2012 Trip to Peru
Long ago we took a trip to Peru to walk the classic Inca trail to Machu Picchu, as well as spent time in other important sites in Peru. We arrived a few days before the walk to begin acclimatization to the high altitude and explore areas in the vicinity of Cuzco.
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is an ancient city, parts of which predate the Incas. The city in a valley has been continuously occupied since the 15th century. A former royal palace forms part of the city, with streets laid out in a very organized grid, with irrigation canals still used today.
The adjacent terraced hillside is a marvel of Inca stonework and engineering and the main reason people come to visit.
The tight fitting stone work towards the top was truly impressive. No mortar necessary. The third photo is a view downward onto a wall section being restored, so you can see that the tight fit is just near and at the surface of the wall. Still, quite amazing.
On the opposing valley wall there is an Grainery where the Incas dried and stored grains and other foods. That was a nice afternoon hike to climb up and have a closer look.
A Horse Tour
We rode horseback to visit the valley above Ollantaytambo and Pumamarka, an Inca Fort. We had the place to ourselves. Really interesting to see the design of the fort. There are still visible remains of ropes that bound together the wooden lintels of doorways. The valley walls are terraced, but have fallen into disrepair. Irrigation water still comes down the hillside and is dispersed laterally along some of the terraces.
High in the Andes, where the air is thin, the horses are smaller in stature. Not being an experienced horseback rider, I found myself being bounced in the saddle pretty consistently, causing plenty of chuckles from Susie, and some significant discomfort in a certain boy region. I was really glad to get off the horse to explore the fort on foot, and not so excited for the ride back down into Ollantaytambo.
Weaving Cooperative
We visted a weaving cooperative in a mountain village, probably Patacancha (it was a long time ago), followed by a mountain bike ride back down to Ollantaytambo. Traditional Quechua life is high altitude sustenance farming: potatoes and quinoa. For weaving, only men operated large looms, and women did smaller hand spinning and weaving. Quinoa is still grown in the area (a high altitude crop that grows well up to 13,000 feet) and potatoes grow and store well.
Some sights while riding mountain bikes back to Ollantaytambo
Cuzco and Sacsayhuaman
Before and after the Inca Trail walk, we explored Cuzco. At a bit over 11,000 ft of elevation (3,400 m) it takes some time and energy to walk about, especially uphill.
Just above (huff and puff) Cuzco is the ruins of Sacsayhuaman. The walls used to be higher, but what remains is quite impressive. Archaeology work is still active in the area.
The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
We signed up with Intrepid Tours to hike the classic Inca Trail. 12 guests, 2 guides, dozens of porters, 4 days, three nights, 26 miles (42 km) at high elevation, 7000 feet of total elevation gain, with the highest pass at 13,800 ft (ominously named “Dead Woman Pass”). We enjoyed good food, 8 ruins along the way, beautiful views, a bit of rain, and a spectacular morning sunrise view down to Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate (Inti Punku.)
A week or more spent at elevation before the hike was a real help for us to adjust to the altitude.
On the way to the trailhead, we stopped at a Quechua village for lunch. We participated in the Coca Leaf Ceremony (the Coco leaf symbolizes the connection between the spiritual and human world), watched demonstrations of dying/weaving, and had lunch (including cuy, which is Guinea Pig). We also spent some time among locals helping to prepare soil for planting.
And now the four days, three nights hiking on the Inca Trail. The porters carried nearly everything, and set up and took down our tents. We just needed to pack up our gear bag each morning and walk to the next campground with our guide. We just had snacks, water and rain gear in our backpacks. Our guide explained the plants, the history, the ruins we saw along the way. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were in the big blue tent, which doubled as a place to sleep for the porters.
We hiked up and down thousands of stone stairs laid hundreds of years ago. We both got sick (Dave with the flu and Susie with food borne illness). Needless to say, after eating quinoa at every meal (and throwing it up on occasion), neither of us are fond of quinoa now.
And the final day started well before dawn, so we could be waiting early in line at the entrance to the Machu Picchu National Park for the gate to open.
This was a difficult but really rewarding hike. For four days we had been just the 12 of us and our support crew walking, climbing, eating together and exploring ruins together. The contrast was stark when we arrived at Machu Picchu. Here there were crowds of tourists walking around with their guides. These were the people who came to Aguas Calientes and took the bus up.
Despite the crowds, this is a magical place and well worth visiting.
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