Inka Trail, Peru Day 1

Km 82 – Llactapata- Ayapata (Trekking Distance: 8.7 miles/14 km (6-7 hours)

Today was a very early start. We were picked up in a large and comfortable van provided by Alpaca expeditions. The pickup time in Cusco was 4:30am, but our excitement helped us to get going in the morning. Hotel Rumi Punku was as accommodating as always and got coffee and coca tea going for us at the very early hour. We drove to many pickup points over the bumpy roads of Peru that we had come to know over the previous few days outings. We arrived at Kilometer 82 around 7:00

Breakfast

This was our first taste of the incredible culinary experience that we would have during the trip. Although I can be sarcastic, even in written word, this is not one of those times. We were very spoiled. We got to know the bright green color that would distinguish Alpaca expeditions from other tour groups. Everyone had a color theme and ours was bright green. We set up tarps and enjoyed a proper meal before we started hiking.

We were all very excited to start the hike and we took plenty of opportunities to take photos. This was going to be the trip of a lifetime! We also continued to see local people going about their daily lives in the early part of the trail.

Inca Ruins

One of the most important reasons to actually hike the Inca trail, instead of just taking a bus to the site, is that you can get a greater perspective on the entire story. The Inca Trail was not a single path, it was a network. Each site had different functions, size, significance, and we got to see so many different ruins along the way. Some of them were viewed from a distance, and others were close enough to explore.

Our guides were able to tell us stories along the way, and point out far away sites that weren’t as obvious until they were pointed out.

Why would it take 6-7 hours to hike 8.7 miles? That’s my question. But it was answered. Someone in our group immediately starting having the stomach flu. Someone else had leg cramps, and then it was just generally hard. The guides were running circles around us, telling us stories, making a personal connection. It’s possible that people started already giving up their personal packs because they were struggling.

I remember lunch, because they brought us out a pumpkin soup that was light, but good, but a little watery, and it took a long time for the next course to come out, and some of us were uncomfortably wondering if weak pumpkin soup was going to be all the nutrition we were afforded. Then the chicken, rice, stuff avocados, fruits, breads, and juices came out. There were at least 6 different courses to that first lunch. This wasn’t because the food was fresh and they were trying to dump weight. The food was excellent, delicious, gourmet, and beyond our expectations the whole way through.

We reached a checkpoint where we had to show a permit. And our group also had to rent a horse, for the lady with terrible leg cramps. She was going to have to decide this evening whether she could make the rest of the trip, or turn back in the morning.

Camp

When we got to the camp site all of our tents were set up, we crawled in, cleaned up, and tried to get organized, dinner was served shortly afterward and then we had a headlamp lit ceremony where everyone introduced themselves, where they were from, what they did, even the porters greeted us and introduced from where they were from. Everyone complemented the chef.