Hello hello!

We rallied for one more day of hiking. After a night in an actual bed in Aguas Calientes, we woke up early and headed back to Machu Picchu. Some of the group even hiked the trail back up instead of taking the bus — a first for me, but it was so fun. Big stair people on this team.

At the top we regrouped and headed to Huayna Picchu, the peak behind Machu Picchu in every iconic photo you’ve ever seen. Steep steps, but we’re professionals now. Up through some clouds and light rain, and our luck held, the views from the top were incredible. Machu Picchu is the main event, sure, but the tree-covered mountains stretching out in every direction makes it feel mystical. Hard to imagine a better way to close out this trip.

We came down and caught the train back to Ollantaytambo, panoramic windows and winding views the whole way, birds soaring, valleys and passes we’d actually walked through days earlier now passing by from a completely different angle. The train is the only way to Machu Picchu that doesn’t involve your own two feet, and it’s a gorgeous one.

Back in Cusco, the cold hit us the second we stepped out of the van, straight from jungle humidity to 11,000 feet of thin, sharp air. Grabbed our duffels, climbed a few more stairs (of course), and collapsed into a hotel with warm beds and hot showers waiting.

We climbed passes, ate guinea pig, survived a group Scum rivalry, and somehow all still like each other. 10/10 trip. Thank you for following along and to this crew: I’d get chewy cuy with you again anytime.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Machu Picchu team