Monday, May 18, 2009

Machu Picchu Excursion

Location: Machu Picchu and Cuzco, Peru

Rundown: A trek to Machu Picchu via the oxygen-starved Salkantay trail with a stellar crew of six.



Flew from Cartagena to Bogota, to Lima, Peru, to Cuzco via the red eye...



Arrived in Cuzco in the morning, bleary-eyed...



Altitude hit us immediately...



The crew: Pete Gorkiewicz, Katie and Ted B., Linnea M., and Nicko and Erin Leigh G.











The train to Machu Picchu via Aguas Calientes.


Hit some amazing hot springs in Santa Teresa (not like the funky ones in Aguas Calientes). After trekking for a few days felt like a little slice of heaven...





Headed out of Cuzco to hit the Salkantay Trail. Here's a little video of the trek.





Really sweet hair on the trail.



The Salkantay pass at 4600 oxygen-scarce meters. Pain is our middle name.


Salkantay ridge.












Made some friends along the way despite our...odor.



Ted and I hiking to Wayana Picchu.







Nick's favorite!





A little video of the train to Machu Picchu, and exploring the ruins.


The group shot. What troopers!


Don't want you to think that we spent the entire trip busting our backsides. We did in fact take some R&R time in Cuzco. My favorite spot was a little coffee shop that we spent an afternoon aclimatizing in...

3 comments:

anita stapen said...

This blog on your trip was just great; my 18 y/o son is in Cuzco and will be hiking the Salkantay Trail, then Machu Picchu, this week...it gave me a real sense of what he'll be doing. Looks amazing. Thank you so much.

Liza Gorkiewicz said...

looks like your trip was awesome, Pete! I really like the videos you have been putting together!

adrienne said...

some amazing footage/photos of your excursion. i always love hearing about your adventures & living vicariously through you. are you ever coming home?! ha.