Machu Picchu, Peru
Considering I am an avid hiker, it might sound strange, but the Inca Trail was never on my bucket list. Peru seemed scary and unsafe to me. I was also deeply concerned about porters’ poor working conditions and low wages. These hard-working people, who come from mostly indigenous Quechua communities, are often mistreated despite being the real rock stars of the Andes. But this was a lifelong dream of a close friend, and after months of subtle and not-so-subtle hints from the poor guy, I eventually succumb to the pressure and agreed to help make his dream come true. To make sure we were hiring an ethical company, I researched Peru’s Porter Protection Law to be able to ask the right questions in assessing its practices. I also decided to partner with Auquai Peru, a local company with an office in Cusco. We all fell in love with Big Willy. He generously shared his knowledge of the earth, the sites, and the people with us. He was our fierce leader on the Inca Trail and he and his people guided us on all of our hikes while in Peru. Thanks to them, we had a trip of a lifetime.
Day 1: Arrive in Lima (in afternoon)
Visit the Parque de la Reserva, the fountain park. The park has 13 water fountains surrounded by great architecture (circa 1929), monuments, and green areas. Also, it offers a laser show projected on a wall of water/mist, which is shown three times a day, the first at 7:15 p.m. If you do the interactive fountains, you will get wet. The place is a photographers’ paradise. It’s spectacular at night.
Day 2: Lima Gourmet City Tour
We’ve heard that Lima is a gastronomic heaven. So, we planned on spending our one day there eating our way through the city. What’s a better way to visit a new country than taking a food tour? We had an amazing day with The Lima Gourmet Company
We learned that Lima is the culinary capital of the world and a foodie’s paradise. Other than eating great food, we got to see the behind-the-scenes city and hear the juicy stories only the locals know. We got to take a private cooking class and made ceviche and pisco sour.
Then we took an afternoon flight to Cusco & Spend the night in Cusco.
DAY 3: Explore Cusco
About altitude sickness, the best thing to do before hiking the Inca Trail is to try and acclimate in Cusco, which is at 11,152 elevation. The highest point on the trail is 13,779, and Machu Picchu sits at 7,972. Preventing Altitude Sickness. Our group was well-prepared. Everyone talked to their doctor before the trip and decided on their care plan. Some were prescribed Diamox, others used ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin to reduce symptoms, and we all drank cocoa tea (despite the lack of medical evidence as to its actual benefits) and stayed away from alcohol.
We planned on doing nothing much our first day in Cusco, just doing “touristy” stuff. I actually found out altitude had little effect on me and went for an evening jog. As always when traveling and hiking, using good judgment is of paramount importance. Listen to your body and stop and rest when you need to.
Cusco City Tour: we certainly took advantage of being in the “archaeological capital of the Americas” featuring stark contrasts between indigenous styles and the modern western world.
DAY 4: Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley was a key area for the Incas because of the fertile land and good weather. It was also a major route to the jungle providing access to fruits and plants. We enjoyed our time touring the different villages and charming landscape. We ended the day at the village of Chinchero to watch the most spectacular sunset.
DAY 5-6: The Short Inca Trail
As much as I love hiking, I hate camping. I abhor porta-potties and cannot get excited about the idea of not showering after a day of hiking. Just the thought of the dirt, grime, and sweat makes me sick to my stomach. Thus, my main goal was to hike as much of the trail and avoid camping at all costs. My feeling was that Machu Picchu would be a jaw-dropping sight no matter how we got there.
Our Inca trail was two days and one night spent in the town of Aguas Calientes in a comfy hotel and a hot shower.
On the first day, we took the train to Ollantaytambo, from where we took the train to km 104. There we registered and began the trek. I cannot even begin to describe my emotions arriving at the Sun Gate after our long hike up. The view was nothing less than awe-inspiring. We took our time to reflect about this amazing place and to appreciate the splendid city of Machu Picchu, wonder of the world. Wandering through Machu Picchu itself was simply amazing (despite the crowds), and we also enjoyed the hike to the Inca Bridge.
On our second day we took the first bus to Machu Picchu, leaving at 5:30 am. We wanted to get to Inca city to see the sun rise. We hiked back to Aguas Calientes where we took the train back to Cusco.
Even though I had no expectations about seeing Machu Picchu, I was completely overwhelmed by the experience. This is one of the most spectacular places I have visited.
Go to https://www.auquiperu.com/ to see our group’s photo.
DAY 7: Hiking from Moray to Maras Salt Mines
We felt our stay in Cusco wouldn’t be complete without visiting the archaeological site of Moray where the Incas developed new crops by using varying altitudes on a terraced system. From there, we hiked to Maras Salt Mines.
DAY 8: Cusco
We were lucky to be in Cusco for the Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario celebration on our last night in Peru. It is one of the region’s largest religious celebrations. Popular dance groups paraded and performed in the main square. It was a pleasant surprise, colorful, fun, historic, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.
DAY 9: Our last Day
To take full advantage of our last morning in Peru before departing the afternoon, we decided to visit the Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary. It was founded 2007 to rescue animals abused by the illicit traffic of wildlife, and to conserve local species on the brink of extinction. I am glad we visited the park. I learned a lot about Andean animals. We spent a couple of wonderful hours there. All animals are precious, but it was particularly exciting to see Condors, the biggest bird of the Andes, and pumas up close.
My two-word summary of this trip would be unexpected joy. I learned that indeed to travel is to “discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” When there, I found Peru to be neither scary nor unsafe (again, using good judgment.) I was grateful for the curiosity of a friend who led us to have this amazing experience. When the kids out of the nest, we make travel a priority. What I learned on this trip is the pleasure that comes when I find myself in places I never yearned to see. It was a good reminder to never refuse an invitation to try the unfamiliar and to travel with open eyes, heart, and mind to fully embrace and appreciate the experience. It was totally worth it!