Peru to Cusco and Sacred Valley


May 24 – During our visit to Peru, we’ve been learning about the Inca history - sometimes referred to as the “lost civilization” because they seemed to have disappeared after only a little more than 300 years of existence. Today we leave Puno and travel on the Andean Explorer rail to Cusco – the ancient capital of the Incas. Our journey of 228 miles will take about 9 hours over beautiful terrain and of course across the Andes. This luxury train provides comfortable seating, breakfast, lunch and high tea. Along the way we are treated to local entertainment, a fashion show and a mixology course to make Pisco sours. Our train travels right through the region’s capital, Juliaca. Stalls have been set up actually on the tracks. As the train slowly makes its way, folks scramble to move aside leaving just enough room for the train to pass. This goes on for miles and miles. Market stalls for every kind of local shopping. People wave to us as we past and seem to make a game of this. The highest elevation during the trip is 14,162’ – where we make a brief stop to change tracks and wait for the train coming from the opposite direction to pass. Guess what we found – shopping. It’s amazing in the middle of nowhere on top of the mountain ladies have set up stalls of local handicrafts. Enroute we will pass through small villages and see dramatic scenery from over the barren mountain range down to the fertile farms along the Vilcanota River into Cusco. By the time we arrive Cusco, one member of our group has taken 1400 pictures of just this day.



May 25 Cusco is 11,000’ but we are now used to the high altitude and get right into our visit of this sacred city thought to be the center of the earth by the Incas. And why not? It’s location between two river valleys with very fertile land provided great resources and protection. Today we see how the Incas were great engineers and architects by visiting two ruins – Sacsayhuaman and Koricancha (the Sun Temple) now the Convent of Santa Domingo. At Sacsayhuaman we see walls built of stones weighing nearly an average of 80 tons (the largest however is 361) each moved from a quarry about 10 miles away. The stones (like most of the Inca’s structures) are so well engineered that even today you cannot get even a piece of paper between the walls. Koricancha monument was one of the most important in the entire empire. They found burnt offerings in thanks to the sun. Smaller rooms were devoted to the moon, stars, lightning and rainbows. This place also served as a solar observatory and mummy storehouse. While there were many gold and silver deities throughout this temple, Inca’s believed the real wealth was in the abundance of food and water.



May 26 – 28

Before getting to Machu Picchu, one must past through the Sacred Valley but better to take a few days to visit. From the snow-capped mountains to the Urubamba River, this was (and still is) perfect climate for agriculture. It was the most populated area by the Incas. The entire Inca civilization covered from Ecuador to the north down to Chile and parts of Columbia and Brazil and grew to about 15 million total. Our visits included the ruins of Pisac Fortress – the largest of Inca fortresses and sits high on top of a hill. Most of their construction is high on the mountains as I will tell you about during the one-day hike on a portion of the Inca trail which brought us into Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate. Pisac is a picturesque Andean village with a lively local market around the main square.

Ollantaytambo – 2600” above sea level – The town is the only one in Peru that conserved it streets of stones with most of the Inca construction still intact. It is an example of how the Incas divided their cities into blocks. It shows 3 specific regions or plan the Incas had for every village – the agricultural is seen by the many many terraces used to grow crops. The 2nd region was urban for daily life of the Incas and the 3rd was for religious ceremonies. Our visit to this fortress continues to show their wonderful architecture skills and planning.



By now our group is ready for the icing on the cake – Machu Picchu. Due to the heavy rains last January, we are taken by bus to a bus depot where we change to a minivan. And when you see the very narrow, dirt road, it’s amazing anything gets through. We arrive Ollanta to board the train to Aqua Calientes and from there yet another bus along the switch back road up – up – up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. But for 4 of us we “jump” the train at marker 104 to begin our one-day hike along the Inca Trail to arrive Machu Picchu high above the site. We carried back packs with water, sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, hat and lunch. They say the first 4 hours is the hardest because it is a lot of up and down on uneven stones directly along the cliff of the mountains with very little cover from the sun. We took lots of rests to view and take pictures. Once in awhile we could see the train tracks – but they looked so small from our vantage. Mid day we arrive to Winayhuayna – an amazing Inca site in the middle of the cloud forest so high ontop of the mountains you can almost touch the sky. This is truly spectacular. Here we stop for lunch and admire the many terraces and rustic dwellings. How did they get all those rocks up so high?? But all too soon we have to continue our journey another 3 hours to reach the Sun Gate. We are now in the forest, cool and lots of plant life. Many wild orchids – we are told there are over 2000 different species of orchids. The walk is hard for me, I will admit it. There were times I wondered what did I get myself into. But there was no turning back – just the vision of looking over Machu Picchu gave me strength to put one foot in front of the other. Until we came to an area – no walking – but climbing. Climbing hand and feet - pulling yourself up higher and higher. Even with lunch gone the pack back seemed so heavy. I was so tired. But we finally made the top – to be told only one more hour to walk. Again the hike goes up and up and up. And finally – you see part of a stone gate and those ontop are giving you support – come up you can make it –this is it – keep climbing. I climbed and climbed and together one of my hiking companions took each other arm and arm to turn the corner. 180 degree view of Machu Picchu in all its glory. I can give you all kinds of words but I will only say that it’s a feeling you get few times in your life.  A feeling of great physical accomplishment because when you start you wonder "will I make it".  You don't let on.  You keep going.  And when you finish and have that feeling, it will live in you forever  – savor it.