Our final day of the Inca trail, we can not believe how fast it has gone by! We were woken up at 3.50am and with no cup of tea today which was upsetting!We had to be up so early to get in the queue at the control point which opened at 5.30am! When it did it was like a race to be the first to get to Machu Picchu!We took it easy as Sarah was full of cold and there were a few others suffering from some sort of bug, probably from the water! So they were leaving their mark on the Inca Trail in a different way!

It was a fairly gentle 6km walk to the sun gate, which is the first view point of Machu Picchu, all apart from the last part which was about 50 vertical steps!The view from the sun gate was stunning as we watched the sun rise over Machu Picchu and got those classic Machu Picchu photos! There was then a short walk down to the site itself and we had done it, completed the 4 Day Inca Trail!

Machu Picchu itself lived up to our expectations of being a really beautiful and mystical place.We were there early in the morning so there were not too many visitors at that point, so while Victor our guide gave us a tour around we had the chance to have a good look. We saw the Temple of the Sun, which has a natural cave hidden beneath it which was known as the Royal Tomb, although no mummies were ever found. There were 16 ceremonial baths which run from the top of the site to the bottom. The Sacred Plaza at the top of Machu Picchu has beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. The Intihuatana rests here which is a major shine with a sun dial used to define the seasons rather than the time, it seems the Incas were pretty clued up on that! The shine is perfectly preserved apart from one corner which has a chunk missing where a crane knocked into whilst filming a beer commercial there!!!

It is strange to think that nobody really knows the truth about Machu Picchu. It was only discovered in 1911, as a crumbling wreck and up until that point only a few indigenous people knew of its existence! A lot of work has been put into restoring the site and now a lot of work is going into preserving the site as scientists believe the site is slipping down the slopes of the mountains it sits on! It is clear that it was a big town, specialising in astrological research and a major ceremonial centre. But the fact that it was abandoned after only 100 years and for there never to be any myths or legends about the place amongst the indigenous people is baffling! However Sarah reckons they built it there as once people trekked to it they were so knackered they could not be bothered to return home!!

We finished the day by getting a bus to Aguas Calientes, the richest town in Peru, as $2 of every entrance fee to Machu Picchu goes to the town! Although you would not necessarily know it! The town runs along the train track instead of the road and there are constantly trains passing through, right outside the restaurants! We met up with our guides in a restaurant where we gave them their tips and picked up our train tickets. We were all completely knackered but with a real sense of achievement!

Only us, the Aussies and the Irish couple returned to Cuzco, whilst the Americans stayed on in Aguas Calientes. It was a two hour train journey and one hour bus journey to get back to Cuzco, during which I taught a Dutch family how to play cheat! A good way to pass the time! When we finally arrived in Cuzco we were like the walking dead and completely ready to crash!

The 4 day Inca Trail has definitely been another highlight of our time in South America, worth every penny an experience we definitely will not forget!

Love A&S xxx