Now arrived in Cusco, Peru, it was time for the main attraction. Cusco is the entering point for Machu Picchu, which can be done by many different ways. I chose to do a 4 day trek, ending in Machu Picchu. Some parts of the trail is the original inca trail and the only one tourists can trek that leads to Machu Picchu. It starts at Piscacucho km 82, spanning a total of 45km.
Day 1 was a full-day hike, a little taste and practice for the next day. Along the way, the guide would show plants and other small Inca sites. Day 2 was the longest and hardest day, starting off with a treacherous uphill climb to dead woman’s pass just to go back down the other side of the mountain for lunch and continuing to trek until around 5pm. However, the hard part was now over. Day 3 was only a half day of hiking, with some free time after lunch and visiting an Inca site near the camp site. It seemed like the Inca sites visited were getting bigger and bigger, this last one before Machu Picchu especially. I was not prepared at all for the grandeur of what was to come the next day. Day 4, the final day. 3am wake up in the dark, pouring rain only to wait around for 2 hours for the gates to open, guaranteeing us to be one of the first groups to enter. Once in, it is another half hour hike to the sun gate and the full view of Machu Picchu. This came with one final climb up a steep set of stairs, known as the gringo killer. Sadly, I could not get the infamous picture of the sunrise over Machu Picchu because of the clouds completely covering it.
The most amazing part of the tour would have to be the porters, each carrying around 25kg bags, running up and down the hills, some wearing a pair of sandals for the hike. In my group, we were 8 with 2 guides and had 16 porters. We all wondered why there was so much to carry and at the 1st meal, we understood. It was one of the most elaborate meals while camping. The table was full of food, almost not enough space to put it all. We all felt so spoiled; it was a glamorizing experience.