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The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu

October 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

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The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu- where to begin? Two of THE iconic activities and attractions of the entire South American continent, they are MUST SEE’s on any traveler’s list when touring Peru. I had been looking forward to the 4 day trek and my visit to the citadel in the sky ever since booking the trip waaayyyy back in May. Finally, almost 5 months later, I found myself sitting in the lobby of my hostel in Cusco- the capital city of the Inca Empire- waiting for my trekking company to pick me up. Yes it was early (6am), and sure, the Beatles cover band that played at the hostel the night before had kept me up significantly later than I had intended, but still, I was ready to hit the trail…

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 Day 1: Day 1 was an easy introduction to the Inca Trail. After a 3 hour bus ride and a quick stop off in the small town of Ollantaytambo for breakfast and last-minute supplies, the bus drove our group of 16 along a winding trail to a country outpost. We gathered our gear, sorted out sleeping bags and other camping essentials, and then headed to the first checkpoint of the Inca Trail. Once we had all shown our passports and had our permits stamped, we set off along the rocky track, our guides Edwin and Jimmy leading the way. It was pretty easy going that first day- a little up, a little down- ‘Peruvian Flat’ as the locals like to call it… We saw a couple of Inca sites from a distance, had an amazing lunch, and then hiked up to our first campsite. We got in pretty late in the afternoon, and the valley got COLD once the sun went behind the mountains. I was glad when hot tea was served, and then a huge dinner a bit later on. We were all very pleasantly surprised by the food- it was DELICIOUS, and there was lots of it… After having our fill, it was one more cup of tea before quickly crawling into our warm sleeping bags-  a 5am wake-up call and the massive climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass was looming just over the horizon on Day 2 of the Inca Trail…

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Day 2: Day 2 is commonly acknowledged as being the most difficult day of the Inca Trail- mainly because the first section of trail heads straight up to an altitude of 4,200m, finally reaching it’s pinnacle at Dead Woman’s Pass. A daunting sight when first climbing out of your tent at 5am. After a hearty breakfast, we shouldered our packs and set off on the long hike up to the pass. Fortunately, it was a perfect day for hiking- no rain, cool temps, and a bit overcast, which helped keep the sun from roasting us as we ascended the trail. Slow and steady was the mantra, and as our group made its way up the mountain side, discussion and banter became scarce as the air thinned out. We stopped several times for water and rest, each time peeking back down the trail to see the valley opening up below. It was INCREDIBLE- the scenery, as well as how far we had climbed in that morning… Insane. Eventually, we made it to the pass, running the final few steps in celebration. It had turned into a gorgeous day, and the view from the pass was awesome. Photos, videos, a few moments to take it all in (and catch your breath…), and then it was time for the long hike down the other side of the pass. Knees knocking, quads shaking, step after seemingly-unending Inca Step, we made our way down into the valley and made camp by around 130pm. And just as well, as it started raining about 20 minutes later- unfortunately for those that were still up on the trail. I couldn’t imagine how slippery the rocks would’ve been with that rain coming down- it would’ve been significantly more difficult, and much more dangerous as well. Still, the rest of the crew made it down safely, and to their credit, they all had smiles on when they made it to the dining tent. A late lunch, a few hands of cards, and before we knew it, it was time for dinner, and then off to bed. We raised a toast of a locally made warm rum drink, and then all headed off to bed, happy and EXHAUSTED from the long day on the trail.

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Day 3:  Day 3 was pretty difficult as well- as any stretch of trail nicknamed ‘The Gringo Killer’ would be…  We were up at 5am again, and knew we had a full day of hiking to make it to the final campsite before our arrival at Machu Picchu the following day. Once again, we had a hearty breakfast, and then headed out onto the trail. The first section was pretty much straight up the side of the mountain- we had seen the path the previous afternoon, and knew that the hard work would come straight away in the morning. Again, slowly but surely, we made our way up through the cloud forest and on through the second pass of the Inca Trail. After a brief rest and a lesson on the ceremonial method of chewing traditional coca leaves, we were off once again, plunging down the other side of the pass and into the valley below. It was a GREAT day of hiking- incredible views, amazing Inca sites, ever-changing foliage and landscape- just a beautiful day of hiking, and probably my favorite day on the trail. We had lunch on a peak of another mountain, followed by a brief ceremony in which we got to meet all of the local porters that were assisting us along the trail. Some of them were in their 60s(!), carrying MASSIVE packs full of food, tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment along the trail for us. If not for them, hiking the Inca Trail would be impossible… We thanked them all, and after a few group photos, were back on the trail. We hit a few impressive Inca sites in the afternoon, one of which we had completely to ourselves. It was incredible- once again, I found myself trying to imagine what these places would’ve been like at the peak of their civilization, but as always, it was impossible. Just impossible to fathom how these places were built, and what they looked like in their prime… After a few hours of soaking in the scenery, we made out way down to the final campsite, had an early dinner, and headed to bed. It was a 330am wake up for the final stretch up to Machu Picchu, and we all wanted to make sure we were rested up for our visit.

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backpack, backpacking, budget, adventure, explore, U, university, world, campus, field, note, professor, South, America, Peru, Inca, Trail, Machu, Picchu, Huayna, hike, trek, camp, citadel, old, fort, city, mountain, king, temple. hiram, bingham, bridge, sun, moon, caverna, climb, pass, dead, woman, ruins,

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 Day 4: Day 4 started out well before 330am for our group… It was raining- HARD- all night long, with cracks of thunder rumbling through the valley, and flashes of lightning illuminating the inside of the tent. Needless to say, sleep wasn’t that easy to find, and before we knew it, the porters were knocking on the tents, trying to coax us out into the downpour- not an easy task. Still, we knew we had to get going, so we donned the rain gear, broke out the backpack covers, and climbed out into the soggy darkness. We had a quick breakfast in the Dining Tent, and then had to file down to the final checkpoint, which we then realized didn’t even open until 530am… We had to stand there, in the rain, in the dark, for over an hour, before even being able to start the final stretch of trail.. I’m still not sure why they do things that way, but needless to say, we were not very happy standing there in the rain… Nevertheless, we WERE on our way to Machu Picchu, and the sky was brightening up. Thankfully, the rain stopped, and as the line began to pass through the checkpoint, we were all anxious to get up the trail. Once our group had passed through, it was a free-for-all trying to get up the final 3 kilometers to the Sun Gate, where we would get our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Honestly, I think that was the most difficult section of the Inca Trail for me, solely because of the PACE at which we were climbing the trail. A couple of girls in our group were pretty avid hikers, so we filed in behind them, and made our way past the two or three other groups that had been in front of us in line at the checkpoint. Finally- panting for air, dripping with sweat, and begging for water- we made it to the Sun Gate, and like THAT- everything else just faded away. We had MADE IT- there was Machu Picchu, the fabled Inca citadel, spread out on the peaks below us. There was a light mist hanging in the valley, giving the place a mystical feel typical and unique to such historic sites. It literally took our breath away… We had to sit and marvel for a few moments, but as more people began to arrive, we realized that we needed to get a few pictures in before the hoards of other trekkers overran the Sun Gate. It wasn’t long before that became reality, and our group started the long trek down into the city.

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The morning went all too quickly- first we had to check our big backpacks, and then we began our guided tour of Machu Picchu. Edwin explained much of the architecture and symbolism of the site, but the crazy thing about Machu Picchu is that most of what we ‘know’ about it is actually just theory- there is no written record of the site, the Spanish Conquistadores never found it, and it went largely unnoticed until Hiram Bingham ‘discovered’ the site in 1911. Since then, the site has remained shrouded in mystery, as there is no definite answer to what it’s purpose was, who lived there, and why or when it was abandoned. The only clues lie in the exquisitely carved and crafted stonework of many of the building, which was typically reserved for royal palaces and places of religious activities in other Inca sites. Regardless of the mystery, the place is INCREDIBLE- a massive city of stone impossibly built on the peak of a mountain. As other places of such magnitude- words cannot describe…

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After our tour, we had a couple of hours of free time to wander around the ruins, check out places that weren’t on the tour, and rub shoulders (quite literally) with the thousands of other tourists at the site. Unfortunately, we were all pretty exhausted from the long night of rain and the EARLY morning, so it took a tremendous effort to hike around the site. Still- for most of the group, this was their only day at Machu Picchu, and they had to make the most of it. Finally, we had to make our way to the buses and down the mountain to the town of Aguas Calientes below- our sending-off lunch was set for 2pm, and those heading back to Cusco had to be on the train by 630p. A huge pizza, several well-earned beers, a few final rounds of cards, and then it was time for me to say goodbye to the rest of the group- I had booked a bed in a hostel for a night in Aguas Calientes and a return to Machu Picchu the next day. I knew a dead-tired half-day at the site would not be enough to do all the exploring I wanted to do. I said my goodbyes, found my hostel, had a quick bite to eat, and then hit the sack. I knew I had a LOT to see the next day, and my legs needed some rest before one last visit to Machu Picchu.

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Day 5: I got up around 8am, had breakfast, and then caught the bus back up the mountain to the entrance gates of Machu Picchu. I had booked a ticket to climb the neighboring peak of Huayna Picchu at 10am, so had about an hour or so to wander around the site before starting the climb. Huayna Picchu was AWESOME, well worth the effort of the climb. Getting to the peak provides unique views of Machu Picchu, and a great view of the valley and surrounding areas as well. True, my legs were feeling it, but again, it was well worth it. That was just the beginning of my day- I was DETERMINED to do everything I possibly could while at the site. To be honest, I think I saw EVERY stone, temple, cavern, and terrace there was to be seen at Machu Picchu that day. Climb Huayna Picchu? Check! Climb down the back side of Huayna Picchu to see the Temple of the Moon and the Grand Caverna? Check! Climb back UP the massive staircase to the summit of Huayna Picchu? Check! Climb the smaller peak of Huchuy Picchu? Check! Hike up ALL of the terraces and around to the impressive Inca Bridge? Check! Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor, the Casa del Inca, The Observatory, Temple of the Three Windows, the Royal Baths- CHECK! Honestly, by the time 5pm rolled around, I was the most exhausted I have been in a LONG time- but it was that magical kind of contented, elated, well-earned exhaustion. I snapped a few final photos, and said my final farewell to the citadel of Machu Picchu. I fell asleep on the winding bus ride back down to town, had a quick shower and a bite to eat, and then it was time for the train back to Cusco.

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Hike the Inca Trail and visit Machu Picchu- CHECK!!! Another AMAZING adventure for the The Backpack Professor…

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For more information on hiking the Inca Trail, visiting Machu Picchu, and traveling through Perú, click here.

For more on The Backpack Professor’s travels through Perú, click here.

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Camping out in the Okavango Delta

August 11, 2012 — Leave a comment

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While traveling in Botswana, I took a 3-day/2-night trip out into the Okavango Delta. A literal oasis in the middle of the sprawling Kalahari Desert, the waterways and islands of the Delta are home to some of the most breath-taking and awe-inspiring scenery in all of Africa- both in landscapes as well as wildlife viewing opportunities. Having seen numerous documentaries showcasing the Delta, I knew from the very beginning of planning my trip that this was one part of Africa I was not missing out on, no matter what, so when the time came to sign up for the trip, my name was at the top of the list.

Shortly after we pulled into the dusty town of Maun, we gathered around for a meeting that would outline the next 3 days in the Delta. Our ‘Delta Guide’ gave us the run-down of the trip- a long makoro (Traditional dugout canoe) ride out into the Delta, bush camping for 2 nights, game walks and other makoro cruises during the days, a visit to a swimming hole or two, and the amazing experience of camping out under the stars in the Okavango Delta. Needless to say, by the end of the meeting, we were ready to head out right away. We packed our smaller day-packs and food for the trip, and then tried to find ways to while away the time until our departure the next morning.

We were up early the next morning to board the trucks for the transfer from the campsite to the Delta’s edge. It was a cool morning, and the trucks were open-air, so we had long-sleeves and wind-breakers on to keep us warm until the sun rose a bit higher. It was an hour’s drive through rural farmland from Maun out to the Delta put-in, and we noticed the terrain continually getting greener and greener the closer we got to our destination. Finally, we pulled to a stop on the side of what seemed to be a large lagoon.

 

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We all hopped off the truck and unloaded our gear while trying to stay out of the way of the many locals that were bustling around getting things prepared for the trip- I was amazed at how many people were involved. There were several makoros lined up along the water’s edge, and all of the locals were busy loading them with water and food, firewood and cooking equipment. We were told where to place our belongings, and shortly those were loaded into the makoros as well. We were introduced to the local guides that would be navigating us through the innumerable waterways of the delta and out to our camp sites. Finally, we gingerly settled into our makoros- 2 per boat, plus a guide- bags, sun cream, snack sacks, and water positioned around us as comfortably as possible. We had been told that it was going to be about a 3 hour trip out into the delta, and that we weren’t going to be able to move around very much in the narrow and seemingly all-too-unstable canoes. Sun hat on and SPF 50 applied, we pushed off, and our adventure was underway.

The Okavango Delta is an amazing place- cool clear waters flowing through tall grasses, islands spotted with palm and acacia trees, and abundant wildlife throughout. It is the world’s largest inland delta, the result of the seasonal flooding of the Okavango River system emptying itself into the basin of the Kalahari Desert. Because of the surrounding desert, the delta is an oasis for local plant and animal life, and is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Prides of lions patrol the islands, in search of herds of zebra, wildebeest, and water buffalo. Giraffe and elephants keep watch for predators like leopards and cheetahs, while shy rhinos and the ever-elusive wild dogs keep a low profile. Nile crocodiles and hippopotamus make their homes in the waterways, while fish eagles and cranes soar overhead in search of food. The water supply supports an incredible amount of life, and the residents of the delta have it pretty easy compared to their relatives in other, drier parts of the African wilderness.

 

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Our trip into the Delta was great- once we got the delicate balance of riding in the unstable makoro down. As our guide poled us along, I was surprised to see that most of the delta is no more than shoulder deep- the water was so clear, we could see the bottom of the narrow canals we were passing through, and our guide had no problem using the long pole to keep up slowly moving along. It started to get hot, and with no shade to be had, I felt like any exposed skin was getting roasted, regardless of how much sun cream I lathered on them. I noticed the locals simply dipping their cups into the water as we glided along, pouring some waster on their head and then drinking the rest, straight from the delta. Apparently, the water was safe to drink- for the locals, at least- but I decided it was still a good idea to drink bottled water. Better safe than sorry.

We continued along in this way for a long time- slowly gliding along through narrow pathways in a seemingly unending prairie of marsh grass. The gentle splash of our guide’s pole in the water, the rhythmic speeding up and slowing down of the makoro, the gentle breeze blowing across the open boat- I dozed off for awhile, despite my back and legs slowly growing numb from being in the same position for so long. Finally, our guide settled the nose of our makoro into the mud at the side of a small island, and we had arrived at our campsite. I slowly stood up, gingerly straightening out and stepping out of the front of the canoe and onto dry land. After a quick stretch, we unloaded all the gear- tents, sleeping bags and mats, pots and pans, containers full of food and utensils, several bottles of water, firewood, and last but not least- a shovel to dig our ‘bush toilet’- all that packed into in our three little makoros. It was amazing.

 

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First, we set to the task of pitching our tents and organizing our campsite. We all noticed  the piles of dried elephant droppings all around the place, and the guides were quick to tell us that it wasn’t uncommon for elephants to visit campsites at night in search of food that had been left out. We all made a mental note to make sure EVERYTHING was put away in the kitchen tent before we went to bed at night. I mean, I love elephants and everything, but I don’t really want them stomping around my tent in the middle of the night- it had happened before, and I found it to be just a bit disconcerting…  After we got our tents set up, the fire pit dug, and the ‘toilet’ sorted, it was time to set out on our first game walk in the delta.

 

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Now, I had been on game walks before, and called myself crazy afterwards for putting myself in such a precarious position. A ‘game walk’ is exactly what it sounds like- a walk through the wild in search of game. Who knows what you may encounter? In Nepal, it had been stealthy tigers and grazing rhinos. In the Okavango Delta, there were any number of dangerous animals we could come across- prowling lions, leopards and cheetahs; hyenas and crocodiles lying in wait; herds of edgy water buffalo and overprotective hippos scattered about. Throw in a few thousand elephants and some wary rhinos, and the potential dangers were everywhere. So, knowing all of this was out there waiting, and we wanted to just walk right into it, on foot, with no protection- no vehicle, no guns, nothing at all with which to stop a charging lioness or an upset buffalo.  Smart? Probably not… But, that’s just part of it- all part of the experience, so to speak…

 

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Anyway, our bush walks turned out to be pretty uneventful- we didn’t encounter anything dangerous, and the only wildlife we saw was a herd of zebra, and even then at a pretty good distance away. We did come across several skeletons- giraffe, hippo, buffalo, etc.- but that was the only evidence we saw of any predators possibly having been in the area. Still, it was amazing to be out and walking around the islands of the delta- it was beautiful. Stands of trees rising tall over golden grasses, dusty game trails meandering across the sun-baked fields, rocky outcroppings spotted here and there providing a great vantage over the surrounding area. It was a really cool walk, despite the lack of ‘action’.

 

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The rest of our time in the delta went much the same- we went on a couple more walks, never encountering anything too exciting. We did come across a lone bull elephant on one of our twilight makoro cruises. He turned and studied us, gave a great bellow, and then rumbled away, disappearing into the underbrush. We found a swimming hole the second afternoon, and each had a go at poling the makoros around. It quickly became obvious that one had to have grown up in the delta to be able to navigate it in the traditional boats, and we all had a laugh as we toppled over the side and into the water.  We saw some AMAZING sunsets over the delta, enjoying the peace and tranquility of being in the middle of the Botswana wilderness with nothing around to spoil it. At night, were were serenaded by the trumpeting of elephants and the calls of night hawks while sitting around the fire, roasting marshmallows and gazing up at the stars. Sure, we were ‘roughing it’, but to be honest, it was so peaceful that we hardly noticed that we hadn’t showered in 3 days, or that we had to cover the ‘toilet’ with fresh dirt after each use. Despite the lack of wildlife-related ‘excitement’ on our trip into the delta, when the time came to pack up the tents and load the makoros for the trip back to civilization, I wished we had more time to enjoy it.

 

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If you’d like to learn more about how to travel through Botswana, click here.

For more on the Backpack Professor’s adventures in Botswana, click here.

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