Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

There are many inspiring places to see on our planet. For me, Machu Picchu was both an elevating and humbling experience. The fact that I got there without a guide or tour group made it more special. In this article I’ll share the journey of how my husband and I reached our goal of hiking to the Sun Gate, an ancient entrance to the Sanctuary Machu Picchu.

The Incas worshiped the Sun and the Sun’s consort the Moon. This celestial duality was reflected in the culture’s gold lined temples for the Sun and silver adorned religious sites for the Moon. The famous World Heritage site of Machu Picchu is the crowning glory of this huge empire which lasted just a brief 100 years.

Who wouldn’t want to stand amidst the ruins of these splendors? The spectacular National Geographic photos of Machu Picchu don’t do it justice. It is a three dimensional experience that, in this traveler’s opinion, is ethereal and unforgettable.

Beryl at Machu Picchu (old mountain) with Waynapicchu (young mountain) in the distance Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

Many folks are most comfortable traveling with tour groups and guides who lay out the trip itinerary. But it can be done another way. I enjoy the freedom of hiking to inspirational places and meditating even if it takes a four hour hike in order to do so. Another advantage of solo traveling are the spontaneous encounters with people from all over the world so we stop to chat. This is one of ways we get first-hand tips of what and what not to do while traveling in a foreign country. In retirement we we set our own route and pace. On this journey we wanted to experience Lima, The Sacred Inca Valley including Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca in Peru.

Our Original Itinerary for Peru - Plan A

Days 1-4 Fly from Buenos Aires to Lima, Peru, Hotel Tierra Viva, Millaflores Goal: Travel day and explore Lima Days 5-9 Fly to Cusco, Taxi to Ollantaytambo, Hotel Munya Tika Goal: Altitude acclimation, training for a trek at Machu Picchu, and exploring t the towns in the Sacred Valley Days 10-12 Train to Aguas Callientes, Gringo Bill’s Hotel Goal: 6:00 am Bus to Machu Picchu, two hour tour, hike to Sun Gate Goal: Enjoy Aguas Callientes, train back to Ollantaytambo Days 13-17 Taxi to Cusco, Hotel Sol Plaza Inn Waynapicchu Goal: Sight seeing, cultural experiences and touring near Cusco Days 18-21 Eight hour Tour Bus to Puno, Lake Titicaca, Homestay on an floating reed island in Lake Titicaca Goal: Sight seeing, cultural experiences Days 22-23 Five hour bus back to Cusco Fly to Lima, Hotel Tierra Viva Millaflores Goal: Travel day and 1 day tour of Lima Day 24 Fly from Lima, Peru to Quito, Ecuador Goal: Travel day

You may wonder why we flew to Lima from Buenos Aires, and why we departed Lima for Quito, Ecuador. My husband and I are on on a 2 year around the world travel adventure. We have not set foot on American soil since July 1, 2016. Peru is the 11th country we have explored and/or lived in.

Our research included Youtube videos, scanning tour itineraries, and reading a Lonely Planet Peru guide book. We booked our flights and the first 3 hotels ahead of time. A short flight from Lima to Cusco put us in the capital Inca city which sits at a lofty 3339 meters (11,000 feet). There was a bowl of coca leaves at the airport directing us to limit our consumption to 3 leaves each. I took three and shoved them between my Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate teeth and gums. I would highly recommend it for altitude sickness!

We turned this 2 day tour by Sam Travel into 6 days of altitude acclimation and trek conditioning

My article will focus on the Sacred Valley since it involves one of my favorite activities: trekking. Our pre-arranged taxi whisked us from the Cusco airport down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first destination was the fully preserved Inca town of Ollantaytambo at an elevation of 2799 Meters (9183 feet). The locals call the town by the nick-name Ollanta. It may not sound like a big difference from Cusco’s 11,000 feet, but to me it was HUGE. That evening we walked 2 blocks uphill into the town square for dinner. It took us 20 minutes of huffing and puffing before we saw the benches on the plaza and sat down with a thud. “Very disrespectful of the beautiful nativity scene close by” I thought to myself.

The first reason for the delay in reaching Machu Picchu was altitude adjustment. The second was that we required additional conditioning to trek at these elevations.

I began drinking coca tea, chewing coca leafs and slowed my pace to a crawl. My headaches, disturbed sleep and short windedness were not what I had expected. It Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate took us two days before attempting our first training hike. The guide book suggested one full day of rest and we needed it. We used our free day to talk to the train companies about time schedules for the journey to Machu Picchu. We also extended our stay in Ollanta by two days/one night.

Ollanta turned out to be a tiny intact Inca town. It was our base for exploring the Sacred Valley. The valley is 40 miles long and anchored by a raging river. It is so fertile, that terraces were built on the hillsides for vast numbers and varieties of crops. This “corn basket” of the entire empire produced at least 40 varieties of potatoes alone. On the map above red markers point out all the Inca cities which boast intact ruins. All were built on steep mountain sides. The hills called to me” keep climbing up for better views and come see the sacred temples at the top”.

On the morning of day three we hiked up the local ‘trek less traveled’ called Pinkuylluna. First we wound our way through the still inhabited old city where a local woman directed us to the starting point. We looked up and were thankful for a hand rail system for the steepest sections.

It took about 1 1/2 hours to reach the now deserted Inca food storage buildings where grains, meats and other legumes were kept. We were exhausted and content just sitting on a terrace to catch our breath. Don’t believe the guide books who gaily proclaim that this hike can be done in 1 hour, up and back. Maybe a fit Peruvian can do it, but not me!

Dick nearing the Pinkuylluna Granaries

Circa: late 16th C Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

As it happened a local guide with a big backpack spotted us. He was on his day off and sat down to impart some insider information. He pointed out the face of the famous Incan God Viracocha on the mountainside which we could see from our perch. According to Inca legend Viracocha emerged from the center of Lake Titicaca and is

Magical Andes Photography

Face of Incan God Viracocha on Mount Pinkuylluna. On the right side are the granaries - photo courtesy Magical Andes Photography called the White God. He was the grand creator of their world. Sitting at this height staring at the plunging mountains, rivers and terraced ruins I could see the beauty in their beliefs.

Suddenly a group of five Americans came along bypassing the granaries entirely! I asked them where they were headed. “We’re on the way to the guard posts, want to join us?” Dick declined but I was rested and took them up on their offer. After 30 minutes of what seemed like hiking straight into thin air we arrived. I learned that each Incan city had the responsibility of watching over their valleys, scouting for Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate intruders. Therefore, guards were placed high on each mountain near the cities to keep watch. They lived nearby and only saw their families on special dates in the Inca Calendar. It made me dizzy. After a quick photo I descended while the Americans sat down to rest.

Beryl made it to the Guard Stations at Pinkuylluna

Arriving at our hotel by 2:00 we plopped down and fell a sleep! I found that the higher altitude affected my appetite, but it didn’t seem stop me at dinner that night. Quinoa soup with home-made bread at Heart’s Cafe was a hearty, healthy and tasty dinner for me. Dick chose the Alpaca Burger with Onion Rings. He assured me it was good. Here is the menu in case you go: www.heartscafeperu.com/menus/. Eat upstairs for good views Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate of the main plaza. In early January it was lit with twinkly lights in the trees and a flashing starry Nativity scene which included llamas instead of camels.

By day four we were ready to tackle the main set of ruins in town, simply called Ollantytambo. At the entrance we bought the multi-use ticket for a 10 day pass to 14 archeological sites and museums in the valley. This pass costs $47 each per adult. We brought our passports and got the senior rate of $35 each. I found most places in Peru give senior discounts. You don’t have to be a resident to take advantage of this, but you do need to show your passport for proof. I was caught without my passport at a museum in Cusco and begged the guard for a senior rate. He refused and told me I was not 65. It was flattering but frustrating.

Cusco 10 Day Tourist Pass

This pass does not include Machu Picchu

We decided against hiring a local guide on site since we had been educated by the Lonely Planet Guide. The place was enormous and it took us around five hours to tackle it. First, there were agricultural terraces to climb.

Each step revealed better views of the ruins and the granaries on the mountain across the valley (from our hike from the day before). As we climbed the masonry work became more refined. The high priests and royalty had palaces and temples constructed of mammoth blocks, engineered to resist earthquakes. There was no mortar used and these huge granite stones remain intact today. As I ran my hand Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

Archeological Site of Ollantaytambo The Entrance in in the middle fore-ground

Photo taken from the Pinkuylluna Granaries over their surface they felt like glass because they were ‘polished’ by the original artisans.

After about 1 hour of ‘stair climbing’ we reached the Sun and Moon Temples. These sacred sites were created to calculate dates in the Inca Calendar along with the use of their sun dial. All significant dates were astrologically calculated.

As I looked around the area it became apparent that the site was unfinished, just as the guide book had described. There were piles of unused stones and columns Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate scattered haphazardly about. No one really knows why the sites were not finished, but most experts agree it had to do with the Spanish Invasions.

What remains of the Sun Temple is a section of 6 jumbo granite slabs. These days it’s called the Wall of the Six Monoliths. Nearby was the Moon Temple. I struck up a conversation with one of the on-duty guards in Spanglish. He actually let me through the ropes to peer into the Moon Temple because he has a relative in the USA. Score.

Ollanta was the only Inca stronghold to defeat the Spanish Conquistadors in battle. The warriors used their ingenious irrigation systems to flood the valley preventing any approach up the mountains. Later on Ollanta was conquered by the Spanish Empire.

We took a diversion after Temple Hill. A small door lead to a steep switch-backed trail. At the end of the trail were partial walls

Sun Temple: Wall of the Six Monoliths Each one weighs 50 tons! of small rooms used for sacrifices and rituals. The spot was isolated and very high up. Grey clouds had pushed up the hill side and it started to drizzle. A somberness came over me - a sadness for this lost civilization and their untold stories that lay buried there.

Granite blocks of construction materials at the ready near the Sun Temple Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

Quickly heading back to the terraces we followed the single-file foot path down the steps to view a great achievement of Inca civil engineering. The elaborate maze of aqueducts brought water to the terraces for irrigation and provided pure drinking water from the high mountain streams. We followed the water trail through the sand filters and pools ending up at a beautiful bath house with it’s adjacent Princess Baths.

Left: Ancient Inca Aqueduct Sysetm

Above: The Princess Baths

As we turned towards the exit we saw some native Alpacas pictured below. Finally our last day of training had arrived Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

It was a clear, sunny day. We hired a taxi for the day and arrived at the Sacred City of Pisac by 10:30 a.m. We selected a guide just outside the entrance useing our 10 day pass to get in. It turned out that this guide is of Inca indigenous heritage and speaks Quechua which is the language of the Inca Empire. He is a practicing member of the old Inca beliefs.

As we climbed up the steep terraces, of what was once the entrance to the Sacred Valley, our guide gave us a different sort of education. First of all, I was surprised to learn that the Quechua people considered every tree, plant, river, mountain, stone and all animals sacred and filled with energy. He explained that their culture protected Mother Earth which was the middle ground between the underworld where their ancestors and the spirits of the dead lived, and the upper world of the gods.

We were counseled on a variety of plants used for medicinal purposes, cooking, religious ceremonies, and the making of chi cha (the fruit- like alcoholic Peruvian beverage). Field testing some of these trees and plants was fun. By now we were at 9700 feet and were breathless and dizzy. Rubbing the leaves of muña against our palms we breathed in its’ minty essence. Sacred Inca City of Pisac I’m not sure if it helped, but I felt better and it cleared my sinuses. In It’s undulating terraces wrap for miles retrospect I would have checked with a around the mountains. Pharmacy first first before trying this because you really never know for sure what Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate the effects will be!

One of the surprises revealed by our guide is that the Incas were mainly vegetarians. He further informed us that the commoners had a heavy workload, but also a generous holiday schedule full of festivals put on by royalty. Participating in binge-drinking chi- cha with the upper classes for days must have been fun but can you imagine the hangover at the first day back to work? I wondered if this wasn’t a good management tactic of the nobility. Work really hard and then party hearty??

Machu Picchu Achieved

The next two reasons that made reaching Machu Picchu arduous were: weather conditions, and multiple transportation steps to gain final access.

Step one: Train Ride To travel from Ollanta to Aguas Calientes (the tiny hamlet which is nestled at the base of a steep valley below Machu Picchu), you must take a train. We set off at noon on the PeruRail Vista Dome train. In our Adventure- Class seats we were surrounded by big windows not only next to our table, but skylights on the ceiling as well. The track runs it’s entire length along the raging Urubamba River. Within 5 minutes we were surrounded by a cloud-forest.

The jungle-like ride could have been created Start of the PeruRail Train Adventure for the Jurassic Park movie, it was that good! Waterfalls cascaded vertically from cliffs, then disappeared into multi-hued greens. Plants bearing colossal leaves Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate brushed the sides and tops of our coach. Orchids, suspended in the misty air flourished on tropical trees. Gauzy clouds floated in and out of view. It started to rain and I was sorry the ride ended just shy of two hours.

STEP TWO: FINDING GRINGO BILL’S HOTEL

On the advice of Trip Advisor we choose a hotel right out of Swiss Family Robinson. We planned two night’s at Gringo Bill’s Hotel to give ourselves a better chance at decent weather conditions at Machu Picchu. Gratefully, the hotel’s doorman met us at the train and guided us through the maze that is Aguas Calientes. Climbing up stairways and passing alcoves with pools in the hotel we were rewarded with a foggy view of the narrow Vilcanota Valley. It began to pour down rain and I wondered if this would be our fate at Machu Picchu as well. Within an hour the rain stopped and the clouds lifted and we were staring at the sheer cliff walls beneath the most famous Inca site in the world. Gringo Bill’s Hotel Stock Photo Our covered bamboo deck at Gringo Bill’s and it’s views

STEP THREE: DECIDING WHEN TO BUY THE TICKETS AND WHEN TO GO

We needed advice on the best time go to up to the Machu Picchu entrance by bus. The general consensus from hotel and restaurant staff and folks we met in the town square was this: buy the round trip bus tickets by 6:00 am, take the bus up to the entrance, buy the tickets into Machu Picchu at the gate and hire a local guide at the top if the weather cooperated. Both Dick and I agreed this was a good plan and we waited until morning to check the weather conditions.

Gringo Bill’s starts serving their breakfast buffet at 5:00 am. We set our alarm and sat down to breakfast. The skies were overcast. A split decision was made to go for it. The bus ride was bumpy and wove through continuous hair-pin turns with no guard rails. Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate Machu Picchu started to appear as the clouds lifted The city was much bigger than I had expected

It took 30 minutes to reach the parking lot at the top. There was no line at the gate and the skies remained overcast. We hired a certified guide for a 2 hour tour.

STEP FOUR: THE CROWNING GLORY

My fear was that I would come all this way and not be able to see anything because of the fickle weather. But as we moved to the first birds-eye view of the ruins they were visible. The delicate thin clouds were lifting and breaking up. When the entire view finally surfaced I thought I heard a collective gasp from all present.

After seeing so many photos and documentaries it was hard to believe that this place was real - But it Was Real and it Does Exist. My first impression was how beautiful the natural setting of this Inca City was with it’s four soaring 360 degree panoramic mountains. The thin clouds had a wedding veil effect on the mountain tops. A big

Temple of the Three Elements: Each window corresponds to the Sky, the Mountains and the Earth. These elements were represented as the Condor, the Puma and the Snake. Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate surprise was how big the city was and my wondering mind could not fathom how on earth this was humanly possible to build. I remained in this state of awe all day, in fact for days afterwords. It was hard to focus on what the guide was saying about the history and structures. Fortunately, the temples, building techniques, water system, and designs were similar to the previous Sacred Valley cities in which we had trained. Most archaeologists agree that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the infamous Inca Emperor Pachacuti. However, no one has proven this primarily because there was no written language. Not Knowing gave the place a magical air. Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate Without a tour guide we would not have found the temples or understood the symbolism. We were both happy we hired her. But we were here for a second reason as well. Our final goal was to hike to the Sun Gate while the crowds were low. We had packed a trail lunch and water and it was not raining. We walked up to the Guardian’s House and set off for the 2 hour hike on the original stone steps that are a part of the Inca road network.

Sam’s Travel depiction of various hikes near Machu Picchu The Sun Gate is pointed out on the right of this diagram

The Guardian’s House (center background) started to disappear as we trekked up the trail Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

The Sun Gate is one of four entrances to the sacred city and the first entry point reached when walking from the capital city of Cusco. The military fortified the gates and soldiers would surely have been present there. Because of its location on a ridge southeast of Machu Picchu at 9000’, the rising sun would pass through the Sun Gate each year on the summer solstice. This is what we had trained for. It is a moderate to strenuous uphill trek which rises about 1000’ in elevation from the Machu Picchu Citadel.

As we gained height the views became increasingly impressive. Starting out at 9:30 a.m. we encountered only 20 hikers. A group of five Americans had a guide who pointed out stones with ceremonial significance. We kept the same pace as they did stopping often to catch our breath and ogle the views. From the Sun Gate, the Machu Picchu Mountain, Huayna Picchu Mountain, Vilcabamba/Urubamba River, and Putucusi Mountain are all visible. My excitement spurred me on.

After 2 hours we ’summited’. At the top archway we met a few brave trekkers who were finishing their Inca Trail Trek of about 5 days. This was their first view of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary City. Some were overcome with emotion. Two young, fit, and kind guys from Germany dragged us up the last steep rock onto a perch. Struggling, twisting and inching my way down onto a rock ledge all the sights spread out before me as if I were on the Moon. We sat and chatted with all hikers present sharing a sense of achievement. These are a few of my all time favorite feelings: high on endorphins, high on mountains, and in a state to meditate. At rest for 30 minutes we quietly ate our lunch. Then the clouds lifted once again.

Our perch at the Sun Gate Machu Picchu City is the gray patch in the distant center distance

The journey down was not as easy as you might think. Within 30 minutes it started to sprinkle. We donned our

Machu Picchu Sun Gate - Intipunku Machu Picchu City is the grey patch in the distant center Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate rain jackets and gave a thin rain poncho to a couple on their way up who had nothing on but T-shirts and shorts. The temperatures began to fall and the rocks became slippery. More and more hikers were going up - I felt sorry for their bad-weather luck.

Boots With a View

Urubamba Canyon, River and Putusci Mountain

After two hours we reached the Guardian’s House in a steady rain. It took an additional 30+ minutes to wind through the ruins to the exit point. Because of our waterproof boots, hats, and jackets we were dry and the exertion of trekking kept us warm up until this point. Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

What happened next was a disaster. The bus transport down to Aguas Calientes is inadequate for the crowds of visitors. Keep in mind that the buses had been running continually since 5:30 a.m. for 10 hours to transport crowds of visitors up to the entrance. Now everyone wanted down at the same time. In addition there was nowhere to take cover while waiting for each bus to negotiate the one-way hair-pin muddy roads. We waited in the drenching rain, I kid you not, for two hours in a snaking line of grumbling tourists. Some had inadequate rain gear or improper shoes. The cold drove many to attempt walking down a slippery forest path rather than wait in queue. We made life-long friends in that line of sufferers. Our water resistant jackets finally failed and I could feel the layers underneath becoming soaked. Dick began to shiver. I walked back up to the coffee shop and bought him hot chocolate. There was no room in the cafe to wait. It made no difference if you had a guide, were in a tour group, or on your own, there were no excuses to get to the front of the line.

At last we boarded the bus. Amazingly a group of four people who looked well coiffed and comfortably dressed were ushered onto the bus into the front seats. They had dined on a fancy restaurant dinner/tour package and had ‘privileges’. Suddenly the mob- mentality kicked in. These four people were treated like Marie Antoinette and King Louis the VI during the French Revolution all the way down the hill. Insults were hurled, passengers asked them what country or state they were from, even tour guides chided them for taking up seats of the drowning masses. They were asked to stand, people demanded the bus driver kick them off. It was a near riot. To their credit the ‘privileged’ didn’t say one word!

I am ashamed to say that I took part in this heckling. No oceans of rain could wash away the fact that I vented my frustrations, anxiety and exhaustion on these four poor privileged people.

Back at Gringo Bills Hotel we had a steaming-hot bath. One hour later the rain ceased. We ate dinner by the fire at Indio Feliz and it tasted like the best food I’ve ever eaten. The French Chef at “Happy Indian” restaurant creates local dishes with a bistro twist. We ate here twice and would go again. Here’s the website in case you go: http://www.indiofeliz.com

Here are two questions I always ask myself at the end of trip like this:

1. Would we do it again? YES 2. Would we do it different? MAYBE - Trying to visit at a drier time of year means huge crowds Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate

Postscript

Two days after of our Sacred Valley adventures we arrived in Cusco Three days later Dick developed Bronchitis On the fifth day Dick had pneumonia, he stayed in bed and took drugs We did not go to Lake Titicaca Dick recovered and we visited all the museums and sights of Cusco without altitude sickness

Fun Facts

1. How many people visit Machu Picchu? Over 1 million annually - 5,000/day in high season

2. How much money does Peru receive from visitors to to the Sacred Valley Over 5 billion annually

3. Was Machu Picchu conquered by the Spanish Conquistadors? No, they never found it. The Incas abandoned the site before the arrival of the Spanish in 1530

4. Do I think Yale should return all the artifacts taken by the Hiram Bingham team that were led to the site by a local farmer in 1911? YES

5. Is Machu Picchu the Lost City of the Incas? No, the lost city has never been rediscovered. Paititi is the Lost City hidden in the Peruvian Rain Forest. Some researchers claim to have found it, but this a mystery that remains unsolved.

Postscript 2

I am happy not to be searching through a jungle filled with poisonous snakes, fish and frogs in order to find the Lost City of the Incas. Getting to Machu Picchu was enough for me! Machu Picchu My Way Peru Dec - Jan 2017/2018 Hiking to the Sun Gate