Life as James knows it

Up early again at 05:30, and conduct the usual drill. Starting at a little after 06:30, we begin trekking from kilometre 111. As this is where the trail starts to enter the jungle, it has a more tropical feel to it. Additionally, most of the time the trail is a shelf like edge in the side of the mountain, it's really a wonder of beauty. We make Wyñayhuayna and explore the site, then have lunch, which is our last meal with the porters and chefs. We conduct a ceremonial goodbye, leave some tips with the lead porter, and part ways. On we go to make our way to Intipunku (Sun Gate) which we make at about 16:00 which is 3 kms from Machu Picchu. The view of Machu Picchu is blocked by the clouds, as we are in the mountains, however 15 minutes later the cloud parts and I am in awe of the view. I walk down the last 3 kms of the trail to Machu Picchu and as I do, the sun starts to break through the cloud. The view becomes even more amazing, and I'm quite stoked with the photos I

We awake at 5:30am, I brush my teeth and pack ready for the porters to pack the tents and collect duffle bags. Breakfast at 06:00, and again the meal is a treat especially considering we're camping without access to modern cooking equipment. It's a little after 06:30 and we set of as a group ...... beginning from kilometre 96. It's a long climb to the top of Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman’s Pass), it's an elevation of 800 metres over the distance of about 2 kms. After the climb is the decent down the other side of the mountain to the lunch camp site where, as always, the porters have setup and the chefs prepared another great lunch. We seat of again at about 13:30 with a smaller climb over over another mountain with a stop and exploration at Runkuracay. On over the mountain then another downhill trek to Sayacmarca, which looks like it would have made a very good military stronghold. After some exploration we make our way to the camp site where once again the porters an

Tuesday, after a bumpy bus ride from Ollantaytambo to the departure site and the formality of group photos, we headed to the Inca National Park entry point. The starting point is kilometre 82 by the Urubamba River. Arriving at 09:00 there's a bit of a process to go through the entry, each individual entry ticket has been registered against a passport number which is double checked before having obtaining a passport entry stamp. All up the group consists of 2 guides, 1 group leader, and 12 of us in the group. We're all supported by 19 porters and 2 chefs, each group member is allowed 6 kgs (including sleeping bag) packed neatly into a duffle bag which is carried by porters along with all the other camping and cooking equipment required for the trail. The porters and chefs use a different entry into the park where their packing gear is weighed as there is a strict limit on the load they are each permitted to carry - 25kgs. The initial 8 - 10 kms of the trail are still used b