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Inca Trail, Peru

4 days of trekking, [wet] camping and a proposal.

By Very Long Weekend

November 18^th, 2016

4 Days On the inca trail

Day 1:

After driving for 3 hours to the starting point of the Inca Trail, we hiked an easy 7 miles (11.5km) at about 9,000 ft (2,800m) to Camp 1. We were greeted with hot maté tea and a typically Peruvian snack: Popcorn (🤔)

Day 2:

Early start after spending the night in a quiet, private, field - where we were told this was the last we'd see running water. It was sunny and warm but we knew our luck would run out. Today we faced the toughest day: 10 miles (16.1km) from 9,000 ft all the way up to 14,000 ft (4,250m) and then back down the other side of the mountain. It was as we crested the climb that the heavens opened up, first with an apocalyptic hail storm and then torrential downpour. We got wet ... very wet.

Literally. Everything. Was. Soaked.

That night we decided to be anti-social and stay dry in our tent. I had my iPad with me so we watched a film (The Shallows with Blake Lively, something about a vengeful shark...don't even bother watching it). Dinner: Clif bars.

Day 3:

It rained all night, and was still raining as we got going. Things started out hard - we were climbing up another mountain to get down the other side, 9 miles (14.5km) from 8,500 ft to 13,000 ft (3,960m) and back down to our next camp. All of it in the rain. The porters were flying up and down the mountain, seriously impressive. Day 3 ended with a break in the weather as we set up camp, we were praying the good weather would stay (spoiler: it did!).

Day 4:

Last day! At this point we were ready to get to Machu Picchu, and had had enough of camping...The views on this final (and very easy) section were unbelievable. I had a grin on my face the entire morning, not just because of the views, but also because Julie didn't know about the surprise I was hiding in my backpack ... (💍)

Day 1 and Day 2 got off to a good start weather-wise...but things soon took a turn.

Our guide Oliver on the morning of Day 2

Julie celebrating our approach to the summit of Day 2 (not even close), about 30 seconds before the weather turned

Oliver explaining the 3 'levels' of the Pachamama (look it up)

Dawn view on the morning of Day 4

More Day 4 dawn views, stunning

Oliver leading the way to the Sun Gate

Bridge on the edge of a pretty serious drop all the way down to the valley floor

Julie arriving at the Sun Gate on Day 4. The Sun Gate marks the entrance to the Machu Picchu valley.

THE SUN GATE & arriving at Machu Picchu

The view from the Sun Gate (behind the clouds is Machu Picchu)

Several thousand feet below you can see the valley floor, and the train to/from Aguas Calientes (our train home later that day)

The Sun Gate

'Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu' - geodesic milestone

We came from behind that peak on the right

To Machu Picchu!

Made it!!!

The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu

Another one...because I can

Visiting the ancient inca citadel

Oliver explaining the alignment of the sun with the shaped rock behind us

Look at the tip of the rock, and then the tip of the mountain in the background - they match! That's the summit of Machu Picchu.

#poseur

#poseuse

Inca window

Where the town folk lived. 500 Incas called this home back in the day

Llama Life. These guys act as a natural lawnmower on the grass around the citadel

Oliver leading us on our tour of the citadel

I proposed to Julie at the top of Machu Picchu, and she said yes! What an amazing way to end our trip

Footnotes

Shot on Leica Q and iPhone 7 Plus

FootNotes

Shot on Leica Q and iPhone 7 Plus

© 2026 Very Long Weekend

Japan: Tokyo, Pt.2

Temples, robots and more friends. (Oh, and food too).

Japan: Tokyo, Pt. 1

Cherry blossoms, friends and food. Lots of food.

Just chilling.

Part IV: Ending on a high note

Part III: Milford Sound, the 8th Wonder

Part II: The West Coast

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