The Road to Machu Picchu — Part One

Overview

Comedians Ari Shaffir and Ryan O’Neal recount a challenging, often comic trip through Peru on the five-day Salkantay Trek, ending near Machu Picchu. This first part covers their preparation, acclimatization, and journey through mountain and cloud-forest terrain; the visit to Machu Picchu itself is saved for part two.

Preparing in Cusco

• The trip came together in about six weeks, and the pair joined a small guided group.
• Worried about altitude, Ari trained with long walks, weighted stairs, and a hike up Mount Baldy. He also traveled gradually to Cusco and spent several days acclimating.
• Cusco is a scenic, hilly city with Incan ruins, lively markets, juice stalls, and restaurants serving cuy (guinea pig)—a dish they both enjoyed.
• They rented most of their trekking gear locally. The equipment was inexpensive but inconsistent: worn boots, poor insoles, and rain covers that filled with water. Ari’s improvised rubber gloves, however, helped keep his hands dry.

The Trek Begins

• The trek lasted five days and four nights, with long hikes and high elevations. The group’s first day included a strenuous climb to Humantay Lake, followed by a cold, rainy night in a basic lodge.
• One traveler became seriously ill with vomiting and diarrhea and had to leave the hike. Another traveler, nicknamed “Susan,” also struggled with illness and altitude symptoms but repeatedly tried to continue.
• The guide warned that the next day’s climb would be especially demanding. The group eventually reached Salkantay Pass, about 15,088 feet (4,599 meters), where Ari says he began hallucinating from exhaustion and thin air.
• The route offered dramatic scenery, changing weather, glacial views, and memorable meals cooked by local hosts. A local trekking network arranged family-run lodging and meals, with the cost around $360 per person for the five-day trip.

Rough Conditions and Close Calls

• After the pass, the group descended through muddy cloud forest in worsening rain. The trail was poorly marked, and they took a long time to reach their next pickup.
• Their driver hurried them into the vehicle because heavy rain had triggered landslides. The group then crossed exposed mountain roads, waterfalls flowing over the route, and rock debris that had blocked the way.
• The travelers later stayed at a coffee plantation, where they toured the process of roasting and brewing coffee and enjoyed a meal.
• At a remote camp overlooking the valley near Machu Picchu, they saw unexplained lights in the fog at night. They could not identify what caused them, and the account remains unresolved.

Toward Aguas Calientes

• The next stretch included more hiking and a long walk beside railway tracks toward Aguas Calientes, the tourist town below Machu Picchu.
• Ari and a fellow hiker missed a turn and entered a narrow railway tunnel. A train approached while they were inside; they ran out just seconds before it passed. The incident frightened his companion and made the trail warnings about staying off the tracks very real.
• The group reached Aguas Calientes, rested, and prepared for an early start to Machu Picchu. They had to choose among limited entry routes, with their preferred option already sold out.

Key Takeaway

The episode presents the journey as both spectacular and difficult: extreme altitude, illness, cold rain, unreliable trail markings, landslides, and a dangerous railway mistake were balanced by extraordinary mountain scenery, local hospitality, and lasting memories. Part two continues with the visit to Machu Picchu and further adventures.