4 October 2025 : Machu Picchu
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We woke at 3 am - the early start is both to give time to get to Machu Picchu and to give the porters time to pack away the camping gear and get it to the train and back to town.
Initially we walked through the morning darkness using our head torches to see the way. On reaching a park ranger checkpoint we had to wait with other hikers until 5:30 am for the gate to be opened - this is for safety reasons as the final section of the trail is mostly narrow and the footing can be treachorous in the dark.
With the morning light we were on our way once more...
...to the "Gringo Killer steps"...
... leading to our initial destination of Intipunku ("the Sun Gate"). With the sun peeking over the mountains...
... we could see the lost city of Machu Picchu illuminated below us.
Then on our way once more...
...bringing us to the classic view of Machu Picchu with the peak of Huayna Picchu rising behind it (wearing my "I survived the Inka Trail" t-shirt that we were each given for having made it this far).
One of the guys in our group proposed to his girlfriend in front of Machu Picchu.
We were then able to spend time in the Incan city of Machu Picchu itself.
People walking the Inca Trail have the option to also ascend to the top of Huayna Picchu ("Young Mountain", contrasting with Machu Picchu "Old Mountain) - the iconic peak rising behind Machu Picchu. Whereas there is a daily limit on visitor numbers to Machu Picchu of 4,500 per day, the limit for going up Huayna Picchu is only 350 a day so advance ticketing is essential. In our group only three of us did this.
Overall the ascent up Huayna Picchu wwas tougher than the Inca Trail but obviously shorter - the walk is about an hour up and an hour down.
The top provided fresh views over Machu Picchu and the surroundings.
After returning from the mountain. We got a bus to the nearby Aguas Calientes for a bite to eat then caught a train to Ollantaytambo from where we were driven back to Cusco.
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