A trip of a lifetime...

Primarily interested in pictures? Click here for my favorite 40 shots, and here for the broader 260 picture travel log. Read on if you are interested in the story behind the photos :)

I've been fascinated with Machu Picchu since I was a little boy.  The National Geographic magazine adventure articles about a mysterious ancient city built on an impossible mountain top in the Peruvian Andes by a long lost pre-Columbian Native American culture captivated a impressionable young boy who's life story at the time had been played out within a 10 mile radius of his home.

I've dreamt about seeing it in person for many years.  But, for some reason, I hadn't realized how accessible it had become until a rash of friends ticked it off their bucket list within the past year. So, you can imagine my response when some close friends asked if we would be interested in joining them on a hiking trip that ended with a visit to Machu Picchu.  I was ready to sign up immediately!  Who cared about the details, all I heard was "Machu Picchu".

Luckily, one of us isn't quite as impulsive and reminded me that neither of us are fond of camping and that this trip required several days of camping with a couple of the camp sites above 12,000 feet in elevation.

Uggghhh....  But, I was still willing to ignore reality. We're talking Machu Picchu here... Surely it's worth a little discomfort!

Thankfully, another set of dear friends who were also invited on the camping trip suggested an alternative approach that followed basically the same hiking route, but was a much more genteel "lodge to lodge" hiking affair.  We still had to cover the mileage, still had to carry the necessary essentials (cold weather layers, rain gear, daily snacks, camera gear, etc.) in our day packs, and would still be staying at above 12,000 feet, but we would have a bed and a warm shower waiting for us at the end of the day!

We agreed on the Salkantay Trek offered by Mountain Lodges of Peru.  Let me start by saying that Mountain Lodges of Peru proved to be a superbly run and incredibly responsive organization that I would highly recommend to anyone contemplating an experience such as this.  Their reservation/trip planning team was incredibly helpful, the hiking guides were very well trained, knowledgeable and accommodating to individual guest's needs/preferences, and the staff at the lodges were friendly and service oriented.  All in all, it was one of the best customer service experiences we've ever had!

The Peruvian Andes proved to be a stunning backdrop for our adventure.  The scenery was staggering.  More so than any other mountain setting we've explored previously. The Andes' steepness, raggedness, prominence, sheer height, and alpine to tropical diversity yielded a grandeur and presence that few mountain ranges can equal.

The hiking, although rarely technical in nature, was physically demanding primarily due to the altitude, gradient, loose footing of the trails, and ridiculous size of "Inca steps".  The most difficult section was ascending to the 15,000+ foot Salkantay pass. The oxygen is pretty thin at that altitude.  Although atmospheric air contains 20.9% oxygen at all altitudes, the lower air pressure at high altitude makes it feel as if there is a lower percentage of oxygen.  The effective oxygen percentage at 15,000 feet is 11.8%, a 44% reduction from what our bodies were used to at Philadelphia's 400 foot elevation.  Yeah... There was a lot of huffing and puffing going on even with the aerobic conditioning our cycling provided.  But, the exhilaration of reaching the pass made every labored step worth it.  You can see it in our faces below!

So, the scenery was spectacular, the hiking generated elevated endorphin levels, and the service was impeccable. What could make this trip more monumental? Three additional things...

• The group we were trekking with bonded almost instantaneously
• We trekked along ancient Inca trails and learned much about their history and culture
• We had ample opportunity to engage with the Peruvian people that call this magical place home

Let me address each  briefly.

Our group:

We've been fortunate enough to have participated in several group tours like this. Most of the others have been cycling trips and how the group bonds, or doesn't, is a significant factor in the overall experience.  We've never had a trip that was a complete bust as you always have at least one thing (cycling, hiking, a love of nature, etc.) in common.  But, some groups bond faster than others and this was one of the fastest we've ever encountered.  Maybe it's because it's easier to stay together and converse as a group while hiking vs. cycling. Maybe it was due to the reasonable pace set by our immensely competent leader, Lixayda.  Maybe it was dumb luck.  I don't know... But, the camaraderie among the members of our group definitely enhanced the overall experience.

The history:

As I said in my opening, I've always been fascinated with Machu Picchu.  It was the mystery of a lost mythical culture that captivated me in my youth.  I thought the intrigue was cool, but I was not necessarily interested in understanding that culture.  In fact, I thought studying human history was a waste of time.  I was a technologist.  I was focused on the future. The past had little meaning to me.

I can't single out a specific event that triggered the change, but I've done a complete 180 on that attitude and I find myself driven to learn about past civilizations.  I want to understand how they formed, what made them successful, how they grew, how they governed, how they structured communal labor, and ultimately what caused their downfall.  I speculate about what the leaders could have done to foresee and adjust to avoid their downfall and what the world could look like today had they had those insights.

Trekking through this archaeologically rich part of Peru with impeccably educated guides was as intellectually rewarding as I could have imagined. While I had read extensively about the Incas prior to the trip, I gained many new insights into their culture as well as the pre-Inca cultures that have thrived in the region for thousands of years.

I respected that our guides provided the most scientifically up-to-date theories about the Inca cultures.  Unfortunately, not all guides nor tour companies are created equal as I overheard some wildly imaginative explanations of Machu Picchu during our visits. These so called "guides" had their gullible subjects captivated with stories of Egyptian and Alien influences, but unfortunately these folks walked away with nothing more than sensationalist fiction when the truth is so much more fascinating.

Why did the Inca's build such incredible cities in such difficult to access locations?  Machu Picchu is the most restored and well recognized, but many such cities have been discovered.  Was it purely functional (i.e. defensive) or did the Inca (the term Inca is used incorrectly most of the time. "Inca" is the word for the emperor of the kingdom, not the name of the kingdom) just like the view so he ordered his palace to be built accordingly?  There are strong arguments on both sides of the discussion. However, I don't think there's just one answer. Why does Manhattan exist as it does today?  It's role has changed dramatically since the first structures were constructed there.  Why should an Inca city be any different? Without a written language, we will never know for sure so draw your own conclusions, but please leave the Aliens out...

The people of the Peruvian Andes:

We relished every opportunity we had to engage with the humble people that call this amazing place their home.  Mountain Lodges of Peru has involved the local mountain communities into their operations as much as possible.

All the food served in their lodges is locally grown. The cooks and service staff are from local communities. The horsemen are local. They arrange for local communities to sell there wares at the lodges. You get the idea.

These engagements are designed to support the economies of the local mountain communities, a very admiral goal! Happily, the interactions between the local community and tourist did not seem forced. You could sense a true joy in the exchange.  Unfortunately, this doesn't always naturally happen when tourists interact with the local community. But, in this situation, I think worked well as all of us had gained such an incredible respect for these amazing folks.

Imagine this... Here we are, with all our modern hiking technology. We have high tech boots, lightweight packs, synthetic fiber layers, down jackets, hiking poles, etc. But, even with all of the latest technology, we are struggling with the task.  We're consistently passed by local community members as we're huffing and puffing up a hill, or cautiously descending a steep slope. A closer look reveals that these folks are in rudimentary sandals carrying staggering loads in nothing more than fabric wraps.  One can only imagine what they thought of us :)

Even more humbling were the children we encountered that were walking alone along ancient Inca trails for up to two hours each way just for the privilege of attending school.  Wow!! There are families contemplating moving out of our home community because their children have to walk 3/4 of a mile along a sidewalk to catch the school bus. We in the US are so privileged.  We must NOT take this for granted!

In the end I realized that the Inca's did not disappear. Their culture persists today in the local Quechua speaking communities of the Peruvian Andes. I walked away from this trip fulfilled, yet humbled.  I experienced something I've always wanted to see.  But in doing so, I gained an immense respect for an amazing local culture.  Do yourself a favor and visit Peru as quickly as you can!