YA LEUM. 67 — Hiking to Machu Picchu, 4630 m passage, little oxygen: Part 1
Cuzco is the second most famous city in Peru, right after the capital, Lima. Cuzco is the old capital of the Inca Empire as it is one of the doors to Machu Picchu. The city of Cuzco is at a height of 3400 m and, although it is ready to welcome tourists during the entire year, it exudes charm and an ancestral unique beauty. The city is filled with movement, tourists and Peruvians who are looking for themselves in their needs.
We rented an Airbnb from a 26 years old Peruvian, who was friendly and kind, just like every other Peruvian who we have met. We decided to walk to Machu Picchu, so we chose accommodation with conditions to welcome us after our walk through the mountains…
Machu Picchu is known for the lost Inca city. A worldwide landmark, it is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Machu Picchu is a type of fortress that was built in the 15th century to protect the aristocracy from Cuzco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire. This historical place was only found in the 20th century, 400 years later, by a professor and anthropologist called Hiram Bingham.
Machu Picchu is a worldwide attraction that is located in a remote place and moves thousands of people every year. Naturally, due to its popularity, there are many ways to get to the top of the mountain, which is in the Sacred Valley. The easiest way is to get by train to Urubamba Valley and then catch a bus to the entrance of the ruins. Yet, that was also the most expensive option for us since we still had a lot to visit besides Machu Picchu.
Moreover, considering this was a special moment in our trip, Mathieu and I chose to follow the same path as the Incas and to discover the stories of that people, who were once the most powerful in the world.
There are several possible paths to get to Machu Picchu: different routes, with or without a guide — we chose Salkantay, which takes 4 days, without a guide.
The main advantage of treks without a guide is that we get to set our own pace. The greatest disadvantage is that we had to take care of everything: the food, tents, transportation, luggage, maps, and schedule…
The exit from Cuzco to Molleapata, where our walk began, was an adventure itself: when we got to the supposed bus stop, we were informed there were no more buses. Then, a private driver suggested taking 7 people in his van. To avoid paying too much, we and the other passengers had to wait for other people to come with us, with no expectable waiting time. Finally, after one hour… we managed to fill the car and travel to Molleapata.
Moleapata is a small village that is the starting point of the walk. When we arrived at night, the village was empty but on the next morning, the buses with the fellow hikers arrived, ready to start the treks with their guides.
From the small village, we hitchhiked to Soraypampa, where the mountains actually started. It was still 6 a.m. and the sun was already quite high but the weather was not hot. We ate a snack and adjusted the luggage as close to our bodies as possible to start our journey…
In Soraypampa, there was the first basecamp for the groups that decide to spend the night there and visit the lake Humantay, 1.5 km away.
Although only 36 people lived there, there was quite some movement originated by the many groups who start their treks there.
We crossed a big group, their guides, and transportation mules… but we quickly lost sight of them.
A few meters ahead, we passed by other hikers like us, who looked energized by the morning walk.
Sometimes we saw couples, other times lonely hikers, and some other times entire groups. We only saw people at the start as we spent the rest of the journey on our own.
We started our walk at a height of 3900 m and our goal was to reach the highest point of the path, Salkantay Pass, which was 4630 meters high. At first, we were always going up, with amazing landscapes and some stops in the middle to rest and take some photos.
We could never stop for too long because the biggest challenge (from that first day) was still ahead of us…
Mathieu was much more used to hiking than me, yet, I think I kept a good pace.
Whenever I stopped, I looked behind to watch the path behind me… and with a surprised expression, I called Mathieu:
“Look behind! Look, how beautiful it is!”
He always smiled, then he smiled back to me and we continued our expedition.
Slowly we were getting tired.
We were now more silent…
When we got to a height of 4400 m, the amount of oxygen started to decrease and so did my pace.
Hiking with little oxygen is an experience by itself.
Yet, the hardest part was just before arriving to the top of the hill: a steep zig-zagging trail that gets steeper every single step.
It was foggy and a little cold and we saw some people far away, near the top, walking slowly…
For each step, a long pause to breathe.
Each step was counted and conscious.
Like a step of a giant. Heavy, long, extenuating.
Each inspiration was long and calm.
We made the path in absolute silence.
Whenever we looked at the top, covered by mist, it looked like we were walking towards the clouds in the sky on a sad day.
There was no sun, but we could not wait to get there…
To enjoy the view, although hiding behind the clouds, and to get the feeling of getting to the highest point in our path.
And so was it, when we crossed the Salkantay passage, we felt moved and an immense satisfaction.
For being able to breathe naturally, reaching the top, being in the middle of this ancestral nature, and for being together, living such a unique moment in our lives.
April, 2018
Patricia Assis
