The headache

The first day was fairly easy up to lunch, then we headed up to a lake at 4200m which got the pulse going in the ears but had awesome views. The wake up on the second day was fairly savage with the cold, but was helped by the coca tea passed into the tent. The second day offered amazing views at the top of the 4600m pass, as well as more ear pounding, followed by a dodgy knee destroying descent. The third was gentler but the fourth started with a humid hike up to llactapata, followed by another knee destroying descent. It offered a good view of Machu Picchu from an adjacent mountain though as well as from below on the trek to Aguas Caliente.