Our final day of hiking but with the hardest day out of the way, this mere 4 hour hike was easy. At the summit of one of the mountains we stopped for a snack and whilst waiting we were caught up by the porters. They got a football out and there we were playing football on top of the mountain. It was so much fun and the highest altitude game I’ve ever played.
Our first Inca site of the day was Phuyupatamarca or “Town at Cloud Level”. It contained an impressive series of flowing baths where water flowed down a channel carved into the rock by Incas.
The ceremonial baths at Phuyupatamarca.
The Incas liked constructing thins symmetrically.
A view from the top of Phuyupatamarca.
Casiano plays his music over the valley.
Super hikers Zeyna, Saurab, Casiano, Ange, Heidi, Lauren and Tricia.
The red caterpillar.
The ‘Inca Road’ we had been walking on during this part was almost all original. It’s amazing how they constructed such an incredible walkway made from stone and natural formations for such a long distance.
The trail dives down through the jungle.
More and more steps!
Unfortunately Heidi and I had picked up some kind of bug or food poisoning and so by the end of today we weren’t feeling 100%. We managed to quickly get to our last camp. Unfortunately, the toilets on the trail haven’t been exactly what we’re used to with only a hole in the ground it does get quite dirty and stinky! It doesn’t make being ill very nice. We hardly got any sleep that night.
We still managed to have a fun evening. Firstly, I met two Spanish couples from San Sebastian where I was born. We had a lengthy chat about all sorts and it turned out they knew someone I knew as a kid and who is also friends with my parents, small world!!
We then visited a ruin close by called Huinay Huayna or “Forever Young”. This site was beautiful to say the least with some amazing terraces and well preserved houses.
Huinay Huayna ruins were beautiful!
Strewth mate! It’s Ange and Lauren at the ruins!
Assistant guide Roger tells us the history of the site.
Casiano!
Taking a closer look at the ruins.
Afterwards we had our last happy hour in the visitor complex. This campsite is the largest of all of them and has the most facilities since all the parties doing the trek camp at these grounds before completing the trail the next day. Its amazing how many buildings fit on the side of a mountain. There was a disco, a bar, shop, a hostel, hot showers and space for quite a few rows of tents.
Our last supper was great with the usual jovial atmosphere. Alex the waiter made some amazing bird shaped serviettes which were amazing and a continuation of the amazing serviette shapes from the previous meals. The chef also made an incredible Penguin and Tortoise made out of various vegetables.
For some reason we sang our respective national anthems with Tricia and Andrew giving a great rendition of Star Spangled Banner.
Our final group moment was the porter ceremony where we basically said thanks to the incredible porters for all their hard work and of course gave them a group tip. We sang them a revised version of We Are The Champions by Queen along the lines of:
You Are The Champions my friends
And you’ll keep on hiking to the end
After a great evening we all went to bed since we had to be up at 3:30 to ensure we were quickly at the gate to be first in the queue. Heidi and I may as well not have gone to sleep as we spent most of the night awake or in the grubby toilet. Thank goodness we had head torches!!
This was my favorite day and when we were at the ruined palace, it reminded me of ‘how great thou art’, with all the view of the mountains and then the walk through the jungle part afterwards. Amazing!