site was built in the mountains with out modern technology. I sat there for 15 minutes admiring the view.



We climbed down to the ruins receiving interesting looks from the bus tourists who wanted to climb up to the Sun Gate to get the view we had. I felt like we were the weirdos in school and everyone was staring at us. Maybe it was the smell coming from our bodies...or the fact that we cheered when we reached the last part of the trail and took pictures shouting "Championes!" We received a tour from Casino, then we were allowed to explore on our own before heading back to Cusco. By 11 a.m., there were so many tourists at the ruins. Buses run every 5 minutes from Aguas Calientes bringing tons of tourists who don't hike the trail. So I found a quite spot meditated for a while then headed back to meet Casino and the girls for lunch.

By 6:30 I was back in Cusco, showering and putting on clean clothes (I threw the clothes I had been wearing for 4 days away, I don't think the body odor would have ever come out), and was in bed by 9.

My legs have finally stopped aching, a week later :) But it was totally worth it. I've heard that hiking the Inca Trail is a life changing experience and I believe it. I will never complain about my body being in pain again, ok well maybe I will, but I'll quickly stop and remember the Inca Trail. I was sad to see it end, but made some great friends and will have amazing memories.

I loved my trip and love Peru. The country and people are beautiful and I encourage everyone to visit, I will definitely be going back. My pictures should be up in a day on Snapfish.com (I am in the process of uploading them now) I will post the direct link as soon I know it.