Inka Jungle Trail and Machu Picchu

hello people from Switzerland and anywhere else 😉

I finally have time and a better internet access here so i can write something about my last week.
From Puno (Titicaca Lake) we went over Arequipa to Cusco.

Cusco is a rather small city and crowded on the one hand with tourists and on the other hand with young boys who want to convince you for the party at the evening and ladies who wants to give you a massage. Everybody just call you turista turista….
However, we focused on the main thing. We have to find the appropriate Trip to Machu Picchu. As I am not really keen on hiking the originally inka trail with thousands of other people we decided us to the inkajungletrail.com with Lorenzo. It i recommended in the Lonley Planet and in my opinion still a good choice.

The first day we went downhill biking. It was a great experience, as I haven’t been biking for a long time. First the road was quite wet and it was raining like hell. I was happy that I got myself a poncho for 1 USD. The road was at the beginning very narrow so it was quite scary. So it also happend that we found a taxi with the roof to the ground. the taxidriver, who should be used to the road felt of the cliff. 2 people dead :/ so we kept on going, still a bit frightened. After the lunch break the road has changed into a muddy, pumpy road with lots of wholes. Real Mountainbiking was on also with few uphills which needs our endurance. Covered in mud and dirt I put all my energy into my bike. A couple girls already gave up after the lunch break but i wanted to do it. Unfortunately our “MONGO” of a guide didnt wait for me and rushed throught he additional road which wasnt really on the plan. So I was so exhausted I have up and put my bike on the top of our car. The driver didnt tell me that it was just 500m to go until our lodge. So I almost did it…. And finally could shower myself – i felt so released. Really was close to my limits…

The Second day was actually just hiking. we skipped the busroad part and started with the uphill in the jungle. Our TG (Tourguide aka Johan) also wanted to show what is good at and almost run up the hill without any attentions to us. The Dutch Couple was really fit and could manage that easely. Nini had some problems in the beginning with the humidity and could hardly breath. The other girl from Germany had difficulties to follow us well. Anyway, after a break in the middle of the jungle we met the monkey martyn and another animal which was something like a wombat. We also had to colour our face with some jungle fruit or whatever. so ridiculous. The afternoon was walking at the inka trail. it was really narrow and a very high cliff. this made me a bit shaky.
Always good to have some Wonka Nerds which kept my energy and motivation up.
After 8-9 hours hiking we arrived in a Lodge with tents. They look quite warm and were just happy that we finally made this hard day. Before dinner we could enjoy ourself at the Hot Springs in Santa Maria. That was the best part of the day 😉 Dinner was good and a lot – as I expected and loved it.

The third day was a bit boring. We chose the option to walk instead of going by bus or train. This option wasnt the option our TG liked the most. So he rushed us over a “busroad” which was only fucking big rocks where we had to climb. He was such a fucking asshole. The afternoon was just the way along the railway line. And the backpack was sooooooo heavy. Anyway we already so Machu Picchu where our target it. At around 6 we arrived in Aguas Caliente. Thats a village just next to Machu Picchu. From there it was just 1,5 hour by hiking. The Hotel was quite cozy and we appreciated the hot shower. For dinner we could chose and I decided for Alpaca 😉

The forth day was the big day. We got up at 3.30 and started hiking at 4. Through the dark Agua Caliente along the busroad and afterwards an uphill of a bit more than an hour. Huch… so many steps and we had to carry our lunch as well. really exhausting. But we made it … and we queued with the first people entering machu picchu. so we also got the ticket to climb Waynu Picchu (only the first 200 bzw. 400 people were able to climb it) So just when we entered the sacred city of Machu Picchu we could see the sunrise. que bonita. Our guide Alex told us everything about the Incas and how the sacrified the lamas and the people, how they lived and how they found and how they hide the Machu Picchu from the Spanish. It was very interesting and i am keen on reading more about the Incas.
At the 10. A.M. we started to climb the WaynuPicchu with the Dutch Couple. It was fun and we were so proud of ourself that we still had the energy after this 3 days hiking and biking. again with the other pack of wonka nerds I was saved. At the top of the WaynuPicchu we found a beautiful scenery over the Machu Picchu, and so huge cliffs and the jungle. It was incredible. I can’t describe how I felt. I had pins and needles in my legs and proudness in my head. From down it looks so fucking high !!! After few pictures we declined and indulge ourself with a yammie avocado, tomato mayonaise sandwhich.
After a little Siesta i started to climb down to agua caliente. the other took the bus which was the faster option. As it just started raining i almost run. just when I got back it was pourring…. and I ordered a beer and happily looked back of the day. It was amazing….