Inca Trail 08/19/2006
We met at the SAS office at 5:45 am with a British couple Emma and Chris, whom we saw the evening before at the introduction. The bus was a heavy duty off-road Volvo. After 2 of shaking drive through the country side we stopped for breakfast, shop for hiking poles, coca leaves, chocolate and other last minute stuff, as well as to meet up with the rest of our group. After another hour drive we arrived at the entrance of the National Park and the starting point of the Inca Trail. We started at 2700m (roughly 8100 feet) and hiked up to 2850 m (roughly 8550 feet). The trail runs along a river, passing several ancient Inca sites. Especially "Patallacta" was quite amazing. A city built on terraces for farming and housing, sitting on a big bluff overlooking the river and valley. The Quechuan name means translated "city on the platform". We also passed many little farms and houses of local Indians. Sometimes it felt like we were intruding on their day to day life. It seems that not much has changed for them since the Spaniards conquered the country hundreds of years ago. They live a very basic, poor life without any luxury, most do not have running water or electricity. The fields are still plowed using wooden plows, some have a steel head, sometimes an bull or cow is used to pull it, but mostly it is some people. There are no tractors to be seen.
It was raining on and off, but in general we got quite lucky with the weather, it stayed dry overnight. After an excellent dinner we had an early night to get ready for day 2.
We met at the SAS office at 5:45 am with a British couple Emma and Chris, whom we saw the evening before at the introduction. The bus was a heavy duty off-road Volvo. After 2 of shaking drive through the country side we stopped for breakfast, shop for hiking poles, coca leaves, chocolate and other last minute stuff, as well as to meet up with the rest of our group. After another hour drive we arrived at the entrance of the National Park and the starting point of the Inca Trail. We started at 2700m (roughly 8100 feet) and hiked up to 2850 m (roughly 8550 feet). The trail runs along a river, passing several ancient Inca sites. Especially "Patallacta" was quite amazing. A city built on terraces for farming and housing, sitting on a big bluff overlooking the river and valley. The Quechuan name means translated "city on the platform". We also passed many little farms and houses of local Indians. Sometimes it felt like we were intruding on their day to day life. It seems that not much has changed for them since the Spaniards conquered the country hundreds of years ago. They live a very basic, poor life without any luxury, most do not have running water or electricity. The fields are still plowed using wooden plows, some have a steel head, sometimes an bull or cow is used to pull it, but mostly it is some people. There are no tractors to be seen.
It was raining on and off, but in general we got quite lucky with the weather, it stayed dry overnight. After an excellent dinner we had an early night to get ready for day 2.
In tha beginning ..... The group at the start of the Inca Trail.
The first Inca ruin "Patallacta", the city on the platform.
The first campsite.
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