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The Telegraph
Forget the Inca Trail: we tried the new ‘Black Diamond’ route to Machu Picchu
The Inca king pointed the way, his golden arm gesturing northwest from the top of the fountain in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas; this was the course he would follow from the navel of the world to the terraces of Machu Picchu. Unusually, my Inca Trail started right here, in the town square, weaving new routes from old roads. The Incas created around 29,640 miles of roads during their brief tenure as overlords of South America. The 26 miles that lead to Machu Picchu, the classic Inca Trail, receive most of the attention. But he was tackling a new hike, using alternate routes (and some road transfers) to connect Cusco and the legendary lost city. Andrés Adasme, the adventure leader for Mountain Lodges of Peru, devised the “Black Diamond” route. “Twenty-five percent of the route is on lightly traveled trails, 25 percent is on lightly traveled trails, and 50 percent is absolutely off the beaten track,” he told me. They sold me. So, in a small group led by the guide Guido, we started walking from Cusco. The route has its disadvantages, in that, it is all fast and fast (pre-acclimatization is essential). Passing the gigantic stones of the Sacsayhuaman fortress, through the rural greenery towards the spiky ichu grass, we soon found ourselves at a 14,000 foot pass, being hit by hail. But it was exciting to leave the city on foot, following trails without tourists to finish in a private camp on Lake Piuray, drying our boots by the fire, watching the stars appear over the mountains. This was one of our wildest nights. The 10-day adventure would include a few nights under the tarp, offset by stays in more luxurious cabins.
