Backpacking the Inca Trail – Peru

In early 2020, I’d put together a rough plan on visiting South America including the Inca Trail, Salt Flats and possibly the Atacama Desert. Well, COVID kind of threw a wrench into those plans. It did give Tanya and me time to talk about doing the Inca Trail together, a much better plan if you ask me. Earlier this year, we put the plan into motion for backpacking the Inca Trail. Last week we did it! Continue reading to find out how it all turned out.

The plan to get to Cusco, our launching point

We had found a pretty reasonable flight to get to Cusco, PE on LATAM Airlines. It involved flying out on a Friday around 4:00PM and getting into Cusco about 9:30AM Saturday. The departure from Denver was on Delta, a LATAM partner, connecting to Lima in LAX and eventually taking the short flight to Cusco. The connection in Lima was tight given we had to go through customs at that airport. LATAM, however, offers frequent flights to Cusco so we thought we’d have no problem getting on a later flight if necessary.

Our return flight had us leaving Cusco about 8:30PM on Saturday and arriving in Denver around 12:45PM on Sunday. This time the tight connection was in LAX with only 2 hours to make it through immigration and get onto the Delta flight. Overall, it was a pretty good flight plan. That’s not the way it went down.

The first issue was Delta. They decided to cancel both of our direct flights between Denver and LA. The departure flight was moved up 4 hours and the return from LA was moved later by almost 6 hours. How convenient that both extended into long layovers. 🙁 The options we were automatically rebooked on were still the best we could get with Delta and LATAM. Tanya adapted by taking off some extra PTO, and we prepared to have some long layovers (5 hours in LA outbound, 3.5 hours during the return in Lima, 7+ hours in LA on the return).

Our first hiccup, LAX and plane troubles

Our departure from Denver went without an issue. We arrived early, as we always do, and everything was on schedule. At LAX, we found the shuttle from Terminal 3 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal without a problem. At the international terminal, we stayed in the area where the bus dropped us off. It was quiet, had power for our phones, and we settled in for the wait. Finally, we headed over to the gate, excited to be continuing our journey to Peru.

Just as the time arrived for boarding, LATAM announced the flight was cancelled and would be departing the next morning at 10:30AM. There was a mechanical issue and they needed to get a replacement plane…you know, from Peru. ? After getting over the initial shock, we joined everyone else in line to get a voucher. LATAM said we needed to reclaim our bags and could take their “private shuttle” to the hotel.

With our voucher in hand, we gathered up our bags but couldn’t find the “private shuttle”. Others on the flight were also looking for this mythical bus. Along with our newly found friends, we made our way to the arrivals area and caught the regular shuttle. Our voucher included meals and an overnight stay which went well. LATAM did a pretty good job handling the situation so even though it wasn’t ideal, it worked for us.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and headed back over to LAX to continue our adventure. Given the change in departure from LAX, we would be arriving too late into Lima to catch a flight to Cusco. LATAM said we’d get another hotel voucher in Lima and all would be good.

Airport and hotel fun in Lima

The 8+ hour flight to Lima on LATAM went well. They provided two meal services, and we were well prepared for a long flight (books on Kindle and movies on our phones). We arrived in Lima and went through immigration. The line was typical and it took us about 45-60 minutes to get through the checkpoint. We grabbed our bags and set out to get our hotel arrangements.

We’d have been able to get our vouchers much faster if I spoke Spanish rather than whatever it is that comes out of my mouth when I think I’m speaking Spanish! A friendly LATAM agent helped us get vouchers for a taxi and the hotel, and they checked our bags for the 5:00AM flight. We weren’t sure it’d be worth going to the hotel since it was already after 10:45PM but decided resting on a bed beat trying to lay down in the airport.

Forty minutes into the harrowing taxi ride, we were nervous about whether we’d made the right decision. We arrived at the hotel just as we were discussing having him take us back to the airport, perfect timing. We quickly checked in and got to the room. As is usually the case, I feel asleep within minutes of settling into the room and Tanya didn’t have any such luck. She ended up with about 30 minutes of rest while I got a few hours of sleep.

At 3:00AM, the taxi showed up to take us back to the airport, right on time. We made it through security, our flight to Cusco went without issue, and we were finally at our launching point for backpacking the Inca Trail!

Settling into Cusco

We’d prearranged a taxi from the airport with our hotel, Casa Biru Hotel Boutique, prior to our arrival. It was only $10 and made it easier than trying to negotiate something on our own. We’d messaged the property about our delays through the booking.com site and our taxi was waiting for us, woohoo! The staff at the hotel were very nice and we were settled into the room shortly after arrival. Later in the morning, the hotel said we could move into a bigger room. We took them up on it and had a great spot for the next few nights.

Exploring Cusco – Day 1

We weren’t set to start backpacking the Inca Trail until Tuesday. We’d arrived at Cusco early Sunday instead of early Saturday meaning we still had a few days to enjoy Cusco. Even though we were exhausted, we walked around town Sunday. Our first stop was Plaza de Armas. There was a lot going on in the square and we met a couple from Fort Collins. They were taking on the Salcantay Trek which is 5 days instead of 4, and goes over 15,000′ on the way to Machu Picchu. It’s supposed to be less crowded option. In hindsight, I’m glad we did the Inca Trail.

We walked around Plaza de Armas and then headed up to the San Blas neighborhood. It’s a short but steep walk to get to the neighborhood. This part of Cusco is really fun to explore. There are lots of shops, restaurants, and, of course, markets that are tucked into every nook and cranny. Several AirBNB’s and hostels are also in this part of town so it’s a good spot to stay as long as you don’t mind hiking up some stairs or a steep street to get home.

We met a couple of people staying in the area while we were walking about. They mentioned that someone had recommended a restaurant, Cocciolina. Tanya and I went there for a relaxing, very good lunch. The restaurant was more upscale than we expected, but it turns out that’s just what we needed!

We returned to the hotel room and relaxed, including a short nap for yours truly. As we discussed how great the restaurant was, we realized we’d gone to the wrong one. The couple had recommended the sister restaurant, Cocciolina Cafe. To make things right, we went there for dinner which was yummy!

Pisac – Day 2

On our first day we had discussed taking a tour of the Sacred Valley as a good day 2 activity. The problem was we needed to be back at the hotel by 6:00PM for our briefing by Cachi Life for backpacking the Inca Trail. Obviously that had to take priority! All the tours we contacted would have us back later than we wanted. Instead, we decided to take the local bus from Cusco to Pisac and tour the ruins there. As usually happens, the best laid plans…well you know.

The front desk helped us locate the bus station which was a 20-minute walk. We hoofed it over and we unsure of exactly where the “bus station” was located. There was a place with a sign “Pisaq Calca”, but was that the right place? I asked a local merchant where the bus station was and she politely smiled at my broken Spanish (some would say giggle or smirked) and pointed across the street at the place with the sign. We paid the 5 soles/person fee ($1.25 each) and got a ride.

The road to Pisac had sharp turns, it was hot, we were in the middle seats and couldn’t look out, and the driver seemed to think there was some contest to see how fast and dangerous he could drive. Tanya was nauseous when we got off in Pisac. A perfectly normal reaction to that ride! Walking around town helped and we bought some gifts at the local markets. The tour was off, however, since it involved another taxi ride and we were not up for that on top of the bus ride back.

Pisac – A nice little town

We enjoyed the small town of Pisac and recommend visiting it. The people are super friendly and there are lots of interesting areas to explore. We wish we’d been able to tour the ruins, but our priority remained on the Inca Trail Trek and not to require a sick sack on the bus ride back. We did end up surviving the ride back. Next time we know to be sure to get the front seat on the bus or take a taxi.

More exploring of Cusco – Day 2

To try to recover from the bus ride, we decided to hike up to Sacsayhuaman near Cusco. It was a short but steep hike from our hotel to the site. The exercise did us some good although Tanya was still pretty nauseous. We didn’t go into the park and instead looked at it from outside the gate. The Quechua people were amazing. There are still mysteries about them such as how were they were able to create such smooth fitting stones without any iron or other sophisticated tools. How were they even able to move those boulders from quarries and place them in these walls? They were smart people!

We headed back to the hotel, excited to get our briefing on backpacking the Inca Trail and our early start on the trail the next day!!

A quick diversion on selecting a guide

To hike the Inca Trail, you have to select a guide service as only guided treks are allowed. I’d researched different options (those of you who know me know that is an understatement!) and we eventually settled on Cachi Life. They have great reviews on TripAdvisor and I’d read a few blog posts recommending them. They were also the most responsive when I contacted them with questions. As you’ll find out as your read on, they were a fantastic guide group.

It will come as no surprise to most of you that prior to our departure I had a lot of questions. These were always fielded by Marco. He answered all my questions quickly, and with patience. We felt pretty well informed by the time we got to Peru.

I’m not sure I can say enough good things about our guide, Pavel. He always had a positive attitude and shared a ton of great information about the ruins and Quechua people. Most importantly to us, he’s a good guy. We learned about his family and he shared some good stories at tea time.

If you’re thinking of taking on this trek, I’d strongly recommend you check out Cachi Life. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Getting to KM82, the start of the Inca Trail

Our first day started off leaving the hotel at 5:30AM. Casa Biru had our lunch packed and ready to go, and allowed us to leave our extra baggage until our return on Friday. Pavel showed up right on time and we threw our packs into the van. There were four other hikers on our trek; Ty, Shawna, Kierra and Stu. This group of four had been traveling across Peru for the past three weeks on a 28-day adventure (jealous!). Ty and Kierra are siblings. Shawna and Ty are engaged and Stu and Kierra are dating. Over the next four days, these four made the trip even better. We could not have asked for better hiking partners on the trek.

The first part of our day involved a 90 minute drive to our breakfast stop. The road wasn’t quite as crazy as the drive to Pisac, and Pavel had allowed us to sit up front so we wouldn’t need a sick sack. The stop was a combination store and restaurant. I ordered a cafe americano and we sat down to enjoy our packed lunches for breakfast.

The next stop was dropping off our hiking partners’ bags at the hotel they were staying at after the trek. There was a lady selling items out front and an alpaca roaming around which made for a few good pics.

Our support staff

The next stop was to pick up the porters for our trip. The six of us tourists had 7 porters, an assistant cook, cook, and Pavel to see us through the trek. It’s hard to believe how many people it takes to support a tourist backpacking the Inca Trail! Each porter carried approximately 50 pounds of gear, wow! Shortly after picking up the porters we arrived at Kilometer 82, the current official start of the Inca Trail.

Backpacking the Inca Trail – Day 1

KM82 is the official check-in for the Inca Trail. Cachi Life had secured our permit for the trek. At the check-in, they make sure your passport matches up with the paperwork. Any mismatch and it’s a no-go. We ran into a little snag here since Kierra had to renew her passport since they’d made the reservation. Luckily she had a picture of her previous passport and they let us through. Nothing like a little stressor to start off the trek.

Passing through the checkpoint, we went through a brief display describing some of the wildlife we might see on the trek. There are all kinds of large animals in the forest around the trail. We didn’t see any except for llamas.

We left the welcome center and took a short hike down to the official start of the Inca Trail. Right after the start, we crossed the Vilcanota river. It was fairly low as Peru is at the end of the dry season. Pavel shared a very sad story about how the river gets really high and swept away a family one year as they were crossing the bridge. Flowers are still placed at the bridge for them. It is hard to believe the river got that high.

The beginning of the trek is in a desert-like area. We saw some cacti blooming and shortly after the trek starts, we can on our first ruins right by the river.

After 3.5 miles or so, we came upon Llactapata. It’s a good-sized site that we could overlook from the ridge across the Rio Urabamba river. Pavel shared what information there is about the site and provided great background. It was the first time on the hike that we were able to cool off since there was a strong breeze coming in from the valley.

First food stop

About a mile after Puyupatamarca, our group stopped for lunch. The porters had sped past us to set up a dining tent and started preparing lunch. The location was at a small farm along the trail. The local people allow the tour operators to use their bathrooms and land for their treks. I have no idea how much the operators pay to rent the space. It seems popular with the locals so I’m guessing it’s good money.

Lunch started with tea and relaxing. Then the food starts. I’m not sure anyone in the group expected the amount or quality of food we had at every meal. For a hiker used to a protein bar and some peanut M&M’s, it was quite the surprise! The typical spread included a rice dish, a main course item, and some type of appetizer. Many times the meals included fresh fruit. We were spoiled the whole time.

Getting to camp – Day 1

The rest of the day continued our modest incline up to camp. The first day covered about 12km/6.8 miles with 1400′ of elevation gain. We entered the last local settlement on the Inca Trail, Huayllabamba. The first night camp spot was a small farm with large grassy areas for different tour operators to set up camp.

We hiked up to some ruins near the camp and spent some time resting in our hiking chairs (definitely worth taking!). Tea time was 5:00 and then dinner. Eventually we settled down for the night with full bellies feeling pretty content.

Backpacking the Inca Trail – Day 2

The second day started at 5:00AM with the porters bringing tea to our tent. Did I already mention that we were totally spoiled? The second day was expected to be one of the harder days since it involves hiking over Dead Woman’s Pass. The pass is near 14,000′ meaning we had about 3,900′ of elevation gain and 6.8 miles to go for the day. Nothing too terrible for us since we were used to those kinds of hikes. Still, we knew that when you’re at those altitudes there is a fair amount of huffing and puffing.

Our day started with a climb out of the valley which caused exactly that, huffing and puffing. I took a few photos of flowers, a hummingbird and some animal decorations on a roof (?). These are my typical delay tactics. The animal decorations are put there by the locals with offerings. These are to help protect the house.

The trail leveled off for a bit before we hit the slog up to the pass. We took our time and rested here and there. You know, to give the porters time to get there first…right. This section of the trail introduced us more to the type of trail we’d be on the rest of the way, a stone path with steps where needed. The Inca Trail is a truly incredible work of the Quechua/Incan people. We were constantly impressed with the amount of work it took to build it. Eventually we did make it up the stairs to the pass where it was cloudy and started sprinkling rain. It was a time for pics and a rest.

Change of weather – Day 2

While we were at Dead Woman’s Pass, we first got sprinkles which turned into a full fledged rain on the way down. The trail is a set of steep, stone steps after the pass. Hiking down this section was tricky with the rain since the rocks become pretty slick. I did fall on the steps. Luckily I landed on my pack. That’s what it’s there for, right? By the way, as we were taking our time and being careful, porters were zooming past us down the steep path like it was no big deal. Their speeding past us was something we never quite got used to during our trek.

We carefully made our way down towards our camp site where we’d have lunch. The sun didn’t come out for the rest of the day but the rain did eventually stop allowing us to dry out a little bit. Needless to say, we were happy to get to camp where the tents magically already set up and the dining tent was waiting for us. The porters all gather around and clap when we’d enter camp which was nice, although we felt self conscious about it since they did all the work. Usually we’d clap back to them and give them a “muchas gracias” for all their hard work. The porters make it more hiking than backpacking the Inca Trail.

It didn’t take long for all the hikers to be in camp and we had a huge lunch around 2:00. Everyone was pretty hungry and enjoyed all the food! We then relaxed around camp for a few hours before tea time at 5:00 which always included a snack with dinner shortly after. I don’t think any of us burned more calories than we ate!

By the time we were in our tent for the night, it was raining pretty hard. Camp was at 11,500′ and it was on the verge of cold (Tanya says “it was cold!”). We were a little concerned it could be a tough two days with the rain and temperatures. We also knew we had no control over that and told ourselves it will be what it will be. You have to be flexible when backpacking the Inca Trail. It rained all night.

Backpacking the Inca Trail – Day 3

Morning of day 3 started with tea at 5:00AM. It was still raining as we made our way into the dining tent. We’d been inundated with so much food that Tanya skipped the meal, whereas I gobbled down my share, never one to pass up a meal. ?The rain mostly stopped by the time we hit the trail with only the occasional sprinkles.

The first part of this longer distance day (about 10 miles) was a hike up to the second pass. As we approached the pass, the views began to clear up. They were astonishing. The pictures do not do them justice. We were standing on a trail build in the 1400’s, looking back into a valley with snow-capped mountains where waterfalls cascaded down the slope from the previous night’s rain. What can I say? Words fall short.

There were ruins of a structure built to look like a mushroom on the way up to the pass. We explored these and then went higher to get some great shots of the ruins the surrounding valley. Personally, I felt the views here were the best of the entire trip.

Continuing on – Day 3

Once over the pass, we started down following stairs. This section of stone stairs build by the Incan people are somewhat steep but relatively short. It was our first introduction to stairs…more on that later. After several miles we eventually came to another set of ruins of Sayacmarca. The day was misty making it an emotionally connected experience in the ruins. We explored those a while before continuing on towards the second pass for the day and lunch.

Off to pass #2 and lunch

About 20 minutes after Sayacmarca, we came to the next camp stop where we could use a bathroom and briefly rest. Then we continued our trek up to pass #2 for the day, nothing too challenging after the previous passes. During this portion of the hike, we were able to look back towards the valley where there was a beautiful waterfall. The mountain tops were partially covered with clouds providing views we won’t soon forget.

We navigated a longer Incan tunnel built on the trail in this section. The things these people built will always impress me.

There is a camp spot at the pass where our porters, who had passed us long ago with the their huge packs, had set up the dining tent and prepared lunch. These guys never failed to amaze me.

Lunch, as usual, was a lot of great food. We happily ate it up. An important note, the bathrooms at this stop were a new experience. First, no bathroom along the trek is “typical”. Most of the stalls were flooded, didn’t have toilet lids, and have other “inconveniences”. These, however, were a new experience since they were holes in the floor of port-a-potties with a bucket of water used to flush them. While these were the only ones that used the bucket flush, we didn’t see another toilet until we were off the trail, only holes. They flush, but they are only holes. Fair warning for those who take this trek.

The 3000 steps

Pavel had warned us that the second half of the day would be mainly steps down. These are the 3000 steps that people talk about. The section of trail is lovingly referred to by the porters and guides as “Gringo Killer”. Maybe they mean literally? It isn’t really clear. Immediately after lunch, the steps start and they start with a very steep descent. By the end of the day, you really don’t want to see another step…ever.

As I mentioned, the first steps off the pass are steep. You have to pay attention or it can be a nasty fall down stone steps, something that never feels good. Once past this section, you come upon Phuyupatamarka, a large ruin known as “The City Above the Clouds”. The day we went through it was “The City In the Clouds”. It was fun climbing through the ruins with the mists everywhere. We spent a fair amount of time climbing around. There are several water canals and fountains in the ruins. Apparently during the wet season, the fountains fill up and become a bath. I found a heart with “TM+RB” in it while exploring the ruins…weird huh?

Hours of steps

For the next several hours, we navigated lots of steps, and then some more steps. It is a long haul on this section. The trail, however, never fails to impress. There are areas where the trail had to be built up over 20 feet to cross gulches. Luckily the rain held off and there were times we could get reasonable views. The hiking was surprisingly quiet. Many times, it was just the two of us surrounded by quiet and clouds.

The terraces

Eventually, we saw the terraces above camp so we knew we were approaching the end. There is a power line tower just before this where the trekkers go left and the porters go right. Going right is a slightly shorter path to camp. We headed left and came upon a very large set of terraces that had been used for farming. It made a good place for a rest before the final hike into our last camp.

Final Camp of the Trek

We arrived into camp around 4:00PM after a tiring day. Sitting in camp, it started to rain. We hung out in the tent until tea time, then joined the others in the dining tent. Dinner was served and Humberto, our cook better known as David Copperfield, surprised us all with a cake! The cake was so yummy I had two pieces.

Humberto really does pull off magic tricks on the trail. He was always friendly and we “chatted” now and then, me in my broken Spanish and him calling me Roberto all the time. I’ll miss him.

After dinner, we had a final gathering where we spend time talking with the porters, assistant cook and cook. We share our thanks to the crew for all their hard work, and they share their appreciation for us choosing their guide outfit. It is a special moment with all of us in the tent. You grow pretty attached as a group given the short amount of time you are together. Most of these men are leaving their families behind to do this job of getting us through the trek, doing all the heavy lifting and camp prep along the way. It’s a lot of time away although most of them seem to love the way of life in the mountains.

Tanya and I are a bit sad to know that the next day will be our last, while also excited to reach the end, Machu Picchu. We make our way through the rain to our tent. It rains all night.

Backpacking the Inca Trail – Final Day

Our day starts at 4:00AM today although we’re both up before then. It’s still raining while the porters pack up camp and prepare breakfast. They have to have camp cleared and make it to the train by 5:40AM or they have to wait until 2:30PM to head home. This is the one morning we don’t have tea brought to our tent and have a limited breakfast. Everything is being taken down as soon as it is done being used for the final time this trek. It makes for a hectic morning.

We make our way the short distance down to the final checkpoint. Here we wait in line in the dark for the office to open and begin processing. The checkpoint works with the guides to make sure the passes for everyone are in order and we’re allowed to head the final 3 miles or so to Machu Picchu.

The last stretch is an easy walk after Dead Woman’s Pass and the Gringo Killer steps. No one seems to be in a hurry and we again find ourselves periodically as just the two of us walking along. It’s a nice feeling. We’re getting more excited about Machu Picchu and the shower and bed at the end of the day.

The Sun Gate

We progress down the trail towards the Sun Gate where the trekkers get one of the most photographed views of Machu Picchu. When we arrive, the weather clears for a short time and we get a beautiful view of these sacred grounds. The beauty of this place takes your breath away. Once we have some shots, we continue on the trail towards Machu Picchu.

I can’t help mentioning why the pose is so awkward in our picture at the Sun Gate. My honey, Tanya, can rightfully get a little scared near the edge of the trail. There is a sharp drop-off behind us and she didn’t want to come closer. So while it looks like I’m trying to pull her over, it’s really that we’re holding onto each other to deal to provide some comfort. I should have stepped forward a bit to make it a little better. Personally, I think it makes a great picture!

Machu Picchu

After 4 days of hiking, we finally make it to our destination, Machu Picchu. It is an impressive place although I’ll say that backpacking the Inca Trail to get there is at least as much fun as exploring the site itself. We are once more introduced to the real world with all the people at the site. It’s a bit of an adjustment after the previous four days.

Recently, Peru started requiring everyone have a tour guide at Machu Picchu and follow specific circuits. This helps keep crowds from forming in specific areas with a view, and balances out the load on the ruins themselves. Pavel is our tour guide. He takes us through the ruins and tells us about various parts of it. It’s great information.

The sun comes out and it turns into a hot day. We enjoy the tour and eventually leave the site, making our way to the buses where we begin our long journey back to Cusco.

The trip back to Cusco

After about two hours touring Machu Picchu, we take the bus down to Agua Calientes. Pavel has arranged to have the items the porters carried for us delivered to Julian Restaurant where we have lunch. Everyone is pretty hungry and loads up on food. It’s nice to sit in a regular chair at a regular table. Once we all have our fill, we have to say our goodbyes to our hiking mates. Ty, Shawna, Keira and Stu have been great hiking partners, always positive and easy to get along with during our trek together. Tanya, Pavel and I head to the train while the rest of the group waits for a later train.

The train ride is about 1:45 until we reach Ollantaytambo. Pavel then helps us find the taxi to take us back to Cusco. Tanya sits up front while we take the drive back to town. We make some arrangements to meet up with Pavel the next day and say goodbye for now, reiterating how much we’ve enjoyed his company the past four days. By 6:30PM, we’re back at Casa Biru, welcomed by their friendly staff who has already put our luggage up in our room.

We enjoy having a bed again and it doesn’t take long for us to pass out, or at least one of us.

Our final day – Cusco

We experienced mixed emotions on our last day. A bit of sadness to say goodbye to a beautiful and fun country, while also knowing it will be good to be home. We still have the opportunity to see some things so we focus on the day and get going.

The hotel allows us to store our bags until our taxi at 6PM, and also arranges for the taxi pickup. We head out to meet Pavel near the Starbucks. Pavel brings his son with him to meet us. It’s good to meet some of his family which he talked about quite frequently on our trip. He’s clearly a family man.

We then connect with the walking tour of Cusco offered by Bloody Bueno Tours, a recommendation from our hiking partners. The tour is incredibly informative. Our guide explains a lot of the Quechua culture and provides background on the Spanish conquistadors modified names. It’s incredibly sad how the conquistadors destroyed many buildings and temples. During the tour, Tanya gets a llama kiss. I’d better keep my eye on that llama.

The tour ends at Limbus restaurant where we get to taste some food and enjoy a Pisco sour shot. The day is beautiful and warm. We decide to have lunch at the restaurant where we get great views of Cusco. Eventually we make our way back into the main part of town and continue wandering around in different sections. Late in the afternoon, we stop at Cafe D’Wasi’s (no longer open) where I enjoy a cappuccino and Tanya has a hot chocolate. While we’re enjoying our drinks, a parade goes by.

The long way home

Just before 6PM, our taxi picks us up from the hotel and we start our long journey home. The security at the airport isn’t bad and we are at our gate with plenty of time to spare, just how we like it. Unlike our flights to Cusco, the return journey is uneventful other than the typical challenges for us navigating foreign airports, especially if I’m leading the way.

We did have to go through security and immigration at every connection point. That’s right, we had to exit security and go through immigration at both the Lima airport and LAX. Of course we expected to have to go through immigration in LAX but we’re not sure why we had to do that in Lima. In the end, though, it wasn’t too bad other than the 7 hour layover in LAX. We found a relatively quite spot in the airport with good Wi-Fi and made the best of it.

Twenty-six hours after leaving the hotel, we made it to our house. We were wiped but were happily welcomed by Hannah and the cats. It was good to be home.

A short conclusion of backpacking the Inca Trail

Backpacking the Inca Trail was one memorable adventure. While we got off to a bit of bumpy start, the rest was a great experience. We really enjoyed the town of Cusco and all the friendly people we came across during our trip. Backpacking the Inca Trail is something we won’t ever forget. Doing that together was very special for us. Cachi Life turned out to be a great selection as a guide.

We are looking forward to the next adventure we get to take together. Life is always better when we’re together, just sayin.

Backpacking the Inca Trail GPX Track

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