Hiking, surviving, and loving the Inca Trail
I didn’t intend to reserve the Inca Trail hike in January because there were so many other things to do before Remote Year (vaccines, farewells, last slices of NY pizza). Then I learned the Peruvian government limits the number of people on the trail each day and spots fill up fast, so I freaked out and immediately signed up.
Then the realization I had committed to hiking a 4-day marathon over mountains at high altitude — with a group of people I hadn’t yet met — slowly began to sink in.
Instead of researching what to bring and how to prepare, I pushed the Inca Trail to the back of my mind for most of Remote Year. The months leading up to our hike went something like this:
January — March: Buy plenty of shorts and sundresses for a year of chasing summer. Scoff at the idea of packing UnderArmour, thermal layers, gloves. The “nights will be cold” warning was a problem for Future Kelly.
May: Arrive at high altitude in La Paz and get winded walking up the stairs to my hotel. Realize the Inca Trail might be tough but decide everything will be fine because I have a whole two months to get acclimated.
June: Hike Rainbow Mountain and decide acclimation is a myth. Accept the Inca Trail will be challenging but decide to carry all my stuff (we could also opt to have a porter take it) because I am stubborn. Address the problem of cold mountain nights by packing my entire wardrobe and hoping for the best.
My pack ended up pretty stuffed because I also rented a sleeping bag, trekking poles and gloves, and packed a sleeping bag liner, first aid kit, sandals, rain jacket, and enough snacks to feed a small army.
Day One
Our tour guides picked us up at 3:30AM to drive to the trailhead. The first day involved about 7–8 miles of hiking through valleys and jungles, and the scenery was varied and stunning with Incan ruins along the way. It wasn’t as hard as anticipated but I was definitely feeling the weight of my pack by day’s end.
Tonight we learned Valencia Travel cooks some of the best food in South America and passed out around 8pm. The first night was the coldest and I woke up in the middle of the night freezing!
Day Two
We were told this would be the hardest day with 9 miles of hiking up and down mountains, so I was a little nervous starting out. An all-uphill morning ended with picturesque valley views and an afternoon of mostly downhill climbs. My knees were not happy but I was totally energized on endorphins and coca candy so it could have been much worse. It was also nice to have a solid 24-hour break from cell service.
The goal for day 2 was to get to camp before sunset, which we barely made because of a pit stop to explore some larger ruins resembling a stone complex of different levels and rooms. After struggling up the stairs and seeing its place amid the mountain scenery, I have a new appreciation for how the Incans lived and the civilization they built.
Day 3
Fewer miles and flatter terrain made for a welcome recovery-ish day. We got to camp around lunchtime after a beautiful morning hike with Incan tunnels and more killer valley views. The afternoon was spent exploring more ruins and splashing through freezing-cold waterfalls in the jungle. Because nothing says Incan lunch break like jungles and waterfalls. And llamas.
Day 4
Rainy 3:30AM wake-up call to wait in line at the gate where we were granted entry to the final stretch of trail. I was in the worst mood when we started (sorry guys) but watching sunrise over the mountains made everything better. After a few relatively flat miles, we arrived at the Sun Gate and got our first look at Macchu Picchu. WE DID IT! Cue applause.
Our guide gave us a tour of the city, which is massive, and then we were given time to explore on our own. It was amazing to see Macchu Picchu in person, especially after the 26.2-mile hike to get there, but for me the journey beat the destination.
Hiking for 4 days in the jungle with a great group of people was incredible but made Macchu Picchu seem like a nuthouse. There were crowds everywhere and I immediately missed the beauty and peace of trail life. I’d 100% recommend the Inca Trail to anyone interested in exploring Macchu Picchu or South America in general. It’s tough but such a rewarding experience.
Lessons Learned
Before this adventure, I had never done a multi-day hike or camped outside. It was a learning experience and these are some of the lessons I took along the way:
· Chewing coca leaves will help with the altitude, but it tastes terrible. Adding charcoal helps.
· Wearing sneakers instead of hiking boots was the best decision I could have made. My feet were pain- and blister-free.
· Toilet paper is worth its weight in gold.
· It’s hot enough for shorts during the day but cold enough for winter gear at night.
· Being in decent physical shape is ideal because those hills are no joke.
