The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

The Inca Trail is without doubt, the most well used hiking path in South America, Yet little is known about many of its most beautiful ruins. All along the trail you will see the remnants of a culture which must have been educated, creative, resourceful, and powerful. Many of the structures still stand almost as they must have looked centuries ago. If you have the time, and the inclination, it is a trip you will remember for the rest of your life. The standard route is 35km long and takes about 4 days.

Day 1:

The first day takes us west down the Urubamba river, to its junction with the Cusichaca river which enters from the south. The Cusichaca is the drainage we will use to ascend higher into the mountains before traversing west and returning to the Urubamba river at our final destination, Machu Picchu . We begin hiking from the town of Chilca, a small collection of adobe houses just off the train tracks. Porters can be hired here.

Literally minutes after leaving Chilca one senses the grandeur of the Andes. Jagged, snow capped peaks rising up to 17,000 feet flank both sides of the valley. They appear and disappear out of the almost mystical fog which shrouds the upper elevations. Cactus and other high desert flora accentuate the stark beauty of the landscape even as lush crop fields remind us of another culture. The region's history is represented in the agricultural terraces and aqueducts still being used by Quechua people, remnants of the Inca civilization.

Llactapata is the first Incan city we visit, located at the junction of the Urubamba and Cusichaca rivers. Hundreds of stone structures arranged in a semi-circle on a hillside facing the east, it is awe inspiring. We gaze on the city, in its entirety, from above amid pre-Incan ruins guarding an outcrop on the eastern side of the Cusichaca. Serpentine erosion walls following the river all but melt into the natural contours of the land. We are struck, even at a distance of 3 centuries and three hundred yards, by the purposeful and caring nature of the craftsmanship.

Camp is set a short way up the Cusichaca where we drink tea, birdwatch, explore, and ponder our first day as the light of sunset begins to change our surroundings. The world is like a museum now and every stone we step on was placed there, who knows how many hundreds of years ago.

Day 2:

The second day begins with an easy uphill grade, crossing the stream several times and passing close by a few occupied homes where we catch glimpses into the daily lives of these mountain people. Soda, crackers, chocolate, and other small items can be purchased at a few spots along this section of the trail. When we reach Wyllabamba, a small Quechua village and Incan ruin site, we take a short break. Our path now turns west into the high country. There is caravan of pack horses ready to head downstream with trade goods for the train on its way from Cuzco. Men, women, and children move about their daily lives beneath the remains of one of the many Incan fortresses we have travelled so far to see.

When we leave, it is to climb almost 2000 feet through a cloud forest. This section of the trail is challenging, but many birds make use of the lush vegetation, and occasional gaps in the canopy offer breathtaking vistas en route to Llulluchapampa, our stopover for the night. We set up camp amid what is left of agricultural terraces at the head of a steep canyon. The landscape is decidedly alpine and as we relax, our eyes look ahead toward Warmikonuska pass looming 3000 feet above.

Day 3:

Day three is one of the most spectacular days of hiking I will ever do. Light rain, which lasts through the night, continues all day until 3:30 when we pull into camp, but no amount of inclement weather can dampen the surroundings in which we find ourselves. Steep mountain terrain two 12,000 foot passes, new and ornately colored birds, Incan ruins at heights not to be believed, and exceptional views of lakes, glaciers, flowers, and the Andes.

Warmikonuska pass, at 12,600 feet, is difficult, steep, and tiring, but well worth it. From the top we look back at our entire route thus far. Leaving the pass we descend several thousand feet into Poaymayc valley before ascending again to Runcuracay, a beautiful ruin in the shape of a half moon. Runcuracay pass lies at 12,400 feet and drops steeply on the other side down a long set of ancient stone stairs. Do not be surprised by the cavalcade porters often seen passing hikers during this section. They run, in sandals, along the trail, the sometimes 70 pound loads slung on their backs with burlap.

Three quarters of the way down a small staircase diverges from the main trail and leads to Sayacmarca. This side trip only takes about 15 minutes and is highly recommended, as Sayacmarca which means inaccessible fortress, earns its name. This small, yet elaborate, ruin perches on a knife edged ridge with almost vertical drop offs on 3 of the 4 sides. The rain lets up long enough for us to remove our ponchos and take some pictures of the fine stonework.

Leaving Sayacmarca we walk a cobblestone path which meanders along a steep forested slope. For the rest of the day, the trail is so sturdy and continuous, we are lulled into a sense of timelessness. The foot traffic of hikers and porters seems minute compared with what we imagine the activity to have been several hundred years ago, at the height of the Incan empire. Towards the end of the day we pass a Quechua man tending a small herd of Llama. He decides to pass the time with music and we find ourselves alone with thoughts of another culture and the soft melody of a pan flute echoing the past.

We spend our last night at Phuyupataymarca, another fortress cut into the steep and rocky Andean slopes. Clouds, persistent all day, clear out revealing tremendous distance and the Veronica glacier shining pink.

Day 4:

Hiking on the final day is all down hill but for the last few hundred feet to Inti Punku (Door of the Sun), the gateway to Macchu Picchu. After breakfast we set off to explore some of Phuyupataymarca. Among its wonders are the 5 ceremonial baths, still running with water from the glacial fed aqueducts.. The architecture, consisting of many sharply curved walls built into the steep hillside is intriguing. Furthermore, two of the structures have had their thatched roofs restored allowing us to imagine what the city might have looked like when it was occupied.

The last ruin we visit before the end of our journey is Wina wayma, a steep collection of terraces and buildings. Nine ceremonial baths whisper of the importance this place may have had during its history. We can now see the small cleft in the ridge ahead of us which is Inti Punku and realize that today we will see that fabled mountain top city.

Our first sight is filled with excitement and wonder. We are amazed at how extensive the ruins of Machu Picchu actually are. Huayna Picchu, the sacred peak, looms in the background solitary and picturesque. Approaching slowly, we take in every inch with careful scrutiny. I remember the first time I saw a picture of this place as I flipped through a copy of National Geographic Magazine. I told myself then that this was a place I would have to visit one day. Secretly though, I was never sure and the thought had been relegated to my minds storage bin of possibilities.

Now, surrounded by the remains of another time, I am speechless with emotion. The effort which must have gone into the creation of such a marvel is astonishing and yet we have seen so much during the past four days. Machu Picchu, in all its glory, is only one of the many remnants of Incan Civilization dispersed throughout the Andes, and I believe that our walk to get here has allowed us a perspective that only those who have done the same can share. We do feel however, that we have reached an apex, and as we stroll among the many buildings and temples there is a calm sense of closure. Llamas laze casually in the main square, reminding us one final time of the lives that were once lived here. Tommorrow we will hike to the top of Huayna Picchu and take a last look, but today we are happy to have made it here, a place that will be etched in our memories for as long as we live.



Machu Picchu was not discovered untill 1911 when it was pointed out to Hiram Bingham by Quechua peasants while he was looking for the lost city of Vilcabamba. It was never mentioned in the chronicles of Inca history begun after the arrival of Francisco Pizzaro in 1533 and, during the subsequent conquering of the Incan empire, the spanish conquistadors never learned of its existence.

The caliber of its architecture however, coupled with its remote and seemingly unapproachable location, leave no doubt that it was a place of high importance. Most of the other sites, and the road now known as the Inca trail, were uncovered during Bingham's subsequent visits in 1912 and 1915 to excavate his finds. Some scholars argue that Machu Picchu is pre-Incan and that by the early 16th century, was already uninhabited and forgotten. Whatever your beliefs, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is an unforgettable experience.



Getting There: There is a train from Cuzco which you can take either to kilometer 88, one possible starting point, or to Chilca. Make sure the conductor knows where you intend to depart from the train. Chilca is also accessible by road from Ollantaytambo.

For more information:

http://www.machupicchu.org
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/south/sites/machu_picchu.html