Tshaj tawm: 28.02.2019
So it's time for an update again.
Today we are going on the Inka Jungle Trek, which lasts 4 days.
Maybe some of you know that it is customary to hike the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu. My tour covered parts of the Inka Trail and also offered some sports activities.
Day 1:
I was picked up early in the morning (6:30) by my tour guide, Alex, from my hostel. In the van that took us to the breakfast break in Ollantaytambo, I got to know my 4 fellow travelers. Alex (30) and Nik (41), from Rotterdam, and Letycia (21) and Joan (21) from Rio de Janeiro.
The first additional sports activity was downhill mountain biking.
We were driven up to an altitude of 4,350 meters and now it was time to go down a steep, winding road for 40 kilometers, at speeds of up to 40 km/h. We had to share the road with cars, vans, and buses, and there were also some waterfalls flowing over the road and some rocks from landslides. So, always drive slowly and keep your hands on the brakes ready. But in the end, nothing happened and I arrived safely at the bottom. The only downside: we were soaking wet.
We ended our first day quietly with lunch and dinner.
Day 2:
Rise and shine.
At 7 o'clock it was time for breakfast again. However, there was not such a pleasant event. It rained heavily all night. Alex, our tour guide, said it would be best to wait until 9 o'clock and then take the van a bit closer to the real climb.
Then it was time, we walked through bushes, plants, banana plantations, and along the river. I think the pictures speak for themselves.
In total, we hiked 23 kilometers that day. You can imagine the incredible joy when we finally saw the long-awaited hot springs 😍
We stayed there for 2 hours and since it was already dark, a van drove us the rest of the way to Santa Teresa.
Day 3:
As every day, we got up early again. Today zip-lining was the first activity. We rode 4 zip lines for a whole 1 1/2 hours and walked across a suspension bridge. After this sports activity, we continued hiking. The special thing about this route was that we hiked on the tracks that lead to Aguas Calientes (or Machu Picchu Pueblo). After this 12-kilometer trek, we finally arrived at the destination of our hike and caught our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Before going up in the morning, I deserved a warm shower after three days. After dinner, it was time to go to bed early again.
Day 4:
At 4:30 my alarm clock rang already, so I could be ready in time to go up by bus at 5:30. Nik, Letycia, and Joan decided to walk up the way. That also meant that we had to wait for the other three up there. When everyone was finally there, we went to the famous Machu Picchu. And I think the pictures convey a bit of the breathtaking atmosphere and the beautiful view!