Inca Trail to the Sun Gate
“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
The above rainbow photograph was taken on the way to the last day of camping on the Inca trail. Over the hills lies the sun gate and Machu Picchu. I remember hiking through the rain and talking to our guide. He mentioned that although we plan to wake up next day in the darkness before dawn to hike to the sun gate. The chances of seeing the sun rays hitting Machu Picchu from the sun gate is always uncertain due to the mountain weather.
My heart sank, thinking alas I will not be able to experience the moment of watching the magical moment of the sun rays uncovering Machu Picchu. As I walked through the rain it started to slowly abate. And I could see the hint of a rainbow and then a hint of a second rainbow.
I remember dropping my backpack and running to capture the stranger in the red raincoat turning the corner.
It was magical moment, its true what they say-
“If you want to see a rainbow, you’ll have to endure a little rain “
Next morning, we woke up and packed up camp in the darkness with the aid of our headlamps and made our hike to the Intipunku.
At the gates of Intipunku
The sun God blessed us with a wonderful sunrise from the Intipunku (Quechua inti sun, punku door) we could see the sun rays slowly gracing each part of the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
First rays of the sun on Machu Picchu
Look Mom I can Fly – Macchu Picchu