Author: Shane McDougall

The Inca Trail (1 of 5)



The Inca Trail. It’s in Peru, in the Andes Mountains. Last February I hiked it.

In the city of Cusco, most of the local economy in based on tourism. The main reason for all the tourism is Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is accessible only by train, helicopter or the famous Inca Trail. The Inca Trail is a four-day affair (although there are other trails that can make that time shorter or longer). Basically you hike for three days and the fourth day is spent exploring the very magical Machu Picchu. There is so much information on the Internet about Machu Picchu, so if you are interested, check it out. I will provide some links at the end of this story. I won’t go into the historical facts, that’s what the links will lead you to. No, this story is about my adventure on the Inca Trail.

Well, I guess I should start in Cusco, the days before going on what would prove to be the most difficult undertaking of my life. I decided to “do the trail” without the assistance of a tour company. This meant I was going to have to get a map, all my food, shelter, fuel, and anything and everything I thought I would need. Many people hike the trail with the assistance of a tour company, but for me doing it alone was the only way to go. This also meant I wasn’t going to have a porter to carry my heavy things. I was going to have to carry everything myself.

Shopping in Cusco is easy and cheap. The markets bustle with eager shoppers and even eager sellers. Women wore their traditional costume, bright and bold. Cars would attempt to drive through the already over crowded market, blaring on the horn. Dogs roaming around the pathways looking for morsels of food that they could easily steal. Pickpockets everywhere, I thought. Everything was for sale, a lot of junk like cheap little children’s toys or cheesy Backstreet Boys T-shirts. In some parts of the market you could find fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, many of which I had never seen before, or even heard of.

I picked up pastas, fresh veggies, bread and other food. I had to get enough for four days, all the while making sure it wasn’t too heavy. I kept thinking, I’ll eat all the heavy stuff on the first day and my pack will be light for the second, third and fourth. Next I rented camping equipment as there are no hostels on the trail until the third camp, and word was that it was extortionately priced. Tent, stove, fuel, rain ponchos, etc. were cheap and easily found. Then I sorted out a bus ride to one of the starting points of the trail. I didn’t really care where I started. The bus I picked was heading to Km 88, which is the most famous of the starting points of the Inca Trail.

Another thing that I had been told by other travelers to be necessary was coca. The leaves of the plant that, yes, cocaine is made from. Coca is illegal in Canada (where I’m from) but perfectly legal in most South American countries including Peru. A tea brewed from these leaves is supposed to give you energy as well as fight off altitude sickness. The last item I felt was essential was weed. I don’t condone drug use, especially in other countries that may have extremely harsh laws, but in Cusco it was readily available, and yes very, very illegal. I had been told that you couldn’t sleep unless you smoked some weed because the camp sites are so uncomfortable. I decided I wanted some. Sleep is important.

That night after feeling quite confident that I had packed everything I would need, I picked my backpack up. Tears came to my eyes as I felt how heavy it was. What was I thinking?!? I can’t carry this for three days! I went through my pack again, getting rid of anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary. After that I tried it again. It felt the same. Then my reasoning came to me: “After the first day all your heavy food will be gone, and everyone says the first day is easy.”

I couldn’t sleep. How was I going to carry that pack? What if I couldn’t do it and had came all this way and did all these preparations for nothing? What if I got altitude sickness? What if I got busted for the drugs? Why was I doing this? Why the hell was I doing this?

Read all five parts of the adventure!
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five