With Everest Base Camp crossed off the top of my bucket list for my 50th birthday, I am moving down to the second item for my 51st – Machu Picchu!
Last fall, my friend Daphne (who I met on the EBC trek) invited me to go with her to Peru in May to do the 4 day Inca Trail Trek.
The permits are limited for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, so trips must be booked many months in advance.
She had been booked for this trip with 3 other friends for the previous year and one ended up not being able to go. When she told me the trip was May 1-7, 2018, I felt like that was a sign from the universe. I had only a few days to make the decision before the cut off day for the permit – so I took the plunge and paid the deposit!
Happy 51st Birthday to me!
The last few months have been so intense with family tragedy that it was difficult to make decisions about this trip in response to the tour agency.
I am just now looking into all the details with add ons and trying to get lodging worked out.
I will arrive in Cusco, Peru (aka Cuzco) on May 1. The elevation there is 11,152 feet/3400 meters, which is just slightly less than Namche Bazar in Nepal. Doing anything at that altitude is exhausting and requires some acclimatization time.
The trek begins on May 4, so I will have a few days to settle in before things get real with trekking.
Daphne has been to Machu Picchu several times before and the Inca Trail is her primary reason for this trip. She is leaving on the 7th after we arrive in MP.
Since I have never been there before and not in a rush to get back, I wanted to explore a bit longer. I will take the train back to Cusco on the 10th.
I am so excited I can hardly sleep at night! I will be writing here about all the plans I am making, details about the Inca Trail, and all about the physical training.
T minus 10 and a half weeks or only 75 days!
