Salkantay Trek, Peru

Let me first begin by saying that I could not have had a better group for the Salkantay Trek. There were only 5 of us and our guide - me, Jessica (England), Jennifer (Colorado), Lee Ann (Colorado), Jodi (Montreal), and Aquiles (our guide). The girls could not have been nicer and put up with me for 5 days despite having the only Y chromosome in the group.

Saturday, May 10
We woke up at 4am to have breakfast and then make our way to the ruins of Machu Picchu. We hoped to see a sunrise over the ruins, but cloud cover prevented such a site. We spent the first part of the morning walking around the ruins with our guide, Aquiles, telling us about the history and mistique of the area. Four of us (Jodi, Jennifer, Lee Ann, and myself) then made our way up Wynapicchu, the mountain overlooking Machu Picchu. From Waynapicchu we could clearly make out how the ruins of Machu Picchu form the shape of condor. We made it to the top and were disappointed to find swarms of tourists, many with their iPods and fanny packs camped out, making it nearly impossible to relax and enjoy the remarkable view. From the top of Wynapicchu we continued on to the Gran Caverna and the Templo de La Luna...which were disappointing after seeing the views from Wynapicchu and became disasterous after realizing the hike we would have to make to return to the main path to reach Machu Picchu once again. For those of you traveling to Machu Picchu, unless you are a masochist, skip the Gran Caverna and Templo de la Luna.

We returned to Aguas Calientes completely exhausted and not really looking forward to the train ride to Ollantaytambo where we would have to get off to catch a 2 hour bus back to Cusco. But, the train ride turned out to be ok. I met a guy from Arizona who is actually living in Mexico City about 6 blocks from where I lived....ridiculous, especially considering that 26 million people live there and the area where I lived was not the most popular choice for accomodations. We arrived in Ollantaytambo and hoped on our bus to Cusco. The bus had no room for luggage, despite that fact that nearly all the passengers had just hiked for 5 days or more. With our backpacks stuffed below our feet or in the aisles, we began to pull away. Just at that moment, a Canadian sitting directly behind me began projectile vomiting out the window. His girlfriend quickly got the bus to stop and asked if they could be let off to catch a cab. The bus driver agreed and she got off. Her boyfriend continued throwing up out the window as the bus once again began to pull away. With the entire bus shouting at the driver to stop, I managed to help the pale northern neighbor of the US up out of his seat and down the aisle and out the door. The remaining trip to Cusco was uneventful, other than the fact that when we returned to Cusco the hostel I was staying at had given away my room and I was forced to argue with them for 45 minutes in order to get a bed to sleep in.

Overall, the Salkantay trek was remarkable and an experience that will go down as one of my favorites in my life. The beauty of the landscape and the comraderie of the group could not have been better. And, our guide, Aquiles, was one of kind. If anyone is considering a trek to Machu Picchu, I would highly recommend contacting Aquiles and finding out what trekking company he is with. He will make sure you thoroughly enjoy your experience and will do everything he can to make your trip one that you will never forget. You can reach him at marcc20@hotmail.com.

Friday, May 9
We began Friday with another short bus ride to a place called Hidro Electrica where we would follow the train tracks into Machu Picchu. The trek along the train treks was pretty miserable as there was no real path and we were forced to walk along uneven rock piles for 4 hours. Along the way we were able to catch a few glimpses of Machu Picchu, allowing us to push on despite the pain in our legs and feet. But, we arrived in Aguas Calientes, the small town at the base of Machu Picchu, with time to climb Putukusi mountain, a towering landmass with spectacular views of the ruins. To get to the top of Putukusi we had to climb several wooden ladders that went nearly straight up the side of the mountain. The hike up Putukusi took about an hour and 40 minutes, but was well worth it. We were treated to views of Machu Picchu few other trekking groups were privelaged to see. After Putukusi, we checked into our hostel in Aguas Calientes. What a treat to sleep again in a bed and not on the hard ground. Unfortunately I received some bad news that night that my parents had to put Bailey down the day before. He had begun stuggling to breathe and was not eating. The decision was made to end any suffering Bailey was having and the vet came to the house. Bailey passed peacefully, but it has really been hard on me and my family. But, my parents were able to bury him in a flower garden on the edge of the lawn in a place that can been seen from several areas in the house. It will be strange when I finally return home and not be greeted by his wagging tail.

Thursday, May 8
Our third day we continued hikking along the river for most of the day. We passed more waterfalls and entered the rainforest portion of our journey. It was a very long day of trekking and we finally made it to La Playa for lunch around 3pm. After lunch, we hoped on a short bus to Santa Teresa where we would camp for the night. This was the first day we even had a glimpse of other trekking groups and unfortunately our campsite in Santa Teresa was filled with several other groups...severly detracting from the beauty of the area and the peacefullness of the hike. We also visited another thermal spring which was stunning, not only because the warmth and cleanliness of the pools, but because of the mountains and rivers surrounding it.

Wednesday, May 7
Despite having to sleep in below freezing temperatures, I woke up excited to continue our trek towards Machu Picchu. After thawing out with some tea and breakfast, we began our hike to Colcapampa. As we hiked, Salkantay and Humantay remained in our rearview while we passed through landscape filled with incredible flora and fauna as well as rivers, waterfalls, and small ponds. Our second campsite was in the backyard of a small farmhouse, where we were constantly bombarded with noises and attacks by pigs, chickens, and dogs. But, I can't really complain as the campsite was surrounding by stunning mountains and the sound of the two rivers merging below. The campsite was also located close to a thermal spring, so after having lunch, we hiked the 20 minutes down the cliffs to the baths. The baths themselves were not much, but the view was spectacular, being located on a small piece of land where the two rivers came together.

Tuesday, May 6
I got picked up from my hostel at 4am to begin the 3 hour drive out to Mollepata where we had our first breakfast together as a trekking group. From there we drove another few hours to Salkantay Pampa where we began our trek to our first camp site. This first day of trekking was the hardest as it brought us from about 3500 meters up to Abra Salkantay which is at 4800 meters and then back down a bit to our campsite at Huayracmachay (about 3800 meters). The views this day were unlike any I have ever seen. The entire day was spent hiking between two giant peaks, Salkantay and Humantay mountains. The pictures I took do not do justics to the beauty of the area. That night we made camp at the base of the two mountains and were treated to indescribable views of Salkantay and Humantay as the sun went down. Of all the places I have traveled to so far, this place ranks way up there in terms of beauty and inspiration. As the sun went down, the snow capped peaks of Salkantay and Humantay turned an incredible shade of blue and were lit as if there was an energy source just below the surface of the snow.