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Starting this new adventure, my expectations were low at first and quickly changed get to Peru. Today we know the beautiful Inca city of Cusco.
Being from Ecuador, a sister country, I had the impression that Peru was going to be a country very similar to mine and that the planned attractions were going to be very similar to the ones I had already visited in Ecuador… I did not know that at get to Cuzco all this was going to change.
Post written by Sil
Instagram: @smc_sock
With photos by Sil and Nicolás
Other post by Sil:
- Traveling by land in Ecuador? This is what you need to know.
- Polylepis Lodge Experience.
- The magical city of Cusco.
Arrival to Cuzco
We arrived at a modest and small airport, when removing the suitcases will not be more than 7 meters walking to the exit where heading through the pedestrian corridor they intercepted us 5 people operating taxis. As a travel recommendation, we had an idea that there was a bit of bargaining to be had with each price and that the taxi to our B&B was approximately 10 soles. A taxi driver tells us that he offers us for 20 soles, so we told him what we were willing to pay and Don Freddy appeared (you can contact him on whatsapp +51-974-545-157), a man in a taxi who offers us to take a tour of 12 soles.
the journey was medium, not very long, in a city where it has its desert parts, and its urban contrasts. Several small businesses and restaurants, so light traffic and you feel a peace. That peace that is not totally of the people, but it's not city stress either. Upon reaching the street of our B&B several stairs are presented, and we know that we have to climb all that to arrive, that is very typical of houses built in the colonial style. to finally enter, we find a typical house, very cute, where in the center there is a cafeteria and at the entrance there are two doors where we would be staying. Not realizing the check in time we were very early, so they help us by keeping our suitcases locked up so we can start our tour of the city.
You can see this lodging here: https://www.airbnb.com.ec/rooms/23436474
First day: Cusco
After descending all those stands again, we started to go to the center of Cusco, through narrow streets, high walls and stone alleys that immediately begin to transport you back in time. The closer we got, each alley began to get more crowded, with tourists everywhere, and with street vendors offering everything from plastic toys for children, even a Peruvian woman in her typical costume with a baby alpaca for a unique photo. Suddenly, when leaving one of the alleys the center of the city opens up in the background, with its majestic cathedrals and a crowded square. We had arrived in the celebration of Corpus Christi, a catholic celebration, in which several religious acts of Cusco took place right in the central square.
Approaching to take photos, a tour salesman approached us to ask if we wanted to take the bus tour of the city, once the price has been negotiated, He told us where to go to continue with the tour. We were a group of approx. 10 tourists, among Chileans, Mexicans and Colombians, and our tour leader a girl who explained the history of the central cathedral.
Then we walked to the Qoricancha temple and finally he took us to the tour bus. The bus began to go through the main streets of the city, where the universities were observed, roundabouts and colorful sculptures until we start to leave the city. we ascended, along a small road where the desert landscape deepened until passing through a ruin and seeing agricultural fields.
Our first stop was a country house converted into a local dining room where they offered corn with cheese. (the corn kernels, almost a centimeter each, the biggest i've ever seen) and a fresh cheese with a slightly rubbery texture and very good flavor. There they introduced us to a shaman, who invoked the spirits of nature to make us clean and attract fortune in love, work and money. The surrounding landscape, it was impressive, many green mountains, but in the background always the mountain range with its snow peaks.
when returning, we pass through the Jesus who takes care of the city of Cusco, with the explanation that it was a gift from the Palestinian community to the city. It is a viewpoint to appreciate the surrounding green area.
Upon returning to the city many local people were gathered in the central square, where the Corpus Christi celebrations continued, since tradition dictates that the saints of all the town have to meet in the main square, a colorful celebration, village bands and all Cusqueños gathered for this celebration.
When deciding where to dine, Cusco has large and small restaurants for all tastes and pockets.. We wanted to go to one that Peruvian friends had recommended to us and when it was already closing, he recommended that we go to another, called mouth. The place is very nice, wooden details and amazing customer service. Since we are what is known as "foodies" we wanted to order the typical food of Peru and we ventured with a huancaína chicken and an alpaca burger (don't hate us, we just wanted to try).
Back to the hotel, a beautiful room awaited us, a small living room with a sofa and a closet, and a room with a large bed and a private bathroom and a welcome coca tea. The owner of the place always asked us what time we were going to leave the next day, to be able to leave us breakfast in a kraft paper bag.
Cusco, second day: INCA RAIL TRAIN – HOT WATERS
Height
3.339 meters
Equipment
Comfortable clothes, easy-to-stow lightweight jacket, flexible hiking pants, shoes for trekking, hat and sunglasses, sunscreen, toilet paper, coca leaves or candies (optional), money, and small bottle of water and passport.
Approximate time
3 hours by bus, 5 hours to and from the mountain
Most of the excursions that are outside of Cusco start early in the morning, Don Freddy and his taxi, they waited for us at 4 am on the street to move around 45 mins to a city near the Poroy train station. The station was already full with several tourists who were also going to Aguas Calientes.
When boarding the train, we realized that we will travel in what Inca Rail calls the panoramic train, It has windows on the roof where you can appreciate the mountainous landscapes of the first leg..
After an hour of travel, hubo un “servicio a bordo” donde era un desayuno con un muffin, café, tea or water in the middle of beautiful landscapes of the mountains.
The tour continued for about another hour., when there was another service on board, this time with cookies, nuts and the same selection of drinks offered above.
Almost at the arrival of the third hour, the train stops at a dam, where you can already hear that we are minutes away from arriving at the Aguas Calientes station.
hot waters
Leaving the train station, there is a craft market on the outskirts, and descending and crossing one of the bridges that connect to the city, there is a small wooden stall where bus tickets to Macchu Picchu are sold. The ticket costs approx. $25 Dollars, and there are several buses that leave as soon as one shows the entrance to the park (which can also be bought there) and the bus ticket. The tour takes more or less 20 minutes and it is a dizzying climb of at least 12 sharp turns.
Arriving, there is a huge entrance where several guides offer their services and it is the final entrance to Macchu Picchu. All the land is dirt and grass, It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and a desire to go up and down steps. the place is awesome, from the beginning we knew it would take us at least 3 hours to go through everything below, there is a section at the top that you have to pay an extra to ascend.
the weather was perfect, neither so hot nor so cold that we decided to first go for photos in the middle part where various angles are taken to be able to see the majesty of the ruins in all their glory.
then we descended, and it was passages of what used to be houses and rooms. It is an impressive construction, one cannot think that at the top of the mountain and without current technology they have built such a complex of terraces., houses and communal areas so long ago and in such detail.
The most beautiful, It is when between the ups and downs one meets the typical animals of that area, the alpacas that are very friendly with the public and some even ask visitors for caresses.
The ruins are a set of several rooms, where do you see your gutters, with its green areas and windows towards a beautiful setting with mountains and in the background of snow-capped mountains.
At the exit of the visit, there is a simple roof with a table, where you can put the Macchu Picchu visit stamp in your passport, a very original memory.
When going down again to Aguas Calientes, we visited the central square, where the atmosphere is to be lost in the middle of the mountains, small restaurants, small shops, a church and a monument of welcome to Macchu Picchu, by the Inca who made the construction Pachacútec.
Our train was leaving back at 2:30 when, se anuncia en la pequeña estación de tren que hubo un descarrilamiento así que no se sabía a qué hora sería el próximo tren y lo tomamos con tranquilidad hasta que llegue… así que con una mesa y una Cusqueña esperamos pacientemente por 4 horas…
upon return, our train took 3 hours more, so Don Freddy waited for us until almost 10pm to return us for two more hours back to Cusco and help us book the next tour to the rainbow mountain the next day.
Cusco, third day: MOUNTAIN OF COLORS
Height
5.200 meters
Equipment
Warm clothing, thick jacket, thick sweater/jacket, hiking pants (if it is impossible waterproof), double pair of tights, shoes for trekking, winter hat and gloves, Sunglasses, sunscreen, toilet paper, coca leaves or candies, money, and small bottle of water (if possible a change of pants).
Approximate time
3 hours by bus, 5 hours to and from the mountain
Once again we were out on the street ready at 4am to board the bus that would take us to the rainbow mountain., in a trip of approx. 3 hours. Once again amazing customer service, They did not provide blankets to sleep during the trip.
waking up, we arrived at a house in the middle of the mountains, but this time the mountains were red, yellow with snow-capped peaks. They had sold us a walking tour of 2 hours, However, an experienced mountain guide would confess to us that it took two to three ascents where we will reach 5,200m in height. After a delicious breakfast rich in calories that would help with the ascents, the bus took us 15 minutes more inside the mountain to start our excursion.
The first is a flat trekking, The landscape is appreciated a lot and the colors of the surrounding mountains can be seen, You pass through the main entrance and through the only bathroom in the entire walk, which are four improvised wooden doors., and a hole in the ground.
Next is a climb, that has more or less a duration of 20 minutes, and it is there where the altitude begins to affect and the coca leaves have been useful, that as a clarification it is something natural, nothing processed, It is not hallucinogenic and helps a lot to give energy to the body.
on the second climb, obviously the height affects much more, You are beginning to see the people left behind, especially those who live at sea level and are not used to these heights, It must be emphasized that the less height, oxygen molecules are more spread out, making it harder to breathe. It's always good to take breaks, even for short periods of time to give the heart a little rest.
on the last climb, it began to snow, It was a fine but extensive snow and it was not possible to see the surroundings very well, and the red and yellow colors of the mountain were quickly turning all white. One of our guides advised us not to attempt the next ascent (and we weren't going to follow it either due to exhaustion) so there is a man selling food out there in the open.
Decidimos comer lo que él llamaba “Chicharrón con papas” envés de trucha frita con un café, since the cold is windy and wet from the snow. It really was one of the best decisions to recover the strength and energy we needed for the return.
Coming back, the descents did become slippery due to the snow, which stopped, but on his return there was more wind, colder and less visibility. The snow was falling in love with our backpack, in our shoes and in our pants, so all the exposed clothes were wet (it depends a lot on the season, but the locals indicate that it is not known when it may snow, it's unpredictable weather).
Maybe we can't see as much of the colors of the mountain, we didn't even reach the top, but also from the beginning of the walk the natural scenes are impressive, y yo quede satisfecha… no se diga de la nieve… amo la nieve …
returning to the bus, we were all wet, some more than others and that is where the extra change helps. We stopped again at the same house where we had breakfast for a typical lunch of the land, delicious and organic food harvested and prepared by the locals, and then take the bus once more 3 hours back to Cusco.
The arrival in Cusco was approximately at 7:40 pm where we went to visit the craft market of the city, a place with many colors and perfect for buying souvenirs and home accessories.
Right across one of the main streets, there was a parade of several boys and girls dressed in typical and colorful clothing who danced to the rhythm of the bands that followed them. an unexpected show, causing a bit of havoc in traffic but no one seemed to be bothered.
At dinner's time, We decided to go for something typical and we arrived at the Pisco Museum, and cozy place with wooden tables and Peruvian customer service. Pisco is served in various ways, with fruits, with other liquors, con chicha morada… las opciones son interminables. What's more, there is a food menu, in which we decided on the chopped that were exquisite.
Fourth day: LIMA
Returning to Ecuador, we had 8 hours in Lima, where we take the opportunity to take the Lima Airport Express and go to the Miraflores neighborhood. Lima tends to be cloudy, and apparently we arrived in winter. Miraflores, It is modern with stunning buildings a large park overlooking the sea.
We had breakfast, in a restaurant overlooking the sea to continue our walking tour of the area, donde llegamos de casualidad a un parque donde había ¡Gatos! Cats everywhere, of all colors and sizes, the poor had been abandoned in the park or arrived there from the streets of the city.
It's a good time to take a break, sit on the floor and relieve stress by petting these little animals. In the middle of the park there was a kiosk where you could donate money to buy food and maintain these little animals..
Following through the streets, great churches were seen, large squares and shopping centers of well-known brands such as Ripley, Falabella or Cencosud supermarkets. Likewise, US brands like Banana Republic, Victoria’s Secret, GAP, and many more in this same area.
It was a voyage of discovery, and of surprises, of rich and unusual food in which we stay to learn even more about what this area of Peru can offer. I hope in the future to be able to return to complete all the pending visits.
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