A Stone's Throw: Salkantay Trek: 5 Days to Machu Picchu

From the frigid Andean highlands, crossing icy rivulets and pastures spotted with low brush, to a high mountain pass under the looming presence of Salkantay Mountain, then descending into a misty cloud forest before the trail winds its way through wild jungle canyons accompanied by the roar of the river at your side... The 5 day Salkantay trek leaves you at the gates of the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu, filled with a sense of awe and wonder, before you even step foot inside it's ancient confines.

The most popular trek to Machu Picchu is the Inka Trail, four days of winding stairs that spit you out at the gates of Machu Picchu. The popularity of this trek has caused the prices to spike, and the trail itself to often be somewhat crowded. Thus, I chose to do the lesser known Salkantay trek.
The 5 day journey was an amazing display for Peru's biodiversity. Starting in the high Andean mountains, we climbed higher to a glacial lake before camping. That night, we experienced what our guide says was the worst storm he has seen in his 6 years working this trail. The aftermath was a valley beautifully peppered with snow waiting to greet us at dawn.
We strapped our gear up after a nice breakfast and headed to the pass. Despite the fresh snowfall, the jarring "CRRAAAACCKKK" of small avalanches could be heard throughout our walk. Before midday we had reached the high point of our journey, just under the glacier that adorns Salkantay Mountain. After a quick ceremony utilizing three coca leaves in order to thank the mountain for safe passage, we descended into a hazy series of pastures. Shortly after lunch, we managed to descend further into a cloud forest dotted with hamlets where people live very much the same way as during the time of the Incas. The trees eventually thinned out, leading to our camping site for the night (which was much drier thankfully!).
That next morning we stepped out at dawn. We crossed one of the rivulets that had, by now, become a small river before continuing on along the paths that clung to the steep sides of the mountains. Within an hour, the temperature had risen steeply. Our group swapped jackets for t-shirts and bug spray as we entered the jungle zone. We continued alongside the larger river, occasionally wading through streams as they rushed down to join their sister waters. By evening, we arrived in the dusty hamlet of Santa Theresa. From there we caught a van to the hot springs situated at the edge of the river, to soak our tired bodies before our last day of trekking to Machu Picchu.
The next day, most of our group opted to skip the hike to do the zipline offered by the tour company. Tempting though it was, I wanted to trek, not zip, so I walked with the few other hardcore people in our group. Following the river, by midday we made it to the Hydroelectrica power station where we grabbed lunch. The rest of the group joined us, and we walked along the train tracks till late afternoon when we arrived in the town of Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. From there we showered and went out for a celebratory dinner before an early night. In the morning, before the first light of dawn had cleared the swirling mists, we would be heading up to the fabled city of Machu Picchu.

(Small disclaimer, Google has decided they should automatically lighten all of the pictures I take without my permission, upon uploading. This explains the washed out nature of several of them. Sorry guys, I informed them of the problem and they haven't gotten back to me yet!)

This little guy made us all stop along the trail to our first campsite.

Coca-Cola is everywhere... from the depths of the Amazon to the cold Andean highlands sold form a straw thatched hut.

Rivulets running over the road from the glacier ahead.

An icy glacier feeding a turquoise pool of water

An offering of different grains and nuts to the Pachamama at the edge of the lake.

Went for a little dip... It was too easy of a day without it.

A storm rolling in to the hills behind our tents.

The fiercest storm our guide had seen in 6 years of this trek, making its way up the valley.

A snowy sunrise awaiting us after a tumultuous night in the mouth of the pass.

The way to Salkantay

A steep climb

Made it to the top of the pass with our team, who we decided to call the "Super Cuys"

A short coca leaf ceremony to the spirit of the mountains around us... Although we don't personally subscribe to this religious tradition, our guide, like many raised here in the central Andes, still practices a fusion of these beliefs and Catholicism.