Today we started our big adventure. Diane and I are 55 years old with 3 grown children. We had read about hiking the Inca Trai to Machu Picchu and decided it was something we would like to do. We knew it would be a challenge, but also a great "Bucket List" trip. Many people didn't think we could do it , but we proved them …

We were up at 6am to a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel. Our flight to Cusco departed at 10:10 am via TACA airlines. They served nice sandwich and danish. The view on the flight was spectacular! The scenery was endless valleys & snow capped mountains. Truly beautiful.
Our guide Vidal met us as the Cusco airport with a van and driver. …

After a good buffet breakfast we all met Vidal. We rented a van and driver today . We decided to drive out to the farthest point and work our way back.
We drove out to Pisac. The scenery along the way was beautiful. We all decided on a longer hike around Pisac. It is a spectacular Inca Ruin area high up on a hill with many terraces and steep …

Today Peg & Chris were off on a White Water rafting adventure so Diane and I were alone with Vidal.
Our driver took us to Chinchero first. It is a neet Inca town at 12,000' It has narrow cobbled streets going up the hill, so many stairways again, and agricultural terraces. There was a beautiful church with many paintings on the ceilings and …

We woke to a beautiful sunny day. After a simple breakfast we met our guide for today, Alberto and our driver George. Today is our Healthy Breakfast Program excursion. We are very excited about this. We will be going to a market to buy some food for breakfast to take to the children at a nearby school.
Alberto took us to the local market in …

The Big Day. After breakfast we take our van, with Vidal of course,and drive aout 45 min. to Kilometer 82. We met our 10 porters. Yes! 10 porters for the 4 of us and Vidal. The porters even carry a propane tank for cooking. After we all get checked thru the passport control, 11am, we head across the bridge over the Urubamba river and up the first …

Our porters came to our tent at 6am offering coca tea or coffee, and 10 minutes later brought a basin of warm water to wash up. This is what I call pampered camping!
After a delicious breakfast and filling our water containers we headed out on the trail at 7:30am.
Today was an uphill day. Again the scenery is spectacular and saw a flock of …

Day 3 is a little easier with two shorter passes.
We started the day again waking to hot tea and warm water brought to our tent and then an amazing breakfast. Another beautiful weather day.
Todays trek was filled with different lush vegetation and the clouds moving in and out of the valleys below us. The views again were spectacular, with …

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning. The glacier across the way is gorgeous. This is our last breakfast with the porters. They all are so friendly and happy and laughing all the time. We will miss them!
The morning is all downhill, hot and sunny. I must admit I was feeling a bit weary this morning. But the great views and delicious lunch soon …