Your third day is designed to get you to the large camp at Winay Wayna, which has creature comforts like showers and a bar. Most of you will want a beer. Badly!On the way to camp, there are several other ruins. There's also an optional side trail where you can visit the Intipata ruins. You'll have to break off from the group to do this, but I recommend it. It adds an hour to your hike, but I was completely alone for that hour. Just me, the Andes Mountains and the Intipata ruins. There were even more orchids on this optional section than on the main Inca Trail.
After your relaxing final camp night, you'll wake up at the crack of dawn. Actually, before the
crack of dawn -- 4:30 -- for the trek to Machu Picchu. You want to be at the Control point when it opens, to avoid people traffic. At several places along the way down, you'll have a chance to see the sun rising over the mountains.
You get some spectacular views of Machu Picchu as the sun peeks over the mountains and slowly begins to illuminate the Inca city, beginning with the temple. As huge as the city is, it is dwarved by the surrounding landscape.
