Scenic overlook between Cuzco and Pisac Mike had some time off work this fall and we knew we wanted to go somewhere, but hadn't settled on a destination yet. We started to compile a list and research the best time to see various places. Turns out our target month of November doesn't have a lot going for it in terms of weather for most of our desired locations: many of the islands and tourist hot-spots in Greece shut down in October; much of Europe turns as grey and miserable as home; we did New Zealand last year. We weren't looking for anything Caribbean this time (and just as well, given the horrible damage of this past hurricane season) and didn't really want to do anything in Asia. Costa Rica remains on the list (possibly something in late winter to escape our Ontario frigidness), but we finally settled on Peru, despite November heralding the start of their rainy season.
We decided this in October, and that we would travel early to mid-November. Which gave us less than a month to prepare. Vaccines, crash course in Spanish (Duolingo says I'm 61% fluent after 3 weeks), researching what to do and where to go and then booking flights, accomodations, and tours--we somehow managed it all while keeping sane and not panicking.
Final itinerary: Fly direct to Lima from Toronto on a 6 pm flight that landed at 2 am. Hang around the airport until 5:30 am and fly to Cuzco (3400 metres, or 11 150 feet). Transport to hotel to begin acclimatising to the height, stay for 2 nights. Tour by bus to Pisac & Ollantaytambo ruins (2800 metres, or 9200 feet), and stay in Ollantaytambo for 2 nights. Two day trek to Machu Picchu (2400 metres, or 8000 feet) [actually, 1 day trek, night in Aguas Callientes, then 2nd day at Machu Picchu], with train & bus ride back to Cuzco, arriving around 10:30 pm. Stay in Cuzco for 2 nights, then fly back to Lima for 2 nights, then home on a 5 am flight.
So off we went ...
We decided this in October, and that we would travel early to mid-November. Which gave us less than a month to prepare. Vaccines, crash course in Spanish (Duolingo says I'm 61% fluent after 3 weeks), researching what to do and where to go and then booking flights, accomodations, and tours--we somehow managed it all while keeping sane and not panicking.
Final itinerary: Fly direct to Lima from Toronto on a 6 pm flight that landed at 2 am. Hang around the airport until 5:30 am and fly to Cuzco (3400 metres, or 11 150 feet). Transport to hotel to begin acclimatising to the height, stay for 2 nights. Tour by bus to Pisac & Ollantaytambo ruins (2800 metres, or 9200 feet), and stay in Ollantaytambo for 2 nights. Two day trek to Machu Picchu (2400 metres, or 8000 feet) [actually, 1 day trek, night in Aguas Callientes, then 2nd day at Machu Picchu], with train & bus ride back to Cuzco, arriving around 10:30 pm. Stay in Cuzco for 2 nights, then fly back to Lima for 2 nights, then home on a 5 am flight.
So off we went ...
Fountain in Cuzco's Plaza de Armas We arrived in Cuzco somewhat exhausted, though I managed more sleep on the plane than Mike. Interrupted sleep, what with that 2 am landing and layover, but sleep nonetheless. You know that feeling when you realise that the snippet of rest actually made you feel worse because of the interruption, and you just wish you'd stayed awake instead? Yeah ...
Anyway, we got to Cuzco airport around 7 am and ... no transportation waiting for us, despite Mike making arrangements the morning before we left. No problem; lots of taxis. Nice driver, pointed out some of the sights, gave some advice, drove without much regard to lanes, turn signals, or how close the next motorist or motorcyclist drove beside us--in other words, exactly like every other driver in Peru. Somehow it all stays very civil and we saw no accidents (or blood from pedestrians skimming by millimetres from the vehicles). Arrived at our hotel and left our bags while they finished preparing our room (this is 7:30 in the morning, and folks are very accommodating). So many flights in Lima and Cuzco arrive or leave at late/early hours that everyone is used to it and make the best out of it. While we waited, we wandered over to the Plaza de Armas, about a block away. At this point, I can feel the altitude in the form of a slight headache, and shortness of breath, and that's with the medication suggested for altitude sickness. Peruvians have coca tea to help combat this, but our taxi driver pointed out that it also boosts energy, so if we wanted to rest, having a drink of coca tea would not get the job done. At any rate, we had a little sit down in the square, and soon a group of teens approached and wanted to sit with us. After much fumbling with words and gestures, we figured out they wanted a selfie with us. Seemed strange, but what the heck. They got their pictures, thanked us profusely, and went on their way. As this happened again on our second pass through Cuzco, we figured this is either a bizarre high school fetish (get you picture taken with tourists), or some kind of class project.
Anyway, we got to Cuzco airport around 7 am and ... no transportation waiting for us, despite Mike making arrangements the morning before we left. No problem; lots of taxis. Nice driver, pointed out some of the sights, gave some advice, drove without much regard to lanes, turn signals, or how close the next motorist or motorcyclist drove beside us--in other words, exactly like every other driver in Peru. Somehow it all stays very civil and we saw no accidents (or blood from pedestrians skimming by millimetres from the vehicles). Arrived at our hotel and left our bags while they finished preparing our room (this is 7:30 in the morning, and folks are very accommodating). So many flights in Lima and Cuzco arrive or leave at late/early hours that everyone is used to it and make the best out of it. While we waited, we wandered over to the Plaza de Armas, about a block away. At this point, I can feel the altitude in the form of a slight headache, and shortness of breath, and that's with the medication suggested for altitude sickness. Peruvians have coca tea to help combat this, but our taxi driver pointed out that it also boosts energy, so if we wanted to rest, having a drink of coca tea would not get the job done. At any rate, we had a little sit down in the square, and soon a group of teens approached and wanted to sit with us. After much fumbling with words and gestures, we figured out they wanted a selfie with us. Seemed strange, but what the heck. They got their pictures, thanked us profusely, and went on their way. As this happened again on our second pass through Cuzco, we figured this is either a bizarre high school fetish (get you picture taken with tourists), or some kind of class project.
We spent a couple of days in Cuzco, saw a couple of museums, a few churches (no pictures allowed--they all have a lot of niches and gold- or silver-gilded spaces, statuary, stonework, artwork, all in buildings lacking windows so it's a little dark and gloomy, and sometimes rather gaudy), fascinating architecture, tourists, some alpacas led around by traditionally garbed Peruvians, and lots of alpaca sweaters. And, of course, cobbled streets, stairs, and steep hills.
We used Salkantay Tours for our two treks. They picked us up from our hotel in Cuzco and, together with a family of four (parents and 2 grown sons in their early 20s), we headed off on our first trek; Cuzco to Pisac to Ollantaytambo--all part of the Sacred Valley. Both Pisac and Ollantaytambo have Incan ruins and Marco, our guide, provided some fascinating information. The term Inca actually refers to the leader, or king, not to the people, and there were only 11 Incas, the 9th being the most famous, as he initiated the building of Machu Picchu, as well as most of the other sacred sites. Most of the ruins had a spiritual significance to the Inca culture, built high in the mountains to commune more closely with Pachamama (you can loosely think of this goddess as Mother Nature) and Pachapapa (her consort). But the sites also had strategic importance, seeing as the Andeans were a war-like society. These cities both watched the passes heading to Cuzco (the 'navel' of their world, and most important city where the Inca lived), and provided waypoints to those travelling along the many Inca Passes.
The town of Ollantaytambo itself, where we stayed for a couple of nights, has a neat blend of tourist and locals. We saw school kids in their uniforms brushing elbows with backpackers, native speakers (either speaking Spanish or Quechuan, the descendants of the Inca people) conversing with foreigners--Mike found google translate especially helpful in obtaining some take out soup--tourist police and taxi drivers, all getting along. As November is a shoulder season in Peru, the streets aren't as crowded as high season, so the folks trying to entice you in to their restaurants do try to get your attention (though not nearly as aggressively as in Cuzco), but tend to leave you alone when you indicate your disinterest. In Cuzco, you pretty much have to pretend they don't exist in the first place, or every seller follows you around. Ollantaytambo had a more relaxed ambiance. And being lower in altitude, we had no problems with shortness of breath, though the streets are no less steep.
We had an early train to take us toward the start of our Inca Trail hike, though thankfully not as early had we started in Cuzco, as many treks do. Salkantay Tours happily accommodated our to schedule, and while Peru has many tour companies who would likely have done the same accommodations, we had a great experience with Salkantay.
So, on to our day trek and Machu Picchu ...
We had an early train to take us toward the start of our Inca Trail hike, though thankfully not as early had we started in Cuzco, as many treks do. Salkantay Tours happily accommodated our to schedule, and while Peru has many tour companies who would likely have done the same accommodations, we had a great experience with Salkantay.
So, on to our day trek and Machu Picchu ...
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