Published on October 28th, 2015 | by Alicia Taggio
Blind Man Hikes the Inca Trail in 1 day
Sometimes people tell us we can’t do something because they are afraid of what will happen if we try. For Dan Berlin, being told he couldn’t physically accomplish something, only fuelled his fire to prove them wrong.
On October 14th, 2015, with the help of our friends at Intrepid Travel, Dan become the first blind athlete to conquer the Inca Trail in a single day. Dan and three other athletes tackled around 1,500 uneven steps and ascended to 4,200 metres above sea level together (watch the video above to see it all unfold).
Dan Berlin just became the first blind athlete to run the Inca Trail. At a loss for words. http://t.co/3N1aP6eVUZpic.twitter.com/hFcNkVDbey
— Intrepid Travel (@Intrepid_Travel) October 15, 2015
The 45 year-old from Colorado lost his sight in his 30s from cone rod dystrophy.
“I came to the realization that I couldn’t live a normal life, so it’s okay to take risks — I just let go of the expectations I had upon myself.” – Dan Berlin
Last year Dan became the first blind man to hike across the Grand Canyon, and once he conquered that, he had his mind set on dominating the Peruvian Inca trail this year.
With the help of Intrepid’s experienced local guide, Elyas Maxdeo, (who has traversed the route more than 200 times) they were able to make history happen on the Inca Trail.
“I thought, ‘OK, blindness is a disability — but it doesn’t mean I can’t live. I need to look at it as an inconvenience. It doesn’t have to be a negative, life-changing event.’ I try to live off that attitude.” – Dan Berlin.
Thanks for inspiring us all Dan!
For more information on travelling to Peru or with Intrepid Travel, connect with a Flight Centre travel agent online.
About the Author
Alicia Taggio turned her love of travel into a lifestyle as a digital storyteller. When she's not editing videos or crafting travel stories, you'll most likely find Alicia climbing a mountain somewhere in the world. As one of the co-founders of the #TravelMassive, which is a global initiative to connect people in the travel industry, Alicia is passionate about community and its ability to empower change in the travel industry.
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