Day eight and final day of the Inca Trail, May 28th, 2022

This morning we really did wake up inside a cloud. I can’t describe it other than I’m happy it happened, even if it means that we did not get the sunrise that we wanted. As the clouds sank below us, we prepared for the day and got ready for our last breakfast with our full porter staff. After breakfast we all stood together and our group thanked each porter by name, then provided a cash gift/tip that we had collected from each traveler earlier with a personal note of thanks. These men were essential to making our trip magical and I am overwhelmed with their gratitude for us. Ayul explained that our tips go a long way in helping these local communities thrive. Some of the porters would go on ahead of us today to set-up and prepare lunch but for the majority this was our goodbye. We head off toward the Winaywayna (forever young) site where we would have lunch. It was a warm day, and the sun was out. Winaywayna was incredible and just adjacent to this site was our lunch spot. Our chef made a mushroom soup to start, then a charcuterie board followed by fried chicken, rice, and veggies and fruit salad for dessert. I will miss this “camp” food. We say farewell to the last of our porters, heading toward the sun gate, entrance to Machu Picchu. As we get close, Ayul mentions that we have one last steep climb. He laughs and says the climb is called the “Gringo Killer”. Oh my, it was quite a climb. Fortunately, the Gringo killer is steep but short in length. We all scaled it with ease excited to finally reach the Sun Gate and our first peek at Machu Picchu. One thing we all noted at the Sun Gate is how many new faces we saw. We are told this is due to a day hike that is permitted to the Sun Gate. I felt fortunate that we had mostly peaceful solitude or small group trekking on the Inca Trail. I am grateful that the Peruvian Government limits the number of trekkers as it would greatly change the experience. That said, the Sun Gate showcased Machu Picchu well. It was a cool way to enter this sacred space. We continued down, went through a check point, and entered Machu Picchu. We took lots of pictures and just stood in awe a lot. After a couple hours, Ayul reviewed the plan to go down to Machu Picchu Village (Aguas Calientes) at the bottom of the Valley for hotel check-in and dinner reservation. We worked with Ayul on a plan to arrive back at Machu Picchu the next morning as early as possible to see the sun rise and enjoy fewer people. We also had an add on to see Huayna Picchu but there was a miscommunication, and the correct permits were not obtained. Ayul tried to correct this error, but the permits are strict and limited. We all had such a great trek and were looking forward to Ayul’s guiding through Machu Picchu that it didn’t feel like we were missing out on much. A steep switch back road takes travelers from Machu Picchu to the valley below. Thankfully, the buses are new and nice with competent drivers. The village a cute tourist focused area. We walked to our hotel, El MaPi Inn, a modern accommodation with lovely open areas including a beautiful dining room and bar. We all took showers, put on clean clothes, and met for dinner at six. The nice couple (Austin and Candace) that we trekked with joined us. The food was exceptional and the drinks strong. I had a salad followed by a trout and potato dish with flan for dessert. We each received a complementary cocktail, a pisco sour. It was delicious and you only needed one to feel very relaxed. After dinner I was ready for sleep, no matter that it was around 7:30 p.m. Oh well, we are getting up very early to continue our tour of Machu Picchu, so it is best to get some rest.