Our last day of hiking! We had a great stop at a viewpoint where we could see Machu Picchu in the distance. Another stop at the Yactapat Ruins, which is fascinating. The end of the hike is at the train station near the hydroelectric plant. A nice train ride to Aguas Calientes and a short walk to our lovely hotel.
Schedule:
- 6am breakfast
- 7am leave
- 7 hour hike
- 11am lunch at restaurant then 1.5 hours down
- 2:30 train at the Hydroelectric plant
- Arrive in Aguas Calientes at 3:30pm
- Dinner at 7:00pm
We started out with long sleeve shirts but switched to short sleeves after 20 minutes. They day ended up being very hot and humid.
The trail is a single track path along the right side of the valley. It alternates between farm and open fields and thick jungle.
We saw no other hikers for the whole trek, but today, there were lots of groups finishing up the trek.
- 3.5 miles up, 1 mile flat, 3.5 miles down
- 2000 feet up, 3000 ft down
- Inca trail up, local trail down zigzag
Llaqtapata Rest Area
A nice rest area with an amazing view of Machu Picchu and snowy mountain peaks. There is a snack bar and seats for resting.
Yactapat Ruins
Hike another 10 minutes down a steep, slippery trail to the ruins. You see Machu Picchu from here!
Lunch:
Hike another 20 minutes to the lodge for lunch at 11am.
- Salad of avocados, carrots, peas, green onions, olive
- Fried trout
- Potatoes, rice, lentils
- Warm peach jello
From here, it is another 15 minutes to the river. Then you cross the river on a bouncy wood, cable, and rebar bridge. It is another 30-40 minutes hiking to the train on a dirt road along the river.
Tourist Car on a Local Train:
First, you go through passport control (write down name passport number, nationality, age) then it is another 5 minute walk to train station.
When we got to the train station there was a train car that was off the rains. A group of train workers were able to use levers to get it back on track — an amazing feat.
There are a few stores and restaurants at the train station — including giant beers at the restaurant upstairs overlooking the train tracks.
We arrived at the train station 2:05pm, boarded at 2:30pm, departed at 2:50pm, and arrived in Aguas Calientes at 3:55pm. It is a very rocky train ride, but much better than walking the 6 miles along the track.
Aguas Calientes
There are no cars in Aguas Calientes, so porters carry the bags to the hotel, which is a 10 minute walk. Stores are generally open 10 AM to 9 PM.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
- Bathroom showers have body soap, shampoo, conditioner
- Bathrooms have filtered water in a picture, hand soap, body lotion, towels
- Toilet paper goes in trashcan, no Kleenex
- Yoga mats
- Hair dryers on request
- There are showers at the spa if you need to shower after you check out.
- A great option is to spend an extra night here and go back to Machu Picchu or enjoy one of the tours offered by the hotel.
Dinner from Menu:
- One starter, one entrée, and dessert
- Cocktails about $13, glass of wine about $10, bottle of wine about $40
- I had amazing spicy quinoa soup, alpaca with potatoes, lemon pie
- Dean had a green salad, beef tips with potatoes, chocolate cake
- Also vegetarian options and gluten-free
More on the Luxury Lodge Trek:
Pingback: Peru: Luxury Lodge Salkantay Trek – Day 7 | Adventures Within Reach Travel Blog
Pingback: Peru: Luxury Lodge Trek – Day 5 – Hike to Lucma Lodge | Adventures Within Reach Travel Blog