We arrived back last night (20/11) from our four day trek to Machu Picchu. It was an incredible experience but very tough at times. Lee was very sick at the start of day 2, with dehydration but pulled on through after force feeding of Gatorade, rehydrate sachets, and lots of words of encouragement from our guides. Our group was also super friendly, and although mixed in fitness and ability, everyone was very supportive. No one made you feel crap when you were the last to reach camp, in fact quite the opposite, as every last person was cheered in. One guy, Michael even carried Lee's day pack for a few hours having previously freed himself of his gear with a porter.
The tough bits:
The early starts - at least 5am in the morning if not before.
The altitude - on day 2 we climbed to 4200m. It is not only tough work on the legs but the lungs. Our guides taught us to chew coca leaves to help and drink plenty of water, and if in doubt, take it slowly, slowly.
The knees - day 3 has an ascent known as the gringo killer, it's that steep. Wisely we had purchased walking poles in Cusco. Well worth it.
The toilets - Glastonbury has nothing on these delightful bad boys. All holes in the ground. All stink.
Shower - see above, you expect a wash?
Why it's worth it:
Incredible scenery, you take in mountains, cloud forests, stunning valleys, and Inca ruins.
The culture - as well as reaching Machu Picchu before the bulk of the crowds you also see plenty of other smaller Inca sites along the way. Our guide Cesar was full of knowledge to share about these.
The achievement....
We couldn't have done it without
The porters - these guys carry all the camping kit, food etc and even your personal kit for an extra cost. The cook also feeds you an excellent varied menu, each meal time to keep you going. They arrive at camp before you, so the pretty much run past you at points along the way. Some are young guys but others are in their fifties. I think they are super human
The guides - so supportive and full of knowledge.
Each other
Nothing quite like the unique experience of discovering the site when it reveals itself from behind a screen of mist/clouds - so happy that you enjoyed the gruelling hike! Have fun, Guillaume
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