The Inca Trail - Day 3

Another Coca tea at 5am and three course breakfast started the 'unforgettable' day. We were to walk 16 km with lots of ups and downs through the 2nd pass at 3,900 meters and the 3rd pass at 3,500 meters.

The weather was cold when we started and I was feeling extremely exhausted from the previous day. The first section was 400 meter climb. I was not enjoying it as my legs were really aching. As we started up the mountain we looked back to see the shape of the woman's face in Dead Woman's Pass.

Our first Inca site of today was Runkuracay which was a watch tower to control the 'social movement' as it had views of many different trails and Dead Woman's Pass.

We soldiered up the rest of that mountain. Brian and I bringing up the rear. At this point we were the last group on the Inca Trail before its closed for February for maintenance. So being at the back felt quite awesome!

We passed a mountain lake in the shape of Australia and there were spectacular views from the top of the second pass! The boys climbed up an extra big rock but I say with Ruben and had my snack.

We began our decent which was particularly hard on my legs.

We eventually reached our 2nd Inca Site: Sayacmarca, which was a steep 100 steps up from the trail. I nearly fell asleep during Rubens description of the site as I was so exhausted.

At the end of Rubens description I started to make my way back down the hundred steps and I was feeling extremely weak and made my way to our lunch spot - Chaquiqocha. This was a down into a valley and back up to another mountain. I had a cry on my way as I was so exhausted. The flora was notably different here being a bit more jungley and beautiful!

By the time I neared camp most of the boys had over taken me. And we arrived to see two Lama's charging straight at each other and their necks smashed together!! I tried to video the fight but I missed that huge ram!

After our 3 course lunch I felt a lot more energised and we began our afternoon of walking up to the 3rd pass to our last camp site.

This part was the most beautiful by far. The stunning view of glacier topped mountains on our left, the stunning clad sunny weather and the beautiful flowers and waterfalls all around us gave us all energy and we really really enjoyed that walk!! Photos just don't do it justice.

There were frequent long drops to our left so were careful. And we even got to pass through two Inca Tunnels. I had no idea that mountains could be so bountiful above the clouds!!!!!

At the 3rd pass the weather was phenomenal and we had our first glimpse of the Machu Picchu mountain!!!! Our porters rested here whilst we took silly photos.

Ruben quickly moved us on to the next Inca Site: Phuyupatarka which had many working water fountains.

After this was a 850 meter descent to our camp site: Winay Wayna. The descent was very very steep (steps 1meter high in places), dangerous (steps carved out of rocks that had been rounded off over time and wet) and with very steep drops to our right. So we took it slowly. This was much more of a descent than the previous day and towards the end I found very trying. I pretty much ran down the last wiggly dust track to our camp as I wanted to just stop walking!!!

We arrived after Gregor, Greg, Grant and Nicky and joined them for a 5 min walk over to the Inca site: Winayhuayna. Which was stunning! This was not part of our tour so the boys wondered around and I returned to camp for a wet wipe wash and a change of clothes!

I can't remember much about that evening other than after our 3 course meal we said farewell to our porters and cook and gave them our tips and a hand shake.