Machu Picchu: Team Spends First Day on Inca Trail!
Posted by: Mike King, Jack Delaney
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Machu Picchu
Elevation: 13,779'
Buenas noches señors y señoritas!
We awoke early to begin our first day on the official Inca trail! We had 4,000 feet to climb and the majority of it was on 600+ year old Inca stone steps.
The day started out along a babbling stream wandering up through a lush and wild jungle. We were even lucky enough to spot a sapphire hummingbird along our trek. Halfway through our grueling climb, we popped out above the tree line to enjoy a tasty lunch and beautiful views of the valley below. The final climb uphill was done slowly, since the top of Warmiwañusca pass was at 13,779 feet! Here, we enjoyed a well-deserved break before beginning our 2,000’ descent to camp at Pacaymayo. Thankfully, the views were spectacular and there were many colorful wildflowers along the trail to help distract us from the large and steep steps. We slowly and safely made our way down to camp where we enjoyed popcorn, chips, and guacamole for our afternoon snack! The guides claim dinner was “puma meat” but no matter what it was, it was delicious!
We’re headed to bed early tonight because we have another big day full of Inca stone steps ahead of us tomorrow!
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