A 7-day adventure by S Read more
  • 20footprints
  • 2countries
  • 7days
  • 99photos
  • 0videos
  • 2.1kkilometers
  • 2.0kkilometers
  • Day 1

    An amazing day in Columbia!

    April 5, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌙 3 °C

    Another country to tick off...as long as we're prepared to count a three hour stop in the airport before our connecting flight. Our 11 hour flight from Heathrow to Bogota was brilliant - salmon for dinner, poached eggs for breakfast, and Megamind on the in-flight movie choice: Avianca come highly recommended. And now, we get to wait for our connection in peace...!Read more

  • Day 1

    Into Cusco

    April 5, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We were fed again on our three hour hop from Bogota to Cuzco...Avianca are great. The pilot also pointed out the Amazon river as we flew over it which was quite exciting.

    Arrival at Cuzco airport was probably amongst the least efficient we have experienced. Everyone was pleasant it just took a huge amount of time to do, with lots of people having to recomplete landing forms (although why is beyond me - they weren't difficult). Once through, and a thorough questioning from customs, we picked up our hotel transfer.

    The drive through Cusco was not disimilar to that of some south east Asian countries we've visited - a mix of hodge-podge electrics, honking traffic and unfinished buildings coupled with creeping development. After a quick shower at the hotel however, the main square showed a different face of Cusco - serene, maintained and historic. The beautiful 17th C churches surround the square along with countless small cafes and restaurants, where even the McDonald's and KFC are forced to blend in.
    Read more

  • Day 1

    Accidental art connoisseurs...

    April 5, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    We returned to the hotel for some munchies and a nap in the mid-afternoon. This was particularly well timed - as we stepped through the hotel door, the heavens opened. I was acutely aware that even just lay on the bed my Fitbit was showing my heart rate as outrageously and unusually high, likely as a response to Cusco lying 10,000 ft above sea level.

    As darkness fell, we pottered out to see the Plaza de Armas again. It was notably colder this evening, especially after the rain. Fortuitously, we found that all the churches in the square were freely open this evening, so we enjoyed seeing the Catedral and Iglesia de is Compania de Jesus and their golden interiors glittering in the night. We found a spot on the Plaza Cafe balcony to people watch and enjoy the local Coco tea, which supposedly also helps with the altitude. It also made a pleasant break from being encouraged in to restaurants or being sold hats, jumpers or paintings by street vendors.

    En route back to the hotel, we stopped in Plaza Regocijo. The Palacio Municipal was opened so we ducked inside to see what was about, and happened upon the opening night of a contemporary art exhibition, which we promptly gatecrashed; it was actually rather good. Over the road was the Chocolate Museum and we grabbed a flier for their chocolate workshop as we passed...that's tomorrow sorted!
    Read more

  • Day 2

    Chocolate-filled Peru

    April 6, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Between jet lag, a 24-hour journey, and the altitude, we had planned a lie in today. Whilst our hotel is lovely, the walls are rather thin and someone clearly had big plans for their day having set their alarm for 5am, waking up the whole floor. Nonetheless, we emerged for breakfast about 8.30am before heading into the historic centre.

    First stop, after a few navigational errors, was the Qorikancha - once the richest temple in the Inca empire. It's 'golden courtyard' was once covered in hundreds of kilos of gold before It was sacked by the Spanish. It was a beautiful enclosed courtyard with examples of Inca architecture and lots of religious art and history, some dating back to the 15th C.

    The Choco Museo made for a distracting two hour detour, taking part in the beans to bars workshop. We learnt about the history of the cacao bean in Peru and the process of making chocolate, both Mayan and European, before getting messy and making our own. Mayan chocolate apparently was made of cacao, honey, chilli and blood, the latter of which Ben unwittingly volunteered to provide. Despite the picture, Ben's contribution was mericfully not actually needed...although I think he was momentarily concerned when our teacher returned with a big knife and a bigger grin! A brilliant class with our own chocolates to take away and a wonderfully knowledgable and engaging teacher. Whilst my chocolates were made of more traditional ingredients, Ben added everything on offer to his including cacao leaves, quinoa, and some powdered potato-type-thing.

    We stayed for "lunch" (chocolate cake and cacao tea) at the museo, sitting on the balcony and watching a strike of construction workers at the Palacio Municipal, for which armed riot police were out in force.

    The chocolates had to set for an hour before collection so we wandered to the Natural History Museum in the interim...which in reality is two rooms filled with an assortment of taxidermied animals of varying quality. It was actually an entertaining diversion for 3 Soles (75p) with weirdly preseved specimens such as a two-headed dog and conjoined baby goats.

    Having collected our chocolate goodies, we returned to the hotel for brief respite, before oue meeting with our G Adventures guide at 3.30pm.
    Read more

  • Day 2

    Dinner at La Valeriana

    April 6, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    After meeting our tour group, we walked to the G Adventures office and briefed on the coming days, which was all very exciting. We were issued with duffle bags in which we are allowed just 6kg to take with us which must include our sleeping bag and roll mat. Thankfully, these kit bags will be carried for us on the hike!

    Afterwards, in the Plaza de Armes, we were treated to a display of local dancing. It appeared to be a rehearsal of some kind but nonetheless impressive. Some of the costumes were beautifully coloured and set against the brooding sky and impressive historic buildings, it made for a brilliant occasion.

    To round off the busy day, we headed to La Valeriana, a fairly European style coffee house. The kind and friendly waitress attempted to school my pronunciation of the Peruvian empanadas that we order, alas somewhat in vain. We tried the lomo saltado (salted beef) and aji de galliano (spicy chicken empanadas) along with an - almost expected by now - cacao tea. The ambience and lovely food was a relaxing end to the day, and we headed, somewhat lethargically, back to the hotel to prepare for the trek ahead.
    Read more

  • Day 3

    What we discovered this morning...

    April 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    ...is that a 6kg duffle bag which is to contain your sleeping bag, roll mat, pillow, clothes, towel, and sandals is more of an ask than we envisaged. After several weigh-ins we finally cracked it - it was disappointingly hard given that our hold bags on the way out only weighed 10kg. Off now to Pisac ruins and towards Ollantaytembo for our final night in a hotel before the trek.Read more

  • Day 3

    Pisaq and the Sacred Valley

    April 7, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We started out at 7am heading higher still to 3500m and the statue of the white Jesus. This 8 and a half metre replica of the one in Brazil overlooks the city and makes for a good photo opportunity.

    Back on the bus and towards a Planeterra stop - a women's weaving cooperative supported by G Adventures. Here the women spin, dye and weave using entirely natural ingredients whilst their husbands are porters on the Inca Trail. We were greeted with a hug from one of these ladies in traditional dress, although the baby llama somewhat monopolised everyone's attention! After (another) cup of coco tea, we departed for the Pisaq ruins.

    En route, we stopped at briefly to look over the whole of the Incan Sacred Valley. The view was absolutely spectacular.

    Part of the Sacred Valley, Pisaq was an Incan citadel where some of the first experiments were done with agricultural terracing. Designated a UNESCO site in the 1980s, it's terraces remain well preserved and very impressive, especially at the altitude. We climbed up to the top of the fort section which afforded an amazing view but also provided an insight into the nature of the trek to come - slow and steady will be the order of the day if we are to survive the coming days.

    Additional: one hour of sun at altitude = sun burn. Bugger.
    Read more

  • Day 4

    Km82

    April 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    At Ollantaytambo this morning, the weather looked promising if overcast. Sadly, an hour's drive later the heavens had opened.

    We arrived at KM82, the start of the Inca Trail in the rain so we donned our ponchos and headed to the checkpoint at the start. Despite the rain, it wasn't cold, so our initial ascent simply became very muddy.

    The weather did little to detract from the view either, with craggy lush green mountains in every direction. We set off, damp but enthusiastic.
    Read more

  • Day 4

    Our 3rd stop after the 3rd hill...

    April 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    So the day began with a bit of a hill followed by a flat-ish, undulating trail. Sadly, that was not to last. There big hills and three pit stops later, we reached the high point before lunch.

    The ascents themselves are challenging enough, though not unreasonable. But the altitude simply takes your breath, meaning even at a slow pace these hills require what our guide would call PMA - positive mental attitude.

    Nonetheless the views at the top and the sense of achievement make it thoroughly worthwhile.
    Read more

  • Day 4

    Lunch stop (day 1)

    April 8, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Just before lunch we stopped to see out first ruin: from high above it we could see the signature terraces as well as the watchtower overlooking them.

    From here, the descent was steep to lunch...seemingly counterproductive given the effort of the morning's climb. The arrival at lunch was, however, phenomenal. Our group is 13 people, for which we have a team of 22 porters and 2 guides. The porters ran - literally ran - ahead of us, each carrying around 25kg. This includes our own duffle bags, as well as group kit. For lunch, they had a full military operation - a dining tent laid out with tableclothed tables and cutlery over which they served us an amazing three course meal.

    Mercifully, while all this was going on, the rain broke and we emerged from lunch rather heavier but drier, and ready to tackle an apparently more challenging afternoon.
    Read more