With a couple days to acclimate to the altitude before our hike, we took a tour of the Sacred Valley. Spectacular Andean peaks with lush green valleys were the backdrop for Incan ruins high on the slopes. You have to give the Incas credit for choosing real estate with breathtaking views. That was probably little consolation to the laborers who had to move multi-ton stones up steep mountainsides from quarries miles away. One of the most amazing aspects of many sites is that they didn't use any mortar to join the stones. Instead, the stones were cut and placed so that the seams are flawless with precise angles of inclination to create strength and resist seismic shocks.
At our pre-hike briefing, we met Virgillo and Dalmiro, our guides, and the other 13 people who would be hiking the Inca trail with us: 8 from Ireland, 2 from the Czech Republic, 2 from Colorado, and 1 from Holland. We'd be hiking 48 kilometers (about 30 miles) over 3 days, with just a short bit on the 4th morning to arrive at the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu for sunrise. We'd ascend several mountain passes between 9,000 and almost 14,000 feet on the trail that the Incas built about 600-700 years ago to the sacred city of Machu Picchu. The Incas did such a good job keeping it secret and hiding the trail that it wasn't discovered again until 1911. At the end of the pre-brief, the guides handed us our ground pads and thick down sleeping bags for cold mountain nights that often drop below freezing. (Like all our photos, just click on the map to see the detail... then your Back button to return).
At 6am the next morning, we boarded a mini bus to Kilometer 82, the official starting point for our 4-day trek. From the valley, climbing the peaks ahead looked daunting. After passing through the first control station (only 300 permits a day are issued for hikers), we started our adventure on a beautiful sunny day. We had a fun and interesting group to hike with, and everyone was able to keep a fairly quick pace, so we made good time. Joe, David, and I, plus the 2 Czechs were the only ones who carried full packs. Everyone else hired porters to carry their gear, other than a small day pack.
For our group of 16 hikers, we had 22 porters (including cooks) to carry all the tents, cooking gear, food, emergency equipment, and the other hikers' gear. The porters were amazing - carrying up to 25 kg (55 pounds) on their backs and literally running past us as we were gasping for air. All the porters had prior military service and were in amazing shape. They often take only one or two days rest before starting on another trek. Any one of them could probably carry us up the mountain and they were some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.Along the way, we found out that David has a special affinity for llamas. Who knew?
At the end of the first day, our guide let us hike at our own pace. That's when the fog started to roll in and it started to rain, so visibility was poor. I was behind the lead group but ahead of several other hikers. Passing one of the campsites about 4:30, I pressed on, since our guide estimated we'd reach camp about 6:00 pm. Believing I'd fallen behind, I hiked up a steep part of the trail for another 1.5 hours, not seeing anyone else for a long time. When night started to fall, I realized that the campsite I passed must have been the stopping point for the day. Since it was too dangerous to descend the slippery rock trail at night, I realized I might have to spend the night on the trail at about 11,000 feet. I quickly changed into warm, dry clothes, ate some granola bars, put on my headlamp, and prayed for help. I decided to hike for no more than an hour in the dark before finding a good place to spend the night. I was hoping to find another campsite higher on the trail... while I was also trying to recall all my Scout survival skills. 
30 minutes later, I heard voices ahead of me on the trail. I was relieved to arrive at a campsite where a couple from London and their guide took me in, fed me, and gave me a tent to sleep in for the night. (I later learned that the campsite I reached was the last one for about 10 km.) Unfortunately, I had no way to relay a message down the mountain to my group. I knew they'd be worried and looking frantically for me. The guide assured me they would send a porter up the trail looking for me within hours. Sure enough, a porter arrived 3 hours later with a radio to send word down the mountain that they'd found me, but not before Joe, David, and several others spent about 3 hours hiking up and down the trail looking for me. It all turned out well and my group was glad to see me the next morning. The second day was the most challenging, especially when we had to climb about 3,000 feet to almost 14,000 feet to cross "Dead Woman's Pass". After we caught our breath and took pictures at the highest elevation of our trek, we immediately descended about 2,000 feet before having to start up another mountain pass. Even though our leg muscles were in agony, we saw some of the most beautiful panoramas on earth. We'd survived the hardest day.
The third day was easy by comparison. We stopped to see several Inca ruins along the way, including the Inca "fountain of youth". Our legs were still sore, but feeling stronger now. The group kept a fast pace and we were at our campsite by 3 pm to get our big reward... an 8 minute shower with hot water for 5 soles (about $1.70). After another delicious dinner (all of our food was amazing... pumpkin soup, pizza made from scratch, banana pancakes, stir-fried vegetables, chicken cordon bleu, chocolate pudding), we all went to sleep early.
At 4 am on the fourth day, we were up, ate a quick breakfast, and got on the trail for our last 2 hours of hiking.. As the sun was coming up, we crested the final hill at the Sun Gate to look down on Machu PIcchu. It was awesome!!! On the winter solstice each year (around Dec 21), a shaft of sunlight splits the Sun Gate and shines into a small window in the Sun Temple in Machu Picchu far below.We spent the next several hours touring Machu Picchu before the tourist buses arrived en masse. For me, the hike was one of the most physically demanding things I've ever done, but also one of the most fulfilling. To see the spectacular creation of God together with the impressive creation of an ancient culture, and to know we earned these amazing views by hiking on the same trail the Incas used was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I hope you get to experience it some day.
- Steve
