Adventures of a Wandering Thirtysomething

They say that day 2 of the Inca Trail is the challenge and that day 3 is unforgettable. While in essence they are correct, make no mistake that day 3 also packs a punch.

After crossing dead woman’s pass yesterday, I felt myself completely relax in the knowledge that I could tackle whatever else lay ahead. What made the pass so difficult for me was not the the strain and exertion, of which there was plenty, it was the fear of the one thing out of my control, altitude sickness. When you are planning a trip to Machu Picchu this sickness is mentioned more than anything else you will read, in fact you even plan your trip around preventing it. No matter the precautions, however, you can never know if it’s going to strike. I was prepared to push myself physically to the limits to finish this hike but if altitude sickness strikes, you’re done. There’s no alternative but to retreat back down the hill, as we saw a couple people doing yesterday.

 

Heading up the second mountain pass in as many days the fear was gone. I’d reached the highest heights and now I could push hard without worry. After a brief 2,000ft climb to start the day we paused at the top to take in the views and quickly descended into lush forests and fantastic Incan ruins. This day the hike transformed into the image of the Inca Trail I’d imagined, hiking through the jungle from ruin to ruin following in the footsteps of the ancient Incans making this same pilgrimage thousands of years earlier.

Emerging from the lush vegetation we found ourselves following the ridge of the mountains with the trail literally clinging to the edge of the cliffs. It was during this stretch that our guide reminded us that this trail was the path used by Incan nobility. The commoners followed an alternate route thousands of feet below. It was easy to feel like a King hiking this spectacular stone trail, every corner another amazing vista. The beautiful scenery and even the trail itself an endless string of photo opportunities.

Camp for our final night had us still perched atop the ridge line. This location, passed over by most hikers pushing on closer to Machu Picchu, proved to be the site of our greatest vistas yet. Just below our tent a view down to the mountains protecting the still hidden city of Machu Picchu and snow topped peaks surrounding in all directions. After another incredible dinner we took a quick stroll to the top of the hill and watched the sunset. Taking in the majesty of our surroundings the moment was bittersweet knowing that tomorrow the journey will be over, and we will get our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.