Peru // Surviving the Inca Trail

If you are like me (i.e., over researcher) gearing up for the Inca Trail can be incredibly overwhelming.  Where do you start?  Which tour operator do you choose?  What do you pack?

1. Acclimatize.   On the first day of our hike there was a thirty-something-year-old man in fairly good shape (I'm basing this off of the muscles I could see through his clothing) who had to spend the entire first day riding a donkey past everyone because he hadn't acclimatized.  Don't be the person who thinks they are exempt from this best practice -- no matter how good of shape you are in.  While that dude rode a donkey, me and my borderline XL middle left him in the dust.  Embarrassing.  It's also important to note that although he was lucky and had the option of riding a donkey on the first day this is not an option on the second or third day.  Meaning, if you can't clean up your act by the start of the second (and hardest) day you're done.  Bye.  See ya. 

2.  Don't be tightfisted about your tour operator.  You know how they say there is a time and place for everything?  Well, trying to save a buck by choosing a not-so-awesome tour operator is not the time.  During my research I found  this point stressed almost as much as acclimatizing prior to your trek, which is to say a lot.  Choosing a reputable tour operator is not only important when it comes to things like, oh I don't know, surviving, but also really important in terms of porter welfare (more on that in a minute), equipment quality and of course FOOD.  Squeeze a buck from anywhere else in your budget -- just not here. 

3. Pack lightly.  You know that little voice in the back of your head reminding you of all of your first world problems (e.g., "I want to cry.  I don't like anything in the clearance section even though everything is buy one get two free!  I'm not leaving until I can justify spending eighty dollars on this bedazzled sweater that I obviously need!)  The voices that tells you that it's ok that you went over the maximum baggage weight for your five day, four night beach trip because you needed to have seven pairs of shoes even though you were barefoot 95.6% of the time?  Yeah, start ignoring that voice now or you're going down.  Literally.  You will collapse, roll off a cliff and die if you over pack for this hike.

4.  To hire a personal porter or not to a personal hire a porter that is the question.  Let me just preface this by saying that the porters or Chasquis are superhuman.  By day, most of these men are farmers who opt to make some extra money on the side by working for tour operators during their crops shoulder seasons.  While you are huffing and puffing these men are carrying packs the size of a baby elephant on their backs and taking the stone steps three at a time.  Oh three steps at a time isn't the impressive you say?  Well, let's remember that most, if not all, average about 5"1'.  We're not talking about Stretch Armstrong here.  When you choose your tour operator there will be hired porters who will carry the dining tent, the tents you will sleep in and kitchen equipment.  Then there are personal porters.  If you do decided to hire your own personal porter, all you will be required to carry is water, any snacks you may want access to and of course your camera.  Here are the fast facts of hiring a personal porter:

• Porters have rights too.  Be sure to take this into account when you are selecting your tour operator.  There is plenty of literature about this sprawled all over the Internet.  Read up on it.
• Each porter is allowed to carry a maximum weight of 20 kg (about 44 lbs).  Of these 20 kgs, 4 kgs are what your porter is allowed to bring of their own personal belongings.  
• The general rule of thumb here is that personal porters are allowed to carry up to an additional 15 kgs of other people's belongings.  Of these 15 kgs, you are allowed to split this anyway you see fit.  Meaning, if your group has an excess of 15 kgs that you don't want to carry in your daypack, you can hire just one porter.  In our case, there was four of us (including our four sleeping bags and mats) and we hired three porters.  We were happy to be spending the money not only for our selfish reasons but also to help someone who otherwise wouldn't be making much by American means.  I definitely give kudos to those who are capable of carrying everything themselves, but I do not regret my decision; I wouldn't have been able to do it without them.

5.  If you're going during the rainy season.  Be prepared for everything to be just a tinny bit damp -- all the time.  This included everything in our tents.  The only thing I appreciated more than a hot shower when this was finished was getting into a nice warm,  dry bed.  

6.   Invest in a good daypack and hiking shoes.  Sure you can hike in a backpack and flip flops but if you have the means to invest in some good quality gear, do so.  We stopped by our local REI, EMS and Campmor to check out what each store had to offer.  After some deliberation, we eventually with the recommendation of the knowledge sales associated and opted to buy Osprey Backpacks.  Well worth the money.  As for shoes, this is doing to differ from person to person but I found that my Merrill Moabs were my best friend.  I am prone to blisters in all types of shoes and surprisingly I have nothing but good things to say about my Moabs.  Ugly, yes, but seriously comfortable.

7.  Rent/buy walking sticks.  I know some who read this will picture me as some fat, lazy, shit (which isn't far off) but seriously.  Walking sticks.  Life savers.  You can rent them if you don't have an awesome friend who buys you some seriously cool collapsible ones.  

8.  Stock up on Coca Leaves.  I really believe that this saved me.  The second half of day two I decided that I had probably chewed enough coca leaves for a lifetime and decided to go at it without them.  Bad idea.  I spent the next four hours in misery.  Sure, maybe this was also because I had spent the four hours prior hiking up a mountain and now I was walking down slippery wet rocks (damn you, rainy season!) but this was by far the hardest part of the trek.  I'm sorry I doubted you, coca.

9.  Slow down.  This isn't a sprint, it's a marathon.

10.  You're going to be hideous.  Just face it -- it doesn't matter how hard you try, you're going to be hideous for four days.  This includes those epic Machu Picchu pictures.  Sure, you're going to try to freshen up the night before in a freezing cold shower.  But the truth is, the last morning's hike is still about two hours long which is going to make you an ugly sweaty mess.  Get over it. You hiked the f'ing Inca Trail.  When you get to Machu Picchu and you see all of the people who didn't hike looking like a page out of a fashion magazine, you're going to want to stab them.  Especially when they are in your money shot of Machu Picchu.  "Get the f'ck out of my way!" you're going to say but no worries.  You'll always be able to say you hiked and survived the Inca Trail.  The latter term being key.