#79 - Inca Trail Part 4: Machu Picchu

21/04/2011 (posted 23/04/2011)

We were up at 3:30am and I was knackered. By the time I had packed and was out of my tent, everyone else´s tent had been packed away and they were eating breakfast.

We got up so early because the gate letting us through to the final stage of the trail opens at 5:30am and we wanted to be early in the queue as not to be delayed. We arrived at 4:40 so then sat and waited.

I caned the first part of the hike in 45 minutes. It took us to the Sun Gate, our first view of Machu Picchu in the distance set against the beautiful Andes. The slight problem was that there was dense mist all around us and when I say I couldn´t see anything, I mean it.

That was slightly disappointing but we decided to press on and get down to Machu Picchu itself.
We arrived at 8am and it was still very misty - we feared the worst at this stage. We entered the site and dropped our bags off which felt incredible, and I was absolutely starving so I bought three pastries.

The mist then cleared and it is truly a sight to behold.
Having seen other Inca ruins along the way, the sheer size of Machu Picchu is even more emphasised. It is also set against the most incredible backdrop of the Andes, now my favourite mountain range.
Edwin taught us some of the history of the place. It was finished in 1430 by Pachacutec, the Ninth Inca (´Inca´ means King). He showed us around the King´s Palace and the various temples devoted to different gods such as the Earth, the Sun etc.

I then walked up a hill to get the famous postcard view, which was what I´d waited five years to see - I had to pinch myself that I was actually there. I can´t describe it as anything other than beautiful, spectacular and those adjectives don´t do it justice.
The Andes are beautiful enough in of themselves but Machu Picchu set against them is something I will never forget. It was a wrench to leave but I felt a massive sense of accomplishment, and I can´t wait to show my photos.

After we´d visited, we went down to Aguas Calientes for a celebratory lunch as a team where I had pizza and a couple of beers. We then went to the famous hot springs (´Aguas Calientes´ translates to Hot Springs) and relaxed in them for about an hour which felt AMAZING. Blake and I also had a couple more beers in the springs which meant that I have now drunk more beer than water today - around 1.9l.

We then got a train ride back on which everyone slept, and were then taken home to Cusco by a comfy coach on which everyone also slept.

I still have to pinch myself that I visited Machu Picchu today. It´s something I can cross of my list of things to do in my lifetime on this Earth but was so much more than a box to tick.
It was a truly brilliant experience doing the trail and after three full days, to get to Machu Picchu was an amazingly emotional time. I can´t really describe how it felt but the entire trip was something I will never, never forget.

JG