This trip was a lot of firsts for me. First time in South America, first time traveling with my boyfriend (Tim), first time traveling with my brother (Bryan) and his wife (Bridget), and first time using Adventure Life. Before leaving California, I had diligently read the ''Departure Information for the Machu Picchu Pilgrimage'' and ''Preparing for Your Trip to Peru'' provided by Adventure Life. I also partook in the recommending reading of ''Lost City of the Incas'' which I'll admit I never actually finished. After 22 months, Tim was released from physical therapy in December and in January we started doing weekly adventure hikes with his dogs in training for our Inca Trail Trek. Although I couldn't truly know what was in store, as our flight was departing, I felt that I was as prepared as I was going to get and was more excited than I've ever been. Our flight from California took us to Dallas, and from there we flew what felt like a very short 7 hours direct to Lima arriving, as many international flights do, after midnight. We had no problems in customs, getting our luggage or finding our arranged driver who took us straight to our hotel in Mira Flores. The most memorable part of the drive through Lima at 2 AM was seeing a bunch of people playing an organized soccer game but we were also surprised to see so many casinos scattered throughout the city.
Lima In A Day
Apr 29, 2013
We had no pre-set plans or arrangements for our time in Lima so we had decided to stay within walking distance of our hotel and just explore. The weather was typical for Lima with mild temperatures and a heavy marine layer blocking the sun. We started out by taking a self-guided tour through some Indian markets on our way to Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca pyramid that is still in the excavation/restoration process. As I was walking through these markets I felt like perhaps they were a bit of a tourist trap but in retrospect as I'm writing this after the trip has been completed, we certainly saw some worthwhile souvenirs and such there that we didn't come across on any other portion of the trip. The highlight of our day was our visit to Huaca Pucllana. Aside from the ruin itself, the guided tour takes you to see various plant life and animal life that is important to Peruvian culture. Tim's notes on this experience was that it is interesting that the pre-Inca civilization had a taxing system that required citizens to work three months out of the year on the building of the pyramid/temple. From the ruins we walked about three miles or so to the coast with the goal of having lunch at El Mercado for some local Ceviche only to find out that they are closed on Mondays so we ended up at Sophie Bistro where we struggled with ordering (this was the only restaurant on our entire trip that did not offer a menu in English as well as Spanish). The restaurant was a suggestions from the Frommer's Guide, Peru Day-by-Day which frankly was of little use to us during the trip. Our next stop was my personal favorite part of the day, a Chocolate Museum where we were instantly greeted with choco tea (yummy) and learned about the process of making chocolate. Then it was back to the hotel for a late afternoon-siesta before dinner at Panchita - a Gaston Acurio restaurant. The food at Panchita was delicious and the group tried the Cuy delicacy (guinea pig) which was tender, juicy and terrific but a lot of work to get such small amount of meat from the bones. Our general consensus on Lima is that Adventure Life knows what they're doing when planning these trips! Our original itinerary did not include this day in Lima but we added it on and really there was no need to have done so.
Altitude Adjustment
Apr 30, 2013
On this morning we headed to the airport for the short (just over an hour) internal flight to Cusco. There were some amazing views of the Andes from the plane window and upon arrival in Cusco we were greeted by our AMAZING guide for the remainder of our trip, Teddy. He and our driver Orelleo took us to check in at our hotel and then we were off to enjoy an afternoon walking tour of Cusco which included the convent, La Catedral and Plaza de Armas. The convent was interesting because the Spanish had covered Inca structures that they could not destroy with stucco and this was only discovered during the last century when some of the stucco came down during an earthquake. The cathedral was impressive from the sheer amount of wealth that flows through it and ornate it's alters. Teddy is extremely knowledgeable about the merging of the native religions which worshiped the sun/moon/stars etc. and that of the Catholic faith brought over by the Spaniard's. Hearing the history and stories and how the converging faiths still impact the lives of Peruvian today while sitting in the cathedral was fascinating. For dinner, we used Trip Advisor to find a highly rated spot in close proximity to our hotel and ended up at Uchu, a Peruvian steakhouse. The meat (including the favorite, alpaca) was served on a sizzling hot stone and was totally delicious! As we were walking around, I definitely felt the altitude of Cusco and fought a mild headache most of the day. I did not take anything other than some Advil and was fine the rest of the trip.
Rapid Adventures
May 01, 2013
This was a super fun day and we're all glad that it was a part of our trip. Our rafting guide - Alexander - met up with us the night before to do a little prep and go over what we needed to bring for the day which started at 8am. It took about a two hour drive south to get to the point of the river that we would be starting on. The drive was beautiful and along the way we saw Inca ruins, small towns, kids herding cows, and dogs, mules, bulls, and sheep all running wild. The ladies wear some interesting hats that don't seem very practical but Teddy told us later that long ago the hats were a sign of wealth. The rafting guides supplied us with all equipment needed including wetsuits, windbreakers, and helmets. We were only on the water (the sacred river) for less than two hours and the rapids weren't too crazy so we all really enjoyed ourselves. Alexander and our second safety guide, Orlando (aka Loco) were a blast. There was one spot where we had to walk over some shore rocks for maybe 100 yards and I couldn't believe how winded we got from such a short distance! This was the first point where I felt a bit unsure about how I was going to be able to handle the Inca Trail! After the rafting the guides had a dining tent set up for us with a nice picnic lunch. Then it was back to Cusco where Teddy provided us with our trail duffle bags of which I was able to (barely) squeeze in my allowed fifteen pounds of necessities for our trek. We used Trip Advisor again to find a spot for dinner and ended up at Mercelo Batata where each of us had Alpaca but all four of us had it prepared a different way. Another delicious meal and Tim's comments were: (1) the food in Lima was good, but the food in Cusco was terrific!; and (2) if you go hungry in Peru, it's your own fault.
Picnic in Paradise
May 02, 2013
Today we left Cusco to journey to the Sacred Valley and ultimately Ollaytatambo. It is impossible to comment about the drive out of Cusco without mentioning the plethora of stray dogs that seem to overtake the city's outer edges. I wonder how they all manage to get enough to eat while appearing to leave the roaming chickens and such alone. Our first stop was a native Ketuwa town where we were treated to an incredible weaving demonstration. They showed how glass was used to cut the wool from the hide, how they clean the wool using a root that makes a natural shampoo when grated, and how various color dyes are created using all natural elements found locally. By far the highlight was the ''sacrifice'' of a beetle/parasite that can be found on cactus which is used in order to make over 24 different shades of red (apparently it is also good for a lip color which will last 24 hours or 100 kisses but we didn't test this out ourselves). We also got a kick out of Anita, the resident alpaca, when she spit at Teddy. This is also where we treated ourselves to some textiles to take home with us and it is fun to be chronicling our adventures after the fact with an alpaca throw blanket wrapped around me. From the weaving demonstration the day just kept getting better, we got to see our first up close agricultural terraces in two different locations, a national park that is currently restoring some terraces, and a church dating back to the 1500's. Perhaps the best part of the day however, was our picnic lunch that we had in a secluded spot that Teddy and our driver discovered which had a breathtaking view overlooking the Sacred Valley and Urubamba river. The descent and drive into the town of Ollaytatambo was lovely and although we had already had such a full day by the time that we arrived, we were excited to walk up and explore the massive ruins. At the height of the ruin temple, Teddy pointed out the mountain range on the opposite side of the river from where we stood. ON this range you could see the granite quarry which was apparently where the Inca's had taken the stone to build the temple we were standing on. How they transported 1000's of tons of granite down a mountain, across a river, and up another mountain without the use of any modern day equipment is astonishing. This was also a really good place to visually see and be amazed by the extensive aqueduct and irrigation systems built by the Incas that are still working today.
The Real Journey Begins
May 03, 2013
I was a bundle of nerves and excitement as this day began. Had we physically prepared enough? Had we packed correctly? Would I starve, or worse, get sick on the trail? Could I make it four days without plumbing? Would Tim's knee be okay? Would we make it to Machu Picchu in one piece and still in love? Would the journey be as magical as I had imagined and live up to my expectations? Adventure Life had provided us all with a duffle bag for the Trek portion of our trip. Each of us was to pack so that our bag weighed no more than 8 kilos (approximately 17 1/2 pounds) - including our sleeping bags. I am going to brag a bit here and say that my bag was the only one that made it on the first try - I am the type of person who planned out what I was packing on a spreadsheet and then weighed it at home a week before we even left the United States. Tim's was close but his bag did not include his sleeping bag. My brother and Bridget's bags practically broke the scale! They thought that as long as it fit in the bag, the weight didn't matter! Ha! They spent much of the morning repacking. The drive to the staging area was slow as many buses were already on their way back to Ollantatambo after dropping off their groups. We may have been the last ones to start the trail this day and I'm pretty sure that our guide, Teddy, did that by design. It is true that the experience on the trail is made even more wonderful by the feeling that you are the only ones on it at any given point in time. The trail is regulated and they only allow 500 people on it per day. On the day we began there were 22 different groups of various sizes including ours which contained the four travelers, Teddy, our Chef Danny and eleven porters. We were originally scheduled to have ten porters but during our picnic in the sacred valley, my brother was asking Teddy if our chairs during the trek would be the same as the picnic chairs we were using. Teddy laughed and said no - that the trek chairs were just a strip of canvas with no back. Bryan wanted to know how much it would cost to hire an additional porter just to carry chairs and Teddy laughed but made a call and we got an extra porter to carry chairs for us. I should probably mention that we also had special extra large sleeping tents for our group as well but that was more out of necessity than luxury since Tim is 6'9 and Bryan is 6'7. I certainly didn't complain - especially once we saw what the other groups were sitting on and sleeping in! Day one of the trail was not very difficult with only a couple of lengthy gradual inclines and one steep incline to traverse. The weather was perfect, sunny and warm with a light breeze and cloud cover later in the day. We passed through a couple of occupied villages as well as by the ruins of Llactapata during the day and the whole time we were able to hear and usually see the Urubamba River along the way. On this day of the trek there were places to purchase water, Gatorade, or coco leaves every hour or so which was something I hadn't expected. We passed by plenty of ''burritos''(aka donkeys), ''KFC'' or ''chicken nuggets''(chickens/roosters), ''McDonalds'' (cows), and of course the perros (dogs). The landscape was stunning and the camera was working overtime. We felt so fortunate to have Teddy with us as he is extremely knowledgeable, not just about his country's history, but also about the flora and fauna. He is a bird watcher as well and can identify most species from very far away. We started calling him ''El Presidente'' because EVERYONE seems to know him! And he was totally entertaining with sharing his stories of his travels and experiences helping the underprivileged youth in Peru.
Are We There Yet?
May 04, 2013
In Tim's words ''This is no joke!'' The hiking on day two was difficult made more so by the fact that we didn't really get much sleep our first night in our tents. We all had the crazy assumption that roosters only started crowing in the morning as the sun was rising but at the campsite in Huayllabamba, they crow ALL night long. Eventually they are joined by sounds of donkeys as well which was the better indication that morning was approaching. But you didn't actually need the roosters or the donkeys since our porters were knocking on our tent flaps with a ''Buenos Dias'' accompanied by hot water for coffee or tea well before the sun was up. There is a reason that the climb on day two is known as the ''Gringo Killer'' and ''Dead Woman's Pass''! You climb about 4000 feet before reaching the pass. But as difficult as it is, the journey is totally worth the effort! Tim's favorite parts of the hike included the sections were you were engulfed in the cloud forest and we had a good section of this during day 2. My brother says he will never forget the look on my face as it was instantly transformed from exhausted exertion from climbing to wondrous joy and excitement upon seeing my first wild llama grazing along the trail. When I look back on this day, the main thing that comes to mind was how the incline just never seemed to end - I stopped often on the pretense of taking lots of pictures. I tried chewing the coco leaves but I never quite got the hang of spitting so the rest of my stash was ultimately disbursed among Teddy and our porters. Speaking of porters - these guys are incredible! We start our hike while they pack up the campsite and about an hour or so later, one by one, they start jogging past us on the trail. By the time we reach our lunch site, they have the kitchen and dining tents set up, water boiled and ready for us to wash up with and a hot drink of some sort waiting for us. After lunch, we start walking again and an hour or so later, here come our porters. We had a couple of porters who were in their mid-50's, wearing sandals, carrying their weight in our stuff on their backs and still running past us along the trail. It truly is a sight. Our trek was planned for four days which felt like the perfect amount of time in terms of not feeling rushed but also not having too much down time but Teddy was telling us that they hold an annual race every year and the record time is under four HOURS. When you ultimately reach Dead Woman's Pass, the views are out of this world and the sense of accomplishment is astonishing. At that point, it becomes clear that you've completed the most difficult portion of the trek and for me at least, I was able to relax knowing that I would be able to finish the journey we had started.
Above the Clouds
May 05, 2013
The first portion of the hike on day 3 was a pretty sharp incline, significantly shorter in duration than day 2 but I had thought all of the climbing was behind me and was exhausted before we reached the ruins of Runkuracay (less an hour into the day). But the day definitely got better and we had a fabulous time exploring the ruins of Sayacmarca. I took a ton of pictures on this day, not because I was trying to rest like the day before, but because there were so many scenic and interesting things to see along the way. Aside from the ruins we passed by, Teddy was giving us an education on the various the flowers and plant life we were viewing. Walking through the cloud forest on this day was extra special because we really didn't see any other hikers between lunch time and reaching our camp for dinner. The trail itself was taken to a whole new level on this day as well, the stone pathway built by the Incas seemed at points to be literally carved out (as well as through) the mountain. There were some shear vertical drops bordering the left side of the trail at points juxtaposed against a silky soft type of moss growing on the right (I tended to walk on the right). I joke about this because I am afraid of heights but even so, I never actually felt threatened or in danger during the hike. As you get tired, you stop lifting your feet up as much when you walk and I noticed that I seemed to stub my toes quite a bit towards the end of the day but thankfully, I had a good pair of hiking boots that kept my toes from bleeding and my ankles from twisting. It probably would have been a good idea to have walking poles as well - Tim and Bryan used them but Bridget and I decided not to (actually the truth is I brought them to Peru but decided only take one with me on the trek and lost it before lunch time on the first day). Sayacmarca was one of my favorite spots on the trail and I love the photos we took up there. Aside from being built in this beautiful location with panoramic views surrounding, there is something special about having a touristy experience in a place that you can only get to by hiking for a couple of days preventing most tourists from ever getting there. Sure, plenty of people these days are hiking the Inca Trail, but it doesn't make the experience any less authentic or incredible if you are lucky enough to be one of the 500 on the trail on any given day. Our final night of camping we spent at Phuyupatamarca (which is known as the Cloud-Level Town) and it was by far the most scenic of all of the campsites we stayed at. This was the only day during our trip that we encountered rain which started about thirty minutes after we arrived at camp and lasted for about an hour or so. It was a perfectly timed siesta opportunity and I am not ashamed to say I took full advantage. I have written about three days of our Inca Trail camping experience and somehow haven't mentioned food yet which is crazy because that seems to be a big portion of what I had written about during the pre-hike portion of our Peru experience. Anyway, I mentioned before that our chef was Danny. We were told that this was his first season as a chef working with Adventure Life which I find a little hard to believe - it's like the river raft guide who said this was his first time rafting. But Danny was truly a miracle worker when it came to the kitchen. I will never fully comprehend how it was possible for him to prepare three course meals for five which were timed perfectly and always hot using only two small propane burners. The quality and variety of the food was amazing and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would enjoy eating on the trail as much as I did. I was pretty worried about the food situation before we began our trek and at least 3 pounds of my duffel-bag allotment was reserved for protein bars and trail mix which I ended up giving away to the porters because I didn't need it. Since our return to the states, Tim and I have invested in a cook book focusing on quinoa but my all-clad and high-tech kitchen has yet to replicate anything close to what Danny was able to accomplish out of his tent on the trail.
Unforgettable
May 06, 2013
Day three ended and Day four began with all of us awake listening to a symphony of frogs. Apparently these particular frogs are tiny and transparent so they overcompensate your inability to see them by being too loud to ignore. Similar to the song of the roosters the night of day one, these frogs were able to keep it going all night long. But the lack of sleep made no impact on the excitement that today we would be reaching Machu Picchu. The morning at Phuyupatamarca was absolutely breathtaking. It is difficult to describe in words and even the pictures I took don't quite convey the vastness of the Andes. After breakfast we said our thank you's to our wonderful group of porters and Danny and started the final leg of our trek descending about 4000 feet and almost 7 miles to Machu Picchu. This was, in my opinion the most beautiful portion of the hike. There were butterflies that would fly in front of us following the trail and appearing to guide us to our destination. Teddy pointed out an orchid that only grows at a specific elevation and is so tiny that we needed to use a lens in order to see its' flower. And the view from the ruins of Winay Wayna was the backdrop for some of the best pictures we took on the trip. But as incredible and beautiful as everything was along the way, nothing compared to the view of Machu Picchu that awaited us from the Sun Gate. Before reaching the gate, there was a stretch of steps we had to ascend and Teddy challenged us to get to the top without stopping or using our hands. None of us were able to do so! But shortly after reaching the top of this Inca staircase, we crossed the threshold to the Sun Gate without any warning from Teddy and so it took a few seconds before we realized where we were. We were so lucky to have a perfectly clear afternoon with an unobstructed view of the city laid out before us. It was still a bit of a walk from the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu but we headed down to check into our hotel and indulge in our first shower in four days. Fortunately, Adventure Life was able to book us at the Sanctuary Lodge and we enjoyed every part of the five star treatment. Aside from the much needed showers, the Sanctuary had a complimentary laundry service so we were able to get clean clothes between the time we checked in and the time we had dinner! But the afternoon was not to be wasted enjoying the luxury of the Sanctuary Lodge and after our quick showers we headed out once again to explore the ruins of Machu Picchu with our trusted guide. The park was completely empty as it was late in the day and most tourists had taken buses back down to Agua Caliente so we had this incredible treat of getting to enjoy the ruins and take tons of pictures without the crowds. Teddy took us to all of the highlights and pointed out the best spot for sunrise. Once the park closed, we headed the 100 yards or so to our hotel where we were greeted with turndown service which included a lit candle and chocolates. The dinner in the hotel restaurant was very fancy but honestly the food was not as good as what Danny had prepared for us during the hike. We appeared to be the youngest guests in the dining room and also appeared to be the only ones who came to Machu Picchu by way of the Inca Trail. With that said, the staff of the hotel was not concerned about our appearance or attire and we were treated fabulously during our stay.
A Perfect Proposal
May 07, 2013
After an early night, we were waiting at the entrance gates to Machu Picchu when they opened at 6 am. There were about 30 or so people in line in front of us, but because we knew where we were going from the day before, we were the first to arrive at the guard tower that morning intending to watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, the clouds did not cooperate with our plans and so there was no sunlight to be had for the first couple of hours but even just watching the clouds move through the city was a sight to behold. We staked out the guard tower for a while taking pictures of the resident llamas or of the city when there was a break in the clouds. Everything about this trip had been magical to this point and an experience that I will cherish and be grateful for having the rest of my life but it was on this morning that my life was truly changed. Tim grabbed my hands, looked in my eyes and said that sunrise or no sunrise, he loves me and wants to spend his life with me and as I stood there shocked and teary eyed, he gets down on his knee (the good one), and pulls a ring out of his pocket as he asked me to marry him. A small group of onlookers cheered as I said ''YES!'' and my brother (who knew Tim's plan) and my sister in law (who did not) got pictures of the whole thing as it unfold. I will forever get to laugh and tease at the fact that Tim proposed to me with coco leaves in his mouth and he gets to laugh and tease that the reason his bag was so heavy was because he was carrying a big rock around with him, but truly the experience could not have been more perfect for either of us. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. We walked to the Inca Bridge, explored every corner of the Machu Picchu ruins and then reluctantly headed to the buses to take us to Agua Caliente where we had lunch before meeting up with Teddy and hopping on the train back to Ollantatambo and ultimately the drive back to Cusco.
The End is Really the Beginning
May 08, 2013
Our travel day home was a long one - more than 24 hours from the time we left our hotel in Cusco to the time our plane landed in California. Most of that time was spent reminiscing on our favorite parts of the trip, uploading and organizing pictures from both cameras onto the iPad, and playing cards while waiting for our flight from Lima. I am so thankful for the experience we had while in Peru. I know that much of the success came from good planning but that more than anything it was the amazing people who were involved, from Laura who helped us with booking and our itinerary, to our rafting guides Alexander and Loco, to our driver Orelleo, all the porters on our trek, Danny our trusted chef, and of course El Presidente (aka Teddy Romero). Tim and I set a wedding date for later this year and while we would like to start a family soon, we are hoping our travel adventures together have only just begun...
Clara Tort has been our Travel Advisor for Buenos Aires, then for Iguazu, then for Mendoza and Aconcagua Trekking, and then for Patagonia and Fitz Roy trekking. She has navigated with us through our travels, and now we are coming back for more- onto Machu Pichu and Peru.
Gus ORDONEZ
1 month ago
We have used AL for decades now to plan trips. Kassandra has been with us from the start and has never disappointed. She knows our family and our quirks and is always willing to fit the trip to us. This time we made her work for the booking because of family member schedules. It has all come together for a great Christmas gift for many families.
Kris Rowe
1 month ago
Great company. Good communications. Great accommodations, excursions, transport. Guide Elvira was spectacular along with transport, driver, Cesar and activities
Kathy S
3 months ago
Having done a trip in the past with Adventure Life, I found picking a trip and customizing it was a breeze and fit everything I wanted
Scott Drayer
3 months ago
Arvin has been very responsive and professional.
Carlotta Diaz
3 weeks ago
Clara Tort has been our Travel Advisor for Buenos Aires, then for Iguazu, then for Mendoza and Aconcagua Trekking, and then for Patagonia and Fitz Roy trekking. She has navigated with us through our travels, and now we are coming back for more- onto Machu Pichu and Peru.
Gus ORDONEZ
1 month ago
We have used AL for decades now to plan trips. Kassandra has been with us from the start and has never disappointed. She knows our family and our quirks and is always willing to fit the trip to us. This time we made her work for the booking because of family member schedules. It has all come together for a great Christmas gift for many families.
Kris Rowe
1 month ago
Great company. Good communications. Great accommodations, excursions, transport. Guide Elvira was spectacular along with transport, driver, Cesar and activities
Kathy S
3 months ago
Having done a trip in the past with Adventure Life, I found picking a trip and customizing it was a breeze and fit everything I wanted
We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Continue browsing the site if you're ok with this. For more info, please see our privacy policy.