The Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru: Puno, Cusco, Salkantay Trail and the Putukusi mountain

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Most of you may know that Peru is famous worldwide for the Incas ruins there and have heard about Machu Picchu. Well, if you are waiting for me to tell you the story of me going there, I have to tell you right now that you might be disappointed. I indeed chose to visit this area on an alternative way and I ended up not even visiting the site of the ruins, even though I had an amazing view over them 😉

So, how did I visited this area then ?

After taking a touristic bus from Copacabana to Puno to get there quickly, I was already tired of how very touristy this area is ! A guy indeed got on the bus at the border of Peru and although he did as if he was there to give us advice about Peru and the area, I could tell from the beginning that he had some hidden goals. What his goals were? Well, it was to sell us his hostel in Puno and his boat tour to the sacred islands on Titicaca Lake. He thus asked everyone, what his destination was. Coming near me, he didn’t at first talk to me as he saw I was working on my computer but then he asked me where I was planning to go. I replied « to Puno » and when he was if I had a place to stay, I said « yes, I have my tent 😉

After that first meeting, I unfortunately saw that in every bus in Peru and in Ecuador are coming such people trying to sell us something. Most of them are selling pills or food, which will according to them help people against cancer, diabetes, sexual tribe, … I mean what they are saying at the beginning of their speech is mainly right: eating fried things and meat or to drink Coke everyday isn’t healthy but I am not sure that what they are selling is better. You could think that no one will buy such things in a bus, well you are wrong if you do! They are indeed at least one third of the bus passengers, who will at least buy one of the products! Those sellers are really good, making promotions 3 for 2,…

Then, arriving in the bus terminals of touristic cities like Puno and Cusco, you will be assaulted from the moment of your arrival by people trying to offer you their hostels or taxis…

Anyway, after walking around Puno for a day, which has a nice historical city center, I took a night bus to Cusco.

By the way, if you have to choose a side between Peru and Bolivia to enjoy Titicaca lake, I would say that Bolivia with Copacabana is much better: the view over the Titicaca lake is much better on Bolivian side, more natural with just a small harbor.

Cusco has a very beautiful old historical center and its surrounding mountains are very nice as well!

In Cusco, I ate the typical dish “Caldo”. For me, this same as it is close to the word “cold” means something like a cold dish, but it’s the contrary: it’s a big soup with any pieces of chicken, vegetables, potatoes and you can add some nuts and chili to it. I added some chili like my host did, so I was feeling everything but cold eating it 😉

In Cusco, I did some research and asked around to see which trek I could do by myself without a guide. In the sacred valley, it is indeed not so common to hike without guide/porter and donkeys to carry your bags. There are many people, who are offering you this service in Cusco and even on the trail. The most famous trek there is the Inca trail, but nowadays, you cannot do that trek without having a guide that you should pay 200USD for the whole trek of 4 days… That’s for this reason, that I chose to go trekking on Salkantay trail instead: there I could be by myself and wouldn’t need to pay to be in nature!

So, after taking a good shower and some energy at my host’s place during one day in Cusco, I took off to go trekking. I went to Mollepata -2 hours by minivan-where my hike would start. It’s a small village set at an altitude of 2700m. From there, I was supposed to hike a couple of hours to reach the 1^st campsite Soraypampa for the night but in fact it took me half a day–I would quickly see that the map from the tourist information has very bad information…-. The first part was a bit difficult on that day, as I had to hike from 2700m-high to 3600m-high on 10km the next 9km were flat. The landscape around was however very nice and I met some villagers on the way. I could have a nice view over the valley of Mollepata, where I started my trek and to see the difference of altitude was quite rewarding 😉

On the way, I am 2 Mexicans and 2 French, who were hiking without guide as well. As I stopped to eat, they overpassed me but I met the 2 French guys at the campsite just before sunset. After 5 hours hiking alone in the mountains, I was happy to share an evening chatting with other travelers. I do love hiking alone, as it’s a very way to think but it’s also nice to share some moments like that with others.

The next morning, I started again my trek very early, as I knew it would be a long day and the 1^st part would be the hardest. And it indeed was very hard! I had to hike from 3600m-high to 4800m-high over kilometers. On the way, I met a nice local guide with an English girl but most importantly, I met an amazing Argentinian couple. They were from San Martin de los Andes in the Lake District. I loved that region in Argentina and meeting again some Argentinian people were a delight for me. They are indeed very friendly and open people. As the guy was mountain guide, I followed his hiking rhythm and I felt much better walking slower than I was before, as I wasn’t tiring up myself as quickly as before. On the way, we saw some ruins of houses and the landscape around was amazing! We did a small break there, drinking tea 😊 The last part on that morning was the toughest as we were reaching the 4600m altitude. However, finally, after 4 hours climbing, we arrived there with the snowy capped mountains – that I could see since yesterday late afternoon-. I was exhausted but the feeling of fulfillment was just amazing! I did it and without anyone carrying my 13-kg backpack!! I spent some time relaxing with the Argentinian couple and then told them goodbye as they wanted to go on and as the French guys had just arrived there, I decided to stay there a bit more with them.

The 2^nd part of that day was easier as we were mostly going downhill. I was now trekking with the French guys and we took our lunch break by the river. It was such a nice place. We then continued hiking until the end of the afternoon and found a place to camp in the garden of a woman for 1€/person 😉 But, we got a small adventure while arriving there, as at first the woman had told us to go to the neighbor’s garden to camp but he didn’t agree!! His garden was indeed only for his group of rich tourists, who even had a tent only used as dining room 😉 He couldn’t accept backpackers to stay there with our small tents at the same time… Anyway, we finally camped in her garden. The scenery around was once again amazing and we spent a part of the evening to look at the stars 😊

As we wanted to arrive to Machu Picchu the next day so, by lack of time, we decided to go by car to the hydroelectric station, where the 2-hour trail along the railway to Machu Picchu village was starting.

On the next day, we thus took a car, for which we negotiated the price –even too low for the guy to take us to the hydroelectric station, so he found a way for us to go there in a minivan without more fees- and we went to the start of the 2-hour trail. The scenery on the way there was very nice with the river down and the wild forest around. On the trail as well, the scenery was nice as it was wild forest and following the river. We were however tired, so we were very happy when we finally arrived at Machu Picchu village –called Agua Calientes-. The tiredness and the excess of restaurants and touristic places all around the village made me hate this place and for me, I honestly felt as if I was in Disneyland were everything is fake!

After a good, cheap and not touristic lunch at the local market there, we decided with Jonathan –one of the French guys- to go climb up Putukusi sacred mountain. It had been indeed advised as a free good place to have a view over the ruins without paying the 50€ that I would have to pay to visit Machu Picchu. The climb up there was not easy as the 1^st part is along a very steep cliff and you have to climb with the help of a ladder and the 2^nd part is quite long to arrive at the top of the mountain. But if you think: you indeed need to get very high to get a view over the ruins, otherwise you won’t see anything. Once at the top, we were very satisfied and stayed there for a while sitting and overlooking at the ruins, the cultivated terrace and the mountains.

For the night, we walked back along the railway for 20 minutes to go to a camping there in the middle of the forest. I ordered a well-deserved hot chocolate and then we went to sleep. We were supposed to meet Elyas –the other French guy- there, who had chosen to pay to visit the ruins but he didn’t show up, so we stayed alone there. I would learn some days later that Elyas was waiting for us in another camping at the entrance of Machu Picchu…

On the next day, I waited for a while to see if Elyas would come early and we could all leave together back to Cusco, but he didn’t, so I went back to the hydroelectric station by myself. After a good day sleep and knowing, I had only to hike for an hour today, the hike along the railway was nicer than the day before. There, I met a big group of other French people, travelling all together in South America, with whom I shared the afternoon, while going back to Cusco on multiple minibuses.

I was tired but I was very happy to have done this amazing trek and to have seen Machu Picchu! The way back to Cusco was very nice as well, with nice small villages in the valley. I wished I had more time to stay there, but I had to go now to the North of Peru where I would work in a coffee plantation. The ride there was quite an adventure but I will talk about it in my next post 😉

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Photos

Puno's harbor on Titicaca lake
Big difference with quiet Copacabana's side of the lake

Finally arrived at the top
With the Argentinian couple

The very steep ladder
I am afraid of heights, but I had to climb up to get the view over Machu Picchu so I did it.