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New route to Machu Picchu

Before the new restrictions and limits imposed to the Way Inca during the last years, we have looked for new long walks that lead to Machu Picchu.

In November of the 2004, Iván (director of Indiana Expedition) next to Hugo (it guides), Pedro (cook) and Richard (porteador) proved a new route that Inca through made snow-white mountain landscapes tropical and forests leads to old ciudadela. This one is its story.

The first day began very early in Cusco, to 4 in the morning I met with my companions of long walk: Hugo, Pedro and Richard and we went in a deprived transport to the town of Mollepata.

The passage lasted 2 hours by a route in its paved majority. During the trip I could observe the dawn on the impressive one snow-covered Salkantay (6.271 meters of height), and as the first sun rays illuminated the snow that covers it. In Mollepata we could stretch the legs and give a return to its seat of arms.

The scent to firewood attracted to us and invited to have breakfast in one of the cafeterias of the town.

Once had breakfast we continued with our trip in car until Soraypampa. Two hours by a footpath without asphalting it lead us to this Pampas on the feet of the Humantay, impressive snow-covered other of the zone. The views were postal of snow-covered mountains, forests and rivers.

Once in Soraypampa, to 3.850 meters on the level of the sea, Pedro and Richard to the utensils of kitchen as well as the food for next the 3 days accommodated. The first part of the passage consisted of 4 hours of ascent until the Passage of the Barrows to 4.600 meters of height.

The footpath would take us by a gorge next to the Salkantay that includes a section known like "7 returns", a footpath in zigzag that allows to promote the slope of the mountain to arrive soon at the Yanacocha lagoon.

This turquesas water lagoon gave to the perfect place a rest us and to eat something before continuing. At that Hugo moment, the guide, aimed towards the Salkantay, the snowed one showed the ice to us of his top under the sun, a Vista that I will never forget, a true gift of this way.

Once we ate, we continued more with the long walk until the passage by about 45 minutes. Hugo suggested took me a stone small so that it soon loaded it and it deposited in the passage like offering to the protective spirits of mountains.

Of course I chose the one sufficiently great one so that it assured the protection to me the "Apus" (spirits of mountains), but that did not kill to me in the attempt.

The step waited to us with a light rain, so I deposited the stone between the "barrows" (stone knolls lazy by the villagers for the Apus). Soon we continued with the reduction, which was difficult in a light rain that became snow in short whiles.

After 2 hours of reduction we arrived at Huayramachay, Pampas where the vegetation returns of still timid way. Again we were to 3.500 meters of height, just as at the beginning of the long walk. Still we had left 3 hours more of long walk until our camping.

The footpath was now through one more a more wooded zone. At 6 p.m. we were arriving at Chauyay to 2.900 meters from height, place chosen for our camping.

After a hot supper, to 8 p.m. it already was within stock-market to sleep, tired but contented of to have seen the Salkantay in all its splendor.

The second day waited to us with a cloudless sky and sunny, after a nutritious breakfast and to list our knapsacks, we began with the long walk. We would continue descending to enter to us in the subtropical forests of the Urubamba. After half an hour from long walk we arrived at Colpabamba.

The Vista of the Blanco river in that sunny day is what more memory of the passage. We continued by a footpath that descended until the border of the river.

The forests next to the river were exuberantes, wild plantations of coffee, strawberries, granadillas and other tropical trees and plants.

To the measurement which they spent the hours of the day, it also increased the heat and the humidity of the tropical forest could be felt. Spent 1 hour and average, we arrived at Wiñaypoco. There we took a rest and we ate something light.

The last part of the way took us to the river by a parallel footpath and it allowed us to appreciate several waterfalls, some of precious them. After 3 hours of long walk we arrived at the town known like Beach (to 2.350 meters of height) that would be our camping.

The last day began with an ascent of 4 hours following a way original Inca.

This footpath constructed by the Incas lead us to the archaeological center of Llactapata, which comes being excavated and being recovered by archaeologists from Cusco.

The visit of this archaeological site was very interesting because it allowed us to imagine in that conditions was Machu Picchu to the being discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Meters more down, we found a viewpoint from where we could see ciudadela of Machu Picchu from an angle little seen by the tourists.

We continued with a quite lofty reduction that lead to us finally until the Urubamba river. Once we waited for in the train station the transport there until the Hot Water town, where we could rest in a hotel, to visit the morning following Machu Picchu.

Certainly this one was a trip that few have had the privilege to make and thus I feel like very thanked for my companions of adventure: Hugo, Pedro and Richard.

NOTE: This new route Inca is offered in ours tours like alternative to the Way Classic Inca, specially for the people who could not reserve this way on time.