The Daisy List: #1. Machu Picchu (Part 2)

Well, after trekking 50+km and battling rain, snow, hot sun, a dog with no voice box  and unruly poo (and to think we actually PAID to do this), our pilgrimage to Machu Picchu ended as we walked through the gates at sunrise. 

Our tour company was Llama Path and our group consisted of Peruvian guide Elvis (couldn’t resist; had to say “Elvis has left the tent” on more than one occasion), cook Valentine, porters Bobby and Richard, a couple of horsemen and fellow trekkers Ana and Alex (a Spanish couple), Adam (an American currently living in Buenos Aires who also speaks fluent Spanish) and Chris and I (fluent in Australian).

Here’s what happened along the way;

Day 1
Campsite: Cruzpata (elevation 4100m)
Length of hike: 11km
Hiking time: 6 hours
Weather: raining on and off, low cloud

The first day hiking was, shall we say, shitty, given I had a touch of gastro. Apparently it’s unheard of to come to South America and not get a case of the runs or the vomits or if you’re really lucky, both! Evidently, it’s true as Chris and I both had it. It’s supposedly due to the water that is probably filled with alpaca shit. I’ve decided that hiking with gastro is not my favourite thing. Was a tough day and reaching our second campsite at the end of the day was a relief both for the breathtaking view of the campsite for night 2 and for the fact that I could finally unclench my butt cheeks. Our campsite complete with our own tents, a meal tent and toilet tent, all set up by our amazing porters and horsemen was nestled amongst towering peaks including the impressive (and largest) mountain Salkantay which we managed to catch glimpses of through the cloud.

Day 2
Campsite: Salkantay Pampa (elevation 4650m)
Length of hike: 18km
Hiking time: 8 hours
Weather: pissing rain all day and a short period of snow

Our second day of hiking saw us start the day with a tough hike up to Salkantay Pass chewing on coca leaves to help deal with the altitude. I’m not sure they actually do anything other than take your mind off the altitude sickness because they taste terrible. Then it was 2.5 hours of hiking down the other side. Gastro was sorted thanks to drugs but my knees and toes were officially on strike until workplace conditions improved. We ended the day wet and tired but our campsite was in a beautiful little village so I no complain (that much. Did I mention that we actually PAID to do this?). You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve also learnt a sentence in Spanish thanks to the rest of the group – “vamoose a la tienda” or “let’s go to the tents”. Knowing this sentence I’m sure will serve me greatly for many years to come.

Day 3
Campsite: Challway (elevation 3800m)
Length of hike: 15km
Hiking time: 6 hours
Weather: sunny and hot

Hiked through some amazing scenery…and then we reached our campsite. We’re not sure what the hell Llama Path was thinking but the campsite was in the middle of a Peruvian village come ghetto, complete with so many mosquitoes we had to douse ourselves in nuclear waste Deet (ie insect repellent) to keep them at bay. As a group we decided to do what you always do when travel plans go awry, drink beer. At least we bonded. We awoke at 5am the following morning to the dulcet tones of a dry retching dog who had either had its voice box removed or had a hair ball stuck in it’s throat, we’re not sure which. I’ve heard quieter and more pleasant sounding chainsaws.

Day 4
Campsite: Laplaya (elevation 2700m)
Length of hike: 10km
Hiking time: 6 hours
Weather: sunny and hot

We left the ghetto (and the dry retching dog) and after hiking up and over yet another mountain we got our first look at Machu Picchu across a valley from the ruins of an old Incan worshipping site called Llactapata. Very exciting. Our day ends in a train ride into the town of Aguas Caliente with the anticipation of seeing Machu Picchu up close and personal at daybreak the next morning.

Day 5
Hotel: Aguas Caliente (elevation 2040m)
Length of hike: undetermined but must have been far – our feet hurt
Hiking time: all day
Weather: sunny and hot

Walking in to Machu Picchu is mind blowing. It’s absolutely stunning. How the Incas managed to build a city of stone into the side of a mountain without a jack hammer let alone a backhoe I’ll never know. We were taken on a 2 hour tour where we learnt that apparently Machu Picchu is possibly not the lost city of the Incas after all and that there is another lost city full of gold yet to be discovered somewhere in the jungles of Peru. Ripped! We came all this way to see the not so lost city of the Incas (and actually PAID to do it)! We also found out that Machu Picchu is kind of like a detention centre for llamas. They prefer to be at higher altitudes but were brought in purely for the tourists and to keep the grass down. Reminds me of my time at the Department of Communities.

After the tour, we climbed nearby Waynapicchu Mountain to get a great view of Machu Picchu (because we obviously hadn’t hiked over enough mountains).

A dream accomplished. Hiking in to Machu Picchu – done!

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