::[inca trail, cont'd]::
mimi, kristin, and our guide yenni making their way up centuries-old incan stairs.
machu picchu wasn't the only archeological site along the trail. we hiked past several temples, fortresses, and towns, many of which were only accessible by the multi-day trek. above you can see the ruins of sayacmarca, an incan outpost perched on a cliff. we got the chance to climb those stairs and explore it!
kristin and i heading down from runkuraqay, the second highest mountain pass on the trail. the highest was warmi wañuska, a.k.a. the infamous dead woman's pass, which we scaled the previous day. it required the longest sustained climb of the trail: an ascent of about 3600 feet (1100m) in one day.
the terraced farmland of wiñayhuayna, an example of just how advanced the incans were in the arts of urban planning. natural springs were manipulated so that running water flowed through each terrace and past all the living units in the urban center. the inhabitants thus had running water for their homes! impressive.
sam takes a look back on our progress.
posted by saiph at 11:55 PM
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