It’s been a couple days since I completed the Inca Trail, yet I’m still recovering. It was a challenging yet completely fulfilling experience, one of the best of my life - and well worth the considerable cost. Luckily, my knee held up (with the help of many anti inflammatories) and I was able to experience this amazing opportunity to it’s fullest.

Day 1: Cusco to Wayllabamba (12km)

I woke early on Friday morning and was picked up from the hostel around 5:30am, where I met Andy and Logan, two Americans who were in my group. We were picked up and headed to Ollantaytambo for breakfast, where we got to know the rest of the group and I wisely invested in a pair of walking poles to help reduce the burden on my knees.

Following breakfast, we headed to Kilometre 82. We showed our passports, took the obligatory team photos, and begun the Inca Trail, crossing the Vilcanota River.

One thing I noticed was how supremely competent our porters were. Called “chaski” in Quechua (the native language of the Incas), they were each carrying backpacks of about 25kg (before recent regulations were introduced, they were known to carry upwards of 60kg), wearing cheap clothes and shoes, and were still comfortably overtaking each one of us on the trail. They would rush ahead to the next camp site to have the tents prepared and food cooked. The best part was when we finally arrived at camp, they would stop what they were doing, and applaud us for arriving. It felt a little patronising, considering we had it much easier than them and still took much longer to make it to camp.

We settled into our camp for the night and Andy, Logan and I took a walk around the village in the evening and found an old lady selling Chicha. We sat around in the dark enjoying the local brew and appreciating the amazing day we’d just had.

Day 2: Wayllabamba to Pacamayo (12km)

We were woken up at 5am and treated to “tent service” - where Ernesto (our second guide) and some of the chaskis came to each tent offering coffee, tea or hot chocolate. It was a nice touch that definitely made getting out of our sleeping bags a lot easier.

Day 2 was supposed to be the hardest. Whilst only trekking for half a day, the majority of it was on a steep incline. I was still having some pain in my knee, and we had the option of hiring a porter to reduce the burden on our backs. I considered it for a while, but the Scottish in me must’ve been particularly strong that day, as I decided to save myself 100 soles (about $40) and carry my gear on my own. I also didn’t want to diminish any sense of achievement I’d have at the end of the trek.

We made the ascent up to Dead Woman’s Pass (4,200m above sea level), where we stopped for a decent rest and took some photos of the unbelievable scenery (this was fast becoming the norm).

The hike uphill was helped with the aid of chewing coca leaves which I bought from the San Pedro market in Cusco. Chewing coca leaves is a common practice around Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador - it acts as an appetite suppressant, helps with altitude sickness, provides energy and improves digestion. It also mildly numbs your cheek which feels kind of strange at first.

Still at Dead Woman's Pass, I noticed a few llama’s in the distance and walked over to get what I hoped would be some nice photos, only to be spat on by the llama when I got anywhere near close enough to take a photo.

After cleaning myself up, we walked down about 900 steps to our camp at 3,600m above sea level. I was pretty knackered by this point, so I stripped down and had a cold shower in the nearby toilets. I use the terms “shower” and “toilets” loosely - the toilets were a hole in the ground, and the showers a hose in the wall. The water was ice cold, the kind that takes your breath away when you stand under it. However, it felt extremely refreshing and got rid of the dirt and sweat that had built up over the past 2 days.

After lunch, the rest of the day was spent relaxing and appreciating what we’d achieved so far - supposedly the hardest day was over. I wrote in my journal then had some dinner, and an early bed as we were to be up at 5am again the next day

Relaxing in the tent at the end of Day 2

Day 3: Pacamayo to Wiñay Wayna (15km)

I didn’t sleep so well on the second night, the thin mattresses and t-shirt pillow stopping me from getting any decent rest. Getting up in the cold and walking down to the toilets didn’t sound too appealing when you were wrapped up in your sleeping bag, so when I woke up at 3:45am I held it in and waited for tent service to arrive.

The trail on day 3 took us again through some stunning scenery, and beautiful inca ruins. The last stage of the day's trekking was all downhill, some 3,000 steps and more. The problem was not only the amount of steep downhill walking - it was also the rough, uneven terrain which meant you spent a lot of the time looking at your feet to make sure you didn’t take a tumble.

After about 1 hour from the second pass we arrived at Sayacmarca by way of a superbly designed stone staircase. The name Sayacmarca means "inaccessible town" and describes the position of the ruins perfectly, protected on three sides by sheer cliffs. No one knows the exact purpose of these ruins.

We had to backtrack a little to rejoin the trail as it passes Conchamarca, a small Inca dwelling situated in the shadows of Sayacmarca, which was probably a tambo (Incan structure built for administrative and military purposes) for weary travellers on their way to Machu Picchu. From then on the path descends into magnificent cloud-forest full of orchids, hanging mosses, tree ferns and flowers, passing through an impressive Inca tunnel, carved into the rock, on the way.

Wiñay Wayna was the last official campsite before Machu Picchu. The name in Quechua means 'forever young' and is named after a variety of pink orchid which grows there. The ruins comprise magnificent agricultural terraces set in an impressive location. There are also many buildings of good quality stonework and a sequence of 10 baths, suggesting that the site was probably a religious centre associated with the worship of water. Ritual cleansing may have taken place here for pilgrims on the final leg of the trail to Machu Picchu.

This was our last night with the chaskis, and also one of the group members' (Penny) birthday. They really pulled out all the stops here and surprised her with a delicious cake, with her name written on it. Failing a well calculated air drop, I still don't know how they managed to do this. We enjoyed our last dinner together, and afterwards the chaskis were called in to be thanked and given tips for their exceptional service. Again it was an early bed as the next morning we were to be up at 3:30am to begin the final portion of the Inca Trail - the trek to the Sun Gate to enter Machu Picchu.

Day 4: Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu (5km)

After waking, had a light breakfast and set off on the trail again to get to Machu Picchu before sunrise. This was the only time during the whole trail that we saw any rain, and by a stroke of good fortune it was while we were all waiting undercover at one of the control points.

The trail contours around a mountainside and drops into a cloud forest before coming to an almost vertical flight of 50 steps leading up to the final pass at Intipunku (Sun Gate). Suddenly the whole of Machu Picchu is spread out before you in all its glory, and whilst it was pretty foggy at that point, it couldn't cloud our sense of achievement at completing the Inca Trail.

We walked down to Machu Picchu and stopped at the classic viewpoint for a team photo, then it was a quick stop to refuel - for a steep price - around 13 Soles for a coffee and Milky Way bar.

We re-entered the ruins with our superb guide David for a complete tour of the major sectors, and were given an in depth insight into the discovery and history of Machu Picchu.

After the guided tour, Tomasz (a keen trekker and traveller from Poland) and I headed off for some more hiking, this time to the outhouse and Inka Bridge. After exhausting our legs and cameras, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes. I checked into my hostel and had the first hot shower I’d had in 5 days. Bliss. Then we met up with the group at the restaurant across the road for some celebration and goodbye drinks.

Our guide David and I at the celebration drinks

Aguas Calientes is a notoriously touristic town where everyone knows they can get away which charging ridiculously high prices for tourists (thousands arrive every day year round). So my lunch and drinks amounted to 100 Soles.

I went back to the room and laid down on the bed. It’s funny how during the trek you keep powering through the trail, as you have an end goal in sight. As soon as it’s over and I had a chance to stop, my body begun shutting down and I was sapped of all my energy. My whole body ached, my knee froze up and I came out with 4 or 5 ulcers (probably also caused from chewing all the coca…).

But the experience wasn’t quite over yet. I’d booked the night in Aguas Calientes, and also another day’s entrance to Machu Picchu and entry to hike up Huayna Picchu, a nearby mountainwhich gives an incredible vantage point overlooking Machu Picchu.

It was nice to be able to stroll around the ruins somewhat refreshed, put the camera away and soak up the atmosphere. I chose a spot to sit down and listen to some music, and on my 6 month anniversary from leaving home was able to reflect on the trip so far, and what was left in store.

Then I began the trek to Huayna Picchu. I had the option of just seeing Huayna Picchu, or trekking the entire circuit of the mountain, which was quoted at a 4 hour round trip. If you’ve been keeping up to date with my blog, you’ll know which option I took. Even though I was exhausted, I pushed my body up to the top of the mountain, then around the rest of the circuit. I ate the few muesli bars I had packed with me, which made no difference to my energy levels, then began to run down the stairs.

On the way back up to the exit point, it felt like each corner turned presented an ever increasing set of stairs. I was beyond the point of exhaustion at this stage and frequently keeled over trying to catch my breath. It felt like I’d never get a rest.

Temple of The the Moon, along the Huayna Picchu mountain circuit

Nevertheless I eventually made it back, and made a beeline for the bus back to Aguas Calientes. I was too exhausted and hungry to care about the exorbitant prices and proceeded to eat 3 meals at 3 different restaurants.

I took the train and bus back to Cusco and collapsed on my bed - knowing that I wouldn’t really be able to truly appreciate what I’d accomplished until my body recovers.