Peru – Maldo Travels

Puno – Peruvian Lake Titicaca

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 21:07:00 +0000

We bought a tour to visit the man-made Uros Islands and Taquile Island the day before. It’s a fairly early start with the tour agency’s minivan picking us up from our hotel at around 7 AM. Once everyone has been picked up, we were dropped off at the pier where the guide was waiting for us. We then boarded a speedboat and were off to the man-made floating islands of Uros. It’s a short 30-minute journey to these islands which are located 7 KM from Puno. We were allowed to head up to the roof of the boat to take pictures throughout the journey. Once at Uros, there are over 90 floating islands and we got off at one called Apu Kontiki. We were welcomed by the community who lived on that island who invited us to sit in the communal area. The guide then gives us some information on the schedule and overview of Uros. He mentions that it takes between 8 and 12 months to build an island and they have a lifetime of about 25 years.

The guide then lets the president (leader) of the island introduce himself in the Aymara language. The guide then tells us that 5 families live on the island totaling 20 people. Next, we’re told about how the islands are made from a combination of soil, roots, and leaves of the Lake Titicaca vegetation. The guide mentions that they eat the white part of the leaves and passed some around for us to try. These leaves are also used to build the houses and in their arts and crafts. They source the soil and roots 8 km from Uros between January and March when the soil naturally floats from the seasonal rise in water levels. The president then does a demonstration of how they cut and tie the soil blocks together. He then places layers of leaves on top and says they build the houses from dry leaves. The president then talks about the boats they have and mentions the larger one is for the tour groups. For food, they mainly fish or hunt birds. Legally, only they are allowed to consume the wildlife in Lake Titicaca. They then rely on money from tourism to buy food in the markets. Next, we are invited to visit the inside of one of the houses and walk around the island before heading to the capital island. The president offers to take you there on their larger tour boat, however, it’s not included in the tour so make sure you take some cash (5 PEN¹ each) if you’d like to take this boat. At the capital island, there is a viewpoint tower and also a Uros stamp which you can put on your passport. There’s also a stall to buy drinks and snacks before heading to Taquile.

The boat from Uros to Taquile takes 1 hour on the speedboat and we reached the island at around 11 AM. On the bigger boats, it takes up to 3 hours so make sure you ask what type of boat you’ll get before buying a tour. From the pier, we walk up to the main plaza for 30-45 minutes. It’s an uphill walk at over 4000 meters above sea level, so the guide sets meeting points to take breaks. We reached the main plaza at around noon and there happened to be a parade on that day. We were given about 30 minutes to wander around, so we found a way to get onto the roof of one of the buildings to look at the parade from there. There are also shops and street vendors selling drinks and snacks.

Once the group met up again, the guide took us to the lunch stop at one of the local restaurants. They took our orders and while we waited, the locals there gave a demonstration of how the men knit their hats. They said they are taught from very young and they knit it so tightly, that the hat has to be watertight. They first showed us how they wash the materials using a local plant. Everyone was in awe at how the wool went from a muddy brownish color to white in their process. They then show us how they add color and knit the hats. This is then followed by a dance demonstration and singing. They even invited people up to dance with them. With the pre-lunch entertainment over, the food arrived. After lunch, we walked another 20 minutes downhill to another pier which wasn’t as tiring as the way up. Our boat arrived at around 2.30 PM to pick us up and take us back to Puno. It took about an hour and a half to get back to Puno. The minivan was there waiting for us to take us back to the city center, however, we opted to stay at the pier to browse the local stalls. It’s only a 15-20 minute walk back to the city center from the pier.

Puno – Lakeside City and Ruins

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 21:35:11 +0000

The Puno Terminal is next to the lake and about a 20-minute walk to the city center or a 5-minute taxi ride. Since it was early around 8 AM and we were tired, we decided to take a taxi to our hotel in the city center for 4 PEN¹. When we reached the hotel, we were told our room wasn’t ready yet, so we left our bags there and went for a walk. There are several restaurants and cafes around the Plaza de Armas and Pino Park. We grabbed some breakfast there and then walked to the terminal to buy tickets for our next destination – Copacabana. Next, we walked up to the pier but all the stalls here were still closed so we walked back to the city center. On the way back we came across a street market selling foods and all kinds of merchandise. There’s also a small shopping mall with a cinema near Pino Park. For tours, the Plaza de Armas and Pino Park have several agencies in the area. We opted to do an afternoon tour of Sillustani (33 PEN) later that day and then a full-day tour of Uros and Taquile Islands (55 PEN) in Titicaca the following day.

Sillustani

The tour bus left at 2 PM near the tour agency’s office around the Plaza de Armas. We stopped at a viewpoint about 15 minutes into the journey. It’s a great viewpoint where you get a panoramic view of Puno and Lake Titicaca. It was a quick 10-minute stop here before continuing to Sillustani for another 30 minutes. Once at the site, the park officials check the tickets which the guide takes care of. From the parking lot to the site entrance, there are several arts and craft stalls set up by the locals. The guide told us not to stop there yet and we’ll have time at the end of the tour to browse through the stalls. It’s a short 5-minute walk to the site, but Sillustani is at over 3800 meters above sea level, so it can be tiring if you’re not used to the altitude.

Once at the site, the guide takes you around giving information on the ruins. There are several circular towers believed to have been tombs for the elite of the pre-Incan Qulla people. The height of the towers varies as well as how they have been built. After the Inca conquered the region, they continued building these towers so you can witness the mastery of their precisely fitted stonework in contrast to the older smaller towers. The site is quite open without many restrictions for you to roam around after the guide finishes his talk. With the site being on a peninsula in Lake Umayo, you can get some great views of the lake. Before the sun starts to set, we start making our way back to the bus at around 4.30 PM. On the way back we had time to check out the merchandise at the stalls. It was then about a 45-minute drive back Puno where everyone was dropped off near the Plaza de Armas.

Arequipa – White Water Rafting

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 21:18:00 +0000

There are several time slots available to go rafting in Arequipa. We went for the midday time slot since we arrived the previous evening from the 2-day Colca Canyon tour. The rafting tour cost 60 PEN¹ each and included all equipment rental. The only additional cost was for the pictures taken by a professional photographer which came to 30 PEN for our group of 3. The photographer drives ahead and captures action shots with a DSLR camera so it was worth getting the pictures.

For the midday tour, the meeting point was at the tour agency’s office at the Plaza de Armas. It was then a quick 30-40 minute drive to the equipment rental location. Equipment includes a wet suit, water shoes, life jacket, and helmet. A thing to note is that if you have a GoPro, be one of the first ones to get a helmet since there’s like 1 or 2 that have the attachment. There’s a male and female changing area and once everyone was ready, we headed to the River Chill. It was another short 30-minute drive to the river where the boats were being set up for us. We were split up into groups with the smallest being 2 people and the largest being 4 people. Each group had a guide and they went over the instructions before setting out. There are several calm spots in between the fast-moving currents of the river. We stopped at the river bank for a break halfway through. In total, we were in the river for about 45 minutes and it was great fun. When we reached the end, we got changed behind the minibus and then made our way back to the city.

Arequipa – Colca Canyon

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 23:20:00 +0000

Following our adventure-filled stay at Cusco, we took an overnight bus to Arequipa which departed at 8.30 PM and arrived around 7 AM. Tickets for the more comfortable VIP seat that reclines further back cost 60 PEN¹ each. The Cusco terminal also has a usage fee of 1.40 PEN. If you take a taxi/Uber² to the terminal, then the taxi entrance fee is 1.30 PEN. It’s a fairly smooth ride to Arequipa and we were able to get some sleep overnight. Our hotel in Arequipa was next to the Santa Catalina Monastery. We took a 15 minute Uber from the bus terminal which cost 10 PEN.

The City and Finding Tours

Our room wasn’t ready so we dropped off our bags at the hotel and then went to the Plaza de Armas to look for tours. A visit to the Colca Canyon was a must for us and we were presented with several options. A 1-day, 2-day or 3-day tour. The 1-day tour seemed too rushed and the 3-day tour looked great, but we wanted to leave our third day in Arequipa for another activity. So we went for the 2-day tour with a trekking option. For our third day, we decided to do a rafting tour. Once we reserved the tours, we went for a walk around the city and found the central market so we had some lunch there. We then went to the Aventura Mall to grab some snacks and water for the 2-day Colca Canyon tour. At around 3 PM, we headed back to the hotel to get our room. We got some rest before heading out for a quick walk in the evening. Since we were going to be picked up around 3 AM the next day, we went to bed early to rest up before the trek. The city of Arequipa is quite small and beautiful. It also has quite a good nightlife which we explored when we returned from the Colca Canyon tour.

Colca Canyon - Day 1

We were picked up from our hotel at around 3 AM. The tour bus then made stops at other hotels to pick up other people before making our way to the Colca Canyon. We stopped at a small town for breakfast around 8 AM and reached the viewpoint at Cruz del Condor at around 9.30 AM. At this viewpoint, you get the chance to see some Andean condors in flight. You’ll need a camera with a telephoto lens zoom to get a good close up picture. If you don’t get lucky enough to catch some condors, the viewpoint offers great landscape views of the canyon. After about 30 minutes at the viewpoint, the tour bus then takes us to the starting point of the trek which is about a 20-minute drive from the viewpoint. Day 1 of the trek is pretty straightforward since its all downhill. In total it’s about 3-hours 30-minutes of trekking and everyone walks together with the guide in front. The guide breaks the walks up into 20-30 minutes each and gives info on the canyon and vegetation in the breaks. At around 1 PM, we made a stop for lunch.

The lunch spot is shortly after reaching the bottom of the canyon and crossing the river. We had about 1-hour 30-minutes for lunch before continuing to the oasis lodge. In this last leg of the trek, there is a small stall where you can buy snacks and water. At the end of the trek, you cross the river again and the oasis lodge is a short walk from there. We reached the lodge at around 4.30 PM. Rooms were allocated based on the groups we came in. If you came solo, they’ll pair you up with another solo traveler. The guide then tells us dinner will be served at 6 PM so until then, we have time to shower, rest, and use the pool. The rooms were quite basic and there is no power socket, so make sure you take a portable charger. There are 2 showers and these are shared by everyone so we took a shower before resting or heading to the pool. Also, there are no lights in the showers, so take a flashlight. The pool has a bar and some seating area. The water was a little chilly so we didn’t get in and just rested by the pool for a bit. At 6 PM we then moved to the dining area for dinner. After dinner, the guide gave us instructions for the next day to be ready at 5 AM to begin the trek up the canyon. He said some flashlights were available but we could also use our phones. He also mentioned that this trek was a lot more difficult, and if you’re worried you can’t make it up, you could hire a mule. After the talk, you can head for bed or stay until around 8-9 PM in the dining area which had lights. We stuck around and played some card games with other travelers. Once the lights were out, we then went to bed to rest up for the early morning trek.

Colca Canyon - Day 2

It was quite a chilly night at the lodge and we were up at around 4.30 AM to get ready to leave at 5 AM. We waited at the meeting point for about 10 minutes for everyone to turn up. The guide said it would take about 3 hours to trek up and for this one, we could go at our own pace since there is only one route and can’t get lost. The trek up starts at around 2100 meters ending at 3200 meters and is exhausting. It’s quite cold in the early hours but as the sun comes out, it starts to get hot. The sun comes up at around 6 AM and you get great views of the canyon at sunrise. Once at the top, there’s an area to rest and sit under some shade. We waited for about 20-30 minutes for the rest of the group to arrive. Next, it’s a short 20-minute walk to the town of Cabanaconde for breakfast. Along the way, we come across a viewpoint for some pre-Inca terraces.

Once we’re done with breakfast, the tour bus then takes us to the hot springs near the town of Yanque. Entrance to the hot springs costs 15 PEN. This is optional though and you can choose to chill by the river. The river water is freezing whilst the water in the thermal baths can reach 38 degrees. From the thermal baths, there’s access to the river for people to jump in after getting out of the hot springs. We’re given about an hour here before heading for lunch in Chivay where we’re taken to a buffet-style restaurant. This is optional and you can choose to go elsewhere. The buffet cost 30 PEN each and was very good. Next, we begin the journey back to Arequipa and make a stop at the viewpoint ‘Mirador de Los Andes‘. This is a viewpoint of all the surrounding mountains and volcanos. You can also take a picture with llamas/alpacas that the locals bring here. We arrived back at Arequipa at around 5 PM and the tour bus leaves everyone at their hotels or the Plaza de Armas.

Cusco – Hike Up To Rainbow Mountain

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 09 Sep 2018 20:22:00 +0000

It’s a very early start at 4 AM for this tour and the tour minibus picked us up from our hostel at around 4.15 AM. Having returned from Machu Picchu the previous evening, we were exhausted and dozed off for the entire 2-hour drive to the rest stop. The stop was a family home that had been re-purposed to host tours stopping for breakfast and lunch. We had to wait a couple of minutes for our table to be cleaned and prepped from the previous tourists who had just finished. Once seated, we were served a buffet-style breakfast between our group of about 20 people. It’s quite cold in these early hours so make sure you take warm clothing. At this stop, we’re at a similar altitude to Cusco so walking can be a bit tiring. The hike starts at 4850 meters above sea level so you can imagine how tiring walking will be. The stop had coca leaves to make tea which is known to help alleviate the effects of high altitude. I’d advise drinking coca leaf tea and potentially taking some leaves to chew on the hike.

Once the group was done with breakfast, we headed back to the minibus for the next 1-hour 30-minute ride to the starting point for the hike. We reached the parking lot just before 9 AM. The guide then gave a history of the site; he mentioned that it used to be mined for minerals before the government declared it a protected site. It then became popular in around 2015 thanks to social media posts. So it’s a fairly new tourist attraction in the Cusco area. The guide then gave us estimates for reaching the mountain and said we would be heading back at 11.30 AM. It took us 1-hour 15-minutes to complete the hike. Throughout the hike, we saw some wild vicuñas which are similar to llamas/alpacas. The scenery was of snowtopped mountains and there were even snow/ice patches along the trail.

When we reach the summit at around 10.15 AM, there was already quite a large group of tourists there. Since most of the trail is wet from melted snow, we found a dry stone to rest at and have some snacks. We then walked a bit further up to take pictures of the mountain and the surrounding scenery. Now with the sun approaching its noon position, it was slightly warmer but still cold enough to require a sweater. There was quite a lot of snow on one side of the mountain, so the best pictures were taken closer to noon when most of the snow had melted. When 11.30 AM came, we started making our way back down to the parking lot. The walk back took us about an hour and I was starting to feel the effects of the altitude, so the coca leaves I took came in handy.

Once the whole group arrived, it was a 1-hour 30-minute drive back to the rest stop for lunch. Everyone got a 2-course meal of soup and a main. Of all the tourist restaurants I’d been to, this meal was definitely the most homemade style which was great. Once the group was done with lunch, it was back to the minibus to head back to Cusco. We reached the city at around 4.30 PM and the bus dropped us off about 2 blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

World Wonder of Machu Picchu

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 21:21:00 +0000

There are many ways to visit Machu Picchu from multi-day hikes to one-day trips all with different budgets. Since it’s quite remote and I likely won’t be going back any time soon, I chose to plan a 2 day trip with a stay in Aguas Calientes. Unlike the other activities in South America which you can pretty much turn up in town and look for tours, Machu Picchu is one that should be planned. Tickets to the mountain sell out well in advance as do the train tickets to Aguas Calientes.

Planning A 2-Day Trip

Although I would have loved to do a multi-day hike along the Inca trail, it wasn’t an option for me since I had another itinerary to stick to for the rest of South America. Out of the other options, the cheaper one is a bus to the hydroelectric power station and then a hike to Aguas Calientes. This journey, however, seemed to take quite long and it would be better to spend that time at Machu Picchu. So that left me with the train to Aguas Calientes. We were staying in Cusco, but all the train tickets were sold out from that station. The next closest departure was from Poroy which cost 55 USD³ leaving at 7.35 AM and reaching Aguas Calientes at around 11 AM. This arrival time meant we could get a Machu Picchu afternoon entry ticket from 12 PM to 5.30 PM for 64 PEN⁴ plus tax (total 66.58 PEN). Then for the following day, I planned to get a Machu Picchu + Mountain morning ticket for 112 PEN plus tax (total 116.52 PEN). The return train from Aguas Calientes to Poroy departed at 3.20 PM and arrived at around 7 PM which cost 65 PEN. All these tickets can be bought online.

Day 1 - Cusco To Machu Picchu

With my train departing from Poroy at 7.35 AM, the ticket specified being at the station at 7.05 AM. With that in mind, I didn’t want to risk an Uber⁵ not being available so I got my hostel to schedule a taxi for me. It cost 26 PEN and took about 40 minutes to get there. The train station is small but well kept with lots of seating areas. There are some stalls to buy food and also street vendors outside the station if you want to grab some breakfast. When it’s time to board the train, the staff at the doors put up signs with coach letters. You can find which coach you are in on your tickets and queue up accordingly to board the train. The train seats are quite comfortable and you get a table between 4 people. Throughout the 3 hour journey, there were recorded announcements of any sites we went by providing information on them. There were great landscape views and lunch was also provided towards the end of the journey. We reached Aguas Calientes at around 11 AM. The Train Station is practically in the middle of the town next to the arts and crafts market. The town is very small so you can easily walk everywhere. We headed to the hotel to drop off our bags before heading up to Machu Picchu.

We chose to hike up on this day. The route is well signposted so it’s pretty straightforward to follow and it took us about an hour. Despite getting some shade from the trees, it was still very hot and a tiring hike. Make sure you take sunblock and a hat to protect yourself from the potent sun. The tropical climate and environment also meant there were lots of insects and mosquitos around, so you’ll need to put on repellent to keep them away. Once at the top, there was a long queue for the entry, and several guides offering their services. I’d recommend getting a guide since there’s so much history in this place. They tend to have fixed prices so it’s cheaper if you’re in larger groups. We queued up for about 15 minutes which wasn’t too bad. Once inside, we first went up to the main viewpoints on the Machu Picchu mountainside. You get great views from here of the whole site and Huayna Picchu Mountain.

Next, we followed signs for the Inca Bridge. It takes about 30 minutes to get there, and you have to sign in at a control point. Access is free and the control point just ensures all visitors sign in and out once they return. The trail becomes quite narrow in some parts and can be vertigo-inducing. They’ve put a gate up so that people don’t attempt to cross the bridge as it’s very narrow and dangerous. We then headed back along the trail and back to the viewpoint area. We found a spot there to have some snacks and wait for the sunset. Although the ticket states the time slot is until 5.30 PM, the site officials start asking people to leave at around 5 PM. I managed to stick around until 5.25 PM to capture a time-lapse of the sun setting behind one of the mountains. After this, we headed to the exit. Make sure to look for the Machu Picchu stamp at the exit to put on your passport. The easiest way to locate it is to look for a group of people clustered in a small area. Once we got our stamp, we walked back down to Aguas Calientes.

Having walked all day, our legs we extremely sore so we rested for a bit before heading out for dinner. We stayed on the north side of the river and there are several restaurant options there. Since we were hungry and it was close by, we went to one of these tourist restaurants. The food was OK and quite pricey. After dinner, we stopped by the bus ticket stall to get a ticket for the next day. The bus ticket prices are extortionately expensive. They only accept cash or Visa cards for an extra fee. We only got a one-way ticket to the mountain for 40 PEN each. We then went for a quick walk south of the river to explore. This is when we found that restaurants were cheaper south of the river with several street food stalls there too. We then headed back and clocked out early to for our morning start the next day.

Day 2 - Machu Picchu Mountain

The first buses up to Machu Picchu depart at 5.30 AM. So we got up at 5 AM to start queuing up. The local market was opening in those early hours so we could pick up some snacks on the way. There are some street vendors selling sandwiches on the way as well but the market is cheaper. There was already quite a long queue by the time we arrived but there is also a queue of buses waiting to board people. It’s a little chilly in the early hours of the morning before the sun comes up, so take a sweater to keep warm while waiting in the queue. We got on the second or third bus and then it was about a 30-minute ride up to Machu Picchu. There was less of a queue this time so we got in a little quicker than the day before. We had entry tickets for the time-slot 7-8 AM for the Machu Picchu Mountain. However, I confused the mountains and we were waiting at Huayna Picchu until 7 AM. So when the site official told us, we had to rush to Machu Picchu which is about a 25-minute walk at the other end. By the time we got there, a queue had formed so we had to wait about 15 minutes to sign in at the control point. Now that the sun was up, it was starting to get hot. It took us about an hour to complete the hike which was quite exhausting. You get some great views along the way and from the final viewpoint, you’ll get to see Machu Picchu in the distance among a landscape of green mountains. We spent about 30 minutes at the top before heading back down.

We then proceeded to complete a circuit of all the ruins at the site. We found that most of the site seems to be rubble that has been assembled back together. However, there are a couple of places where you’ll see the perfectly cut stones joined together like a jigsaw puzzle. It’s truly amazing how the Inca were able to construct such an immense complex in such a remote place. We completed the circuit around noon and headed to the exit. It took us about 45 minutes to walk back down to Aguas Calientes. We then spent some time walking around the arts and crafts market and getting some lunch. After that, we picked up our bags from the hotel and headed to the train station which was scheduled to depart at 3.20 PM. The cheaper train back to Poroy was quite similar to the one we took to Aguas Calientes. The only difference was that there wasn’t any food/snacks included with the ticket. We reached Poroy at around 7 PM and although there are no Ubers in Poroy, we had the phone number of the taxi who dropped us off. However, we found that several taxis are waiting outside the station. We enquired with one and he quoted us a 30 PEN fixed rate to Cusco, so we went with him. We reached Cusco at around 8 PM. By this point, we were exhausted so we just grabbed some quick food from one of the street vendors and went straight back to the hotel.

Final Thoughts

A 2-day trip is required if you plan to hike up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. Otherwise, if you just plan to walk around the site, you can make do with a day trip. Machu Picchu Mountain is probably not worth the additional day, but Huayna Picchu seems to be more interesting and more challenging. Tickets for Huayna Picchu sell out well in advance though, so make sure you look early. Everything in the town is more expensive than any other tourist destination I’ve been to in South America. So many people visit the site which means they can pretty much charge whatever they want. It’s still worth a once in a lifetime visit where you get to experience history, culture, and unique magical views. But if you ask me whether I’d go back, I’d probably say no; but simply because it’s unjustifiably expensive.

Cusco – Sacred Valley of the Inca

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 20:58:00 +0000

Our journey to Cusco began in Ica where we took the 7 PM overnight bus. It’s an 18-19 hour journey so I’d recommend getting a VIP seat which is comfier and reclines further back. I slept for most of the journey and got off to stretch my legs whenever the bus stopped for short breaks. We arrived at the Cusco Bus Terminal around 1.30 PM. We were staying in the area of San Blas, 3 blocks from the main square Plaza de Armas. It was a 30-minute walk, so with the blazing sun and heavy backpacks, we opted to take an Uber¹. The ride took about 15 mins with some traffic and cost 8 PEN². After unpacking and resting for a bit, we went to check out the city and look for tours. We decided on a full-day tour of the Valle Sagrado for the following day. The tour we got was for transportation with a guide for 75 PEN each. Ticket costs were then the Partial Ticket of the Valle Sagrado at 70 PEN each and the Salineras de Maras ticket at 10 PEN each which you pay at the corresponding sites. We also booked a Rainbow Mountain Tour – which included lunch – for when we returned from Machu Picchu at 65 PEN each. Once the tours were sorted out, we headed to the Plaza de Armas for some dinner. There are several restaurants in the square and the staff is outside tries to get people to come in. We chose a restaurant with a first-floor window view to catch the sunset. Next, we went to grab some snacks for the following day before heading back to our room to get some sleep.

Chinchero

It’s an early start for this tour with the minibus picking us up at 7 AM. After touring around the city to pick everyone else up, we made our way to the first destination – Chinchero. The journey from Cusco to Chinchero is about an hour. We first stop at an arts and crafts workshop where one of the indigenous women talk through the process of making their textile products. Following the talk, we’re given about 10 minutes to browse around to make any purchases. Next, we get back on the minibus and continue for about 5 minutes to the site. We start at the main plaza outside the town’s church where indigenous people are setting up for a small market. The guide said that on Sundays, there was a big market in the main plaza. The tour guide then gives a brief history of Chinchero and the people who used to live there before the Incas took over. We then walk deeper into the town and come across the agricultural terraces. The tour guide then explains how their stepped design was used to create microclimates, enabling them to grow a wider variety of crops. She also talks about how all the terraces are layered with large stones at the base, sand in the middle, and fertile earth on top which facilitates filtration. We’re given about 10-15 minutes to explore the area and take pictures. We then head back to the main plaza and are given 10-15 minutes to explore the church. Then it’s back to the minibus and onwards to the next destination.

Moray

From Chinchero, it takes about 50 minutes to get to Moray. This site showcases several circular agricultural terraces of the Inca Empire. The guide talks about how these circular forms were less common and although their purpose is not known, they are believed to have been used for research by the Incas. The guide goes into a bit more detail about micro-climates and how the Incas experimented with crops and vegetation. We were given about 20-30 minutes to roam around the site and take pictures before heading back to the bus.

Salineras de Maras

It takes about 40 minutes to get to the Salineras de Maras from Moray. Just past the entrance, there is a great viewpoint of the salt mines which are stacked along the mountainside. The guide gives a history of the salt mines which predate the Incas and also talks about how they form. She mentions that salt mines can only be mined by the local community and each plot belongs to a family member of the community. There is a trail that goes along the plots of salt deposits. The path is very narrow so it is a one-way circuit that loops back. Now that it was later in the day, there were many more tourists at this site compared to the previous two. You’ll find that traffic stops on the trail when people are taking pictures, so oftentimes you’ll be waiting for the line to move. Overall, there are several viewpoints with great panoramic views of the salt mines.

Ollantaytambo

This next stop is about an hour away from the Salineras de Maras. Once you enter the site, you’ll see the familiar terraced structures built into the mountain. However, unlike the previous destinations, Ollantaytambo had a military purpose. We walk up to one of the terraces where we sat down in some shade for the guide to give us information on the site. She goes over the details of the structure and points out the high walls which force attackers to go up through a narrow passage. She also goes over its strategic location and gives a history of its use and construction. She said that construction was never fully completed due to a civil war that followed after Huayna Capac died leaving no successor – which she goes over in more detail. After the discourse, we were given about 30 minutes to explore the site. We continued to the top of the hill where there were some reconstructed structures. There is another trail that starts there which seems to go around behind the mountain but we didn’t have time for that. We followed another trail that goes along the front of the mountain and has great views of the site. We then went back down to explore some of the structures there and found a small stream. We then regrouped with the tour and headed back to the minibus for the final destination.

Pisac (Pisaq)

Of all the journeys, this one is the longest at 1 hour 30 minutes from Ollantaytambo. Entering the site, you’ll walk along the agricultural terraces getting great views of the Sacred Valley. When we arrive at the foot of the structures of Pisac, the guide gathers us around to give us information on the site. Pisac was an Inca citadel and has several temples, houses, and storage structures. It’s built on a mountain offering great panoramic views of the Sacred Valley. The guide also pointed out some square holes on the mountain opposite. She said they were believed to be burial sites of a civilization predating the Inca. We were given about 30 minutes to walk around the site before heading back to the bus. There are several trails but they are well signposted so you can’t get lost. As it was later in the day, the sun was setting so the whole citadel was in the shade. It was also extremely windy so make sure you take your sweater or coat. The views were amazing and a great place to end the tour. Once we regrouped with the tour at the minibus, it was about an hour’s journey back to Cusco.

Ica and the Oasis at Huacachina

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 20:18:00 +0000

Coming from Paracas, it only takes around 1-hour 30-minutes to reach the main Ica Bus Terminal. We paid 20 PEN¹ for transportation in a small minibus. Once at the bus terminal, we looked for bus tickets to Cusco for the next day. We then got on a moto-taxi to take us to our Airbnb⁴ which only cost 2 PEN for a 10-minute ride. We then headed to the Plaza de Armas to look for Huacachina tours. It’s possible to take a taxi to Huacachina and just roam around there, but we were offered a tour of Huacachina and a pisco tasting tour for 25 PEN. The Huacachina part was only transportation though, but still convenient nonetheless.

Huacachina

Our transportation to Huacachina departed from the Plaza de Armas. We enquired about leaving our backpacks at the office and they said it would be better if we took them. This was because the second part of the tour to the distillery would end at the bus terminal which was convenient for us. The drive from the plaza to Huacachina only takes about 15-20 minutes. As you leave the city, the terrain quickly changes to endless dunes. We were dropped off at their tour agency (Innasumi) in Huacachina. You can rent a sandboard for 10 PEN each. The people at the agency give you directions to where you can do sandboarding. Huacachina is a very small place so you won’t get lost. We were given about 2-hours 30-minutes to roam around to get back in time for the tour bus to pick us up.

The sandboarding activity can be exhausting because of the heat and also having to climb the dunes. The sand is also very hot and impossible to walk barefoot; so make sure you take appropriate footwear. Also, we found that we only really needed to rent 1 board since we never used it at the same time. In total, we spent around 1-hour 45-minutes sandboarding and then went to return the boards to walk around Huacachina. There are boat rentals at the Oasis and a couple of restaurants and stalls. In the morning, there wasn’t much open or many people around. We completed the loop of the Oasis in about 30 minutes. Unless you plan on doing other activities like renting a buggy, you don’t need more time there.

Bodega Pampas

The tour bus picked us up at around 12.30 PM to head to a wine and pisco bodega. It took around 30 minutes to reach Bodega Pampas which is a family-owned distillery. We were given a tour of the place and an information session on the process of how wine and pisco are made there. Following that, we’re taken to a seating area for the tasting session. The host teaches you a fun drinking rhyme before every drink. At the end of the session, there’s some time to buy the bottles for relatively cheap. I bought two pisco ones since they were very good.

Ica Sites

Next, the tour continued to two tourist spots in Ica. The first one was the Brujas de Cachiche Park around 30 minutes from the bodega. This park has a statue dedicated to the witches in the area. Witches were notorious in Cachiche and some people still believe in their witchcraft. The guide talks about some stories of famous witches from Cachiche. It’s a quick stop here for about 10-15 minutes to walk around and shop in the stalls. The tour then continues to the Palmera de 7 Cabezas just 3-5 minutes away. This site is a palm tree with 7 heads and the guide gives some information on it. It’s also a quick stop here for 10-15 minutes to take pictures. This is the final stop and then the tour bus heads to the main bus terminal.

We reached the bus terminal at around 4 PM. Since our bus to Cusco was scheduled to leave at 7 PM, we left our bags with the bus agency and went for a walk around the Plaza de Armas. The plaza is only a 10-minute walk away. We wandered through some markets, stopped for some food, and were back at the terminal by 6 PM.

Paracas – Beach Town and Wildlife

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 21:48:00 +0000

Leaving from Lima, there are a couple of bus companies that go to Paracas. Since we didn’t have much time in Lima, we booked our tickets online with Cruz del Sur for 33 PEN¹ each. The bus departed at 12.45 PM and the journey is just over 4 hours long, reaching Paracas by 5 PM. The town is very small and the bus drops you off on the main strip by the tour stalls and main beach. The main road is paved, but to get to our hotel which was a 10-minute walk inland, we had to go via sandy roads. Once inland, there aren’t many shops or restaurants and it is mainly residential.

Finding Activities and Transportation

We dropped off our bags at the hotel and then headed back to the strip to look for tours and transportation for our next destination; Ica. The tour agencies offer several activities such as quad biking and a plane ride to view the Nazca Lines for a lot cheaper than what we found online. We only had a day though and we intended to visit Las Islas Ballestas. We decided to look for the pier to see if we could buy the tickets there but it was closed. However, the security guard told us that tours are sold directly at the pier for cheaper, but we had to come in the morning since they’d closed already. Our main concern was the timings since buses to Ica leave in the early afternoon. We were assured that taking the early morning tour would have us back before midday. With activities and transportation sorted, we wandered alongside the seaside boardwalk coming across several arts and crafts stalls. We then decided to have dinner at one of the restaurants to catch the sunset. We had a great view of the sunset and one of the best ceviches I tried in all of Peru.

The following day, we got up early in the morning to head to the pier to get a ticket for the Islas Ballestas. But before that, we made a stop by the transport agency that was taking us to Ica later to drop off our backpacks. We were then at the pier at around 7.30 AM. We purchased a boat tour for 25 PEN leaving at 8 AM and were told the latest we’d be back by was 10.30 AM. Our bus was due to leave at 11 AM so we’d be cutting it close. Once you have your tour ticket, a guide comes round calling out the tour group and directs you to the pier entrance. Here you have to pay a National Park Fee of 11 PEN and the Port Tax of 5 PEN. If you’ve already visited the National Park, then make sure to keep the receipt so you don’t pay it here again. Once through, we were shown to the boat. The boat we got on could sit around 80 people and the seats are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Try to sit on the left if possible as most of the wildlife will be on the left side.

Once everyone is on, the boat leaves the pier and the guide will give an overview of what to expect. The guide delivers all information in Spanish and English. As we were leaving the pier, we were lucky enough to have come across a family of dolphins. There must have been around 10 of them surfacing simultaneously. The captain slowed down for a couple of minutes for us to get some pictures and then we were on our way again. The boats are very fast, so it may be a bit bumpy at times and you should expect to get a little wet. The captain also slows down as the boat passes the Candelabro. The guide then goes on to give some information on this Geoglyph which is estimated to date back to around 200 BC. Its creation remains a mystery and the guide shares a couple of theories.

It takes around 30-40 minutes to reach the islands. Once there, the first thing you’ll notice is the sheer number of birds on the rocky islands. The guide will talk about the wildlife that lives here and will help you spot penguins clumsily walking around. We got a chance to see a couple of them dive into the sea. Although you do get fairly close to the islands, pictures are best taken with a DSLR camera with a long-range optical lens. My GoPro here could not get any close-ups, but great landscape shots. Nevertheless, there are excellent close-up photo opportunities of the sea lions sunbathing on the rocks. You may even get a chance to witness an argument over territory between the sea lions. In total, the boat roams around the islands for about 40 minutes before heading back to the pier.

We indeed did manage to make it back by 10.30 AM and hurried to the transport agency to grab our bags. Luckily, the vehicle was waiting right opposite the office. Rather than a bus though, it was more of a minibus/people carrier, and our bags were secured to the roof. It was comfortable enough for the 1-hour journey to Ica. Overall, it is a short trip to the islands but more than enough. It’s also possible to take this tour from Lima but taking into account the travel time, it’ll be a full-day tour with only 2 hours visiting the islands. Taking the tour from Ica is probably better since it’s much closer. However, staying a night there was convenient and we got to check out the town a little.

Lima – A Coastal Capital

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 22:54:00 +0000

When we first got to Huaraz, we looked around for overnight buses to Lima. We chose to go with Transportes 14 since it seemed to be relatively cheap for their VIP option at 100 PEN¹. Our bus left at 10.30 PM and we were not disappointed. There was plenty of legroom and the seats reclined well back; whilst not 180 degrees, it was comfortable enough to get some sleep throughout the overnight journey. The route to Lima is along winding roads which took a little getting used to, but I dozed off shortly after departure. Total travel time was about 7-hours 30-minutes arriving at a bus terminal below the historic city center. From here, we took an Uber² to get to Miraflores which only took 15 minutes since it was 6 AM and there was no traffic. At check-in, we were told our room wasn’t going to be ready until 2 PM, so we left our bags and went for a walk by the sea. We ended up walking for about an hour through the beautiful modern neighborhoods of Miraflores and Barranco. We took some rest at the relaxing park where the Puente de Los Suspiros is located. Next, we walk back towards Miraflores for about another hour, stopping at parks and the Arts and Crafts Market.

We were in the vicinity of Huaca Pucllana, so we decided to visit this pre-Incan archaeological site. Entrance tickets cost 12 PEN or 6 PEN if you’re a student. After purchasing your ticket, you may have to wait a little before the next guided tour begins. It’s not possible to roam around the site on your own, but you can visit the information center while you wait. Once the tour begins, the guide will take you around explaining the culture of the Lima people who inhabited the site. They are thought to have been around between 100 AD and 650 AD. The Lima people were experts in irrigation and proven to grow crops in desert climates. The site is believed to have been an administrative site and is built from clay and adobe. The stepped pyramid is deemed to have been used for religious rituals. Human remains have been found at the site but considered to belong to the Wari culture who took over around 700 AD. The site also has workshops and a small farm with livestock the Lima people would have had.

After visiting the site, we headed to the nearby Kennedy Park. This park is also known as the ‘cat park’ since you’ll be able to see several cats roaming around freely. By this point, it was around 2.30 PM so we headed back to the hotel. After freshening up we headed back out to the historic city center. An Uber from Miraflores to Plaza San Martin took about 30 minutes and cost 11 PEN. We walked around the plaza and towards the river. The riverwalk is filled with people and street entertainment. We continued walking around here and crossed the bridge to the other side. There are several restaurants and bars in this area as well. We then went back across the bridge and towards the park Circuito Magico del Agua. At this park, they have a night light show. They light up fountains and areas in the park. The main spectacle though is a video projection on the main fountains. A very unique and impressive presentation. The park also has some funfair rides and food stalls. Once done visiting all the lit-up sites, we headed back to the hotel for some rest before checking out the nightlife. We were quite close to an area called Calle de Las Pizzas which our Uber driver said had several bars and clubs. The main strip has many bars with live music and deals on drink buckets. The music was good and the drink prices reasonable at around 15 PEN for a beer. We didn’t stay too late to check out the clubs since we were leaving the next morning for Paracas, but the nightlife was certainly energetic.