Salkantay Trek | Machu Picchu
Aug
4th
Date: May 10-18, 2008
Summary: 25 mile, 3 day Trek along the Salkantay Trail culminating with an excursion into Machu Picchu
Location: Peru
Picture Gallery: Click here
Departing San Francisco on Saturday afternoon, with layovers in Miami and Lima, I arrived in Cuzco Sunday morning. The flights were largely uneventful and the jetlag imperceptible. The Cuzco airport is a small strip of asphalt nestled in a small valley. Disembarked at over 11,000 feet, retrieved luggage and found the driver who drove us to our hotel. After unpacking the hour was still late morning, so a friend and I decided to explore the city. Cobblestone streets and imposing cathedrals were reminiscent of Ouro Pretto, Minas Gerais. We hiked from the valley floor up the local range to another Brazilian parallel: a Cristus statue, similar to that in Rio - tall image of the living Christ with outstretched arms looking over the city.
The walk couldn’t have been more than a couple of miles, yet at a little over eleven thousand feet my lungs quickly became aware of the increased effort required of the thin mountain air. In less that 24 hours we would be in the Andes and in about 36 we would begin our ascent to the summit of the Salkantay Trek – 15,200 feet. I wondered how my body would faire in the high altitude.
Monday morning we awoke to precipitation. Though the climate was grey and dreary, our moods were sunny and cloudless. We loaded into the minivans and began a four hour drive into the Andes. The rains had a cleansing effect on the city and the countryside which was rejuvenating. We climbed higher into the mountains and thought to have left civilization behind. Arriving at the first lodge, we were greeted by the first of some juxtaposition: a beautiful mountain lodge complete with amenities fit for western consumption. To our preference, though, we were merely granted a brief reprieve from the rain before setting up our tents on the acreage surrounding the edifice.
Having arrived directly to just under thirteen thousand from sea level proved a bit of a challenge the first night of camping. Temperatures dropped below freezing, breathing became a bit laborious, and consequent of the onset of high altitude sickness, my brain began to swell from within. Headaches, dizziness, and slight nausea accompanied me throughout the night. In the morning I took an Advil before starting the day. Wish I would have done so earlier in the night – within 20 minutes I felt perfectly fit again.
Tuesday we began our trek at 7a up the Salkantay trail from about 12,700 feet to 15,213 feet and back down to just over 13,000 feet, where we camped that night. Snow covered our tent and stayed with us over the pass. This first day of hiking was only about 5 or 6 miles, but the grades were steep, the altitude was a formidable, however surmountable, impedance and the winds were chilling. Unaccustomed to pain relievers and medications, the Advil wore off at 14,900 feet. Head throbbing and slight nausea returning, I began focusing on advice received from a colleague who had hiked the Inca trail many times: look down and put one foot in front of the other. So long as I followed that counsel, a state very similar to normalcy was maintained. However, this agitated me personally, because I am used to being in a position where I am looking out for the others in my company. Ascending the last 300 feet I found myself only capable of looking after myself – neither an asset to anyone else nor (fortunately!) a liability. My only regret of the trip is not taking a second liquid gel cap at 14,500.
The summit shrouded in white, with visibility reduced to maybe a few hundred yards, proved a small consolation; there wasn’t much enjoyment missed out on from the state I was in. The distinguishing memory I have of the summit was being impressed by the sheer number of cairns littering the pass. Few summits have really exceeded the experience of the ascent, so I was not disappointed when this summit followed typical suit.
Descent went quickly. Snow turned to mud. White and black contrasts were replaced by various shades of green. We began tracing along a river and ended up crossing a marsh before arriving at our campsite. A nearby lodge was again made available to us for drying our damp clothing. Having been liberal with wading through mud, marsh, and stream my boots finally became saturated. I was grateful to be able to dry them out in the lodge that evening before retiring in my tent that night.
As dawn broke Wednesday, the fog from the previous day lifted to reveal the gorgeous nature of the valley in which we camped. Snow-capped mountain ridges, serrated by glaciers many centuries ago, loomed over our lush and thriving valley floor. Despite thick frost having developed on our tent overnight, I elected to forego the jacket for the descent that day. A couple of hours into our hike and we were peeling off any thermals and excess layers of clothing – a notable contrast from the day prior.
The second day of hiking the Salkantay trail was about 7-8 miles and pretty much all downhill. The ground was rocky and muddy as the trail snaked alongside a river far below us. We could see waterfalls in the distance and our guide pointed out many flowers, insects, and birds. We even heard the beautiful song of what was assumed to be a bird, but we were informed the song was sung by a Peruvian frog.
In the early afternoon we arrived at another lodge deep within the Andes. This lodge we were granted the license to occupy for the night. And we were in for a treat. The lodge was reputed as the nicest on the trail. We pitched our tents only to let them dry out. We came to find out that the tour company hires locals to build these lodges and employs locals for the operations within the lodges.
They cooked us a wonderful and unique lunch. Stones were stacked orderly atop each other forming a three-sided box. Coals were placed within and lit on fire. When they were smoldering, the cooks threw in various potatoes, yams, and sweet potatoes. Then, they collapsed the rock walls on top of the starches. Off to the side were various seasoned meats from lamb, chicken, and - the Peruvian national dish – guinea pig. The cooks placed the slabs of meet atop the hot rocks to cook. The food, including the guinea pig, tasted amazing.
Thursday was the third day of hiking. It was both the longest hike (at over 10 miles) and the easiest of them all, because the terrain was set on a light grade and it was a mixture of relatively gentle ups and downs. We crossed a few waterfalls that day and came across a few Peruvian Quik-E-Marts along the path. Though a bit unexpected – the idea of western convenience stores in the form of shanties on an isolated trail in the Andes still makes me chuckle – they were very much welcomed. Nothing like buying a cold Gatorade after your body has expelled many electrolytes.
We said good-bye to our porters and loaded into a van to be driven to the train station so we could make our way to Aguas Calientes. On the way to the train depot, we had made good time and the train was delayed. So, we went to a waterfall which emerged from a mountainside and had lunch on the banks of a river. Restless, I meandered up to a cable bridge nearby and explored the area a bit. In Aguas Calientes we checked into a hostel and went out to dinner before turning in for the night.
Friday was the day to visit Machu Picchu. The Salkantay hike was accomplished and this opportunity became the icing on the cake, so to speak. And what a capstone the ancient city was! Many people have written and described the wonder that is Machu Picchu and so I will not attempt to duplicate efforts here. However, I will say that if you make it to Machu Picchu, you would be well-advised to also hike up Wanu Picchu. The hike is worth the requisite exertion for the breathtaking vistas and non-sanitized and practical perspective on Incan life during the time Machu Picchu thrived. Machu Picchu is like your grandma’s well-preserved Victorian home, whereas Wana Picchu is like the treehouse out back.
Friday afternoon we made our way back to Cuzco and Saturday afternoon we were on a flight back to Lima. We had a nine hour layover in Lima and so a few of us grabbed a taxi and set out for lunch. We stumbled across a Bolivian restaurant in the middle of downtown Lima. The four of us were the only tourists around. However, the wait staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. And the food was exceptional.
From my experience, it is through personal industry and integrity – doing one’s personal best in consideration of others – which people transcend socio-economic boundaries and ultimately are successful. It is not enough to put out a hand or half-heartily attempt to perform a service and expect to receive a share of someone’s excess of resources. For years I lived amongst and grew to love many residents in the Brazilian favelas. Personally speaking, I was born into and grew up in what would be considered disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions. I have relied upon the judgment and charity of others to share of their resources and compensate me beyond the contracted exchange based upon my performance. In both my own case and the case of the Brazilians who surpassed the confines of their caste, breaking free of poverty never was a result of hand-outs nor of receiving solely based upon need. Rather, a transaction was involved and meritocracy resulted in its purest form – reaping what you sow given the resources at your disposal. Like the garson in the Bolivian restaurant or the porters along the Salkantay trail or our diligent guides Leo and John, they all truly executed to their personal best and performed their duty. And that is the behavior that should be rewarded, because that is the behavior which will elevate individuals and their families to sustain them and their communities.
