Inca Trail – Day 3
We slept in until 6 AM, and the porters once again brought us tea shortly after waking us up. Following breakfast, we climbed out of camp through the thickening forest to the third pass of our trip (12,073 feet). As we descended, the clouds moved in and had complete enshrouded the ridge in fog.
We began our descent down the 2,000 or so well-polished steps, and the vegetation thickened. The plants became more tropical (bamboo stands, orchids, large-leafed plants), and the birds more colorful. The descent was steep and grueling, testing my quad strength and slowing my pace. The group stayed much closer together today, and I stopped often to rest and take photos of the stunning scenery.
We stopped at our first Incan ruin of the day and observed its terraces, irrigation system, and four holes carved into the smooth granite platform at the center of the site. The holes apparently correspond to the four cardinal directions and also signify the southern cross.
About halfway down, we broke through the clouds and were treated to magnificent views of the Urubamba Valley, Wiñay Huayna, Intipata, and Aguas Calientes. Continuing downward, it was difficult to keep my eyes on the trail!
After about 2 hours of descent, we finally reached Intipata, which is about 10 minutes above the camp where we were staying that night. Snacking on the terraces, and resting our legs, we chatted and enjoyed the views of the valley.
In contrast to previous days, we arrived at our camp at lunchtime. Because the camp is so close to Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, and the railroad in the valley, there were hot showers available for just under $2. As we waited for the highly anticipated showers, we enjoyed a few beers (available in the camp store), and got a nice buzz, which helped take the edge off of 3 days of hiking.
After relaxing in our tents, we all walked down to the Wiñay Huayna site, the most magnificent Inca site we had seen yet. A huge agricultural and military complex, Wiñay Huayna is only 50% uncovered and is said to be shaped like a hummingbird, one of the Inca’s sacred animals. Incidentally, Wiñay Huayna is also the Quechua name for orchid, which means “forever young”.
Wiñay Huayna was the highlight of the trek thus far. After Ramiro (our guide) gave us an overview of the site’s history (it was discovered in 1941), Jeremy and I explored as much as we could in two hours. Hiking into the jungle above the uncovered terraces, we found even more moss and bamboo-covered terraces in a forest that could have been an Indiana Jones set. In the main complex, we traced the still-functioning aqueduct system from the stream above the site down through the agricultural terraces into the main housing/military complex. Below this, and to the left, were even more terraces built into steep terrain. The architecture of the dwellings was impressive, with indentations in the stonework for the posts, beams and floorboards of second floors. And the views of the Urubamba River Valley, train line, waterfalls, and distant mountains were stunning.
In the evening back at camp, stars shown crystalline through the clear sky. We said goodbye to and tipped our porters after dinner before going to sleep.
July 30, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Terrific travel log Alec! It’s on my list of places to visit. Want to go with me?