The group at the entrance to the trail...don't we all look nice and clean and fresh...that wasn't going to last!!!
Map at the beginning of the trail showing where we would trek and the altitudes.We peaked at 4200m at Warmiwanuscca...
We got our passes into Machu Picchu and our stamps in our passports to show we started the trail...lets hope we get the end stamp!!!
The group with our 13 porters at the end of day 1. These guys were unbelievable. Each day they would carry all of our camp equipment and rucksacks - 20kilos each!! They would leave camp after us as they would have to pack everything away and always arrive to the next camp before us with enough time to set up the new camp!! The oldest porter was Rafael (back left) who was 70yrs old and still going strong - UNBELIEVABLE!!
The view from our tent after our first days hiking...we arrived at the site in about 6hrs (which was apparently a very good time!) and the porters had our tents pitched, a bowl of hot water outside our tents to wash with and dinner on the way!!!
DAY 2
We were warned that Day 2 was going to be hard!! It was 8 hours hiking all together - 6 hrs uphill and 2 hrs down. We would climb from about 3000m to a peak of 4200m. The altitude really affects your breathing and as you climb you are constantly out of breath!! It is weird to feel out of breath after just a few steps but you get used to it. Some people chewed the Coco leaves to help but they were really disgusting and I just couldnt eat them!!The pace is slow but steady and you just have to keep going. It was tough mentally and physically!!
Along the way there was lots of opportunities for group pictures (good excuse for a break!!) and to stop and admire the amazing scenery!!
And lunch was always a welcome break...the food was always unbelievably good considering these guys were sprinting passed us with 20 kilos on their back in time to get to the lunch spot, set up the tent and cooking equipment and cook us lunch!!!
The last section of steps up to the peak Warmiwanuscca. It was so unbelievably hard to do these last few steps at such a high altitude...I thought I was going to collapse when I got up there!! Tom of course found it a piece of cake ;o)
It was nice to sit up there for a while & enjoy the view. The mountains are amazing & the pictures really don’t do it justice...its hard to describe how vast & powerful the mountains feel when you are in the middle of them & the sense of how small you are in comparison to the world!!
...but off course everything that goes up must go down!! I found going down way easier - skipping down the steps like the porters was good fun and really got the adrenaline going...tom suffered with his knees but still ploughed on!!
DAY 3
After a bit of partying at the campsite the night before we got up really early on the final morning to make our way to the famous Sun Gate. This is the main gate way into Machu Picchu built by the Inca's in line with the rising of the Sun. From here there is an amazing view of Machu Picchu itself however...
...looking for the sun rising through the famous gate or a glimpse of Machu Picchu!!
...as we left the sun gate and made our way down to Machu Picchu the clouds parted for a second and we caught a glimpse of the ruins...
On the last step of our trek!! The feeling of getting to the end was amazing and Machu Picchu was so impressive in front of us!! The clouds had cleared and the sun was shining FINALLY!! Karen did really well to get to the end on her own...she was really ill on the last day ;o(
Everyone made it to the end in one piece wohoooooooooooooo!!!!
...and our guides, looking as fresh as they did on Day 1, got a massive
Suipayki Wayky from the group!! This is thank-you friend in
Quechua - the local language of the porters and guides.
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