Team Begins the Inca Trail toward Machu Picchu

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The trek to Machu Picchu has begun. After breakfast and final preparations, the team traveled to the Inca Trail trailhead at 2,600 meters / 8,530 feet and started the journey into the heart of the Andes.

The first day on the trail moved through small villages and open sections of trail before climbing higher into the mountains. After clearing the busiest stretch of the route, the team gathered for a welcome ceremony with a local shaman, including an offering to Pacha Mama, the Andean concept of Mother Earth. The ceremony is a traditional way to show respect and gratitude for the land, mountains, and journey ahead, and to ask for safe passage along the trail.

By the afternoon, the group arrived at camp, where tents were set up and a hot meal was waiting. Camp life quickly settled into a rhythm, with time to rest, stretch, and prepare for the harder days ahead.

Photos from trekker Mark Watson