Inka Trail: Stairs, Stars, Steller Food

Waking in the wee hours of the morning was tough, climbing and descending the stairs was tough,  removing the hikers from sore tired feet was tough…

After all those stairs we enjoyed delicious food and amazing star gazing.

Inka Grind

In reference to ‘The Grouse Grind’.  The Grouse Grind is 2.9 km straight up the face of Grouse Mountain … you climb  2830 stairs.  The Inka Trail is  15 x the length, with a million more stairs  and an one day 1200 metre ascent to Dead Woman’s Pass .

The stairs at times could be steep, the down required some tricky footing and a rock scramble just before the Sun Gate.  

PORTERS! 

When you heard “PORTERS!” The expectation was to stand mountainside and let them pass… they run the trail with 25kg on their back… all the comforts we enjoy while at camp.  Believe me we have nothing to complain about…

I was hiking early on day 2 when a group of porters came from behind.  I stepped aside to let them pass, the last porter knocked his pack on a branch causing him to sway right towards me. I held out my hand to make sure he didn’t knock into  me .. and thank the stars above he was able to recover… I was standing cliffside… not a steep one… but it would really hurt if he took me out. Lesson learnt: mountainside Michele, mountainside.

All those stairs up and down were  rewarded by waking up to a hot  breakfast, hiking into camp for lunch and dinner  .  It was a feast of delishously prepared and presented Peruvian delights!  One evening a birthday cake was made to celebrate a birthday! Kudos to the Chef Marco and his Sous Chef Ernesto!

It gets dark early here… so star gazing is possible from early evening.   And since we are usually up by 5am they were still visible.

 

 

 

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