On the Inca Trail
John Parker Dilworth
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We started our trip in Cusco, the original center of the Inca empire. Today it's a vibrant city with Spanish and Incan influences.
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Above the city is the "Cristo Blanco" looking over the city. We stopped by on our first day as we left Cuzco to head to Ollantaytambo and our starting point of the Inca Trail.
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Nearby is the Inca stronghold of Sacsayhuaman with the huge precisely carved stones. The compex was built by the Incas in the 15th century.
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After a night stay in Ollantaytambo, we drove to the start of the Inca trail to begin our trek. the entry checkpoint is passport controlled, and only those with permits are allowed to entery. The trail is limited to 500 people per day including guides clients and porters. They weighed our gear and we prepped to start the hike.
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A few porters from our group. These guys were amazing, the weight they carry and the speed they move is pretty incredible. Our fee with our guide covered the cost of the porters, who carried up to 10 kilos (22lbs) of our gear. They also carried all the shelters, tents and food for our camps along the trail.
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The first morning of the trail passes through villages and small homes along the trail. There's a bit of activity with horses and a few motorcycles who move gear along the trail. The mountains are always around you and the desert scenery and vegetation is beautiful. Our lead guide, Percy is taking time to chat with Kathi as we moved up the trail.
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The mountain Nevado Veronica is visible early at the start of the hike on the Inca trail. The mountain is 5,893 meters(19,334 feet) tall. You can feel its presence as you hike and can't help but look back and admire the view. Veronica is considered a scared mountain and its glaciers provide the Urubamba valley with water.
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I never get tired of the beauty of glacier covered peaks. It's incredible to see them up-close, and from a distance. It's hard to describe or comprehend how big 6k mountains are. You can't capture the scale in photos.
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One of our guides, Edson, demonstrates how to drink the local Chicha. Chicha is a traditional Andean fermented corn drink made from purple corn. It's mildy alcoholic, so we didn't try it, although I hear there are non-alcoholic variations available to trekkers. Edson was a fantastic guide and all of us almost instantly took to friendship with our lead guides (Percy and Edson) throughout the trip.
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