Machu Picchu, trek in photos

Machu Picchu, the might of the Incas.  Located 72.5 miles northwest of Cusco by railroad.  Elevated 2,432.75 meters above sea level.

Only about 500 Incas lived atop Machu Picchu.  Within just 100 years, their civilization had conquered the territory that now includes most of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile.  Had the Spanish conquistadors not killed them off, it's likely they would have pushed as far east as Brazil within a matter of years.  They were a highly advanced civilization... especially evident in their architecture.  It's astounding to visit these ruins because there is quite a noticeable difference between what was obviously originally constructed by the Incas and what has been restored.

Our trekking group consisted of a motley yet fantastic crew of Italians, Spaniards, Australians, Britains, and Canadians.  We defeated swarms of sandflies, crossed the Urumba river Indian Jones style in a metal crate, hiked to the highest peak at Waynu Picchu, and petted a llama.

Incapas we are no more.  Inca blood pumps through our veins.  :D
And this is how our story goes...

Mountain biked from Peruvian highways above cloud level down into subtropical jungle pueblitos just after a hefty rainstorm.

Hiked narrow, practically vertical Incan foot trails to the peak of many a mountain.  This is a view of the Urumba River which we eventually...

Crossed via the afore mentioned metal crate contraption.  Below us is a raging river.  If I figure out how to post the video of the ride, I will add it on later tonight.

Then we hiked some easier roads and passed a variety of waterfalls, like this one.  A REALLY big waterfall.  La pachamama (essentially, mother nature) being fierce.

Walking the railway from the town of Hydroelectric to Aguascalientes.

 
We smushed sol coins on the tracks.  Also, as the caboose of the train passed, we saw through the windows a group of Argentinians we had befriended days before in a taxi ride from Cusco.  Small world out here sometimes.

After three days of tirelessly marching up mountain slopes, across jungle terrain, in blazing heat and through torrential downpours, we finally (FINALLY!) arrived...

MACHU PICCHU!!!!!

And then I fell off the mountain.

Just kidding.  Andrea actually pushed me off.

:)

We hiked Waynu Picchu, the tallest mountain peak in the area directly next to Machu Picchu.

The view of Machu Picchu (all of the grey patch atop the ridge) from Waynu Picchu.  The zig-zag line on the slope is the road for buses.  There is a slightly less zig-zaggy one that pedestrians follow.  You may think us wimps for taking the bus but I'd like to see your happy butt climbing this beast at 4 AM after having accomplished the same trek Andrea and I survived.

This is the path that curved down the back side of Waynu Picchu which a little Peruvian boy assured us would take the same amount of time as the main staircase back down to Machu Picchu... he was out of his mind...

This ladder was not fixed at any angle despite how the photo makes it appear.  There were many more to follow along this route...

After 2 unanticipated hours of additional hiking through the entire Machu Picchu reserve, we arrived at the summit for one last view and were greeted by this cuddly fellow.

All in all it made for an incredible experience.