Peru 2015/16 - G Adventures, Inca Trail - Day 4, Machu Picchu !

It rained off and on through the night, may even have thunderstormed. I was warm and dry in my tent but slept fitfully. Woken at 3am with the offer of hot tea and warm water. We packed up quickly and had a cold breakfast.

Picture by Fiona
Starting the 4th day in the dark.

David had given us the itinerary last night and said that he had never been able to get a group going fast enough to get benches at the check in. Hah! We got benches at the check in! I found out why you needed a headlamp this morning (I didn't have one, just a flashlight) as we were hiking out of camp and down to the check in, in pitch darkness. Fiona and Danny both shone their headlamps on the stairs so I could navigate them (so kind).
We waited at the check in as the rest of the groups gradually amassed. Not a lot of noise, shuffles and whispers. We brushed our teeth and adjusted our packs and were glad we didn't have to sit on the ground.

End of the Inca Trail, start of the hike to Machu Picchu

As it began to get lighter there was movement. I hadn't noticed but David must have established himself near the front of the line because he was calling us through.
There was still hiking to be done, up and down, stone steps in the mist and light rain. At one point (David had warned me but I hadn't really believed him) I had to climb very steep stairs with hands and feet (like a ladder).
At the Sungate (a pass in the mountain where you finally get to see Machu Picchi) the cloud cleared and we had a good view (no sun though). Everyone got their pictures taken there and it was a crowd of good feelings.

Crowds at the Sungate as everyone took pictures there.

Still more hiking down to the site itself.

The clouds were swirling around making the stone stairs wet and slippery. Sometimes
it was actually raining.

We were still quite a hike away from the site. On the right is the river in the valley below
and in the middle the switch back road that the bus takes to Agua Caliente.

As we neared it there were people coming up, walking to the Sungate. They were clean, smelled good, had stayed overnight in Agua Caliente and taken the bus up that morning; I had a strange resentment of them, they hadn't worked for it, they didn't deserve it. A hiker, back at the hotel, had articulated this to me before we left and I had laughed but I now understood. I had to give myself a bit of a talking too about how not everyone had the time, fitness or inclination to do the trail and they still should get to see the site.

Machu Picchu is a truly impressive site and I only appreciated this as we arrived and
looked down at the buildings, terraces, ruins, deep valleys, steep mountains and clouds drifting below us.

Last group picture. We made it!

My Argentinian "Fan Club". It was a great boost to hear them chanting my name
whenever they saw me.

Photo by Fiona
Next stop was the restaurant for breakfast (we had been up and hiking for hours) and the washroom (aaaaah)

David gave us an hour and a half tour and then told us we had about 2 hours of free time before catching the bus down and then the train.

We sat on a terrace while David talked about the site in general.

Everywhere I looked was worthy of a photo.

Temple of the Sun from below with the cave underneath.

and from above.

Discussing the doorways and doors

It is believed that it was a royal estate and could accommodate thousands of people.

Evidence of earthquake damage

More earthquake damage. David told us that it is believed that the site was abandoned before
it was finished. There are sections, like this temple where spaces were cut for beams on one
side but not completed on the other. In addition there is still a quarry on the mountaintop with
partly carved stones.

A worker cleaning of lichen with a small scraper. Painstaking work. (He was wearing a Habs cap)

Temple of the Condor

There is evidence of animal sacrifice and that the blood ran down to the Condors beak.

After David's tour I was too tired to sketch (my original plan) and it was damp. I didn't want to face any more steps (and the whole site is on a mountainside). So Chris, Jason and I wandered for a bit and then headed down to the bus. It is my only regret from the trip. I was too tired to really enjoy the site. Normally I would have spent a whole day there as it was we spent about 3 and a half hours.

Danny, Fiona, Ryan and Casey walked to the Inca bridge, up to the top again and over to the other side of the mountain. Oh to have their energy. I was just too pooped.

After taking the bus down to town we found the restaurant where we were to meet the others and pick up our duffle bags. I had a coffee (my first in 4 days) and a glass of wine (my first in 4 days) and I have to say they both tasted delicious. The rest of the group joined us and we had lunch.

It was a very smart and comfortable train.

Photo by Fiona
The views from the windows were of mountains and the rushing river along the valley we followed.

After the train we boarded a bus that took us back to the Ollantaytambo hotel to pick up the souvenirs we had left there and then on to a bus to go back to Cusco.

Peru provided a goodbye rainbow.

Back at the hotel it was all I could do to shower and quickly check my e-mail before I fell into bed.