Early start heading for the train to Machu Picchu. There's water running in the channel on the left. All the streets in this area of Ollantaytambo had these
View of Nevado Veronica from the train to Machu Picchu
Here's where we got dropped off from the train to hike the rest of the way to Machu PIcchu along a section of Inca trail
The start of the trail from kilometer 104. The bridge goes over the Urubamba River. (Cailin Deal Photographer)
The Urubamba River from the walking bridge
Chachabamba is the first set of ruins we came to on the Inca trail
Chachabamba ruins
Chachabamba ruins - Ritual sacrifice? (Brenda Barnard Photographer)
Inca trail over a small stream
Showing what this lower part of the trail was like. The trail wasn't just a blazed path through the woods over stones and roots, etc.
Hoofing it over the bridge (Brenda Barnard Photographer)
We saw a variety of flowers and other interesting vegetation along the way.
These were essentially yellow lady slippers
A view up the steep mountain slope from the trail
I hate when a rock juts into the trail like this... I imagine my backpack getting bumped against it and spinning me off balance. :) The cleared area way up on the hill in front of us is Intipata. We didn't go there.
The Choquesuysuy ruins down near the river. We didn't visit these.
Don't fall... no camera trick here either
Hydroelectric power. The guide explained that some of the river water is diverted, filtered, and channeled down through the mountain. I assume that gravity kicks in to then run the turbine on the other side of the mountain.
We rested in this thatched roof shelter along the trail
The thatched roof shelter from further along the trail
A view of the surrounding mountains from the trail. The river/train was at about 7000ft. The photo was taken at about 8500ft. The mountain tops are at about 13,000ft.
Another flower (Cailin Deal Photographer)
Approaching the Wiñay Wayna ruins. Wiñay Wayna is Quechua for forever young
Wiñay Wayna ruins. We thought they looked like a sand castle
Crossing a bridge
Another flower
Posing by a waterfall near the Wiñay Wayna ruins
Waterfall
Posing with the mountains in the background at the Wiñay Wayna ruins. The snow covered mountains are generally 17-20ft in elevation (Brenda Barnard Photographer)
The terraces at the Wiñay Wayna ruins
Steep terraces (Brenda Barnard Photographer)
Inside the Wiñay Wayna ruins
Inside the Wiñay Wayna ruins (Brenda Barnard Photographer)
Lots of steps...
One of a series of a dozen or so fountains/ritual baths in the Wiñay Wayna ruins
Looking back toward the Wiñay Wayna ruins with the trail we hiked up visible as a thin line part way up the slope on the right side of the river
Inka wall and terraces
View of the moutains from the Inka trail heading out from Wiñay Wayna
Looking back toward Wiñay Wayna with the diagonal step looking structure mid-frame being the series of fountains/ritual baths.
View of the Urubamba river valley and surrounding mountains looking back the way we came.
Bromeliad or epiphyte aka air plant (Cailin Deal Photographer)
A look at the trail which was often like a cobbled sidewalk
