Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

WOW x 1000!!! We had made it to Machu Picchu!! We could not have hoped for a more thrilling climatic end to our trip here in South America. It had it all: from camping in sub zero temperatures at the foothills of snow-capped mountains; to tricky traverses across raging rivers; and hiking for 7+ hours each day, culminating in the glory of sunrise over the Lost City of the Incas.

Achieving this was all the more monumentous because of the obstacles we had had to overcome:
- Heavy rains at the end of January 2010 caused mass-flooding and mudslides throughout the Machu Picchu (MP) national park, destroying roads, houses and bridges - thus closing the Inca Trail and MP for 2 months.
- Ensuing confusion for several weeks as we tried to understand what would become of our pre-booked Inca Trail + MP trip - difficult given time differences and us being on the road.
- Cancelling our originally planned trip due to the above, since the alternative trek offered didn´t quite tick all the boxes - most importantly missing out MP itself!
- Arriving in Cusco and missioning about town for several hours, making sense of the bewildering array of tour companies, treks and piecemeal information about the real situation. [Fortunately, we had a spare week or so in our itinerary to offer some flexibility]

Suffice to say, all the trouble was worthwhile and we´ve had an exhilirating but exhuasting 5-day-4-night Salkantay trek, from our trail head at Mollepata to Machu Picchu, a distance of 60km. Whilst not the world-famous Inca Trail, the Salkantay trek is known to be one of the best treks in the world. It was one of the very few options available that allowed us to walk all the way to MP without relying on public transport. Along the way, we would take in some of the highest Andean peaks, cross through cloud forest and hike through varied and challenging terrain and weather.


DAY 1:

To much anxiety we awoke at 4am and very quietly exited the hostel to be picked up by our tour guides for the 3 hour journey to our trail head in Mollepata. We met our fellow trekkers at Plaza San Francisco in Cusco - a 20-strong group of British, Belgian, German, Israeli, American and Irish travelers. We were all super excited to be seeing machu pichu on only it's second day of reopening after it had been closed due to mudslides for 2 months. The anxiety we both felt was from how new all this was to us both. Camping for 4 days straight, hiking for 7+ hours each day, sleeping in sub zero temperatures and expecting lots of rain were some of the things we were expecting to encounter so we ensured we were well prepared. Arriving at Mollepata, we quickly grabbed breakfast and wasted no time in commencing our ´test hiking´day!



We quickly ascended out of Mollepata in to he valley and instantly were greeted by lush green rolling valleys and farm lands as far as the eye could see. Navi and I quickly found our stride and quizzed each other on techniques we'd picked up whilst hiking with sticks in the Canadian Rockies. Within a few hours some smaller groupings had formed within the tour group notably the slow coaches and the those who were quite happy darting from place to place with limitless energy. As you might have guessed we were somewhere near the back taking our time and also taking in the scenery around hoping to last the entire 5 days in good shape.



We stopped for lunch at a pass with an amazing view of the mountains we'd be camping at later that day. Our tour guides Victor and Washi entertained us with stories of the local wildlife and Inca history whilst we ate carb-heavy food deliciously prepard by our cook Gatto (means Cat!).

Humantay Mountain was visible as the clouds kindly cleared but the imposing 6200m Salkantay Mountain would reveal itself in the next few hours as we continued walking to our camping spot another 3 hours away, and at an altitude of 3900m. The Diamox and Coco tea seemed to be doing their job as neither of us didn't yet feel any effects of altitude sickness.

Finally at 5pm we'd reached our first camp at Soraypama. The pictures and video speak for itself as the surrounding area was breathtaking. By this point Salkantay mountain was well in view and gave us a taste of what was to come. Tired, we wrapped up warm and settled in for the evening, ate dinner and headed for bed knowing that Day 2 was going to be the most challenging.



Day 2:

Today was our hike up to Salkantay Pass. A gruelling 4 hour trek uphill, climbing 700m to our summit of 4600m this is the walk we were told would be hard! And so it was. As was often the case we were passed on several occasions by our horsemen and cook seemingly undisturbed by the incline and terrain. We're such tourists! After a short break at 11am, by a lagoon and some much needed chocolate we began our approach to Salkantay Pass where we would start our descent toward our camp for the night. Phew! When we reached the pass the clouds had well and truly come over so visibilty was limited.

The group, however, was in good spirits and we got some great shots of us before heading down to a late lunch through the rain and to an adobe brick shed surrounded by horses and ribbiting frogs. A great achievment for Day 2 already.

Another few hours further and our camp site, at Chaullay, on this occasion was more basic but comfortable enough. As before we rested, ate and made jokes about if we would climb the massive forest covered hill that was in front of us, the next day.



Sure enough during the briefing we found out that we were in for that very climb and we learned it would be muddy. Ughh! Time to adjust to the washroom ´facilities´ once more and off to bed for another 5am start.

Day 3:

Today was supposed to be an easier, but muddy day. Our ascent was to be mild follwed by a descent through a 'cloud forest' where we'd see orchids, banana trees, passion fruit and avocado plantations and head toward our lunch and camping spot for the day.



The trek was difficult during the ascent but also tricky during the descent as it was steep and definitely took it's toll on our knees! After negotiating the hills we found ourselves on a flat road all the way to our lunch spot at Playa. It's along this route where we caught first real sight of the aftermath of the heavy rains and landslides of the recent 2 months.

We could clearly see the levels to which the Rio Blanco had gotten to during the worst of it, some 20m higher than normal and in the process resetting the flows of he river and taking out big chunks of earth and roads in the form of landslides. It was an incredible and humbling sight to see houses either destroyed or teetering on the edge of a landslide only to be doomed at any moment.

It's Along this road where we had our trickiest water crossing. By now we'd gotten used to the occasional plank walk or stone stepping across streams and getting feet wet, but this time it was a full on water fall we had to cross, and from the picture you can see what an ingenious way we had of crossing it safely! Feet bare and in very cold water it's best not describe the drop below, we formed a human chain to help steady each other and carefully crossed the stream.



Onwards, another few hours we came to a small village of Playa where we ate lunch and awaited instructions on where we'd camp. It's from this moment on where the uncertainty of the roads and trails ahead came about as the guides went around asking the locals about conditions up ahead all the way to Aguas Calientes. It´s there where we'd start our journey to Machu Picchu.

The rain came down. Hard. To help we were given transport to our camp site at Santa Teresa where the rain continued so much so that it made the prospect of setting up tents on sodden ground very unappealling. We got lucky though. The grounds had a sheltered concrete area where our guides managed to put up our tents! Result. Navita and I also managed to sneak in a much needed shower (cold) to boot! Ahhh that's better. Not so stinky.

Day 4:



With only 1 more day to go until we reached Machu Picchu, this day was make or break for our tour group. So many aspects of our day had to go correctly in order to reach Aguas Calientes in time for our entry to Machu Picchu. Today we had transport arranged to take us as far as possible to our checkpoint of Hidroelectrica, our entrance into the Machu Pichu national park.

We only managed a few minutes on the bus owing to a fresh landslide that was blocking our path so after a feeble attempt to move it we donned our backpacks and proceeded on foot. We no longer had use of the horses so I carried our big back pack and Navita fashioned a double packpack from the two rucksacks. We definitely noticed the additonal weight. It was along this path across the river where we saw entire half kilometers of road destroyed by the floods.

The road we walked on had not been subjected to such devastation and were safe, so we stayed on course and proceeded to our second test of the day, the cable car. Strategically positioned for a river crossing the zip wire style cable car was the only way to gt to Hidroelectrica.



As a result the early morning hikers all expecting to trek to Aguas Calientes were arriving and patiently queuing to get on the 2 person self propelled cable car and cross an angry river Urubamba. Our group was relatively early so we waited an hour or so and crossed to the other side without fuss. Once we´d gathered together we started our very steep ascent to join a trail which would take us all the way to Hidroelectrica.

This trail was tough but with mini rewards along the way. Banana trees we ate from gave a boost of energy, Avacados the size of a fist were a treat at the rest stops, and lengthy explanations from a German girl about how the coffee beans around us were made into coffee we drink, which I'd never seen before. After a short break and another few hours hike we arrived in Hidroelectrica and our check point. It acted as a gate for entrance into the Machu Picchu national park and we'd been previously told conflicting reports about whether they would let us in. The reason for his uncertainty was due to the loss of income by the rail companies during the closeure of Machu Picchu. The rail companies demanded that any visitor to Machu Picchu should have a valid train ticket in or out of Aguas Calientes. This effectively excludes a large number of visitors who chose to arrive and depart by foot and was only introduced days before our trek was to begin.

Navita and I had been guaranteed a train ticket out of Aguas Calientes but others had not which made things a little iffy. As it turns out there was no problems. I'm assuming a hoards of hikers promised entrance simply can't be refused given tourism had recently suffered so much. We were through, and almost immediately in the distance and kilometers away we saw what we'd trekked all the way for. In the distance and with sun glaring we could just about make out the peak of Machu Picchu.

It was a very welcome sight and one which gave us a much needed boost, since energy was low and there was still a good 3 hours plus of walking to be done along he train tracks to Aguas Calientes.

During the last few hours of hiking we stayed close to the Urubamba River and our guide Washi told of his escape from Machu Picchu during the floods in late January and also showed us a phone video of how the river swelled engulfing everything in it's path.
Finally we came to he town if Aguas Calientes and it's promises of a hostel bed, hot showers, restaurants, a Pisco Sour or two, and of course the main event of seeing the mysterious Machu Picchu. Today had probably been tougher than Day 2 and our legs were crying out for rest. They would rest at the end of tomorrow only.



Day 5:



A very early start this morning, at 3.30am so we could join the Inca Trail at 4am. In pitch dark with headlamps and warm clothes we started the hour long hike up 1700 steps to citadel of Machu Picchu. This was going to be he last strenuous work our legs could cope with and at the end would be a reward that made it all worth while. Encouraging each other up the steps, Navita and I kept our own pace and we managed to reach the top in time for sunrise and to find we were one of the first 50 or so people to get to the gate. We were guaranteed to have the site all to ourselves for the opening, and before the hoards of tourists arrived on the buses a short while later. So close we could taste it!

Once our tour group had gathered we entered and were blown away by what was in front of us. A huge complex of Inca ruins steeped in history and built to last forever, Navita and I jumped for joy, hugged and congratulated each other on a job well done, and for a reward so apt we couldn´t quite believe we'd made it. The most fitting climax to our time in south America we

were overjoyed. After some hastily taken snaps with no other person in the background our guides sat us down and proceeded to explain some of the fascinating history whilst we gazed at the site and clouds beneath us.

Our understanding during our short tour was:

• It took 100 years to build by he Inca Pachacutek.
• It was a palace wheee royalty and the army lived.
• All the stone used was found on the site and used many advanced cutting techniques to form the shapes required.
• There are temples.
• There are astrological and scientific buildings with accurate measuring instruments built from stone.
• There is art work in the shape of a stone carving representing the mountains all around.
• Machu Picchu means ´Old Mountain´. It's the given name when discovered in 1910 to reflect the wisdom and knowledge held within he site.
• The mountain of Huayna Picchu in front takes the form of a puma resting. The puma
• represents the highlands in Inca beliefs.
• The site of the citaldel and palace is shaped like a condor which represents the sky.
• It was a burial ground for Incas.
• The last Inca, Paullu Inca, who fled the site during he spanish conquest took with
• him into the jungle all the valuable gold and tombs of other Incas including the real name of the site which is now lost in time.
• There is a fertility stone thought to give a couple children if they touched it.

As we made our way through the various rooms and buildings we were told of it's meaning and relavance to how the Incas lived and died, all the while gazing over into the distance as every viewpoint was breathtaking.





After our 2 hour guided tour we said fairwell to our guides who had gotten us here against the odds and had some free time to roam around on our own. With each further step we took, our legs rebelled and it was not long before Navita and I started to make our way to the exit. But not before taking our ´money shot´! The post card style photos at the highest point at the rangers house.



We stayed and mooched about for a while not really wanting to leave. It was by this point the tourists were flocking in, but still never overrunning the place. We'd already been there for 6 hours and reluctantly it was time to head back to Aguas Calientes and rest our tired bones and muscles.



It had been a truly amazing and rewarding experience and one that neither of us will ever forget.

Our return to town was by tourist bus but boy was it sweet! Once back we ate lunch and visited the hot springs (Aguas Calientes - geddit??) to soothe our tired bodies and just took the rest of the day really easy. Our train was due for 9pm so we hung out around town and enjoyed our well deserved down time. The journey back was 'eventfull' not least due to the confusion around train tickets and our connecting bus to Cusco. But we arrived safely at 3am back in Cusco and we treated ourselves to a double room so we could sleep-in. An unexpected side effect of coming back to the Pirwa Hostel was that the friends we'd made there gave us a lovely welcome back which really made us feel good.



Here, Navi and I had been eyeing up an English style brekafast and decided that it would be worthwhile as we recovered over the next fewdays in Cusco.

Machu Pichu really did live up to the hype and he difficulty in reaching it combined with the Inca trail closures and all the other aspects of the aftermath of the January floods made it all the more worthwhile. For those who don't wish to visit the hard way, there are plenty of options available to you to see his modern wonder of the world. Go see it, you won regret it! Dad that means you!