How DC-area hikers over 60 traveled Peru’s Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

What does it take to climb a mountain? According to a group of hikers from the D.C. area, all aged 60 or older, it requires both training and wisdom.

The Wisdom Walkers, a fitness organization focused on encouraging African Americans to prioritize their physical health, has participated in various events and led tours of landmarks around D.C.

Eighteen members of the Wisdom Walkers hiked over 26 miles of the Inca Trail in Peru, reaching Machu Picchu over four days and three nights. On July 14, they arrived at Dead Woman’s Pass, which has an elevation of 13,828 feet.

Sam Gaillard from Bowie, Maryland, shared that this was his first climb after nearly 20 years of running 3 to 6 miles daily, 3 to 5 times per week. He sought alternatives to running as he aged due to its impact on his body. After seeing an ad for the Wisdom Walkers trip, he decided to take on the challenge and trained with a mix of running and walking.

His advice for aspiring climbers is to push themselves during training to prepare for the hike and understand their limits.

Sharon Robinson Goods, the executive director of the Wisdom Walkers, emphasized the importance of setting a goal and training for a year to achieve it. The destination motivates and the goal is to get people in shape.

Gaillard recounted feeling winded at the start of the climb but adjusted his pace by following the guide’s zigzag walking pattern. This strategy helped him feel less winded, and he eventually led the group on the second day with the motto: “Slow, slow, slow.”

Transitioning from running to hiking, Gaillard found his rhythm but had to push himself as the altitude increased and the team required more breaks. Despite the challenges, he reached the peak and expressed happiness and concern for the others.

Of the 18 hikers, 15 reached the summit alongside leaders from Alpaca Expedition, making them the senior-most group of African Americans to do so with the company. This was not their first historic achievement; in May 2022, the Wisdom Walkers became one of the oldest groups of Black Americans to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.