Machu Picchu, Cusco, and the Inca Trail

by John White
8 comments

Some places leave a mark on your soul, Perú and Machu Picchu are two such places.

Fourteen years ago I served as a volunteer in Perú and it had been 11 long years since my last visit. This last week, I was fortunate enough to return to the country that left a lasting impression and benefited me and my family ever since.

Setting foot back in the land of the Incas was a professional trip in nature, presenting and attending the 2016 AASSA Educators’ Conference in Lima at Colegio Roosevelt.

That doesn’t mean it was all business, there was some pretty amazing amusement to be had as well. A few days prior to the start of our AASSA conference, our Cayman International School staff made a little ol’ side trip over the Andes to the cradle of the Inca civilization, Cusco and Machu Picchu. We had just enough time to complete a two-day hike on the Inca Trail (it really was just a one-day hike with a second day to run around Machu Picchu) with our great guide Casiano from Llama Path.

Below you will find some of my favorite photos (a location a bit more desirable to visit than New Mexico).

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, Peru - Mystical

Machu Picchu, Peru – Mystical

Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru

Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Doorway

Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru – Doorway

Machu Picchu Perú - View of Putucusi

Machu Picchu Perú – View of Putucusi

Machu Picchu, Peru - Mystical

Machu Picchu, Peru – Mystical

Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Tree

Machu Picchu, Peru – Sole Tree

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru - Suns Out, Pebble Shooters Out

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru – Suns Out, Pebble Shooters Out

Machu Picchu, Perú

Machu Picchu, Perú

Cusco, Peru, Basilica de la catedral

Cusco, Peru, Basilica de la catedral

Waynapicchu Perú

Waynapicchu Perú

Zona de trabajo, Machu Picchu, Perú

Zona de trabajo, Machu Picchu, Perú

Llama's breakfast with a view, Machu Picchu, Perú

Llama’s breakfast with a view, Machu Picchu, Perú

My traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú

My traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú

Perspective along the Inca Trail, Perú

Perspective along the Inca Trail, Perú

Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú

Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú

Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú

Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú

Wiñaywayna, Perú

Wiñaywayna, Perú

Great view from Wiñaywayna, Perú

Great view from Wiñaywayna, Perú

Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú

Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú

Machu Picchu - Looks like the states of Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas

Machu Picchu – Looks like the states of Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas


And let’s finish off this entry with some wise lessons from the Incas presented by Casiano.

Window from Wiñaywayna, Perú
Window from Wiñaywayna, Perú
A Little Cloud Background at Wiñaywayna, Perú
A Little Cloud Background at Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Heading to the altar of Wiñaywayna, Perú
Heading to the altar of Wiñaywayna, Perú
My traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
My traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
Llama's breakfast with a view, Machu Picchu, Perú
Llama's breakfast with a view, Machu Picchu, Perú
Foggy Morning, Machu Picchu, Perú
Foggy Morning, Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Peru - Mystical
Machu Picchu, Peru - Mystical
Aeropuerto Internacional Alejandro Velasco Astete
Aeropuerto Internacional Alejandro Velasco Astete
Made it to Wiñaywayna, Perú
Made it to Wiñaywayna, Perú
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru - Suns Out, Pebble Shooters Out
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru - Suns Out, Pebble Shooters Out
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Cusco Baggage Ticket
Cusco Baggage Ticket
View from Wiñaywayna
View from Wiñaywayna
House of the King, Machu Picchu, Perú
House of the King, Machu Picchu, Perú
Rest Break on the Inca Trail
Rest Break on the Inca Trail
Machu Picchu Perú - View of Putucusi
Machu Picchu Perú - View of Putucusi
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Basilica de la catedral, Cusco, Perú
Basilica de la catedral, Cusco, Perú
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Doctor Tree
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Doctor Tree
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
The CIS Inca Trail Crew
The CIS Inca Trail Crew
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Tree
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Tree
View from Wiñaywayna
View from Wiñaywayna
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - ¿Cómo se llama?
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - ¿Cómo se llama?
Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu from the Sun Gate
Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu from the Sun Gate
My traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
My Best Bucket List Ideas
View down the steep mountain, Machu Picchu, Perú
View down the steep mountain, Machu Picchu, Perú
The Inca Trail from Kilometer 104
The Inca Trail from Kilometer 104
Wiñaywanya Retaining Walls, Inca Sites, Peru
Wiñaywanya Retaining Walls, Inca Sites, Peru
Misty Machu Picchu Perú
Misty Machu Picchu Perú
Just Starting the Inca Trail from Kilometer 104
Just Starting the Inca Trail from Kilometer 104
Cross View, Machu Picchu, Perú
Cross View, Machu Picchu, Perú
Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú
Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú
A traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
A traditional view of Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Wiñaywayna - Say that five times fast
Wiñaywayna - Say that five times fast
Glaciar Overlooking Machu Picchu, Perú
Glaciar Overlooking Machu Picchu, Perú
Protection up at Wiñaywayna, Perú
Protection up at Wiñaywayna, Perú
Guardhouse, Machu Picchu, Perú
Guardhouse, Machu Picchu, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Zona de trabajo, Machu Picchu, Perú
Zona de trabajo, Machu Picchu, Perú
Taking in Wiñaywayna, Perú
Taking in Wiñaywayna, Perú
Original Inca Trail
Original Inca Trail
Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru
Great view from Wiñaywayna, Perú
Great view from Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna a.k.a. Little Wayne
Wiñaywayna a.k.a. Little Wayne
"Hip, Hip, Ay my hip", Machu Picchu, Perú
"Hip, Hip, Ay my hip", Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Doorway
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Doorway
Strolling to Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
Strolling to Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
CIS at the Sun Gate with a Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu backdrop, Perú
CIS at the Sun Gate with a Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu backdrop, Perú
Waynapicchu Perú
Waynapicchu Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
PERURAIL - Boletería
PERURAIL - Boletería
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Wiñaywayna, Perú
Night Flight to Lima, Perú
Night Flight to Lima, Perú
Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru
Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru
Strolling to Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
Strolling to Machu Picchu and Huanya Picchu, Perú
Cusco Cobblestone Roads
Cusco Cobblestone Roads
The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Tree
Machu Picchu, Peru - Sole Tree
Wiñaywayna
Wiñaywayna
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Temple of the Sun
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Temple of the Sun
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru
Foggy Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu - Looks like the states of Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas
Machu Picchu - Looks like the states of Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas
Machu Picchu at the end of the Inca Trail all to ourselves, literally
Machu Picchu at the end of the Inca Trail all to ourselves, literally
Inca Trail to Wiñaywayna, Perú with another site in the horizon
Inca Trail to Wiñaywayna, Perú with another site in the horizon
Machu Picchu, Perú
Machu Picchu, Perú
Wiñaywanay in the distance
Wiñaywanay in the distance
Inca Cola
Inca Cola
Window and a Little Cloud Background at Wiñaywayna, Perú
Window and a Little Cloud Background at Wiñaywayna, Perú
Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú
Doorway in Wiñaywayna, Perú
I could think of worse rest stops
I could think of worse rest stops
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Temple of the Sun
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Temple of the Sun
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Perú
It all starts at kilometer 104, Red de Caminos Inka
It all starts at kilometer 104, Red de Caminos Inka
Perspective along the Inca Trail, Perú
Perspective along the Inca Trail, Perú
Machu Picchu Perú - Stonework
Machu Picchu Perú - Stonework
Beer during Peruvian Elections
Beer during Peruvian Elections
Cusco, Peru, Basilica de la catedral
Cusco, Peru, Basilica de la catedral
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Guardhouse
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru - Guardhouse

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8 comments

Matthew Pepper April 28, 2016 - 4:12 am

Wow, from KM 104. I’m totally overwhelmed by your exertion of walking one day. Definitely seems par for the course for a Texan.

Reply
jwhit003@gmail.com April 28, 2016 - 1:48 pm

Pepper, you gotta remember we have been living at sea level for many years and the exertion it takes on our poor little lungs is brutal.

Reply
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Jordan August 31, 2018 - 3:56 pm

Great photos! What’s the distance of the hike and how long (in hours) did it take with the elevation?

Reply
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