Peru & Chile in 11 Days – Part 8 – Hiking to Machu Picchu’s Inca Bridge
This is was the itinerary for our 11 days trip tp Peru and Chile:
- Day 1: Flight to Lima, Peru
- Day 2: Flight to Cusco, Peru + tour of Cusco + tour of Chinchero in Sacred Valley
- Day 3: Full-day tour of Sacred Valley – Pisaq (or Pisac) + Ollantaytambo and Moray
- Day 4: Full day at Machu Picchu (Travel + Intipunku Sun Gate Hike + Inca Bridge Hike + Exploring Machu Picchu Ruins)
- Day 5: Flight from Cusco to Juliaca, Peru + transfer to Puno (Lake Titicaca)
- Day 6: Tour of Lake Titicaca + tour of Sillustani + flight from Juliaca to Lima, Peru
- Day 7: Full day in Lima, Peru + red-eye flight to Easter Island, Chile (from Lima)
- Day 8: Full-day tour of Easter Island
- Day 9: Early afternoon flight from Easter Island to Santiago, Chile
- Day 10: Full-day tour of Santiago, Chile
- Day 11: Flight back to the US from Santiago, Chile (via Lima, Peru)
Hiking to the Inca Bridge
Hiking the Inca Bridge trail is not for the faint of heart, but we didn’t tell Mom that. Truth be told, we weren’t quite sure what to expect when we reached the trailhead marked by wooden signs. The first sign that this hike would be more challenging than a leisurely walk came when we encountered a manned sign-in booth. Every visitor past that point had to sign in with their names and start time, and then sign out upon return. Apparently, there was a slight chance of danger ahead, which is why they kept a careful count of all the tourists.
Mom, however, was more concerned about how long the hike would take, especially since her backpack showed no signs of getting lighter after the first two-hour trek. “What does the guidebook say about how long this hike is?” she asked suspiciously. “If it’s longer than 30 minutes, I’m going to wait for you guys here at the trailhead.”
Without directly answering her question, I played the “How-many-times-are-you-going-to-visit-Machu-Picchu” card and pointed to her backpack. “If you would just drink your water, it wouldn’t be so heavy, you know?”
“If I drink a lot of water, I’ll have to use the restroom, and you told me the only one is back at the entrance. Do you know how far that is?!”
It was definitely a catch-22: drink water and waste time running back to the entrance for the restroom, or risk dehydration and endure the burden of a heavy backpack filled with water. For me, with my smaller-than-average bladder, the answer was clear—take small sips periodically. But that didn’t make my pack noticeably lighter as the day wore on.
Brushing aside my own hesitation, I grabbed my mom’s arm and guided her forward. “Don’t worry, I think it’s probably just a little over 45 minutes, and it shouldn’t be that hard.” Under my breath, I added, “At least, I hope not…”
The hike to the Inca Bridge is known as a short adventure trek—not because of its strenuous trail conditions or steep ascents, but because of the sheer drop-offs one encounters along the way. The trail winds through a tropical rainforest filled with lush foliage, exotic wildflowers, and the requisite swarm of mosquitoes, then meanders to the edge of a heart-stopping ridge. Looking down, there is little between you and a 1,900-foot drop to the valley below. Fencing or railing would be nice, but that would destroy the view.
Surprisingly, once Mom started moving, she didn’t look back, and I found myself at the rear of our group. “I thought you were tired!” I feigned indignation. “Your pace doesn’t seem to indicate any signs of exhaustion.”
In response, she looked at me and shrugged. “It’s not that I’m moving particularly fast; it’s just that you’re moving really slow.”
Ah, I walked straight into that one. Touché, Mom. “Hey, don’t stop moving. If you stop, you’ll become mosquito bait. Keep walking.”
My mom and I shared a sympathetic glance. Our faithful tour leader certainly knew how to motivate the troops.
After 15 minutes of trudging through the rainforest and evading persistent mosquitoes, we reached a clearing where the trail narrowed and began to wind its way along a stone path carved into the mountain cliff. To our left was the granite face of the mountain; to our right was a stomach-churning 1,900-foot sheer drop.
I slowed my already leisurely pace and grabbed onto the metal and rope hand grips that jutted out along the narrow stretches of the trail. Forget the germs; I’d apply Purell later. I paused to take in the breathtaking (in more ways than one) view.
Soon, we reached the focal point of the hike—the legendary Inca Bridge. And it was roped off. Behind us, a solitary woman hiker arrived at our viewing point. “What? We can’t even cross the bridge? What a disappointment!”
My eyes locked onto the remnants of a rickety-looking wooden bridge that spanned a 20-foot gap in the stone path several hundred yards ahead of us. Just a few inches of wood separated a person from almost certain death. Apparently, the bridge was once crossable but has since been roped off after a hapless tourist fell to his death while attempting to cross a few years ago. I shuddered at the thought.
