Hiking in the Andes, Part III - Peruvian Pachamanca

The 3rd and 4th day of hiking in Peru were much easier. The first couple of days, we had started our trek at Mollepata (where the truck dumped us off) and gone through Soraypampa and Colcapampa. The weather and elevation during these days was extreme. The temperatures had ranged from 70 F to below zero, and the elevation went from under 10,000 to over 15,000 feet. According to JuanCa (Juan Carlos, our fearless Peruvian guide), we took the path less traveled to Machu Picchu. Our trail was officially referred to as the 'Sun Trail', and most people take the 'Inca Trail' to Machu Picchu. Though JuanCa mentioned that he and Peruvians in general did not distinguish one trail from another and viewed the entire network of trails in the region as the 'Inca Trails'.

On the 3rd and 4th day, we were varying between about 6,000 and 10,000 feet in altitude, with warmer, temperate weather. Our 3rd day was a short one, with only a 4 or 5 mile hike from Colcapampa to just short of Miskabamba. We got to camp with plenty of daylight left and had a great evening. Some folks went down to the river, some played soccer, others just relaxed. We were witness to a traditional Pachamanca. In this Peruvian-style barbecue, potatoes and meat were thrown on top of heated rocks, covered with banana leaves, and then buried to retain the heat and cook. As JuanCa explained, the term 'Pachamanca' can be split into two terms: 'pacha' meaning 'earth' and 'manca' meaning 'pot'. Incans would look upon the Pachamanca as a way that Mother Earth would provide sustenance - they would give raw goods to Mother Earth, who would then cook them and provide food. After a satisfying meal, we said goodbye to most of our crew since it was our last night camping. I was particularly grateful to the horsemen, who were quite patient with me when I first learned to ride. The rest of the evening was spent talking, drinking Cusqueña, playing cards, and looking at the stars.

The 4th day of hiking Churubamba was a grueling one, with a steep climb of about 3000 feet in elevation, and then descent of another 3000 on tight switchbacks. We saw just a tiny sliver of Machu Picchu from the top of Churubamba through the haze, but were in good spirits nonetheless - it was our last day of hiking and we were so close to our destination!



My knees were ready to explode, and by the end of the day, I could barely amble decrepitly with my walking stick. But the views upon coming down were beautiful. We could see Rio Urubamba, the river that circles Machu Picchu, clearly upon our descent. At the end of the day's hike, we ate lunch and took the hour-long train ride to Aguas Calientes, a town downhill from Machu Picchu. That evening, I really enjoyed showering and washing 4 days of grime off. After a dinner of Alpaca steak with a few glasses of wine, I was ready to crash.

The next day we took the bus up to Machu Picchu. We reached there early in the morning, when the mist blanketing the city still gave it an eerie feel.



But it cleared out quickly and we could see Machu Picchu in its entirety - it was amazing...