The Inca Trail, which Vicki wanted to walk on, is so fragile and crowded that the government now requires hikers to have guides. No guide, no Inca Trail. Not even a single step. The guide service she found, Llama Path, provides a two-day Inca Trail experience, culminating at Machu Picchu. just what we wanted. Thus, on March 10th-11th, they got us to the trail, provided a nice English-speaking guide, Charlie, and, over a day's relatively rough walk in the cloud forest, got us to Machu Picchu. Next day, Charlie gave us the Machu Picchu tour and then saw us back to our train/bus return to Cusco. Oh yes, a night in a nice hotel and several meals were included. We were quite pleased, overall. Trekking with a nice room at the end of the day, hot showers, and restaurant food and drink, is the way to go.
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Alas, the day of the trip, they pick you up at 5AM at your
hotel in Cusco for a thrilling ride over the passes, in the dark,
at warp factor 6.5; more coca tea, por favor |
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| Lower slopes of Veronica, an 18,000-footer in the vicinity |
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At Ollentantamby--to which we would return in a few days--
we boarded the train to Machu Picchhu |
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| But got off at kilometer post 104 |
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The other nice thing about trekking with
hotels and restaurants is you don't have to
carry back-breaking backpacks |
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Foot bridge over the Urubamba, a big river--more about which--
a major tributary to the Amazon |
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Obligatory shot of Vicki crossing; not nearly
as exciting without the prayer flags, zopkios,
etc. |
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But the Urubamba turned out to be quite as exciting as the
Dudh Kosi; and then some |
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Ruins near the guard station; we'd barely set foot on the Trail
when the rain began; and it continued until after Winnie
Winona, that is, well after lunch |
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A highlight of walking through the cloud
forest is all the vegetation--here, some exotic
rot and corruption--but also many varieties of
orchids, bromeliads, and other exotics |
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The sacred power lines, bringing mystical energy to Machu
Picchu, are never out of sight |
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| Cloud forest scene; I was pretty fascinated by it all |
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| Tiny orchids |
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| Exotic rot and corruption; ick |
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Charlie mostly stayed by Vicki but kept close track of me;
lagging behind, under the pretense of taking pix... |
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| On the Camino Inka |
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| Beautiful huge bromeliads |
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| The trail, rising to meet Winnie Winona, in the distance |
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| Thus |
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| A mini Machu Picchu, some say |
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| Lowest terraces |
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| Train-spotting |
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| OK, it's Winay Wayna, not Winnie Winona |
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| Strolling through Winay Wayna, in the rain |
