Inca Trail Day 3 Part 7: Intipata

Intipata was a turning point. Or better still, a point of elation. Add to that some astounding Inca Ruins, the best view so far on the Inca Trail and the fact that we were just 30 minutes walk from our campsite for the night. Oh and I forgot to mention, it was Christmas Eve, I had my Santa Hat ready and there really is a licensed bar at Winay Wayna in amongst all this wilderness. That beer would taste sweet and refreshing, but first we stumbled into the high ruins at Intipata…
The views down into the valleys were as good as I’ve seen on my travels. I had a wee sip of water as I got there, enjoying ot as I had basically killed the Inca Trail. With just a short 30 minute walk on level paths to our base at Winay Wayna and just one day left, it was one of life’s nice moments.
We all went in together at that part.

The sign to signify the entrance and arrival at Intipata.

The view from high elevation of the valleys from Intipata. The mystery question cropped up at this point “where is Machu Picchu?” (of course the beauty of the Inca Trail is you cannot and will not see even a glimpse of Picchu on the first 3 days of the Inca Trail).

Everyone wanted to stand on the edge so we had to walk across the top of the ruins, which looked down into the valleys. Once I was at the edge you could hear a pin drop and I wanted to have a little moment to myself to ponder. There were a few other groups around, but we each got our moments. Mine was a naked one in the freedom of Peru with the Northern Ireland flag.

One of the best places to be naked with a Northern Ireland flag.

Finding freedom in Intipata.

Intipata was a lot bigger than it looked at first, and probably up until this point was the second biggest Inca Ruins we saw. The biggest was Llacpapata on Day 1. The biggest of course was still to come the next day, Machu Picchu itself.

There were two ways down to the bottom of Intipata, we had entered at the top, and I chose to walk directly down, rather than on the spiral path. The main reason for this was so that I could enjoy more time in the ruins itself and marvel and the splendour of the purpose built layered lost city up in these mountains.

Roberta Regina, my Brazilian friend from the trek. Lovely lady and her and I finished this part of the trail together.

Of course the smile at the bottom of Intipata was one of pure relief and happiness. Just a short 30 minute stroll would lead us to our base for the night, and the only “bar” on the entire Inca Trail. Off I went…


Where – Intipata


What is it – Massive Inca Ruins, basically a lost city

How many kilometres left – probably about 2-3 kilometres left to walk that day, and only 6 the following day to Machu Picchu itself.VIDEO FROM THE TOP OF INTIPATA:
VIDEO FROM THE BOTTOM OF INTIPATA “this is just nuts so it is”:


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