Written by J. Warren:

I had read about the Inca Trail before booking the trip. All of the materials describe hiking that involves climbs and descents across the Andes during a 4-day trek that ends at Machu Picchu. What the descriptions fail to mention is that people who want to undertake this hike should have genetic testing that shows their DNA is at least 1/8 mountain goat. In addition, persons over 35 should be required to undergo psychiatric examination before signing up for the trip. The second day of the trip was the most challenging. It took over 12 hours of hiking and required ascending 2 mountain passes higher than 13,000 feet, the most difficult is the aptly named Dead Woman’s pass. 

It was hard, it was steep, I made it (barely).

I traveled with a group of 13 hikers, all at least 30 years my junior, with Americans notable underrepresented. The group was mostly millennial couples who are taking 3-6 months off from work to travel, a phenomena I observed throughout my travels in Peru.  Our band of 13 was assisted by 2 guides and 18 porters (yes, 18) who had meals prepared and tents awaiting for us at the end of the day. The porters carry enormous loads but fly across the trails, blowing past the hikers carrying only day packs. The group was in awe of their ability to do this.  

The trek itself was fascinating as it offered an opportunity to see first-hand a bit of the lifestyle of people currently living in remote villages high, high in the Andes. Most people are farmers, eeking out an existence from the land. The scenery was spectacular- high mountain glaciers, waterfalls, azure blue skies.

I passed Incan ruins daily, an ongoing testament to the engineering and architectural prowess of the Incans (not to mention my amazement as to how the Incans could carry large granites boulders to the construction site when I was struggling to get myself up the hills). Do you remember the history of the Incans? Prior to the hike, I had only a vague recollection of something about Incans from Middle School back when we called it Junior High. The Inca Empire is noted for its expertise in agronomy, astronomy, engineering, and medicine- a.k.a. SCIENCE (am I allowed to use the word?).  The structures built by the Incans in the 1400s still stand today without renovation. Incan architects and engineers polished and fitted rocks so that they fit tightly and can withstand earthquakes, unlike more modern buildings.  The Incans also had a strong spiritual base tied to their worship of the Sun God. If things were not going well with the community, the Incans would sacrifice a noble child to talk with the Sun God. It was considered an honor to have a child sacrificed in this way.

One of the hikers in my group made an interesting observation about the Incan Empire and the current situation in America. She noted that the Incans are considered a primitive culture yet they made incredible advances in science and sacrificed a few noble children to address the needs of the entire society. On the other hand, in America, there are efforts to limit science and the children who are being sacrificed are those not wanted- the poor or immigrants. It begs the question about which is the primitive culture.

Sometimes more than large granite boulders presented obstructions on the trail

View of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate

Note the tightly fitting stone that has been this way since the 1400s.

Workers cleaning the walls