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Winay Wayna

WinayWayna, October 2011

Nearing the end of a group hike on the Inca Trail - lots of flowers and several Inca sites incluing Winay Wayna, named for a species of orchid whose name means "forever young" in Quechua. The site was found accidentally, by a botanist.
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winaywayna Unidentified orchid along the trail.
winaywayna The forest was thick, but sometimes we had views. I believe that's Nevado Salkantay in the distance.
winaywayna Flowers along the trail.
winaywayna The pass at Phuyupatamarka. Sadly the skies were mostly cloudy.
winaywayna A hiker seeking solitude and a view.
winaywayna See the Inca ruins below the pass?
winaywayna Closer view of the ruins.
winaywayna Three hikers from my group, waiting for the clouds to part.
winaywayna A view of the ruins, from lower down on the trail.
winaywayna Typical steep descent through thick bamboo.
winaywayna A flower growing amid the ruins.
winaywayna Ruins detail.
winaywayna Trail through the terraces.
winaywayna Another steep descent.
winaywayna Abandoned bird's-nest.
winaywayna First view of Winay Wayna.
winaywayna A particularly narrow staircase.
winaywayna Begonia.
winaywayna Orchid.
winaywayna Orchid.
winaywayna Flower.
winaywayna Begonia and fly.
winaywayna Detail of an epidendrum orchid.
winaywayna Exploring the terraces.
winaywayna Taking in the views.
winaywayna Good spot for a break.
winaywayna Moving on toward our last campsite of the trek.
winaywayna A well-camouflaged butterfly.
winaywayna Another epidendrum.
winaywayna Begonia.
winaywayna These fruits are related to banana, but not edible.
winaywayna More tropical fruit.
winaywayna More views of the ruins.
winaywayna Terraces.
winaywayna Taking in the views.
winaywayna Cloudy weather - it is a rain forest after all.
winaywayna Peek-a-boo views.
winaywayna Final shot of the ruins and their custodians.