On Trail of the Incas

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ON TRAIL OF THE INCAS Machu-Picchu, the fabulous "lost city still spoken many of the natives in of the Incas", has attracted many visi- the highlands boir Peru. tors to Peru since its discovery by On the second day we were Hiram Bingham in 1911. While in and off up a western tributary up of early the Southern Chile I heard about an ancient Huallabamba. We followed a local Inca trail which ran from the Urubamba through heavy bush for an hour or trail so river to the ruins, so determined to and then took a right hand fork in this follow this route on reaching Cusco. At valley. The trail became the tourist office in this city is a folder and often difficult to keep on, fairly but slowly steep of information about this trip which we climbed out of the trees and into has been compiled over a year or two open tussock country, very reminiscent by various groups, and several maps, of New Zealand high country. In the varying quite considerably in accuracy, head of the valley was a beautiful little are included. So, I copied a few of these cirque with cattle grazing and a and the odd details, and with six young view of the main valley below and great the American travellers set out to walk back we were to at the into time. Dath the flats was afforded negotiate to us. Also, head We took the tourist route from Cusco we could see the Inca trail again and it and climbed away from the city, across sidled up to the pass in a perfect, easy the fertile hills and dropped down to gradient. Here the route of the trail the mighty Urubamba river via a long was easy to see but the path itself series of switchbacks. Our ride con- virtually obliterated during the 500-600 tinued to a tiny station at kilometer 88 years since its construction. Because of where we disembarked and watched the bitterly cold weather on the pass, the diesel continue its way on to at 3,580 metres, we spent little time Machu-Picchu station, some 35 km fur- gazing at the view and rapidly started ther on. A bridge provided an easy the descent into the Huayruru valley. crossing of the turbulent Urubamba and From a point a few hundred feet bewe tramped through eucalyptus bush low the pass the road divided into on the true left for a short time until two-one following a high ridge route we came out onto dry lands covered to some little known ruins high above in cactus bushes. Delicious tuna fruit, the Aobamba river (possibly the ruins which grow on top of some types of of Palcay),and the other dropping down cacti, were quite abundant and provided below the waterfalls of the Huayruru a refreshing snack. At the junction of river. We followed the latter, and spent the Urubamba and Huallabamba river the second night in a beautiful campwe started finding evidence of the trail site in the bush near the river. From -Inca terraces, building and flagstones this campsite we could see the road on the path under our feet-so we climbing diagonally up the other side pushed on up the valley. of the Hualla- of the valley to the ruins of Runca bamba and were soon in land closely Raccay. cultivated by Indians living there. Full of anticipation we left early on Through most of the afternoon we the third day and climbed through merely followed a modern trail leading the wet tussock and mud me to a a few hours "mabre village up from the very homesick for the Tararuas) to Urubamba. these ruins, which consisted of one The village consisted of about a circular building with living quarters dozen adobe (sun dried brick) and near the outer rim. Although it was thatch huts and, surprisingly, a tiny one- largely destroyed by the passing of time roomed school house. The locals were we could appreciate the strategic soccer-mad as everywhere in South position of this ruin in guarding the America, and so a U.S.A.-N.Z. versus trail to Machu-Picchu. All around were Peru match was arranged for that even- scraggy peaks and the only easy route ing. After a hilarious match in which to the next valley lay past this point. we lost 2-3 (probably due to the alti- There was time for a quick brew while tude and darkness) we celebrated with the cloud lifted from the valley and a few rounds of Chicha, a powerful allowed us to see the next pass above native brew notorious for producing us. On and upwards past a few beautithe trots in the uninitiated. For our ful alpine lakes and shortly we were first night on the trail we slept on the looking down into a deep green lake desks in the school house. A few of in the head of the Aobamba valley. the kids tried to teach us a little From this point the Inca road was Quetchua, the Incan tongue which is incredible. There were no problems in following it as it was in perfect con- been made we pushed on and late that dition and several big ruins and many evening reached another remarkable colnatural features provided good land- lection of buildings, the ruins of marks. We dropped down the Ccorihuayrachina or Huina Huaynu. green lake and travelled down mhest valley These were the ruins of five bath houses until we saw the ruins of Sayacmarca in a small creek near the main structure. looming above us on a ridge mark- So, with full ceremony we washed our ing a fork kin the river. grubby bodies in the still functioning To gain this remarkable place we tubs, and finally managed to get rid of ascended to them by a long flight of some of the very painful ticks we had narrow steps, and were taken back by picked in the village on the first the size and beauty of the buildings, night. The fly was pitched in a little which were in amazing condition. There courtyard with ample shelter from the must have been about 20-30 rooms, a high stone walls. bath house, a big central room and many A flight of steps lead to the remains flights of steps connecting the different of a fort on a hill above the ruins, levels. The jungle was encroaching on and as the sun set that evening we sat the lower rooms, and wild orchids grew up on the top and watched the snow in great profusion from the perfectly on the mountains of 20,000' Mt. Salcanty engineered walls. How the Incas cut far away in the distance going through granite, hard stone, with such precision the various stages of red to gold. It was without using iron tools seems incred- difficult not to feel the presence of ible. Odd little holes were bored into the mysterious Incas there that night. the corner stones of doorways, per- Down below us rushed the Urubamba, haps for securing some sort of door, and it wouldn't have been out of place and stone protrusions were common on to have seen a group of Incas and the walls (pegs for hanging things on loaded llamas coming up the trail. most likely). It was difficult to tear Next morning, after a breakfast of ourselves away from this amazing place. freeze-dried bacon and eggs and prunes, From Sayacmarca the road crossed (left over from Rodger and Ron's the valley and ascended the northern climbing expedition in Argentina) we side. We through very heavy set off along the ridge again, with easy jungle Moumpesanih with mosses, ferns and tramping through tussock country. After exotic flowers and fortunately someone a short section through thick bamboo had done a lot of work on the trail forest, we passed a series of at this point and had hacked away most pylons and proceeded straight down UPOYVRE of the vegetation. Just above the jungle steeply dropping ridge towards a peak a dry lake bed was encountered. The lying to the east of Machu Picchu. How- Incas had dammed a small creek to ever this turned out to be the wrong form a tiny lake, presumably to provide route, as the road cut down off the water for irrigation, but the lake was right hand side of the ridge. We played now dry and we walked across the top around for a few hours but eventually of the dam with its beautifully interlock- found an old route dropping through ing stones. The mud became very thick very thick jungle to where we thought a little higher up and often we would the proper trail lay. Our route rapidly sink down to our knees in the black petered out and soon we were jungle organic ooze, but eventually we emerged bashing every inch of the way. To add near the top of the ridge which runs all to our discomfort, a real tropical rain the way to Machu Pacchu and en- shower fell so we felt a little miserable. countered easier going. Late that after- We were crashing our way on when noon we arrived at one of the most suddenly we stumbled on a tiny group amazing points on the trail. We had been of Inca buildings. This was really extravelling around steep slopes on the citing and gave us a little indication side of the ridge and were suddenly of how Hiram must have felt when confronted with a near vertical rock he found Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, section. From a distance we thought we couldn't find any gold ornaments the trail would climb above this bluff, lying about. Keeping on downwards we but no, the Incas didn't like changing found the correct road again and set the level of their trail too suddenly, so off along it. It was good to get out of what had they done?-they'd bored that thick vegetation. straight through the inside of the bluff, At this stage we were high above the and had constructed a tunnel about 15 Urubamba and the road sidled around metres long. This place has to be seen very steep mountainsides where we to be believed. It must have taken years couldn't envisage a trail existing at all. to hack this route out of the solid rock. The road clung to the steep sides and After many photographs and much weaved through thick jungle. We passed discussion as to how the tunnel had several small guardhouses en route, and in many parts off the trail would have light to return to the creek through the meant a free fall for several hundreds bush via the trail, but as we came back of feet. What incredible trail builders night fell with a thump. We owned these Incas were. We could use a few one failing torch between the two of of them in the Forest Service. It was us and progress was very slow, feeling getting towards dark when we clambered every, step very carefully. Walking along up a steep series of steps to a big a hairy Incan mountain trail in the guardhouse, and from then on it was a black of night without enough light. short trip to our destination for the Something I won't do again for a while. night-a set of ruins overlooking fabled Fireflies danced about and made quite Machu Picchu. It was a weird sensa- an eerie scene. tion climbing out of the bush and ar- So, on the 5th day we packed and riving at this point to see the big, strange made our way down to Machu Picchu city deep in the middle between us in the distance and terminated a very and towering Huangu Picchu. We felt enjoyable and very different sort of like invaders attacking the city via a trip. Maybe one day in the distant secret and unknown route. It was a future old Kime, Alpha etc, will become very exciting way of reaching these the Runca Raccay's and the Huina ruins. Huayna's of the Southern Crossing. We could not find any water that Paul Milson night, so Bill and I decided to go back (Sorry Paul I couldn't print your map. to a small stream we had crossed a I hope we can expect more articles few hours earlier. There was enough though, of your travels).