Machu Picchu

[Rissask]

28 miles in 4 days deosn't sounds like much- except when you think it's up and down hills and yeah, the altitude thing!

You should keep us informed in this thread of all your planning, then if anyone else wants to plan a trip there, it would be a great reference!

[lolabella]

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

You should stay some days in Cusco. It's a lovely place, and so much to see. Here you can take it easy for a couple of days. But be aware. It is more than 3500 meters above sea level.

I think there is possible to leave the train obout half way and take the Inca trail from there.

Breathtaking picture Thor! Post more if you have them!! Yep, I'd stay a few days in Cusco for certain. I don't think I'd take the train, as I love the idea of camping out on the trail under the stars at night.

Thor, where did you fly into? I cannot seem to locate the closest major airport for some reason.

[Thor Henning]

Originally Posted by Rissask

28 miles in 4 days deosn't sounds like much- except when you think it's up and down hills and yeah, the altitude thing!

Yeah, that's right. The altitude thing.
I took the train. I met a German boy though. He was worn out. If I remember right Anna walked the Inca trail.

[lolabella]

Originally Posted by Rissask

28 miles in 4 days deosn't sounds like much- except when you think it's up and down hills and yeah, the altitude thing!

You should keep us informed in this thread of all your planning, then if anyone else wants to plan a trip there, it would be a great reference!

Yeah..that is quite the hike, isn't it? I'm sure nothing less than spectacular views though. I better start conditioning my lower body and my lungs now for next year.

I'll for sure keep this updated for everyone! I didn't realize we had so many peeps interested in going here.

[Thor Henning]

Originally Posted by lolabella

Thor, where did you fly into? I cannot seem to locate the closest major airport for some reason.

I spent more than 5 months i Peru. I flew into Lima and traveled to the Titicaca Lake before Cusco, and came to Cusco by train. But you may fly from Lima to Cusco. I flew from Cusco to Lima. I don't remember exactly, but I think it took between two and three hours.

I will post more pictures later, but I have to scan them first. I have a lot of pictures.

[mofi]

Also may make a trip there sometime in the near future. I have family near Quito that work for a Canadian Oil Company and live quite a lavish life style, that have invited me to visit so I may do Colombia, Equador and Peru all in one trip and would love to see Manchu Pichu

[Anna]

How exciting! GO! You will NEVER regret it. Do not hesitate. Let me tell you again, GO GO GO!!

The Andes is just breathtaking and it's not very hard to travel by yourself. There are a lot of independent backpackers that you can hook up with and lots of cheap and good hostels and hotels along the route. If you hesitate to travel by yourself, you could always book an overland trip with GAP, for example. No, not the clothes company... GAP stands for Great Adventure People and they do organized backpacking tours. It's not a bad choice if you have limited time and you don't want to do all the planning yourself, but if you're somewhat independant and you have a bit of flexibility in time you can totally do it yourself. GAP does what you'd do if you travel yourself anyway, local buses, hostels etc, and all your activites cost extra. If you like the planning aspect of traveling, you might as well do it yourself with the South American Handbook in your hand, and save a bunch of money.

I spent almost a year in South America a few years ago, and I did the long version of the Inca trail on that journey. It's without a question one of the top 5 travel experiences I've had.

Here's a thread that Anna Tortuga started a while back, where I wrote some tips on Machu Pichu, Cuzco and traveling in South America in general.

Here's an excerpt of what I wrote on that thread: (I've added some extra comments)

-----------------------------------------
If you have any issues with walking up- or downhill, don't attempt to do the 4 day Inka trail. Once you're on it, there's no turning back. It's hard hiking, 6-7 hours a day, always up or down, never flat, the highest peak is 4,500 meters so you have to walk reeeeaaally slowly. And you have to carry a back pack with water, high energy snacks and layers of clothes, since you walk through different climates. Many people carry their own big backpack too, with clothes etc, but I strongly recommend hiring a porter to take your big pack and just carry a daypack. It's really hard hiking and you'll need your strength. But again, it's ABSOLUTELY fantastic!

If you don't think you're up for the long hike, you can take the train a bit further and hike up to the camp site where everyone stays on the last night of the 4 day hike. I think it's a 3-4 hour hike there, you stay the night and then get up very early in the morning to hike to Machu Pichu and get there before the bus tours get there. That hike is about 2-3 hours, so it's not too bad. The magic is to hike on these trails that were paved by the Inkas and you pass these little ruins you can only get to by foot. Llamas are grazing by the side of the trail and this last part towards Machu Pichu goes through cloud forest, with lots of beautiful flowers and birds.

If you're not up for that either, just spend the night in Aguas Calientes and get up early to visit the ruins. You can go for a stroll along the trail and back again if you like. That too is amazing enough.

Thor brings up a good point regarding altitude sickness. A lot of people get it and you may want to plan for an extra day in Cuzco on the front end of your visit to get used to the altitude. The best local remedy is maté de coca, te of coca leaves, which really helps according to those who are affected (I had lived in Quito, Ecuador for a few months before so I was used to altitude).

You also want to plan for a couple of days in Cuzco just to stroll around and shop in the markets. It's a fascinating city. It was the capital of the Inkas at the time of the arrival of the Spanish and once they concurred it, they tore down the buildings, but left the ground walls and then built their own buildings on top. So everywhere you go you see Inka walls up to about eye level and then colonial structures on top of that. The Inka walls are so well made they have withstood centuries of earthquakes and they're made entirely without morter.

There's also a fascinating ruin just outside the city of Cuzco called Sacsayhuaman well worth visiting. It sits right above the city, so you can walk there and you get a great view over Cuzco.
------------------------------------------------

I'll be happy to give more tips and help you plan your trip as much as I can. With that much time on your hands you can do a great trip - for example go to Ecuador, Bolivia, Titicaca lake etc. Definitely go to the Amazones (via Peru or Ecuador) and, if you have the money, maybe even the Galapagos! Think big!

[lolabella]

Originally Posted by Anna

How exciting! GO! You will NEVER regret it. Do not hesitate. Let me tell you again, GO GO GO!!

The magic is to hike on these trails that were paved by the Inkas and you pass these little ruins you can only get to by foot. Llamas are grazing by the side of the trail and this last part towards Machu Pichu goes through cloud forest, with lots of beautiful flowers and birds.

Think big!

Anna! Thank you!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!! I got chill bumps just reading about the magic!! You've solidified my decision to go. I'm just a little aprehensive on doing it alone, but I know I can do it. I'll be in touch!

[Anna]

Originally Posted by lolabella

Anna! Thank you!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!! I got chill bumps just reading about the magic!! You've solidified my decision to go. I'm just a little aprehensive on doing it alone, but I know I can do it. I'll be in touch!

No problem. As I said, I'll be happy to help you as much as I can. Have you given any thought on what you want to do besides Machu Picchu? Ecuador? The Amazones? Bolivia? Salt lakes at Uyuni? Wish I could go with you!

[drewl]

Originally Posted by lolabella

Anna! Thank you!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!! I got chill bumps just reading about the magic!! You've solidified my decision to go. I'm just a little aprehensive on doing it alone, but I know I can do it. I'll be in touch!

DO IT!!!!!!! While I am not familiar with this hike, I have been on some other high altitude hikes, the only thing you can do to avoid high the effects is go slowly and hydrate! good rule of thumb... "Clear and Copious!" Do it! Do it!!

[Thor Henning]

I went from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Quillabamba. Quilla bamba is father down the Urubamba valley. The bus ride there from Cusco is fantastic. I'm sorry I don't have pictures, but it was impossible because it was getting dark. 'Anyway, I should have taken more pictures. The road was terrible, but the views are fantastic.

Here are some pictures. First from Quillabamba:


This is from Place de Armas in Quillabamba. The three boys are from Chile and we were traveling together a part of my trip.


A bridge in Quillabamba.


The railway station in Quillabamba.


This is Quillabamba. Our hotel is to the left.


The mountain hills around Quillabamba.

From Quillabamba we took the train to Aguas Calientes which is the cheapest place to stay near Machu Picchu.

The next morning I stood up early to go before the crowd. I met a Canadian who was as early as me, and we went together. We walket from Aguas Calientes along the railway trough a tunnel to the station at Machu Picchu and took the bus up the hill side to the entrance.


It was raining, but the view was ffantastic. No picture can show how steep it is here.


The first view of machu Picchu as we were walking in to the site.


Where we came in.


At first we where the only ones there.


The Canadian had a Norwegian anorak he had bought in Norway.






You can see where we came in.


Here is the famous sundial, but I think it is an alter.


Here you can see the road where the bus goes from the railway station.


The railway station seen from Machu Picchu.


Me at Machu Picchu.

In the background you can see the mountain Wayna Picchu. We went up there. Got real tired. But the view is fantastic.








The Inca Trail to Wayna Picchu. The sairs where steep.


The view of Machu Picchu from Wayna Picchu. It was worth the climb.


On top of Wayna Picchu. Look at the water fall in the back.


Back in Cusco. Look at the Inca walls and the colonial houses built on top of them.

I have a lotmore pictures. I will try to get time to post some more.

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

The railway station in Quillabamba.






On top of Wayna Picchu. Look at the water fall in the back.




Back in Cusco. Look at the Inca walls and the colonial houses built on top of them.

What great pictures, but these three are my favourites. Especially the last one, the Inca walls and the women's traditional dress - and the way you got one woman's front and the back of the woman with the bundle walking under the mid-day sun - contrast so well with the Spanish colonial arquitecture and both the man walking behind them wearing western clothes and the westernised woman walking far away in the background.

Just out of curiosity, what film did you use? Seems like Kodachrome 64...

[Thor Henning]

Originally Posted by Daddy B

What great pictures, but these three are my favourites. Especially the last one, the Inca walls women's traditional dress - and the way you got one woman's front and the back of the woman with the bundle walking under the mid-day sun - contrast so well with the Spanish colonial arquitecture and both the man walking behind them wearing western clothes and the westernised woman walking far away in the background.

Just out of curiosity, what film did you use? Seems like Kodachrome 64...

Thanks Daddy B!
Yes it is Kodachrome 64. 27 years old. But I did increase the saturation a bit.

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

Thanks Daddy B!
Yes it is Kodachrome 64. 27 years old. But I did increase the saturation a bit.

Aaaah, those Kodachrome 64 reds!

I wish it was still available, these days I have to make do with Velvia 50 for my underwater photography.

Thanks, Thor, your pictures and the people in them made me think.

[TAPPY]

Thor your pictures are amazing. What an adventure.