This was my first overseas hike, and it was going to be a tough one at that. We would be doing over 10 miles each day, at high altitude, and the uncertainty with regards to completion made it exciting. The night before starting the trek, we packed our gear while leaving non-essentials in our suitcases (our AirBnb hosts were kind enough to allow us to store our belongings for the duration of the trek).
Adrenaline surged throughout my body the night before as I attempted to sleep. I could not wait for the next day to begin. No more lounging around, no more seeing the sights, no more lollygagging in Cusco. Just a trail and a destination. After 3 days of acclimating, it was finally time for the hike.
Today, we would begin Solo Hiking the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu.
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Agenda
- Take a taxi from Cusco, past MollePlata, all the way to Soray Pampa
- Hike from Soray Pampa to the trail leading up to Humantay Lake
- Hike up to Humantay Lake, then back down
- Hike to Salkantay Pampa and make camp
Waking up in Cusco and Driving to Soray Pampa
We woke up in our Cusco AirBnb at 2:00 AM. Our taxi was scheduled for 3:00 AM, and he was prompt. The bumpy ride from Cusco to the mountainous region of Molleplata was rough. It was dark and cold, and it got colder the longer we drove because our taxi had no heat. Unfortunately, temperature was the least of my worries as motion sickness began to settle in.
The motion sickness was overwhelming. Unlike my partner, who had experienced altitude sickness during our acclimation period in Cusco, I experienced it afterward. I needed to stop less than an hour into the ride. Sprawled out on all fours, my bare hands clutching the dirt on the ridge, I experienced the most forceful expulsion of my life. After moments of prolonged tension throughout every fiber of my body, I looked up in a haze. First, the stars caught my eyes. Once my eyes adjusted to the starlight, the mountains came into view. I could not believe how pretty the view was.
After continuing, we needed to stop again. This time, I went behind some buildings, in an open parking lot. It was after 5 AM at this point, and I must have been especially vocal this time around. Before I finished vomiting I had dogs running towards me, barking, from all directions. I scurried away while thinking about how my current predicament contrasted with my ideal vision of Day1. This is not how I envisioned the Salkantay Trail to start.
When we reached Molleplata, we signed in with border patrol (someone with a logbook). They had a small shop where I was able to purchase Sprite and crackers – I thought this might help with my nausea. From Molleplata, we only had a short ride to make it to the start of the trek at Soraypampa. The chills from nausea and vomiting kept me shivering for the remainder of the ride.
Doubts Before Starting the Trek
The sun was not yet up and we had gone up at least a couple thousand feet. The mountain air was cold and crisp and cut right through my outer layers. I was shivering and did not feel ready for the trek. I was having serious doubts about my ability to complete even one day, let alone 4. Nevertheless, I took my outer layers off so that I could put on my thermals.
The lady at the lodge was very kind and offered us hot drinking water. I was amazed at how calm she was in the cold. She did not have nearly as many layers on as I did, yet she was perfectly calm while I was shivering uncontrollably. I thought to myself how funny it must be for mountain folk to see tourists struggling on hikes. Before starting the hike, we used the outside restrooms and then pressed on.
Rejuvenation and Excitement
Not long after starting – less than 10 minutes in – I started to feel warm. I needed to take my down jacket off. At this point, one tour group passed us. Not 20 minutes later, I needed to stop again. The sun had come up and I was on the verge of sweating. I ended up stripping down so that I could remove my thermals, and continued the hike in my t-shirt. Finally, I was ready for Salkantay.
The hike was glorious from the start. Coming from the Eastern US, I had no experience hiking between gigantic ice-capped mountains. Here I was, with a view to my destination from the start of the trail. The image and experience is engrained in my mind. Even today, when I close my eyes, I can feel the freedom and stress of the first day on the trail.
With the view of Humantay and other mountains ahead, and my furry four-legged friends to the left, I pressed on in bliss. Humantay Lake was today’s attraction. We would be making a detour to see it, but it was bound to be worth it. We had come from so far, and we were ready for any amount of hiking that came before us…or so we thought.
Hiking to Humantay Lake
I realized the strain of high altitude from the onset. My eyes were bloody and the weight of my pack was bearable only on flatland. We needed several breaks on the way up Humantay, but we reveled in knowing that this would be the heaviest our packs would be for the entire trek. Camping is prohibited at Humantay Lake due to the extreme weather conditions and avalanches, so we were asked by the locals many times to leave our packs at the bottom of the trail. Little did they know, we had no intention of camping at Humantay Lake. We insisted on hiking with our packs because of a simple promise: if we cannot hike the entire day with all of our gear, then it means we are not ready and must forfeit the entire trek.
The trail was extremely crowded since Humantay Lake is a well-known natural wonder. The trail was steep, and beyond each hill was an even taller one. The 45+ pound packs made it a grueling endeavor – first, the mules passed us and then, slowly but surely, every other hiker.
Folks were coming back down from the lake while we were still climbing, but in the end we made it, and making it up to Humantay Lake gave us the confidence to conquer the entire Salkantay Trail.
Humantay lake was nice. I must admit that I’m not very appreciative of bodies of water in general, so I did not enjoy the view as much as I should have. Others certainly enjoyed it, and the view of Humantay mountain was indeed glorious. Before heading back down, we witnessed a small avalanche in the background as we viewed on from in front of the lake. Interesting fact: no one has successfully climbed Humantay due to the frequent avalanches.
I was much quicker on the way down and happily indulged in several Gatorades from the porters at the base of the trail. This replenished me both physically and mentally. I enjoyed jerky and some energy bars before pressing on to the campsite at Salkantay Pampa.
I’m happy and lucky to have had a strong partner to conquer this hike with. Humantay tested my will even beyond The Maryland Challenge (post coming soon!) and other hikes. On several points during the hike, I wanted to quit – I was not sure if my altitude sickness was severe or just inconvenient – a clever excuse, right? Had I been alone, I most certainly would have turned back at several points during the hike.
Hiking To Salkantay Pampa
The hike to Salkantay Pampa was tough. The locals told us it was only a 15-30 minute trek – plenty of time before dark. Before Day 1 was over, we learned that distances and times are grossly underprojected. It would take us much longer to reach camp – over 2 hours.
Once again, we were passed by everyone. First the hikers, then their mules. Before long, we were alone, hiking in between mountains, with no one in sight. Again, pure bliss. Whenever I am planning a hike, I wish to encounter a peace like the one I found here.
At this point in the hike, my partner was feeling very weak, dragging her feet and poles, sliding her way across the ground. It is here where I caught my second wind. Here, it was my turn to be the strong, encouraging figure and keep the pack moving. I pressed on while she rested so that I could scope out the rest of the trail. We only had so much time before sunset and wanted to make camp before dark. We would accomplish this only if Salkantay Pampa was no more than ten minutes ahead. If not, we would opt to turn back and camp at the bottom of Humantay.
I passed by several larger horses on the sides of the trail, some directly on the trail. Luckily, they let me pass without issue. To my surprise, finding the campsite was easy. It was not terribly far at all – maybe a half mile – but since I left my pack, I made quick work of the trail and ran, stopping only to prevent lightheadedness. My breathing was okay. I was so relieved when I found the campsite. After doubling back to get my partner and our gear, we headed forward and made camp at Salkantay Pampa. We had to pay $10 to pitch the tent within the walled camp area.
We enjoyed a well-deserved dinner using food and gear we packed with us before heading to sleep. I relished in knowing that as I ate, I was reducing the next day’s load.
The campsite was one of the best campsites I’ve ever camped in. Large moonlit mountains looked on as streams serenaded us to sleep. Day 1 was complete and it ended with a lasting memory.
The next day, we would reach the highest point of the trek. We would be trekking up to the summit of Mount Salkantay – Abra Salkantay.
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