Amazing Inca Quarry trek

When planning a trip to Peru, the first thing that obviously comes to mind is Machu Picchu - and how to get there. We were a bit hesitant to go for the classic Inca Trail since we prefer activities that are a bit more off the beaten track. After some reading we stumbled upon the not so well known Inca Quarry trek: a 3 day walk through Inca landscape with the promise of meeting almost no other tourists (and a visit to Machu Picchu at day 4). The route and scenary were amazing: mountain tops with snow, agricultural fields, ruins of Inca temples and terraces, an old Inca quarry (amazing how they created and moved the building blocks to Ollantaytambo) and many more incredible places. My boyfriend and I were the only two people doing the trek at that moment(!). The only people we met along the way were locals. Camping all alone in this area was the most amazing thing I ever did, I strongly encourage you to go out at night and gaze at the milky way. I was a bit nervous as I had never done a multiple day trek, but it was very doable. The second day was the hardest, with the longest walk of the trek, but I managed very well and really enjoyed the walking, with plenty of time to rest in between. The best part of our trek was our guide, Roneld ('Rom'). We had an amazing time with him: he is very knowledgable about the history of the area and the current Peruvian culture. We spent the evenings playing cards and having a good laugh, which made the experience even more enjoyable. On the fourth and final day we also went to Machu Picchu together, where he again gave us an excellent tour. Our four days together with Rom have been the absolute highlight of our travel and I still consider it as some of the best days of my life. I can't wait to come back to this amazing, gorgeous country. If you prefer an off the beaten track experience with a great local guide I strongly recommend the Quarry trek!