The Inca Trail closes in February for trail maintenance, but for half the price and an extra day the Salkantay Trek is a great option. It doesn't take you through the trail the Inca's used, and it doesn't take you to extra ruins, but it does take you up into the Andes (higher then the Inca Trail) beneath the Salkantay peak and then down through the rain forests. I reccomend it for anyone who, like me, is more in awe of our natural world then even the most impressive man made wonders. Even Machu Picchu, which is certainly a spectacular feat and a place I've been fascinated with since I wrote a report on the Inca's in the 3rd grade, could not hold my attention like the mountains and river surrounding it.
Because it's the rainy season there were two truths to this trek. First, we were rarely dry (thank god for good gear) as it rained every day. Second, the best views were hidden behind impenetrable clouds. But, much like New England, if you didn't like the weather all you had to do was wait a minute and it would change. The clouds would swirl, lift, and break. Suddenly a hole would appear, the cloud cover now a frame of the mountain, the peak, the waterfall behind it: like a solitary picture on a white wall: a black hole to another dimesion in the emptiness of space. And again, if you waited a few minutes, staring in astonishment at what was once hidden from view, the clouds would again swirl, lift, and close back in. White. Gone.
The trek is physically challenging, but because of the patient guides and the built in time I'd recommend it to anyone. There are two real challenges to this trek and both are on the second day. The first is the altitude climb: about 800 meters in 4 hours, and 550 of those in 2 hours. Get into a rhythm. Look at the feet of the person infront of you, count two steps per breath, and don't stop. Halfway up is a resting point which looks out over the valley you've come from and towards the peak you're getting closer to. You'll have plenty of time here to rest and pat yourself on your back. The worst of the climb is over. The second is the walk down from the highest point. You're walking on a river bed most of the way, and unlike the river beds in California I'm used to the rocks here are larger and looser (no pebbles on this walk), the parts of the bed which aren't rocks are slick, deep mud, and worse, there's actually water in these rivers. For me at least, the walk down was the hardest part. I was the first person in my group to the top of the highest point, even before the guides, about 4600 meters up, but I was one of the last down the mountain. Worse still, I fucked up my knee. Even as I'm writing this I'm on 800 miligrams of ibuprofen.
On the third day my right knee was swollen, but there were no more horses to rent and I had to walk 4 hours (4 gorgeous hours... the most beautiful weather of the trip through lush green mountains) to the town of La Playa (despite the name there are no beaches). On the fourth day my knee was still swollen and I was able to skip three hours of the hike by taking a bus to the check point outside of the Hydroelectric plant. But then I had to walk three hours to the town of Agues Caliente. Despite the pain in my knee I would do both those hikes the same. They were too splendid to miss. The fifth and final day meant waking up at 3:45 am, getting out of the hostal by 4:15 am, and then hiking an hour and a half up Machu Picchu mountain, up steep, tall, and slick wet, stone stairs to the entrance to the Inca city. Or, because of my knee, I could take a bus. I walked. Every blog I've read about the Salkantay trek says their group was the first to reach Machu Picchu. How can you possibly believe them all? But I can actually say my group was the first up that day (there were two other groups and we all finished in different spurts, but my entire group was the first full group to complete the hike up... fucking proud) and I was one of the first 5 people (our guide included) to reach the top.
The downside to this was my knee hurt too much afterwards to hike up Huacapicchu and see the outline of the Inca city below (it's shaped like a condor). But I gave my ticket to my Dutch friend, Dirik, and limped up part of the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate.
It was an incredible experience. One I would gladly repeat. There were 19 of us on the trek, and 2 guides as well. The company was open, welcoming, and fun. The guides were patient, knowledgeable, and funny. And the food was good too. It was challenging, rewarding, and relaxing. The hot springs near Santa Teresa, nestled beneath the mountains, in view of a waterfall, and alongside a roaring river, was a well earned treat after more then 50 kilometers of constant treking. I loved every moment. Even the painful ones. I wish I could say more on Machu Picchu, but honestly, the Andes were the highlight.
Again, thanks for reading and following. I still have so much I haven't written about, but I have time. I've decided to spend two more weeks in Cusco (I really do love the Andes) to take Spanish lessons before travelling on, so I should have more time to write. Love and miss you all and at some point in your life come visit the Andes.
Ciao,
-Ethan
