Inca Trail Trek, the Photo Gallery
(You can pull up a larger-sized photograph by simply clicking on a photo.)
February 19, 2010 EL PASO, TEXAS. One month ago, an expedition from the INHL was in the midst of an adventure in Peru on the Inca Trail which still resonates strongly inside of me. There is hardly an hour that goes by without a memory of that trip echoing in my mind! I can’t get it out of my head! Photographs convey a much deeper message than words ever could. To that end, one of our INHL team, Chris Multhauf from Chicago, recently put together a short slideshow set to incredible original music by a friend of his, Doc Severinsen, which captures the thrill and inspiration of this expedition:
CLICK HERE, to open a new window and enjoy this well crafted slideshow, and turn up the volume to enjoy the original soundtrack by a friend of the INHL: http://animoto.com/play/T0s21v181lCBqUkvCwyBDg
Back in the blog, I present a gallery of some of my favorite photographs (most, as yet, unpublished) which also help capture the essence of this incredible journey:
Lobby of the Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima
Lobby of the Hotel Monasterio, Cuzco
Cuzco Cathedral and Plaza
Altar in the underground Crypt of the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, Plaza de Armas, Cuzco
Dinner in the “Glass Box” at the Museo de Arte Precolumbino (MAP Cafe), Cuzco
Hatunrumiyoc street, Cuzco
King James at Saqsaywaman
Old friends…at Saqsaywaman ruins above Cuzco.
Multhauf and Etzold enjoying some roadside corn-on-the-cob and cheese on the way back to the hotel from Saqsaywaman.
Ollataytambo Town Center, on the way to the Kilometer 82 starting point.
“Kilometer 82” official checkpoint for the start of the Inca Trail!
Rock faces covered with bromeliads along the Inca Trail
Our guide from Llama Path, Julian Perez, and some beautiful hallucinogenic flowers!
“Red Army” from Llama Path on the Inca Trail
Davison and Multhauf at Wayllabamba Camp
High altitude soccer game at Wayllabamba. Peru…10,000 feet above sea level…on the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu.
Wayllabamba Camp and Mount Veronica in distance, end of Day One on the Inca Trail
My own “Wishing Rock” (the light grey, dry stone in right lower center) placed on this flat stone at the top of Warmiwanusca Pass (Dead Woman’s Pass) as a totem and prayer rock among so many others.
The INHL Team of Etzold, Multhauf and Davison at the summit (13,779 feet) of Deadwoman’s Pass in a driving cold rain storm!
Pacaymayu Camp in the mist below, after crossing Dead Woman’s Pass. Runkuraqay Pass in the distance with trail segment for Day Three tracing up the far side of the valley.
Sayacmarca ruins in the rain and fog, just past the Runkuraqay Pass.
Multhauf late in the afternoon on day three, above the Urubamba River canyon, nearing our final camp at Winay Wayna.
Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate (Intipunku) just before sunrise January 23, 2010.
Early morning fog breaks in the rising sun over Machu Picchu.
Main Plaza, central terraces and view of cloud covered Machu Picchu Mountain
Multhauf, Etzold and our guide from Llama Path Julian Perez at the Intihuatana Stone, the famous “Hitching Post of the Sun”.
Central Plaza and Huayna Picchu
Detail of Huayna Picchu and the Temple of the Moon
Principal Temple with the pyramid and Intihuatana above and in the background.
On our way out of Machu Picchu, and down the mountain to Aguas Calientes.
The raging, flood-level Urubamba River running next to the town of Aguas Calientes before we try to leave on the train to Cuzco.
As you’ll read in earlier posts, we had a harrowing afternoon and night trying to get out of Aguas Calientes on the train. The river had flooded the tracks throughout the Sacred Valley and our planned relaxing dinner ride on the famous Hiram Bingham Train to Cuzco was replaced by an emergency evacuation from the village! The whole event made international news, and we barely made it back to Cuzco…read more in the post entitled “Dunkirk on the Urubamba“.
Urubamba River past “flood stage” raging next to the damaged train tracks!
Damage along the “river walk” in Aguas Calientes a few days after the INHL Team escapes!
-Vinci!
Dave Etzold's Blog 
Thanks for sharing the nice photos – a lot of history there
Thank you. Please enjoy the other 17 posts, they tell a rather engaging story of the genesis of this experience!
Thanks for all the pics and writing a great blog.
My pleasure, John…I can’t get it out of my head!
After reading you site, Your site is very useful for me .I bookmarked your site!
Don’t miss the opportunity to do the Inca Trail…amazing experience that I cannot get out of my head!
I’m going to do the trail in jan 2011 and your pics gave me an incredible taste of what is waiting for me there
thank you
Good rain suit…a must. Good attitude…chew coca leaves!
Great phots, partic like the street shots in Cuzco – they have a ‘quickly’ snapped quality which I really like. Unfortunately my wife and I pushed for time and will be taking the train to Machu Picchu – how we wish we could also walk the Inca Trail.
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