LnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfUBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgLnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfSB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNTk5cHgpIHsgLnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfSB9IA==
Valle Sagrado and Machu Picchu
August 23, 2023 - August 28, 2023
Starting out in Peru near Cusco. It is a very different landscape from Chile. Cusco sits on a plateau at about 3500m, but there are still lakes and mountain peaks.
Our first hike starts out a a tiny little village up on the plateau.
They make them pretty cute here…
Knitted versions of the Peruvian national flower – “Flor del Inca”
Maras Plateau and Moray
Total Distance: 16.15km
Duration: —
1692869400 1692896940Elevation: 2864.40m – 3768.40m
Total ascent: 235.20m
Total descent: 1122.40m
Starting out on the first hike.
A very familiar (there are always eucalypts!) but foreign landscape. Very dry as well.
And then all familiarity disappears. It isn’t really known what the Incas used this for, but there are complex hidden drains connecting each pit. The building on the right is a restaurant run by the b…
This site is called Moray (pronounced Mor-eye) and was (re)discovered in 1931, 20 years after Machu Picchu.
Each of the walls is between 2m and 5m high.
The larger rocks in the middle of each wall here are part of the drainage system, permitting water to flow between each level.
Most likely each level resulted in a different level of humidity and microclimate, making it possible to trial growing plants from different regions including tropical fruits.
Lunch on the trail
A little visitor during lunch. Note the very long tail.
Some bigger visitors making lunch very Peruvian.
Continuing out across the high plateau.
And into Maras, a Spanish colonial town whose feature seems to be blue doors.
The streets were built after the doors, so the doors just disappear below the street.
This guy was really annoying the pigeons.
Lots of blue doors
Important people had carved surrounds.
Back out across the plateau. The edge of the agricultural land in the distance actually disappears down to Sacred Valley.
Quite an amazing series of salt ponds squeezed into a valley.
The salt actually comes from spring water (groundwater) which is flowing through geologically old marine salt deposits… so I guess it is fossil salt?
Look for the workers.
From here, we made our way to the bottom of the valley (top right of the photo) to finish the hike.
La Victoria
Total Distance: 5.20km
Duration: —
1692958680 1692975000Elevation: 3844.80m – 4600.60m
Total ascent: 229.40m
Total descent: 814.80m
On to another hike the next day up at a high pass towards the Amazon.
Highest point on the hike – about 4400m.
The highest mountain in the area – La Veronica, 5900m
Supposedly this group had just seen a condor, but they are very rare here due to hunting and use of their feathers in religious ceremonies.
La Veronica
The vegetation was quite different here – the trees are called queñua (although they have many names) and are the highest altitude tree in the world.
The glacial valley below La Veronica… yes we are going to the bottom.
A nice spot for lunch.
Looking back up to the mountain
A dubious friend.
The evening view from the lodge.
On the train to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Total Distance: 2.31km
Duration: —
1693047540 1693057860Elevation: 2448.20m – 2543.80m
Total ascent: 133.60m
Total descent: 133.40m
After a train, bus and hike, we made it up the hill to Machu Picchu.
Up a bit of a winding path to the top of a hill. Note the terraces on the top of the far hill as well.
And this is pretty much the first (and best) view that you get. Pretty amazing.
People people people… but apparently it wasn't too busy.
Earthquake damage
Rope and knot communication tool used by the Inca and our guide
Quite a few more people by the time we left.
Ollantaytambo
Total Distance: 3.24km
Duration: —
1693124460 1693132200Elevation: 2834.80m – 2933.40m
Total ascent: 157.20m
Total descent: 114.60m
And now for a walk through Ollyantaytambo, the main town in the Sacred Valley.
Ollantaytambo is a funny mix of colonial buildings surrounded by Incan and pre-Incan ruins.
Cuy in the kitchen
The little Peruvian lady is carrying grass for Cuyes (guinea pigs). Lots of the older women still wear fairly traditional clothes.
Crumbling and restored. The big stone in the front will be an Incan stone which didn't make it to the site. Perfectly carved and now too big to bother moving out of the way.
This is on the edge of the city – the Incan terraces which were part of the original town.
Looking back over the town from the terraces.
Interlocking Incan bricks
They definitely spent a lot of time making stones fit together.
Back at the lodge – this season's corn crop on the way.
The lodge.
Meals were a highlight of the trip
Yanahuara
Total Distance: 2.92km
Duration: —
1693146660 1693155540Elevation: 3208.20m – 3414.80m
Total ascent: 150.00m
Total descent: 301.00m
A hike in a different part of the valley – a more dense and forested area.
And then to a hummingbird reserve at the end of the hike.
The national flower of Perú – a hummingbird favourite.
The little "Green and White" hummingbird… so tiny.
This little guy is called a Sparkling Violetear… you will see why shortly.
Moonrise over the valley.
And this is the biggest hummingbird in the world (also around Santiago)… around 20-25cm long!
Cusco
Total Distance: 4.47km
Duration: —
1693216020 1693224120Elevation: 3396.20m – 3449.20m
Total ascent: 93.20m
Total descent: 73.40m
Only had a little time in Cusco but this is looking out over part of the city from an old Incan site which is now a church.
Sit only on the non Incan walls
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