The team finished their trek yesterday in Machu Pichu! It was an awesome moment for all. They’re moving down to Cusco and Lima by rail and plane and we’ll have more updates and video for you soon. More photos in the meantime after the jump.

Holly and Karyn head up the Inca Trail

Michelle and Linda stop for a smile!

Ashley, Jennie and Holly near the top!

Jennie, Rob and Holly show they’ve got bags but no “baggage”!

“Look we’ve made it! That’s Machu Pichu”

The team reached their high point on the Inca Trail today at 4200 meters above sea level while crossing the Warmiwañusqa pass. It was an emotional moment for all as they looked back down the steep trail they’d just negotiated to climb to the level they’d reached.

“Of course it’s metaphorical for all of us,” said Ashley. “Living with an intestinal disease, either as the patient or as part of the support network, is just like climbing this steep trail. It’s hard, it takes guts, and it has moments like this when you can look back and recognize what you’ve accomplished and gain confidence for other areas in life.”

For the rest of the day, the team had to climb some “Peruvian downhill” to get to their next, and last, camp before heading to Machu Pichu the next morning.

“It was a very long day,” said Karyn. “We covered almost 16 kilometers today and a lot of it was up some very steep terrain. We had stunning views as we entered the cloud forest, and then, despite the fog-like surroundings, we were still mesmerized by where we were. this journey has been incredible.”

The team camped last night at Phuyupatamarca, the village on the edge of the clouds at 3600 meters elevation. If the weather cooperates, the team will be greeted by a magnificent sunrise in the morning before they head down the last section of the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate entrance to Machu Pichu.

The team is back together now after a little more than 25 hours without Ashley and Holly, who had stayed back in Cusco for an extra night because of logistical issues. “We surprised them at breakfast,” said Holly. “It was great to get the whole team back together; the best part of our IBD Adventures trek is the camaraderie we’ve formed and it just wasn’t the same without all of us together…”

It was a big day of trekking on the Inca Trail between Llaqtapata at 2700 metres elevation and the day’s destination at 3800m. Most of that elevation was gained in the afternoon with a long, steep climb that had the trekkers in nervous anticipation at lunch.

“Rob reminded us to eat and drink lots to fuel up for the afternoon ahead,” said Michelle. “It was good advice. That was a big day!”

The trekkers arrived, tired, to find a hot meal almost ready and the camp set up for an evening’s rest.

“The weather was gorgeous today,” Michelle reported. “Sunny and warm, the views went on for miles around us. We’re in a gorgeous place. It’s a fantastic distraction from what’s happening with our bodies as we tire ourselves with big climbing efforts.”

The team, tired as they were, found it hard to retire to their tents despite having a very early start the next morning.

“Oh my god! The stars,” Ashley said. “The sky is so dark and the stars are so bright. Unless you’ve been at altitude its difficult to explain. It’s just so intense and wonderful. We wanted to sit out under that painting all night. But eventually had to pull ourselves inside our tents to rest for another big day tomorrow.”

The team will hit their high point on their journey around mid-day Thursday at 4200 meters above sea level. Thus far, the adverse effects of the altitude haven’t hit any of them too hard. A night’s rest at 3600 meters Thursday should ensure that any altitude symptoms like headaches and nausea, should they hit, will be short lived.

Our IBD Adventures trekkers set out on the Inca trail this morning, their destination Llaqtapata Camp, at 2800 meters above sea level. The trail can only be described as Peru “flat” – while the team didn’t gain any elevation today, it sure felt like they did!

Marsha reports feeling the altitude: “I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect when we first arrived in Cusco and yesterday during our Sacred Valley tour I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent. I did manage to sleep OK last night, which helped me this morning and throughout the day.”

The team is quickly coming together, forming a bond that’s hard to describe if you’re not witness to the shenanigans that leave you laughing at merest hint of a joke.

“Dinner was hard to get through,” said Jennie. “We were all laughing so hard I’m sure at least one of us fell of our seats. We’re surrounded by incredible views, our guides and porters are so friendly and helpful, and everyone on the team is just fantastic. We’re walking for miles every day but it just feels so effortless as we stop and take photos, chat and get to know each other better and make each other laugh.”

Tomorrow will be a big day. The trekkers expect it to be the most challenging day on their way to Machu Pichu, with over 1100 meters of elevation to gain over a short distance – the stairs will be steep!

“I expect it to be hard,” said Marsha. “But thankfully our guides and porters will do most of the really hard work carrying our camping gear. Today they were amazing. While we meandered up the trail, the porters went ahead and had lunch ready and waiting. By the time we got to our Llaqtapata camp, the dinner tent and our personal tents were ready for us.”

The weather, while pleasant for most of the day, turned to misty rain late in the afternoon.

“I don’t mind it so much. In fact I kind of enjoy exercising in the rain, so it’s welcome,” said Jennie enthusiastically. You go girl! And go team. We look forward to more reports tomorrow.

The IBD Adventures team spent the day exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas near the Inca capital of Cusco, Peru today. It was an important acclimatization day, which means lots of movement to keep the legs and lungs awake, but easy walking with the mind on conserving energy for the trekking days ahead. It’s a big jump from sea level to 3500 meters at Cusco, and the team definitely needed a day to adjust.

 ”I wasn’t surprised that I felt a little short of breath when we stepped off the plane,” said Ashley. “Rob had warned us that we’d feel that altitude. But I was surprised with how quickly I adjusted. No headaches and no nausea, so no problems thus far.”

One of the most attractive aspects of trekking the Inca trail is the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Peruvian culture, which the team did today. The Andes mountains are home to many llamas, and apparently there are a variety of different kinds of llamas too.

The Sacred Valley tour includes a visit to the market at Pisac, a stop for lunch in Urubamba, a visit to the beautiful Inca village and fortress of Ollantaytambo and a quick stop at the Quechua village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco.

“I’m awestruck by the mountains, they’re all I can see in every direction,” explained Holly. “The culture here is warm and friendly and reminds me of my time in Paraguay when I was a young child.”

Tomorrow the IBD Adventures team will start up the Inca Trail, with the exception of Holly and Ashley, who will spend an extra night in Cusco awaiting their start the following morning. The team has to split up briefly because of trail start permits, but will reconnect the following day.

Most of the team spent the day in Lima yesterday, enjoying the sights and sounds from around the city while waiting for the last two trekkers to arrive from Canada. The Lima tour included some ancient sights, including areas that were built even before the Inca! Late in the day, the last of the team members arrived.

Early this morning, the team was up and off for their flight to Cusco. Cusco sits at 3500 meters above sea level, which makes for quite a shock to the system. The team spent the day in Cusco sightseeing, enjoying the local food and picking up souvenirs. Early tomorrow they’ll start on their trekking journey on the Inca trail towards their goal – Machu Pichu.

“I’m very pleased with how quick the team is coming together,” said Rob Hill, IBD Adventures founder. “It’s not surprising though as they all have much in common, having been touched by intestinal disease in one way or another and in their shared desire to speak up about these terrible illnesses.”

Rob, Norm and Phil arrived in Lima early today and spent the day preparing the way for the rest of the IBD Adventures trekkers to arrive: checking into the hotel, meeting and greeting team members at the airport and trying to get some rest after more than 14 hours of flying time. The team expects to sleep well tonight!

The first 24 hours of trips like these are always a challenge–anxious to begin the adventure yet exhausted from long days of travel. Emotions range from excitement to apprehension to gratitude that after all the hard work of the past few months trekkers have finally arrived to test themselves on their journey to the peak!

As the team arrives slowly in Lima, thoughts are with the people back at home: friends, family and loved ones. And especially all of the people who have assisted, either with moral support for the training necessary to trek at altitude or the folks who listened to the stories the trekkers told them and then donated to help children and youth suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. It’s why we trek.

Tomorrow will see the last of the team members arrive and some sightseeing in Lima. We’ll have another, more comprehensive update, as soon as we can.

until the IBD Adventures Machu Pichu trek is underway! The trekkers have been busy training and preparing themselves for an incredible journey high into the Peruvian Andes mountain range to discover the wonders of magical Machu Pichu and the inner strength that can only come from testing their physical and emotional limits.

The trekkers have some thoughts to share:

“I am so excited about the trip and cannot believe it’s so soon. I found out about the trip in the summer when I was en route to the hospital with an obstruction, but it became a dream that I didn’t know I had. For the past 7 months, I have been imagining the trip – and with health issues and frequent hospitalizations, sometimes the goal seemed far away and unattainable. After surgery in January that didn’t go quite as planned, I was distraught thinking that I wasn’t able to go. And then I thought, there’s no guarantee in life either way and I couldn’t resign myself to not doing something I had dreamed of without trying. And be it luck or determination or chance, there were some answers from surgery and I’ve been able to train as much as I want. I’ve been doing lots of training in and out of the gym – nothing can beat running outside – all while my playlist ‘PERU PUMP UP MIX’ plays!”  ~ Jennie

“The IBD Adventures trek leaves for Peru in a few days.  My gear is accounted for and my bags are almost packed.  I’ve trained using long and short interval runs and logged countless hours at the gym weight lifting (both upper and lower body) and on the stair climber.  The excitement for the Inca Trail trek keeps me awake at night.  I have wanted to travel to Peru for years…and when I heard about the IBD Adventures trek to raise money and awareness for IBD, I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me.  Having suffered with ulcerative colitis since I was 16, I wanted to be involved in this trek to help raise awareness and remove the negative stigma attached to having an IBD.  As I count down to my departure date, I am excited.  I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.  Questions of the unknown cross my mind.  Do I have the right gear?  Will it be really cold at night?  Will it rain the whole time?  How will I feel at this altitude?  How will the altitude affect my hiking?  Did I break my hiking boots in enough?  Although the fear of the unknown plagues me, it is the excitement of what lays ahead and the journey that I will be taking for a cause that I whole heartedly support, that pushes me forward.” ~ Karyn

“I’m extremely excited about the trip and can’t wait to start this amazing adventure with such a great group of people. To prepare my body for the trek, I have been lifting weights and doing cardio at 6 am before going to work as well as cross-country skiing. I learned about the trip through Michele Hepburn (The 3C Foundation of Canada) and decided to join because this trip combines many great elements: raising funds and awareness for a cause close to my heart, being around inspiring people, testing my level of fitness, being surrounded by natural and man-made beauty and getting closer to my goal of visiting every one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.” ~ Linda

“I am really excited for this trip and have been counting down the days. I am looking forward to sharing this adventure and journey with my fellow trekkers. I am excited to learn more about them, more about Peru, more about nature and more about myself.

I am involved in this trek because I want to step out and step up to raise awareness and bring attention to intestinal disease: what it is and what it’s like to live with it. Also to show my support and gratitude to all those that are making a difference for all individuals living with intestinal disease. I am also here to represent GutInspired.

As far as my training, I have been receiving a lot of help and guidance from those around me. As a personal trainer, this is an exciting opportunity to put my knowledge to the test: box jumps, switching lunges, walking weighted lunges, side lunges, leg curls, leg press, leg extensions, squats squats and more squats, burpees, planks and core training, lots of stair master and incline running, running/cycling to and home from work, and full body training (can’t forget the upper body!).” ~ Ashley

“As my departure date gets closer, the realization that I will be going to Peru to raise money and awareness for something so close to my heart becomes more and more real. I have to admit, I am pretty nervous as this is my first time leaving the country without my parents. I am also incredibly excited! I wanted to get involved with this trek because it combines two things I have a huge passion for; exploring the outdoors and raising awareness for IBD. I can not believe I have been given this opportunity, and I hope it leads to many more! To prepare for the trip I have been spending a lot of time at the recreation center on campus as well as continuing with my Dance team to help build endurance! Hopefully everything I have been doing mentally and physically has prepared more for this fantastic opportunity! ” ~ Holly

Trip of a lifetime? You bet! Want to see one of the world’s most incredible places up close and personal? Oh, and up high too? Want to help IDEAS change attitudes with altitude? Join us in March 2012 as we trek up to Machu Pichu in the Peruvian Andes.

IBD Adventures Machu Picchu 2012

IDEAS’ IBD Adventures is a program to raise awareness of the issues people living with intestinal disease face every day of their lives. In our ongoing quest to carry our message world wide, we invite you to join us in trekking the renowned Inca trail in the land where gods became mountains, while raising funds to support IDEAS and its work in the gastrointestinal community.

Perfect for those looking to experience the region’s archaeological and cultural treasures in a short amount of time, this IBD Adventure includes the challenge of the four-day trek along the Inca Trail, where you can see it and feel it. This is one of the world’s best known hikes and will reward those willing to break a sweat with a stunning combination of mountains, spectacular landscapes, cloud forests, and jungles. Renshaw Travel, who will run our trek, ensures the fair treatment of our porters and quality equipment. Their knowledgeable staff will work hard to make certain the first glimpse of Machu Picchu will burn itself into your memory, for a lifetime.

Highlights include an informative City tour in Lima, taste delights of a wide variety of exciting restaurants, and superb shopping in Lima, exploring fascinating ruins and haggling at local markets in the Sacred Valley, and then the goal..conquering the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru! Highlights include Comfort Level hotels, sampling seafood in Lima, exploring ruins and haggling at local markets in the Sacred Valley, conquering the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

The Inca trail is 40 kilometers and our IBD Trekkers on this tour will be asked to try and raise funds on a per kilometer basis, starting at $50 per km, for a total minimum donation of $2,000.00. Those who raise more will be rewarded with some appropriate trekking gear. Your efforts will be going almost exclusively towards a number of tangible projects (only 3% of revenue at IDEAS goes towards administration). Specifically, funds raised will help send children and teens dealing with intestinal disease to one of two camps (Camp Horizon in Canada and Rally for Youth in the US), as well as sponsoring counselors in training through Easter Seals and towards funding the new IDEAS’s research lab in Kelowna, BC. To join IBD Adventures on this journey of a lifetime, please contact us today.

Tax receipts are available for all individual donations greater than $20.

Here are the team members! It’s not too late to join this awesome group of adventurers!

Here’s the tentative travel itinerary, details and information on how to register and some further details.

Here’s the trip packing list.

Trip dates: Cancelled for 2011. Please check back in 2012.