the Inca TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

On the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, we conquered mountains, explored ruins, and had the adventure of a lifetime! We started our trip in Puno, then flew to Cusco, hiked the Inca Trail, and ended in Lima before flying home.

Our flight arrived in Lima late, so we spent our first evening at Hotel Costa Del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport. We woke up early the next morning and flew to Juliaca (Puno).

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Puno

Our first stop in Peru was Puno. Puno is located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. It's known for its rich indigenous culture, traditional festivals, and breathtaking landscapes.

Some might wait and do Puno after a visit to Cusco to better acclimate to the altitude but we didn't have any problems. We stayed at the Tierra Viva Puno Plaza and liked the hotel and location. I enjoyed Puno and Lake Titicaca but quickly noticed you don't come to Puno for the architecture, it seemed to be the "unfinished city" Everywhere we went we saw unfinished buildings.

Condor Hill

We figured this would be a good Pre-Inca workout. It was... all 644 steps at 13,180 ft. We had to stop a few times to catch our breath. I was feeling the altitude as we walked up the hill which made me a little nervous for our trek. The views up top were fantastic.

We found this Peruvian woman on the walk back into town. I love the hats the women wear in Puno.

Sillustani

About an hour outside of Puno is Sillustani. The Colla people buried their elite members in these towers. At 14,000 feet the walk was breathtaking, literally. In the distance are beautiful views of Lake Umayo. Click here to book a tour of the burial site of Sillustani and see the Peruvian village of Atuncolla.

This is the rock-walled village near Sillustani. We tried the local food and learned how the village functioned. Greg enjoyed this playful Alpaca.

We had some good grub in Puno! We even tried guinea pigs and alpacas. I don't recommend the guinea pig but it's an important staple to Peruvians. So much so that a picture of the Last Supper in Cuzco shows Jesus and his disciples surrounded by a platter of guinea pigs.

LAKE TITICACA

Lake Titicaca is a fascinating place! It’s the largest lake in South America, located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. The lake is known for its unique wildlife, stunning beauty, and the Totora reed floating islands inhabited by the Uros people.

Besides the islands, I loved seeing the beautiful children in their traditional and colorful clothes.

The children joined us on a boat ride that was also made from Totora reed. They sang and danced and held their hats out for donations... they have learned how to tug at the heartstrings of tourists.

Click here for a tour of the Uros floating Islands & Taquile Islands with lunch.

ISLA TAQUILE

This is just one of 45 islands on Lake Titicaca. It was a three-hour boat ride from Puno but worth the wait. We took a long walk on Isla Taquile and enjoyed views of the lake and the snow-capped Bolivian Andes in the distance. It reminded us of the views along the Cinque Terre and Mallorca... Breathtaking!

The locals still wear traditional clothing and follow their ancient cultural traditions.

Cusco

Cusco is a vibrant city where ancient history meets modern culture. It has well-preserved colonial architecture and is the gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu.

We were happy with our stay at Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi Hotel. We visited the Casa Concha Museum in Cusco before hiking to Machu Picchu and were glad we did. The museum is a collection of artifacts excavated from Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham. He sent the artifacts to Yale University in 1912. They were returned to Peru in 2011 and are currently housed in this museum. I could have used a few more days in Cusco there is a lot to see and do.

Plaza De Armas

The Plaza de Armas in Cusco is a central hub surrounded by stunning architecture, including the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. It's a great place to soak up the atmosphere and people-watch.

San Pedro Market

In the San Pedro Market, we found fresh produce, traditional dishes, handmade textiles, souvenirs, and local artwork. It’s a fantastic place to try Peruvian dishes such as ceviche, empanadas, and anticuchos.

Getting ready for our four days on

the Inca Trail!

The night before the trek we met with our guides, Rueben and Reynaldo. When they arrived at our hotel we were having an oxygen party. I'm sure they must have thought, oh no!

We left Cusco EARLY on May 11th and headed for the starting point on the Inca Trail. It turns out that waking up early is the norm on the Inca Trail.

Our tour operator, Llama Path is based in Cusco. They did an amazing job! It’s recommended that you book 4-6 months in advance since permits can quickly sell out. Llama Path takes between 8-16 people on their hikes. Our guides Rueben, Reynaldo, and the porters were fantastic! The porters carry tents, sleeping bags, personal belongings, food, and kitchen supplies. We heard stories on the trek, how porters have carried sick people to camp on their backs. The porters are your best friends!

Day pack: I used a Camelbak with a hydration pack. Click here for my packing list and tips for the 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Ollantaytambo

We stopped for breakfast in Ollantaytambo and took a quick walk through town.

The Road Not Taken ...

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

There are two ways to get to Machu Picchu. One is easier, but you miss a great adventure. The one less traveled by was our choice.

When you begin the Inca Trail you cross the train tracks that take you directly to Machu Picchu. It's a little bit of a tease knowing in one hour you could be at your final destination. I just hoped to survive the high altitude and four days on the Inca Trail!

Day 1- on the Inca Trail...

We checked in at the entrance of the Inca Trail and showed our passports. They only allow a limited number of hikers on the trail each day.

We had amazing VIEWS right from the start!

Llactapata ruins

The Llactapata ruins are the first set of ruins on the Inca Trail. We passed 30 Incan ruins before reaching Machu Picchu.

I never tired of seeing these cuties on the trail!

Soaking our feet after a long day’s hike…

Happy to survive Day 1!

DAY 2- Dead Women's Pass- 13,829 feet

There is a lot of anticipation on Day 2. It's the hardest day on the trail ascending to 13,829 feet. The path is steep and the higher we went the prettier the Andean forest got. Most of the trail is original Incan construction and I found the original trail easier to walk on.

We left camp before the porters and they passed us before we reached Dead Women's Pass. These guys are amazing! I remember we were all concerned about what shoes to wear on the Inca Trail. I noticed the porters had holes in their shoes and they flew past us.

We hiked Dead Women's Pass on Mother’s Day... it seemed so wrong! But surprisingly Greg and I did fine! Our breathing and energy levels were good. I think Greg's Crossfit workouts helped prepare him and my past marathon training probably didn't hurt. We also had a little luck on our side since we didn't get altitude sickness! We did get a prescription from our Doctor for Diamox (which helps mitigate altitude illness) and it must have worked!

Below is our whole group on top of Dead Women's Pass. One of the things that made the trek so special was the people in our group. Trekking with friends was a blast! There are so many fond memories of our time together.

With the porters on top of Dead Women's Pass. I think the bags are as big as some of the porters!

After reaching the top of Dead Women's Pass the descent down to Pacaymayo Valley was steep with lots of steps. Greg and Michael ran down the steps. I thought the decline was harder than the trek up so I took my time.

Runturacay Ruins

Overlooking Pacaymayo Valley

Towards the end of Day 2, we got rain. It was a nice treat but the rocks were slippery and I fell several times. I'm glad I didn't slide down the mountain. :)

I couldn't leave the trail without taking a picture of the worst part of the Inca Trail. And this is a spotless toilet. I finally figured out the proper squat after a few days. If you haven't spent much time with this type of toilet you need to check this site out before hiking the Inca Trail.

Our chef made us moms a Mother’s Day Cake. Seriously who makes a yummy cake from scratch in the middle of nowhere? It was also nice to get a videotaped message from Charlotte... what a sweet treat after a hard day (good planning from our husbands)!

BEAUTIFUL DAY 3

Day 3 was my favorite (besides the end of Day 2). The scenery was fantastic!

The trail passes through the mountain using a system of tunnels. I can't even imagine how they engineered that.

Phuyupatamarca Ruins

This was my favorite Incan Ruin besides Machu Picchu. The rounded walls reminded me of a flower and the clouds made it so mystical.

As we descended 1,500 steps the vegetation got more dense and jungle-like. We passed through an amazing cloud forest and saw orchids, hanging moss, tree ferns, flowers, butterflies, and this cute guy...

Itipata Ruins

Winay Wayna-

The last set of ruins on Day 3

After dinner, we had a porters ceremony and said goodbye to the chef and porters and presented them with a group tip for their hard work. I couldn't imagine doing the trek without them!

Day 4-

Machu Picchu

On Day 4 we woke up at 3:00 am. We quickly ate breakfast and hurried only to get to the checkpoint that didn't open until 5:30. When we arrived at the checkpoint there was already a group in front of us. Lucky for us we had a DJ (Gary) in the group who entertained us with Abba and a few other tunes. At 5:30 a.m. we were off... hiking or as it seemed running in the dark to hurry to the Sun Gate. Of course, as luck would have it my headlamp stopped working and my extra batteries were with the porters. It didn't help that our guides pointed to an area where someone had recently fallen off a cliff to their death, I'm sure hurrying like we were. We hiked for about 2 hours and were on all fours on a steep incline before we reached the Sun Gate. Looking down and in the distance, we could finally see our final destination.

After reaching Machu Picchu I noticed how refreshed and clean everyone else (the train-riders, or those who took the road more frequently traveled :)) looked. I laughed thinking after all these years of wanting to visit I look and feel like I've been camping for 4 days. I quickly got over my vanity and jealousy of those who had their morning showers and was grateful for the amazing experience... Hiking the Inca Trail and finally seeing Machu Picchu!

The scenery surrounding Machu Picchu is just as amazing as Machu Picchu! The way the river winds through the mountains is incredible. The shape of the mountains is so unique and the landscape from every viewpoint looked different and changed throughout the day from the morning rays to the mist and clouds that would quickly move in and out.

Huayna Picchu

Conquering Huayna Picchu after 4 days on the Inca Trail seemed overwhelming. After hearing about a girl falling to her death I was thinking twice about hiking it, and it looked pretty steep. As we got to the entrance they made you sign in and out so they don't leave anyone unaccounted for (in case you fall off the mountain). YIKES! So I set my fear aside and decided I would attempt it. The first part of the hike was easy but as you get closer to the top it gets very steep. And the steps were at a 90-degree angle with only a rope to hold onto (in some areas). The steps got smaller and narrower the higher we went…OH MY!

Greg went down a steep section that had no rope. I tried not to look down, that seemed to help. The pictures don't do justice to how steep this was. In the end, I'm glad I hiked Huayna Picchu. The views from the top were amazing and we could see all of the mountain ranges in the distance. The hardest part of the hike was going down!

As we walked towards the exit I kept looking back at Machu Picchu reflecting on the amazing journey leading up to that day. We left the park by bus to Aguas Calientes and did some last-minute shopping. We met our guides and group for one more meal together before heading back to Cusco by train.

As amazing as Peru was I think my favorite part of our trip was hiking the Inca Trail.

Lima

We had limited time in Lima so we hired Lima Cabs to show us around. They picked us up from the airport and gave us a private tour of the main attractions in Lima. Our guide was great! I'm glad we didn't attempt to drive ourselves because I was sure we weren't going to make it through the day without getting into an accident. Driving in Lima is chaotic and it should be considered an extreme sport!

My favorite part of the day was visiting the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs. I also loved the Miraflores area and Love Park.

Government Palace

FAREWELL PERU!!!

My favorite souvenirs from Peru:

I bought this poncho and hat (chullo) in Puno, Peru for Cicily. We met her birth mom the day we left for Lima. As we flew across the country we learned her birth mom picked us. :) I bought these souvenirs hoping the adoption would go as planned… It did!! She was born about a week and a half after we arrived home from this trip!! Another adoption miracle!

the Inca TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

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