Inca Trail, Peru

Dec 2001

Here are the photos I took while on the trail.  The Manchu Picchu photos are shown on a separate page.  Have no idea what a lot of the ruins are so have just lumped most of them into Day Two and Three of the trail. 

Day One

Day One of the trail was about four hours of relatively easy walking from the Km 88 mark to Huayllabamba. 

Start of the the trail near km 88 on 26 Dec 2001.  From left to right: Rachel, Dan, Me, Jeremy, Derek ('nam look), Steve and Andrew (aka Swampy).  The reason why I am looking so pale is that I am still hung-over from Xmas Eve.

Ramone on the trail.  Check out those rafter's shoulders.

Patallacta - an agricultural station used to grow food for Manchu Picchu and provide provisions to people travelling on the trail.  Check out all the terraces.

Horse and foal.  Pretty cute.

Dan showing off his way with the birds at the village of Huayllabamba.

The bird.

Me looking scarily like my father from side on, complete with grey hairs.  Still looking pail at the end of the day and sweating buckets.

Day Two and Three

Day two was probably the hardest trail with a climb up to Warmiwanusca or 'dead woman's pass' at 4200m.  Day Three was nice and scenic and culminated in a party at the Trekker's Hotel two hours walk from Manchu Picchu. 

Misty valleys.

Me and a ruin.

Me, Steve, Dan and Rachel

Farmers farm yard.

Ruin. Great views down into the valley below.

Irrigation channels.

The Inca Trail.  Many parts of it are carved out of rock.

Errr....ruin. 

Dan making the top of Warmiwanusca or 'dead woman's pass'.  4200m high, it was tough going.  We were stopping every 50 metres to catch our breath.

Top of Warmiwanusca.  I stepped in some human shit while taking this photo.  it was everywhere.  Smells worse than dog shit and hard to get off your boots and jeans as well.  Ugghhhh!!!

Walk down from Warmiwanusca.

Walk down from Warmiwanusca was bloody hard on the knees.  Mighty Mouse (Meryl) is in the lead.

Me somewhere on the trail.

Rainbow.

Day Four - Manchu Picchu and Aguas Calientes

Got up unbelievably early and hit the trail for two hours of solid walking so we could arrive at Manchu Picchu at around 7am and beat the day tripper crowds.  Needn't have bother in the end as a rock slide took the railroad and the road out,  Still was a bit sad to be ending the trail as had got acclimitised and was really enjoying the trail walking.  Manchu Picchu was almost as anti-climax at the end.  I could have kept walking for another 4 days. 

Very cool morning shot.  Just before hitting Manchu Picchu.

Rock slide on way out of Manchu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.  We did mean to take the train or bus but the rock slide knocked out both the road and the railway.  This was lucky as it meant that the day tourists were delayed and we had Manchu Picchu almost to ourselves. 

Road leading upto the hot springs which Aguas Calientes are famed for.

Restaurant where we had a late lunch after a sit in the hot springs.  Restaurant selection was based purely on the hilarious translations in the menu below.

The menu.  Among the gems 'Plates to the pleasure of the victim', 'Gives head' and 'sweated he/she gives trout'.  Click here to see a bigger photo if you are hard of SEEING.