After a pick-up at 5.30 and a rather bumby, zigzag road we arrived at marcacsa. The starting point of our salkantay trail.
The horses were already eager to start and would carry the tents and cooking equipment. We started climbing and soon we left civilization and we became surrounded by mountains. The snow-capped mountains were around 6000 meters high and formed the scenery of the trail.
Together with a West-Flemish couple ( Steven and Stephanie) and a German family ( Heike, Jörg, Sven and Kirsten) we started our first climb, which would be rewarded with lunch. Unlike our own cooking, the chef could prepare anything on a simple propane fueled fire. After lunch we set out to our camp site where we would spend the night. Luckily the hardest climb was past and we could continue with a steady pace alongside a river. After a few twists and turns we finally saw the Salkantay mountain towering above the many surrounding mountains. As it is one of the few mountains that is blessed with a snowy cap, it was easy to recognize.
After the sun had set, we finally arrived at our camp site and the temperature started to drop. Time to get out our thermal underwear and dress up for tea time. Our hardship was rewarded with tea, some crackers and popcorn, yum! Now, a bit warmer, we enjoyed the company of our fellow travelers. Soon dinner followed, after which we were ready for bed. With practically all our clothes on, we slept through the icy night.
It was around 5 when we were woken for tea time. A cup of coca tea was brought to our tent, this to make the getting out of your warm sleeping bag in to the cold early morning air a little bit less hard. After an extensive breakfast we left to climb the highest pass in our trail (4600 meter). We suffered a little bit but we reached the pass together with our horsemen. The Salkantay mountain seemed so close we could almost touch it.
Now we could start our descent into the jungle. Cesar our guide told us 5 km more and we would reach the camping ground. One hour later we still hadn't arrived at the camp site, so we asked again, "another six km!" Elien started to worry, she was already very tired. We all continued and finally we reached our camp site (it was a lot less than 6km, oef!) Here, there was a little shop and instantly one though popped up in our minds: BEER! After this long and hot day we rewarded ourselves with a couple of beers, well... More than a couple. As the sun faded away, we shared funny stories from our drunk times, or what we remembered at least.
At the breaking of dawn we were woken by our cooks, with coca tea. Breakfast included a cake! We left the campsite and went back into the jungle surrounded by banana trees, coffee plants and mosquitoes we followed the river back to civilization. Little 'shopping centers' popped up. They sold sodas but also local jungle fruit called granadias. They look like orange apples but tasted like the best passion fruit i ever had. We continued along the river and soon the snowcapped mountains disappeared behind the green mountains. We had our last lunch and said goodbye to our cook.
Next we continued out hike towards civilization, aguas calientes, where a hot shower was waiting for us. After 12 km we finally reached this small village, only famous due to its proximity to Machu Pichu.
We checked in our hotel and were ready to shower. Sadly, there was no hot water, so we had no choice but to take a quick cold shower, bbrrr! A bit cleaner now, we met our group for our last supper. Here we enjoyed the company of our friends with some Cusceña, the local beer.
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