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Peru 2009/2010

Peru Dec 09/Jan 10:
  • 5 days in Cuzco
  • 1 day Sacred Valley Tour
  • 4 day Trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
  • 4 days in Lima
We spent five days in Cuzco to do some sightseeing and acclimatize to the altitude before setting off on our 4 day trek on the Inca trail to Machu Picchu. During this time Tracey got pretty sick almost to the point where we were about to return home early. Luckily though, after seeing a doctor and taking some different medicines, she felt good enough to do the trek. Cuzco was a really cool city to explore, lots of history (both Inca and Spanish), and many Inca ruins to see. Since we were there for New Year's and the days leading up to it, there were nightly events at the city's main square, the Plaza de Armas. After spending some time in Cuzco, we began our guided trip with Gap Adventures. On the first day we saw different ruins and towns (such as Pisac and Ollantaytambo) in the Sacred Valley. Then we began our 4 day trek on the Inca Trail which would eventually lead us to Machu Picchu. Though it was a guided trek with porters that carried all of the group gear and up to 6kg (13lbs) of our personal gear, it was still more challenging than I had expected. On the second day we hiked through a pass in the mountains that took us above 13,000ft and the third day was our longest mileage day. We experienced pretty wet and rainy conditions on the 2nd and third day as well. Luckily, we did get some sun and blue skies on our final day of the trek at Machu Picchu, which was just an absolutely amazing and awe-inspiring place. It is a beautiful site that everyone should go and visit, just maybe not during the rainy season. After our trek ended we flew back to Lima and spent a couple of days there. I wasn't too impressed with Lima as it felt like another big city with a lot of pollution, but it did have some impressive Spanish architecture.
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The mountain in the background is Wayna Picchu.
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The mountain in the background is Wayna Picchu.

Machu PicchuPeru

  • This is a rock quarry from where the Incas got the rock used to build Machu Picchu.
  • This structure is slowly falling apart due to the erosion of the ground underneath. There is concern about the negative impact of the high amount of tourist traffic that goes through Machu Picchu on a daily basis. It has been said that the Peruvian government is considering imposing tighter restrictions on the number of visitors allowed to see Machu Picchu, however, this is a delicate matter because so much of the economy depends on the tourism that Machu Picchu brings in.
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  • This is the Intiwatana stone. The four corners of the stone face the 4 cardinal points. The pillar on the top was used as a sun dial and could also predict the solstices and equinox. As you can see, the stone was carved from the existing rock on the mountain. It has been roped off to prevent people from touching or climbing on it, but many feel that the stone has a magical power that can be felt if you place your hand close to the rock.
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  • The mountain in the background is Wayna Picchu.
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  • The Urubamba River cuts through a valley between the mountains. The train that travels between Cuzco and Machu Picchu follows the river.
  • Temple of the Sun.
  • Finally some blue skies! Machu Picchu with Wayna Picchu in the background.
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  • It was an absolutely stunning view!
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