Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Tori Pines
On a ten day adventure through Peru, my sister Ally and I explore some of the best things to do in the country. Today’s the day we begin hiking the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The day we had eagerly been awaiting for over a year, and the whole reason for visiting Peru in the first place. Come along with us along the 4 day Inca Trail.
If you haven’t already read through my Peru journals from days 1-5, I recommend that you start there. We had some incredible adventures sandboarding in Huacachina, taking a cooking class in Lima and exploring the Sacred Valley to name a few.
Today we will be traveling with our G Adventures tour group from Ollantaytambo to Kilometer 82 where we will be hiking the 4 day Inca Trail.
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We wake at the Inka Paradise Hotel in Ollantaytambo to a surprisingly delicious breakfast. Fresh baked bread, scrambled eggs and coffee. I made a little breakfast sandwich and filled it with as much egg as possible. The more protein I can get this morning will compensate for my lack of athleticism maybe?
The breakfast tables hummed as we chatted about the day ahead and laughed about the great memories we’d made already.
Two of our group members, Anette and Ike, were splitting off this morning to hike the Lares Trek. This trek is only 3 days, but at a higher elevation than the 4 day Inca Trail. Many say it’s even harder, but does not end at Machu Picchu, which is why most people try to do the 4 day Inca Trail instead. The key is booking early, as the Inca Trail passes do sell out. But if you book a G Adventures tour last minute, at least you have the option to do that hike instead.
We were so sad to part with Annette and Ike, but we would see them again on the other side!
Quick note on the hotel, if you are booking your own accommodation in Ollantaytambo, you should definitely stay at the Inka Paradise Hotel! There was no heat and very little hot water but from what we understand that is what most if not all of the hotels are like here. Other than that, the room was clean, super large, comfortable and the property was so pretty. It was located so close to the main square and served an amazing free breakfast. We loved it here!
We boarded our bus and were on our way to hiking the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! For about 30 minutes we drove until we arrived at Kilometer 82, the start of the hike. I took a minute to assess how I was feeling. I thought I would be nervous right now. And while I was maybe a little nervous, I was mostly excited. And the fact that I was mostly excited and not mostly nervous made me so happy to realize.
I knew it would be hard. I knew it would be mentally and physically exhausting. But the fact that I was hiking the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu overcame all the fear and worry, and made me excited. To step in the footsteps of the Incan people. Walk firsthand through history and see these famous historical sights. And finally mark this bucket list item off. I was pumped.
I had been training for 5 months leading up to the trip. Nothing crazy, but lots of time in the gym. I spent about 5-6 days per week there focusing mostly on the stairmaster, incline treadmill and the leg machines.
Today we will be hiking 6.8 miles with 1,400 feet of elevation gain. But, keep in mind we are starting at 9,600 feet above sea level. This means the air is thin, oxygen levels are lower and our bodies are being hit by altitude sickness. Our hands and feet tingle and we have headaches throughout basically every day. The 4 day Inca Trail is no joke, especially with the high altitude added in.
Some things we will be bringing with us on the 4 day Inca Trail (spoiler alert, these are the things we were so glad we had and think everyone MUST bring:
- Power Bank – to keep a charge on our phones so we can take photos!
- Great hiking boots – not hiking shoes
- Hiking Poles – rented from G Advenutres
- Water bladder – You’ll need to drink a lot of water and this makes it so easy
- Water filter – just to be safe, they do boil the water as well
- Headlamp
- Warm hat
- Flannel Sleeping bag liner – that our mom made us out of old flannel sheets
- Washcloth – for washing our faces
For a full packing list for the Inca Trail, sign up for my email list because I will be posting the MUST HAVE list soon!
At Kilometer 82, we gathered our rental items, suitcases, sleeping pads and hiking poles and got ready to start. Our tour guide gave each of us a bag of snacks, filled with fruits, granola bars and cookies. There were restrooms that you could use for 1 sol, and we had decided that we would use a bathroom every chance we could. After about 15 minutes it was time!
Our G Adventures guide Gerry had all of our paperwork, we just had to show our passports to the people in the control booth and then we were on our way. When we got started we immediately hit the bridge. The bridge where we cross the river and begin the trek. The bridge that I have seen a million times in photos and YouTube videos. To say I was emotional crossing the bridge would be an understatement. Just look at the pure joy on my face.
The beginning of the hike was super flat, dirt paths and was pretty dry and dusty. There were many locals that we passed along the way, going about their daily lives. They were hauling things, guiding horses, and one we even saw carrying a soccer ball.
There were also some amazing animals that we spotted right off the bat, including a turkey sitting right on the side of the trail and showing us his beautiful feathers! There were chickens and baby chicks and horses and sheep and pigs, and dogs. SO many sweet sweet pups.
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The views were incredible from the start as well. Mountains towering above us with a huge snow capped one ahead. Eventually, as we knew would happen, the trail made a turn straight up. We climbed for about an hour with some quick breaks in between.
Along the way, locals had little stands set up selling us water, snacks and other items. Ally and I realized in the first few hours that we would be needing a hat to help prevent sunburns. We bought one from a vendor along the trail.
We were told there would only be stands the first day and a half. When you get too far into the mountains, the locals don’t haul the goods up there.
Eventually we came upon the first ruin and stopped to get a quick history lesson from Gerry. While I would always be down for a history lesson about the Incan ruins, I was especially grateful for a break now. This site used to be one of the largest villages in the area, where people from all over would meet once per week to trade goods.
As we sat here listening to the stories, we looked out over the valley. I tried to imagine what it would have looked like here a few hundred years ago. The town would have been bustling, people working and children playing. Behind us some horses grazed in the meadow. It was peaceful.
We eventually had to get moving again. After more hiking up, up, up, we got to stop for lunch. I think it’s time for me to finally tell you about our porters, our incredible, incredible porters.
There are nine people on our hike, plus two tour guides. Then we had 19 porters carrying all of our gear. The team is composed completely of local men who live in the surrounding mountain villages. They carry all of our duffle bags which have our clothes, sleeping bags and sleeping pads inside. They also carry our tents, the dining tent, tables, chairs, and allllll of our food, pots, pans, propane tank and everything else that is required to cook our food and set up our campsite.
Each man is allowed to carry up to 60 pounds on their backs along the trail. That alone is a feat. But on top of that, they finish the trail each day in about half the time as we do.
They started the trail with us, quickly passed us, got to the lunch site, set up the kitchen and dining tent, cooked our lunch and were ready for us by the time we arrived. We ate lunch and left, then they cleaned, packed up and quickly passed us again on the trail to get to the campsite for the night. They set up all of our tents, sleeping pads and sleeping bags and dinner is being prepared for us by the time we arrive. These men are truly the hardest working people I have ever met and I have never been more grateful.
Just to put it into even more perspective, these men range in age from 20 to 78. Many hike in thin little sneakers or sandals. For many, the pack they carry is literally bigger than them. Our favorite was Mario, a 72 year old man from one of the local villages. Mario learned our names and every time he saw us would say “Hola Alexandra! Hola Victoria!” with the biggest smile across his face. We will miss him and the rest of the amazing porters.
While their jobs might seem so hard and terrible, they are so kind to us tourists. I asked our guide Gerry about the porters and the hard work that they do. I asked him honestly, “Do the porters not like us?” They are so so nice, but I thought they have to hate us stupid tourists who’s stuff they carry up and down the mountains every day, all day. But Gerry said, “No, of course not, they love you! They are so grateful that because of you they have jobs and can provide for their families.”
From what we understand, being a porter is one of the best paying jobs they can have, and they are happy to have the money to send back to their families (that they rarely see as they are constantly hiking the trails). It was so sad to see, but I tried to understand that maybe we were really helping them and supporting their economy.
But this right here is what travel should be about. Meeting people from all over the world, from walks of life so incredibly different from our own. Understanding, or at least learning about, the different ways that people live, sometimes by choice but often just by the life they happened to be born into. The more we can learn about others and the way they live, the more we can open our hearts. Open our hearts to loving others. To accept people who have different opinions. Different life choices. Different perspectives. The more we learn, the more we can love and the more peace we can have in this world.
But I also think that the other piece of travel is leaving a positive impact. Helping their economy, just by supporting their livelihood, or volunteering, or doing some sort of good in the local community. A positive impact can be as small as supporting one Peruvian man’s job for a few days. Or picking up trash in a dirty city. Or by spreading joy in the place you visit.
The porters couldn’t speak any English. Many couldn’t even speak Spanish, they spoke the native language called Quechua. Despite this language barrier we did our best to show our gratitude. We smiled huge smiles and made hand gestures and tried to show them how grateful we were.
But we also tried to learn their language, I mean we were on their land after all! Gerry taught us a few sayings, and our favorite was “Tupananchiskama” (to-pan-an-chas-kama) which means “until we meet again”, because in their language there is no word for goodbye. Honestly, it makes me tear up just thinking about it. It’s how I feel just thinking about having to leave our amazing Peruvian friends.
The lunch that our chef made us was incredible. They serve four course lunches as it is the largest meal of the day. It is intended to fuel us for the hike and give us the energy that we need!
The food was incredible. An appetizer, then soup then large entrée and finally, dessert. Yep we even get dessert in the middle of the Andes mountains. Were we spoiled? Maybe. Were we happy? Definitely.
After lunch we finished the last few hours of the hike. We followed the river up into the mountains. Along the way we saw more animals including a bull, some horses and a really beautiful black and white cow.
Eventually we made it to a small village where our camp was set up nearby. We actually were staying in the yard of a local family. They had a little house with some land for our tents and a covering for our dining space. AND an awesome and clean bathroom. The small things are super exciting.
Our tents were set up for us. As we walked into camp the porters stood there clapping and cheering for us. The fact that we made it! We made it through day one of the 4 day Inca Trail! This is a very exciting moment.
We had some time to hang out in our tents, they brought us bowls of hot water to use to wash our faces and soak our feet. We sat there, resting and enjoying the view. Then it was tea time, my new favorite time. We gathered for snacks and tea and to play cards and hangout.
They served these amazing crackers and jam and drinks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and huge bowls of freshly popped popcorn. I love a good snack time and this was just what I needed.
The sun was setting and the temperature was dropping…quickly! We bundled up with several layers and our hats and gloves. Our headlamps were necessary to see as we went to and from our tents or the bathroom.
We played cards until dinner was ready and we were served soup and another large meal. For dinner, we had a creamy rice and chicken dish loaded with veggies. The food in Peru is incredible. Read all about Peru food facts in my blog post here!
Gerry went over the plan for tomorrow and explained what it would be like. Once the team meeting was over, we all went straight to sleep, exhausted from a long first day.
I bundled up in a long sleeve shirt, alpaca sweater that I bought in Cusco, a fleece jacket, hat and gloves. I also rented a sleeping bag from G Adventures and my mom made us warm flannel sleeping bag liners. They were so warm and amazing. Thanks Mom!!
Despite the temperature being in the 20’s, Ally and I were warm, all bundled up and drifted off to sleep.
The 4 day Inca Trail will be grueling. It will be mentally and physically exhausting, but it will be worth every step.
Continue reading my journals as we hike to the highest point of the Inca Trail tomorrow!
