Patti Part Two. When I would talk to people prior to making this trip I would say I am doing a 7 day hike to Machu Picchu and the emphasis seemed to always be on getting to Machu Picchu. Watch Sacrilege Online Facebook. There are certainly easier ways to get to Machu Picchu then hiking for 7 days in fact you can just take a train and buy a ticket and walk in But for Julie and I the trip was always much more about the journey to get to Machu Picchu. It was important for us to do the hike and we knew it would be challenging. We both live in the midwest which you probably know is pretty flat. So the goal was to take this journey through the 7 days of challenging terrain, distance and altitude and along the way get to know much more about the culture and beauty of the Peruvian country, history and people. Was the hike challengingI would say it was even more challenging then I had anticipated but I loved it At the end of every day when I was getting my high five from Aly and Berto I felt really proud of myself and at no point in the hike did I ever feel I wouldnt make it. Did I sometimes wish for a bit of a break of level ground oh yeah But when youre hiking in the Andes Mountains there is not a lot of level ground and the scenery is breathtaking every single minute. I reminded myself 5. The destination is only as beautiful as the journey and what a spectacular journey it wasDarling Nisi is the tech leaddesigner of the new 4thefunk site. She is also a periodic contributor to PodcastJuice. Her favorite Prince album is One Nite Alone. Mountain Lodges offers lodge to lodge hiking so we were basically hiking to Machu Picchu lodge to lodge. You can do a shorter usually 4 days and 3 nights hike where you stay in tents but as much as Julie and I wanted the hiking experience we didnt want any part of sleeping on the ground in tents for 3 nights. And every day when we arrived at our lodge covered in sweat, sunscreen and bug spray we would all say to each other as we headed to the showers Thank God were not sleeping in tents The lodges were amazing They are owned by Mountain Lodges and used exclusively for their groups. They built them and except for the first lodge we stayed in which has 1. It really feels like a big home that you are staying in and your hiking group becomes like a family. A family that gets along as our group was fantasticEvery single person was so nice, interesting, funny and drama free. And ready every morning on time at 7 AM to head out for the days adventures. We were there as they were heading into winter so it gets pretty cold at night. Another reason we were so happy to not be sleeping in tentsEach room has a propane heater to take the chill out, but they turn the heaters off at night because they consume too much oxygen at the altitudes we were at its a precious commodity. So at night they would put a hot water bottle in each bed they called them guinea pigs and I was happy to cuddle with my guinea pig all night They also turned the electricity off at 1. PM and turned it back on at 6 AM but after a day of hiking no one was up past 1. I am going to post pics of most of the food we ate and it was all fantastic really gourmet quality. Start the car, and bring your appetite. Here are the absolutely best places for road food along Western highways, plus 3 delicious drives. We ate as a group and they had asked us in advance about any food allergies or preferences. The same 2 cooks cooked all our meals for us and moved from lodge to lodge with us. They were truly amazing even serving us hot meals for lunch on the trail sometimes. I didnt take pictures of breakfast but it was wonderful as well. Eggs cooked to order, fresh fruit, yogurt, meats, cheeses, delicious breads, great coffee and tea. After breakfast they had a table set up with nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cookies, chocolates, etc to pack yourself a snack for the hike. We definitely never were hungry. Depending on the weather when we arrived at each lodge we were greeted by the staff with either a warm wet towel if it was cold, or a cool wet towel if it was warm. Also either a steaming mug of tea or a delicious glass of fresh juice. We left our muddy hiking boots at the door and they collected our hiking poles. Like magic in the morning your boots appeared clean and poles wiped off. We were spoiled for sure Our head guide Aly was incredibleSo knowledgeable, organized, professional, enthusiastic, motivating and fun. Every night before dinner we would gather as a group and recap the day and then he would prepare us for the upcoming hike. We left the lodge at 7 AM every day except one and the expectation was that you would be outside with your boots on and poles in hand ready to go and everyone was. He would give us advice on what to wear, what to bring in your pack, recommend sunscreen andor bug spray depending on the hike. He always nailed it and we were always totally prepared. And always your rain poncho in your pack just in case Berto, the assistant guide always pulled up the rear. You hiked at your own pace the goats as we called them always in the front with Aly. Their ability to hike quickly and be undaunted by any terrain was amazing and inprising to me. Then some of us me in the middle of the pack, and then those in the rear guard as they called it coming up with Berto. But we were never separated by more then 1. Berto for always being there with a word of encouragement or a lesson in how to breath at high altitude when I needed it most. So thats most of the background now on to the photoss and commentary on each day Day 1 Cusco to Soraypampa. We were picked up at our hotel in Cusco and drove in a van to visit the Inca ruins of Tarawasi. Along the way we passed a local market that I got a quick picture of from the van.