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Grand Gate...
Wendy at one of the gates at the Sacred Valley It has been a while since we have updated the blog as we have been in fairly remote places for the last 2 weeks and therefore not had internet access, anyway some catching up to do.
Our second day in Cusco we set out for the Sacred Valley. The valleys star attractions are the lofty Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytamba, which proudly preside over its undulating twists and turns, but the valley is also packed with other Inca sites, as well as bustling Indian markets and charming Andean villages. This proved to be a great build up for a jaunt to the infamous Machu Picchu.
The following day we were due to attempt the 4 day Inca trail to Machu Picchu, however(yes the dreaded however again....), there was a complication with the booking made by our overland company and it was not booked! The problem is that the trail is booked up 3 months in advance and is controlled very stricktly by the powers that be. All was not lost as we were now booked on an alternative trail, The Salkantay nature trail to Machu Picchu.
This fully supported trek close to the shimmiring flanks of
Game of football anyone?
The locals playing thier national pastime against a sacred and very old Inca wall. Salkantay covers a distance of approximately 80 km over 5 days, thats an extra day and double the distance compared to the original Inca trail, aaaagh(we´re suckers for punishment). I should now be telling you how hard it was and how we roughed it but that would not be telling the truth. Although the trekking was fairly strenuous at times the camping was truely 5 star at its best. There was only 4 of us and we had a personal guide, a chef and a horseman to herd the mules that carried all our belongings. Every meal was warm and prepared on the spot, including lunches. That meant in the middle of nowhere the gas stoves would be swiched on, a gourmet meal prepared and the lunch tent pitched so that we could dine is style. In the evenings our tents were pitched for us and in the mornings we were woken with a hot cup of coca tea and a bowl of hot water to freshen ourselves, and to aid the aching bodies of course.
Along the breathtaking route we experienced an impressive sweep of altitudes, from the ice-capped summit of Salkantay at 4,800 metres down through puna
On your marks, get set, go!
The start of our 5 day trek. The snow capped mountain in the backdrop is our first night´s destination - Day 1. grassland and cloud forest to sub-tropical jungle at just 2,000 metres above sea level. The first night we camped under the snow capped peak of the Sulkantay mountain and it was the coldest that we have been since we left the England winter, that was despite sleeping in an all weather sleeping bag with all our thermals on. A picture tells a thousand words! Therefore we have not gone into too much detail about the hike but insead will let the pictures we have posted tell you the story.
The penultimate day of the trek culminated at Aguas Calientes, the village nestled in the deep valley below Machu Picchu ruins. The following and final day would be our chance to see the splendid lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. This is one of the main reasons for visiting South America and was a dream of Wendy´s since she was young. As we arrived earlier than expected and we did not have the opportunity to walk into the lost city from the original and now popular Inca trail we decided to see the sunset over the ruins from a peak in front of the Machu Picchu, Putukusi mountain. The hike
Fresh and ready
Still sunny and fresh, how that would change..... - Day 1. took us around 2 hours, not that the 80km over the four days was not enough! We have never done a trek that is literally straight up, vertically. We climbed many stair-ways (the longest one has 178 steps carved into the rock) and ramps. There was also a steep rustic wooden stairway(ladder) nailed to the rock with a vertical ascent amid cloud forest vegetation and it felt like we were climbing a ladder into oblivian, an adventure not suitable for those who fear hights.
At the top we were rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of the site of Machu Picchu, from the Gate of the Sun on the left to the Huayna Picchu on the right. We stood high above the ruins on the opposite side of the Urubamba River and watched in awe as the sun set on a magical and mysterious place that will remain in our hearts forever.
The next day was truly as spectacular as we now had the chance to set foot on the soil of the lost Inca City.
Machu Picchu was constructed around 1450, at the height of the Inca empire, and was abandoned less than 100 years later,
Coffee anyone?
Rob and Todd(alias brokeback mountain) having a snack before dinner - Day 1. as the empire collapsed under Spanish conquest. Although the citadel is located only about 50 miles from Cusco, the Inca capital, it was never found and destroyed by the Spanish, as were many other Inca sites. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew to enshroud the site, and few knew of its existence. It wasn’t until 1911 that Yale historian and explorer Hiram Bingham brought the “lost” city to the world’s attention.
This is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic ancient sites in the world. Invisible from below and completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs, Machu Picchu seems to have been utilized by the Inca as a secret ceremonial city. the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation. These structures, carved from the gray granite of the mountain top are wonders of both architectural and aesthetic genius.
Our journey to the lost city was spectacular and will remain a fond memory in our hearts for a long time to come! It´s amazing that after seeing it in person it still remains a place of
Ready for bed!
Our first nights camp under the foot of the snow capped mountain, brrrrr - Night 1. grandier and mystery.
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Brian
non-member comment
London
Off to London this evening. Let me know when you are back, I will have my mobile with me. It will be good to catch up. You can do all the story telling and I will fetch the beer. Cheers BC