“…The highland highway needs to be seen to be believed, as a result of the terrain could be very tough and but in Christiandom we have now by no means seen such stunning roads, and the entire size of the roads all of the streams are crossed by hanging bridges, great to behold…”-Hernando Pizarro
No Peru journey information can be full with out mentioning the Inca Path — one of many final preserved routes of the Incas and one of many Seven Wonders Of The World.
Due to its uncommon magnificence and historical past, it’s additionally a well-liked vacationer attraction. One of many largest components that may decide whether or not you take pleasure in your expertise or not is which tour operator you select.
For my 4-day trek, I selected to go together with Llama Path, an organization I extremely advocate to different hikers.
Authentic Inca stone
Desk of Contents
- Preparation
- Day 1
- Meals & Drink
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Machu Picchu
- Total Tour Analysis
Preparation
Earlier than getting into into this journey, it’s necessary to neglect your personal tradition for a bit, and put your self within the place of the Incas. With the information Llama Path provides you, you’ll have the ability to perceive the concepts and lifestyle of the these individuals: how necessary agriculture was, how they honored reciprocity, how they used terrace farming and granite rock to develop high quality meals and the way they revered the solar, moon, and mountains. All through the 4 days, you’ll change into extra engrossed on this, bodily and mentally, providing you with an experiential tour.
A few of the causes I made a decision on Llama Path had been that I heard they had been well-organized, educated, enjoyable and handled their porters nicely, all of which turned out to be true.
The night time earlier than the Inca Path trek, the group was given a briefing on what to pack and what to anticipate. Take what they are saying to coronary heart. Don’t not hire a raincoat or forgo wrapping your mountain climbing garments in plastic since you suppose it received’t rain. Belief me, you don’t wish to be moist and uncomfortable when mountain climbing and tenting at excessive altitude. Furthermore, deliver a headlamp and strolling stick, two objects I didn’t deliver however fortunately had been lent by different group members.
Q’entimarka
Day 1
Day one began shiny and early at 4:30 AM. A bus took us first to an enthralling, family-run restaurant in Ollantaytambo referred to as Quinta Restaurant for a buffet breakfast. The group ready for the difficult 9-mile hike by filling up on scrambled eggs, ham, fruits, cereal, yogurt, bread, pancakes, juice and sizzling drinks. From there, we made our option to the beginning of the hike at Kilometer 83 in Llactapata. Though there was a lot steep up and downhill strolling, there have been many stunning landscapes, culturally-rich cities and distinctive Inca websites, just like the small communities of Meskay and Tarayoq, and the archeological websites of Willkarakay, Q’entimarka, and Patawasi.
As you stroll, the guides give info on the historical past of the realm. In accordance with Edwin, one of many Llama Path guides, the Spanish arrived in 1532, and tried with all their energy to destroy the Inca tradition. What’s attention-grabbing is that, at first, the Incas believed the Spanish had been the gods they’d been ready for, and had been hospitable and pleasant – that’s, till they began killing off the Incas for no purpose.
The town of Machu Picchu has been capable of keep so well-preserved as a result of the Incas made positive by no means to speak about it across the Spanish. When the Incas moved to the Amazon and the highlands, they took any proof of the positioning with them. Furthermore, the Inca Path was initially used for holidays and rituals solely, not industrial functions.
What’s actually superb is these Inca villages are nonetheless intact. Furthermore, the structure is sensible, particularly since these websites are from 1,430 A.D. When you trek, you’re actually strolling on centuries of historical past.
Meals & Drink
Together with nice info, Llama Path additionally supplied the group with massive helpings of tasty meals. For instance, on the primary day we had been instantly greeted with snacks of fruit and cookies. Moreover, lunch consisted of a 3-course meal with an avocado salad appetizer, soup, fish, cheese, greens, potatoes, garlic bread and rice. There’s additionally a each day “completely satisfied hour” with tea, chocolate, popcorn, crackers and jam, in addition to lavish dinners with dessert. And to assist wake and heat you up early within the morning, sizzling coca tea is delivered to you in your tent.
Day 2
The second day was additionally troublesome, however unbelievably stunning, as we hiked 11 miles, exploring the Inca websites of Runkuraquay and Sayaqmarka. Runkuraquay means “egg form”, and the positioning is an oval designed place that was as soon as a resting place for messengers. Right here we mentioned how the Incas didn’t have a proper language, however as an alternative used totally different coloured strings with knots to account for inhabitants and manufacturing numbers. In addition they used shells to make sounds and talk.
Sayaqmarka was so much larger, with many hidden corners and rooms. It was a non secular and non secular place, and was additionally used for astronomy. You may nonetheless see the rocks the place the Incas would put water to see reflections of the celebrities.
My favourite website was “Lifeless Lady’s Cross”, a mountain that appears like a girl laying down. It’s 13,500 toes in altitude, and the very best level on the Inca Path. From right here you’ll have the ability to get glorious mountain and valley views, in addition to see the paranormal cloud forest. It’s additionally the purpose you attain after mountain climbing over two hours uphill, and is the beginning of the downward descent.
Through the trek, the Llama Path workforce additionally confirmed they had been keen to go above and past for the trekkers. When one of many group members wasn’t feeling nicely and wasn’t going to make it to camp earlier than darkish, two porters ran with headlamps to seek out her, even giving her a piggy-back trip again to camp.
At night time, astronomy turned a part of the tour, as our guides confirmed us Saturn, the Southern Cross, the Milky Manner, and different constellations that had been vivid and straightforward to make out within the unpolluted sky.
Phuyupatamarka
Day 3
Apart for truly seeing Machu Picchu, the third day is the perfect. The group obtained to go to the well-known Cloud Forest, which is at all times serenely wrapped in clouds. Going together with this, we noticed the Inca ruins of Phuyupatamarka, which implies “clouds within the city”. This was one of many first Inca websites ever found, and was a temple and non secular website. The group additionally explored Yunkapata, a phenomenal terraced website with glorious panorama views and an ideal siesta spot overlooking the valley.
That is the day Edwin taught us about how the Incas had been ready for pure disasters by predicting the climate. For instance, El Nino, which happens about each 5 years, was predicted by discovering unusual seashells unusual in Peru. That is how the Incas survived a lot longer than different cultures.
We additionally mentioned the Andean Cross, or Chacana, and the varied meanings of its symbols. The containers characterize Cusco and its 4 areas, whereas the condor stands for the messenger from Earth to Heaven. Furthermore, the snake exemplifies information, the puma the military and the solar and moon gods the Incas worshipped. Many individuals don’t know this, as a result of when the Spaniards got here they tried to alter these meanings and symbols.
WInaywayna
After an expansive lunch of noodle soup, hen, beef, rice, pumpkin, lentils, potatoes and salad, we walked to the Inca website of Winaywayna, which implies “without end younger”. The positioning is named “mini Machu Picchu”, because it’s an entire neighborhood website with houses, an city heart, spiritual area and terraces for farming. You may discover the myriad rooms and see how the Incas created their very own irrigation system for the immense construction. What I discovered actually attention-grabbing was how they used granite rock to soak up and launch the solar’s power, making a pure greenhouse for plentiful and high quality crops.
