Inca Trail Day 4 Part 3: “The Final Triumphant Descent”

And so on Christmas morning 2010 in the Peruvian mountains with a sky of cloud, mist and rain I lived out one of my lifelong dreams – to visit Machu Picchu.

This part of the trail was by far the best. Simply because it was the last part, or as it has been so eloquently put before “the triumphant descent.” That really is what it is.

Yes that’s right, it’s a downward hike to Machu Picchu itself, God knows we needed it the amount of upward hiking we had done in the past four days.

Cows were grazing on a hill which gave me an idea of how the Incas might have survived food wise living here. That along with the endless water supply, and the fact it is believed they planted many vegetables in and around Machu Picchu itself. Forget all that, the dream like walk down these Inca valleys had our eyes feasted on the eerie mist which hid a lost city ahead.

The final descent sees you arrive above Machu Picchu, and at first you are not sure if this bit is actually part of Machu Picchu itself. It’s not. The only parts that are actually Machu Picchu, are those beyond the entrance gate.

The mist was still heavy and blurred most of our first glimpses of the lost city of Machu Picchu, but this photo gets close to showing just how amazing it all was.

I was just in awe and emotional on this part of the hike. It was all done and dusted, now we hung around near the actual entrance so we could all go in as a team and get the Guided Tour which was part of the itinerary on my booking.

I may have worked hard and saved for this trip, however it was only thanks to my parents that I lived this dream and saw with my very own eyes the myth that is Machu Picchu. They paid for this one as a Christmas present in 2010. It was all booked through the excellent Cuzco Explorer/Inca Point website: Inca Point . There was me on Christmas Morning aged 30 in the cold, misty mountains of Peru flying my well travelled Northern Ireland flag above the lost Inca City known as Machu Picchu, an English translation which means “Old Mountain.”

Of course nobody really knows what exactly happened here. How many people lived here, what life was like here, why people stopped living here, why it was left and possibly even more mysteriously why it wasn’t even discovered until 1911. Yes, I was there on the 99th anniversary of worldwide knowledge that this place actually exists. The mystery of Machu Picchu may remain forever but the beauty of it will never leave anyone who has been there…

Mirka dna Katie taking a quick break and enjoying the views before the final few steps down to Machu Picchu.

We didn’t have time for a group photo as our group was not altogether and those ahead of the pack like myself were waiting around, though other group captured the group shots here.

I grabbed another shot at Machu Picchu with the Northern Ireland flag at this elevated point.

The view of Machu Picchu while we waited on the others.

Close ups of the Inca Buildings at Machu Picchu. In a totally strange and ridiculous way they reminded me of Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland.

Within 20 minutes the mission was accomplished and we were inside Machu Picchu itself.

A fitting place to be on Christmas Day.

From – Intipunku

To – Entrance to Machu Picchu

Distance Travelled – 2 kilometres

Distance From Machu Picchu – down the steps was the entrance, less than 200 metres away

Distance Travelled on Inca Trail so far – 48 kilometres

KEY SONG:
OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL (JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT) on Christmas Day:

FINAL PART OF INCA TRAIL, “THE TRIUMPHANT DESCENT”:

STANDING ABOVE MACHU PICCHU:

JUST BEFORE ENTERING MACHU PICCHU:

Inca Trail Day 4 Part 3: “The Final Triumphant Descent”

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