Cusco and the Salkantay Trip to Machu Picchu

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We arrived in Cusco on the 8th August and the time since has flown, having packed a lot in!
The city itself is the prettiest we have seen on our trip to date, but it is very touristy and I have now lost count of the number of times I have been offered "massaje senorita", and lots of other tourist services to rid us of our precious dollars.

After some lazing, we explored the Inca ruins just outside Cusco - several different sites which you could walk between with a bit of effort. Sacsayhuaman was the last fort of the Incas and is high on the hill - massive stones to keep the Spanish out. We also saw an old hunting fort and some baths.

Due to our inability to book things, we couldn´t get on the infamous Inka trail and so opted instead for the Salkantay trek which turned out to be better suited - 4 nights camping in the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu, using Inca paths, but without the old Inca ruins, through a high mountain pass, without many people around!

After some seemingly obligatory arguments with our chosen trek provider over costs, (who turned out to be very good in the end), we set of at 4:30 a.m. to start at a place called Mollepata. We had two Belgian girls on the trek with us along with our guide, several porters, horseman and Ronny the cook. The first day took us up (and up, and up) through mainly farming land, until we could see views of the Salkantay mountain at our campsite for the night. After a cold night camping, and another early start, we climbed up to the pass (4800m) below the Salkantay itself, before heading down and down and down to our next campsite. The next day the scenery changed completely, walking down a river valley in the scorching heat. Peruvian food took its toll once again, and I spent our third night in the tent with a sick bag for company. Not to be repeated I hope! The 4th day was absolutely boiling and not so good for either of us, but we arrived to Aguas Calientes in the end, ready for one of the most eagerly awaited bits of our trip so far.

We got to Machu Picchu to see the sunrise. It is set in stunning scenery and the ´ruins´do not dissapoint. Our guide told us that 70% is as originally discovered, and you can really see how people could have lived and worked in the city. We had a lazy day, taking in the scenery , until we were disturbed by two Llamas having a fight pretty much on top of us. Andy wasn´t happy with his sleep being disturbed! And that took us to the end of our trip, with a late train, followed by a scary taxi to take us back to Cusco for our adventures deep in the jungle....

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Photos

Sacsayhuaman
The last fort of the Incas

Lunch on the first day of our trek
clearly travelling lightly for our 3 course lunch...

A chilly start..
ice in the river at our campsite

Salkantay Mountain
Brrrrrrr

On the way down
The start of the cloudforest, where the scenery changed completely

orchid
one of the many we saw

crossing the river
we lived to tell the tale

Machu Picchu
the classic postcard view