Jarlath McHale has experienced the Inka Trail in Peru in a way that most other tourists never have.
Jarlath decided to take on the trail not as a tourist but as a porter, which meant he had to carry everybody else's baggage, clothes, tent, food and even a dining table ahead of the tourists.
The baggage weighed up to 25kg and across four days, Jarleth travelled 24 miles and ascended to a height of 4215m.
He did it all to highlight the work of the porters who are mainly farmers or labourers doing it on the side to earn some extra cash.
On any given day a porter will:
- Carry all of the tourist’s items to their destination and set it up for them before they arrive.
- They then pack it all up after they leave meaning they often have to run with this weight on their back in order to get to the next place before the tourist arrives to set it up for them.
- They set up the tent, blow up their mattress etc.
- They leave a basin of warm water outside your tent when you get in from the trek and then again when you wake up in the morning.
- They also leave tea for you when you wake up.
A short documentary was shot, following Jarlath on his incredible journey.
Olly Pemberton was the cameraman who followed Jarleth every step of the way.
Perhaps the nicest part of the whole documentary comes at the very end when Jarlath brings the porters to see Machu Pichu for the very first time.
Normally, they get to the second last stage and then turn back to make the decent back to base.
When Jarlath found out they’d never seen it, he insisted on bringing them up.
You can view this amazing documentary in full right here.
