I first visited Machu Picchu on a rainy day in February of 1976. We were among a number of tourists who took the train up from Cuzco that day to visit the fabled Incan archaeological site. Not long after we arrived it started to rain and nearly everyone fled to the cover of the hotel at the entrance to the ruins. We had Machu Picchu virtually to ourselves! While we got a little wet, we didn't mind because we had the magical experience of wandering the ruins accompanied only by the mist and silence of the stones. I had only one regret; I desperately wanted to hike the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu and was sorry I hadn't done so. Then, in April, a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to hike the Inca Trail with Mountain Travel Sobek. Cuzco was even more beautiful than I remembered. It had been declared a World Heritage Site in the years since I had visited this lovely old colonial town and the UNESCO money that accompanies this status had been used to beautify the city while maintaining its original historical value and integrity. And I was pleasantly surprised to find the beautiful Andean people still wearing their unique Andean clothing and hats. While it's difficult to leave the beauty of Cuzco and the comfort of the lovely converted 16th-century monastery hotel, we happily settle into an equally charming hotel in the Urubamba Valley, from which we explore the interesting villages and markets that are home today to the living ancestors of the Incas. I have the sense that very little has changed in this valley since the time of the Incas. The landscape is filled with beautiful fields of waving red amaranth and patchwork fields of green dotted with small adobe villages and colorfully dressed people trailing their llamas behind them. Then the Inca Trail awaits us. At the beginning of the trail we pass through small villages and children come rushing out to wave and follow us for a while before heading off to school. The farther we go, the fewer indigenous people we see, and then we begin to pass the villages of the ancient Incas: stone structures, smaller in scale, but almost as impressive as Machu Picchu. I had no idea what I had missed when I took the train! The beauty of these ancient stones is enhanced by the fact that only those who don their hiking boots get to see them. And then there are the cloud forests of bamboo, wild orchids and bromeliads! I'm challenged by the hiking, thrilled by the beauty that surrounds me, and delighted by the comfort with which I'm able to have this remarkable experience. Our porters are dressed in beautiful embroidered red ponchos, looking much like I imagine their Incan forefathers must have looked, and they take such good care of us. They run ahead, and when we arrive at our lunch stop, they've set up tables and chairs and prepared a delicious hot lunch. How is this possible, on a narrow trail in the middle of the Andes? And then in the late afternoon, when we arrive at our campsite for the evening, they have set up our tents and put our bags inside. They greet us at the door of the tent with smiling faces and hot water so that we may wash before settling into our comfortable dining tent for a delicious hot dinner. And, when we look around to check out our neighborhood for the evening, the view is of Incan ruins and snowcapped mountains! The trek ends all too soon, but Machu Picchu awaits! The last day's hike is challenging as we descend the steep stone staircase to the beautiful ruins at Winaywayna ("forever young") and pause for lunch in this spectacular site next to a magnificent waterfall. I imagine I would stay forever young if I lived here, surrounded by this beauty. Then, up the last of the Inca Trail, through Intipunku, the Gate of the Sun, and there it is! Emerald green and tranquil, Machu Picchu lies at our feet, an hour or so walk below us. We are all so excited to have stepped through this gate the way the Incas had, for this was the traditional entrance to Machu Picchu. The reward was worth all of the effort we exerted in getting there. Much like Cuzco I find that Machu Picchu has benefited greatly from its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is actually better taken care of and more beautiful today than it was in 1976. It didn't rain on this visit, and indeed there were more visitors than on my first visit, but it was an incomparable experience to have walked for four days and ended up in Machu Picchu. If you're a hiker, this is truly the only way to experience Machu Picchu, and experience it you must! For more information and reservations, please contact: Mountain Travel Sobek 1266 66th Street, Suite 4 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA Toll Free (USA and Canada): 1-888-831-7526 Phone: +1-510-594-6000 Fax: + 1-510-594-6001 Email: info@mtsobek.com