Inca Trail - Day 1
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 by local as there are a number of homes scattered throughout the area. Additionally it's reasonably flat and some very easy going, only occasionally having to negotiate some rougher inclines and declines. The weather is extremely good which makes the trek all the more enjoyable. We stop at the ruins of Llactapata where the lead guide gives us some background information, while the site is quite extraordinary I'm told this will be the first of many and each more extraordinary than the last until Machu Picchu.
It's about 13:00 and the small group of us ahead reach the lunch site, where our porters and cooks have setup camp and prepared lunch. It's a great setup and an incredibly good lunch, these guys are very experienced and really know what they're doing. After lunch we rest with a cup of tea and prepare for the remaining 4 kms which now begins to become a little more like I expected, some stepper inclines. However, it isn't long until we reach Wayllabamba along the Urubamba river (our first camp site) where tents have already been setup. There's some beverages on sale from some opportunistic locals at the site, so I buy a beer, relax and take in the view - it's pretty awesome! All up day 1 is 14 kms from an altitude of 2500 to 3400 metres, and now I seem to have acclimatised I'm feeling no effects of the altitude.
The entire group including all the staff go through a bit of a meet and greet with a few laughs, then dinner and bed. We'll need to get some rest as tomorrow we start trekking at 06:30 and climb to an altitude of just over 4200 metres, apparently tomorrow it's the toughest day.
Start - kilometre 82
Llactapata
Camp site - Day 1
The initial 8 - 10 kms of the trail are still used by local as there are a number of homes scattered throughout the area. Additionally it's reasonably flat and some very easy going, only occasionally having to negotiate some rougher inclines and declines. The weather is extremely good which makes the trek all the more enjoyable. We stop at the ruins of Llactapata where the lead guide gives us some background information, while the site is quite extraordinary I'm told this will be the first of many and each more extraordinary than the last until Machu Picchu.
It's about 13:00 and the small group of us ahead reach the lunch site, where our porters and cooks have setup camp and prepared lunch. It's a great setup and an incredibly good lunch, these guys are very experienced and really know what they're doing. After lunch we rest with a cup of tea and prepare for the remaining 4 kms which now begins to become a little more like I expected, some stepper inclines. However, it isn't long until we reach Wayllabamba along the Urubamba river (our first camp site) where tents have already been setup. There's some beverages on sale from some opportunistic locals at the site, so I buy a beer, relax and take in the view - it's pretty awesome! All up day 1 is 14 kms from an altitude of 2500 to 3400 metres, and now I seem to have acclimatised I'm feeling no effects of the altitude.
The entire group including all the staff go through a bit of a meet and greet with a few laughs, then dinner and bed. We'll need to get some rest as tomorrow we start trekking at 06:30 and climb to an altitude of just over 4200 metres, apparently tomorrow it's the toughest day.
Start - kilometre 82
Llactapata
Camp site - Day 1
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