My Machu Picchu Hike

When I finally decided to visit Peru, I knew one thing: I wanted to hike with the company that Mark Adams, my friend and fellow travel writer, used for his book Turn Right at Machu Picchu. The stories he shared about his treks and what he learned on them convinced me that those were the people I wanted to show me around the Sacred Valley, so I might have my own pretend Indiana Jones moment: me, the wilderness, and my local guide.

So I emailed Amazonas Explorer, which focuses on private tours as well as off-the beaten path hikes in the Sacred Valley, to see if it would be possible to book something. While a private tour was more expensive than a regular group trip, I liked the idea of going at my own pace and having my own guide. Plus, when the owner, Paul, said a few people from the Amazonas office would be joining, it made me feel like I would be hiking with locals rather than just on some tourist-focused group outing.

I wasn’t going to do the full Inca Trail, as I didn’t have enough time, didn’t feel fit enough, and absolutely hate camping. Instead, I opted for the famed KM104 hike, which starts at the marker by that name (104km from Cusco, an exit point on the train line from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu) and takes you through the Sacred Valley and a few Incan sites before linking up with the main Inca Trail that leads into Machu Picchu.*

“We’ll be there to pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 4:30am, so we can catch the train,” wrote Paul over email.

A 4:30am pickup meant a 3:30am wake-up, and there was absolutely no way I wanted to do that.

“Can we go later?” I asked. “It’s just me after all.”

“Nope, we have to get the 6:45am train from Ollantaytambo, which is two hours from Cusco. And we can’t be late. We’ve got a strict timetable. Sorry!”

But there was an option B!

Rather than wake up in the middle of the night, I decided to head to Ollantaytambo the day before so I could sleep in until just before the train….because while Indiana Jones might be able to find artifacts on little sleep, I can’t.

Once a major Incan city, Ollantaytambo is located on the Urubamba River against high mountains, on which extensive ruins offer beautiful views of the valley. Seeing them seemed like a better option than waking up early. So I arrived in the midafternoon to explore the ruins, pack my day bags, and relax before the hike.

(Tip: Don’t go when I did! Arrive early to avoid the afternoon crowds coming from Cusco. And bring a lot of sunscreen as there is no shade! The ruins are really beautiful though and give you a taste of what is to come.)

That evening, I unwound at El Albergue, a boutique hotel located right next to the train station. There was no more convenient place to stay — you literally walk out the door onto the train! I loaded up on carbs from food that came straight from the garden, packed my bags, and went to bed early in the comfiest bed I had all trip.

After waking up at the more reasonable hour of 5:45am, I met my guide, Efrain, and we boarded the train toward Machu Picchu so we could get off at KM104 and link up with the two others from the Amazonas office who were joining us.**

As the train snaked through the valley, the staff served us coca tea to help with the altitude. It’s a traditional indigenous remedy for altitude sickness in the region (it’s also the plant from which cocaine is derived). Not only does it really work but it has a very earthy, herbal taste that I had grown to love.

As I sipped my tea, Efrain and I went over the logistics of the next two days together while we got to know each other. A native to the area, he’d been a guide for over twenty years. Funny and really knowledgeable about the region’s flora, fauna, and Incan history, he used to lead a lot of group tours but now mostly does private ones with Amazonas.

When we got off the train, we met up with Katy and Lourdes, our hiking companions. Katy had hiked this route many times, having been a guide before, but it was Lourdes’s first time, and she was as nervous about being physically able to do it as I was. We bonded about it in my broken Spanish.

After checking in with the ticket control, we started our 12km (7.5-mile) hike up to Machu Picchu. The first leg followed the Urubamba River, which snakes through the entirety of the Sacred Valley, eventually flowing around Machu Picchu and north before combining with a few other rivers. Decades ago, its powerful waters were diverted near the ancient city to create a hydroelectric power plant that provides most of the electricity to the region.

The sun beat down on us as we hiked up the exposed side of the mountain, the only sounds our conversation and the river below. The climb was a continual path upward, punctuated by even steeper ascents and stairs, with various Incan trails and ruins along the way. Between the sun and altitude, it was a lot harder than I thought. Though I work out and consider myself in shape, I found myself resting a lot, so I was glad we could hike at my pace. The route was also filled with tour groups with whom we would trade passing each other, as everyone stopped for breaks at various points.

“Anyone who wants to do the hike into Machu Picchu but doesn’t want to do the full trek has to hike this path,” Efrain explained.

“So these tour groups will be with us the entire way?” I asked as I watched one pass us on one of our breaks.

“Yup! And likely tomorrow if they are visiting the ruins too!”

As we got closer to the cloud forest (a moist rainforest with a constant layer of clouds or mist) and the ruins that would mark our halfway point, the trail began to narrow as it cut across the side of the mountain and the gentle earth to our side gave way to sheer drops.

“By the way,” I said as I noticed this, “I hate heights and sheer drops. Will the trail widen soon?”

“You’ll be fine,” he assured me.

“Hmmm, that’s a non-answer,” I replied.

As we made our way, I hugged the mountain, trying not to look to the side, grateful we were once again going at my own pace.

Slowly we made our way farther and farther up the narrow, winding trail. In the blink of an eye, the arid and exposed trail was instead shaded by trees as the air cooled, and the sound of waterfalls began to be heard. Efrain pointed out native orchids as we ascended higher (we were always going up, up, up!) to the Incan site of Wiñay Wayna.

Not much is known about it except that it was an experimental agricultural location. Soil samples have shown remnants of fruits and plants not native to the region and that don’t grow at this altitude, so it could be assumed that this was an area of agricultural experimentation (the Incas did a lot of that). The temples and houses in the upper part all had stunning balconies that provided great views of the valley that I am sure anyone would kill for today. I thought about how, centuries ago, some Inca, after a hard day of work, stared at the same view, and I wondered if he enjoyed it as much as I did. Likely, since love of nature transcends time and culture.

From there, it was a quick lunch before we continued on to Machu Picchu. As the clouds rolled in, I picked up the pace, wondering if the weather might clear. Along the way, Efrain pointed out all the orchid species, but my focus was on getting to the infamous Sun Gate before the clouds obscured my view.

The Sun Gate is the main entrance that overlooks Machu Picchu. It was believed that the steps were a control gate for those who entered and exited the city, likely protected by the Incan military. And because of its location on a ridge on the southeast, the rising sun passes through the gate each year on the summer solstice (hence the name).

“We might need to sacrifice to the gods,” joked Katy as she noticed my nervousness. “Maybe that will help!”

Efrain, turning to Lourdes, said, “It might need to be you, since we can’t sacrifice Matt!” causing us to all laugh.

“Okay, well, I’m gonna run, as I can’t miss this. You’ve all seen it before,” I shouted to him as I ran the final part of the trail to the Sun Gate.

I got there just in time to behold Machu Picchu before the clouds rolled in. It was a magical view. There it was, the goal of a lifetime, a sight I had dreamed about for so long! It was as wondrous as I thought it would be. And even though the clouds hid the mountains and some of the structures, there was still an ethereal feeling.

Efrain and the others eventually arrived as well. We made friends with a family from California as we all waited for glimpses of Machu Picchu through the clouds, setting up our cameras for those fleeting seconds before the mist hid it again.

Though I could have stayed longer, Efrain told us it was time to keep going, so we continued down the trail to the ruins, where I got a close-up view of Machu Picchu through the clouds from a viewpoint overlooking the city.

“Tomorrow, we’ll explore those areas,” Efrain said, pointing to areas around the historic site. “But right now it’s time to check into the hotel.”

Early the next day, Efrain and I headed back to the ancient site itself, Katy and Lourdes having returned to Cusco. (These days, in order to control the crowds, there are now three routes to choose from, but each requires a separate ticket. We took the one that included the most buildings.)

Machu Picchu, known as “the Lost City of the Incas,” is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It was constructed around 1450 CE during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti as his royal estate and served multiple purposes, including religious, agricultural, and administrative functions. It was built here because the Incas could mine the stone locally, so they didn’t have to move any building materials across the mountains.

It was inhabited for 50 years and still under construction when it was finally abandoned due to the Spanish conquest of the area. Machu Picchu remained largely unknown until its rediscovery in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham III, who was searching for the famed “Lost City of the Incas,” supposedly their last hideout and filled with gold (though that is actually believed to be Vilcabamba).

Efrain gave me such a detailed history that it felt like I had a professor with me. He pointed out how the Incas used various building techniques to ensure there was sufficient drainage from all the rain, and expounded on theories about which buildings were used for what. He also gave me the lowdown on modern politics, revealing that there’s still a lot of the historic area that has not been excavated or restored yet, due to funding issues and corruption. I was lost in his descriptions and awed about just how innovative Inca engineering was. They had mastered the mountains and did it with style and beauty too. I would love to have seen Machu Picchu at its peak. What a sight it must have been!

After a half-day exploring (and wishing I had more time to do the other routes), it was time to take the train back to Ollantaytambo and Cusco. I had finally seen one of the most iconic sites in the history of humanity. It really felt surreal to have been there. And the hike, though hard, was also incredible. As I closed my eyes to rest on the way back, I was thrilled I finally got to see something I’ve been wanting to see ever since I was a kid.

About the Tour Company

Amazonas Explorer mostly runs private tours, but it does have some larger group offerings. So whether you’re with a group or just want to go alone, check out the company. (It is featured in the book Turn Right at Machu Picchu, which is why I chose it.) It also runs trips to other ruins in the region and will take you places most tourists don’t go.

* Note 1: Really, everything is an Inca trail. The Incas made over 40,000 km of roads, so you can consider any of those an “Inca trail.” However, for the purposes of this post, when I refer to the Inca Trail, it’s the popular multiday hike that leads into Machu Picchu that everyone talks about.

** Note 2: Efrain was Mark’s guide in the book too.