Chat on WhatsAppIt was Dec. 12th 2012. My alarm buzzed at 5:40 am. I sorted out the 80L backpack, threw a rain jacket on me and headed to the hostel lobby – there waited Victor, the guide and the captain of my 4-day Inca Trail experience. I soon got on a bus with 16 other hikers – a nice welcoming family from around the world: US, UK, Australia, Canada, China, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and Hungary. That marked the beginning of a great venture – the exploration of nature beauty, the Inca culture and the challenge to a new height in my hiking resume: 13,818ft.
Despite the rain, which is pretty normal to this season, I enjoyed this trip very much. Along the way I was constantly stunned by what was presented in front of me: the amazing archaeological sites built by the Inca tribes; the greenest mountain and the bluest sky; the mouth-watering Peruvian dishes prepared by the cook; and the mountain fashion of the hikers we met along the way. The most challenging day was not the summit day, but rather the 3rd day when we departed from the 3,700m camp and marched off for a 13km day hike. I was hit by the altitude and could barely function. Victor inspired me throughout way with his positive energy: he arranged the deputy guide to walk with me, asked the porter to take my pack and sought medical advice from hikers in other groups to make sure I was doing ok.
It took me 12 hours to finish the longest day in my hiking career, but I am very proud of what I did with the team’s support. When we finally arrived at Machu Picchu, I was once again deeply intrigued by the delicate architecture design, the art and philosophy involved to construct the Inca City.
Till that point, I realized that all the efforts were all worth it. If you are deciding about this trip – I encourage you to push yourself further and experience how far you can go – you will be rewarded by this experience. I highly recommend the Inca Trail Reservation service: great guide, seamless logistics, considerate porter serviced and amazing food!
