PERU
Peru was a very nice surprise for me. Beyond the classics such as Machu Picchu, I discovered a country with a fascinating history, a very lively culture and amazing landscapes. Cradle of the Inca civilization, high mountain hikes, turquoise lagoons, canyons, llamas, I couldn't get bored. I stayed there for about a month which allowed me to understand this country so big and so different from north to south. But I could have stayed there longer as it is full of cultural and archaeological discoveries and wide open spaces for hiking.
Welcome to
PERU
Northern Peruis still deeply rooted in Andean traditions. In the street, the "mamitas" are dressed in the traditional way. Their long black hair is braided while a small borsalino balances on their head. Around their shoulders, they tie the aguayo, a square of colored fabric in which they transport goods to sell them at the market or their babies.
NATURE RESERVE
A few days after my arrival here we are in Paracas, a small tourist town, also called “El Chaco”, which is mainly the starting point for excursions to the Ballestas Islands and the Paracas National Reserve. But we finally chose to go only to the National Reserve of Paracas because less touristy especially by choosing the bike option!
Created in 1975, the Paracas National Reserve covers the desert of the Peruvian coast on 335,000 hectares. On a territory 65% maritime and 35% terrestrial, the reserve is an important natural sanctuary for many species of plants, more than 200 species of birds, 193 species of fish as well as many species of mammals and reptiles. But it is also a high place of protection of the historical and cultural heritage of Paracas while it contains several archaeological sites of the Paracas civilization and other important cultures of the region. All this without forgetting the unique landscapes of the desert coast found there.
HUACACHINA
Hard to believe that we were going to find ourselves in a desert of dunes of the caliber of the famous deserts of Arabia barely a few hours by bus from the Lima metropolis. And yet... 5 hours by bus later, through magical landscapes of deserted beaches, mountains and valleys of stones and sand, rises Huacachina, a tiny little oasis village buried in the middle of an immense desert of dunes of white sand. It's not the kind of scenery you necessarily associate with Peru.
The oasis is made up of a blue-green lagoon surrounded by palm trees, all surrounded by inns, hotels, restaurants and other tourist facilities of all kinds. The legend runs that every year, a mermaid living in the lagoon seizes the life of a man by drowning him with impunity. There is also a statue erected in his honor to which some locals still make offerings. It would be more plausible to associate the frequent drownings in this lagoon with the carelessness of the few young Peruvians in a state of intoxication, and what is more are not good swimmers, who decide to take a little dip at the end of a drunken evening. Other Puritans speculate that the frequent drownings are due to muscle cramps caused when warm waters at the surface mix with freezing waters from the depths.
THE WHITE CITY
Next destination: Arequipa or the White City, very quickly, I fall in love with this city which becomes my favorite city and which is, in my opinion, the most beautiful in all of Peru. Indeed, unlike the majority of Peruvian cities of ocher colors, the center of Arequipa is occupied by old colonial buildings entirely white, hence its nickname. This Place d'Armes and the surrounding streets gives off a very relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. On every street corner you will find small cafes, very nice concept stores, but also bakeries that are really worth a visit, for those who are in need of a good chocolate roll: go to La Despensa , Santa Catalina 302, Arequipa. You will not be disappointed ! The best way to visit the city is still to get lost in its narrow streets on foot, the city center is simply magnificent and easily accessible.
SANTA CATALINA CONVENT
It was in Arequipa that we discovered the convent of Santa Catalina, here time seems to have suspended its flight. This majestic 2-hectare convent was built in 1579 and over the centuries has housed up to 500 nuns. Today, most of this beautiful ensemble is reserved for tourist visits, but part of it still remains preserved from the outside world since the current sisters live there on a daily basis.
Walking through the alleys of this beautiful convent, you will quickly realize that it is very far from resembling the others. This is due above all to the organization of the life of the sisters who once lived here reclusive and cut off from the world, having donated a high dowry to the monastery which they received from their family. This isolation in order to devote themselves to religion was perceived as a source of pride on the part of the families of the sisters. In Santa Catalina, the latter benefited from the most comfortable facilities, which allowed them to live a light life. The apartments are spacious and all have an individual kitchen as well as a room to house the slaves each had.
In addition, the convent is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Your visit to this beautiful monastery promises you many surprises: from the bright colors of its walls to the grandiose buildings it inhabits, you will certainly be transported back centuries.
CANYON
Not far from there is the Canyon del Colca, a place still little frequented by travelers. It was considered the deepest in the world until its neighbor the Cotahuasi Canyon downgraded it from 130 meters. We personally chose the Colca Trek which takes place over 2 days and which allows us to discover another face of the canyon. On the program: Cactus forest where you will taste the fruit of the cactus (excellent), a hike in the canyon with a view of the famous condors, but also a short walk in the still largely unknown Rock Forest, to the delight of my eyes.
THE RED VALLEYS
I was literally looking forward to discovering Red Valley and Rainbow Mountain, which I heard a lot about. A bit of history to start! Vinicunca Mountain (Rainbow Mountain) was originally completely invisible because it was covered in snow. With global warming, it then revealed its most beautiful colors. The Mountain of Seven Colors escaped mass tourism until 2016 when many Cusco agencies started selling excursions for tourists to discover. The Vinicunca mountain is very protected by the local Quechua people who live in the small hamlets located in these mountains. The Quechuas are settled here and live from breeding, in particular the llamas and alpacas that you will discover on the road. With the tourist activity, these populations manage today to live a little better thanks to the profits which they perceive on the entries which enables them to reinvest in productive activities for their community. Rainbow Mountain owes its colors to the accumulation of sediment over millions of years. It is the iron oxide which gives the red color, the sulfur which gives the yellow color and the copper sulphate which gives the green. Its multicolored appearance is therefore totally natural and offers a real play of colors!
To be able to savor this view as much as possible, I chose to take an agency leaving very early, that is to say before 2am in order to be there before everyone else and I had seen correctly. On the way back I saw all the other agencies that had arrived, it wasn't more than 2 mini buses that were parked in the parking lot, but whole coaches, 10, 20 and even 30 were arriving... Madness.
The Rainbow Mountain is magnificent but nothing to do with the Red Valley which deserves all its attention, its colors are worthy of a retouching by the greatest photoshoppers, my eyes had never seen such colors.
Small notes to really take into account:
Cusco is at 3399m above sea level, which is already considerable, but the Rainbow Mountain rises up to 5000m above sea level!
You should know that from 2300m, you can start to feel soroche (mountain sickness or altitude sickness), so it is important to understand what it is and to be prepared for it: at altitude, the body is in lack of oxygen, which is generally expressed by nausea, headache, fatigue.
In very rare cases, it can go so far as to cause cerebral or pulmonary edema so if you suffer from a particular disease or condition, you must consult your doctor before embarking on the trip.
Not everyone experiences altitude sickness the same way. If you arrive in Cusco by plane, the body will feel it more than by bus where the climb is gradual.
You must avoid undertaking any physical effort on the 1st day in Cusco so keep the excursion to Rainbow Mountain for the 2nd or even better the 3rd day at altitude. It will be much more pleasant believe me!
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DIRECTION TO MACHU PICCHU
The Salkantay Trek combines the cultural and natural beauty of the landscape around Machu Picchu. The highlight of the visit and the difference from the other options is the passage of the snow-covered Salkantay with a height of 6264m. It is considered the most representative mountain of the province of Vilcabamba. From there, we pass through the forest and the jungle in order to continue towards Aguas Calientes and especially towards Machu Picchu. This trek is considered the most sophisticated, and above all, less crowded with tourists than the Inka-Trail or the Jungle Trail. On the program: lakes, snow, llamas and above all a personal challenge.
The start of a
MAGNIFICENT EXPERIENCE
Hello Salkantay Trek!
Following
Each day is different, a snowy landscape for one, a turquoise lake for the other, about twenty kilometers on average but on the other hand a constant wonder. I'm not a great athlete but an optimistic and healthy person, so everything went extremely well. But I want to emphasize that the level of this trek is medium to difficult, but its altitude and its length make it even more difficult, so do not hesitate once again to take the time to acclimatize yourself a few days before.
Some information about the two mountains that will be offered to you when you arrive at Machu Picchu:
Huayna Picchu Mountain:
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The Huayna Picchu mountain is the one that appears behind the Inca city in the classic postcard photo of Machu Picchu.
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This is called the "young mountain". The walk along its paths is recognized as one of the most incredible walks on the planet.
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Its Inca trails are steep and narrow. They were built on the side of the mountain. They can be scary for people with a fear of heights.
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If you suffer from vertigo or can't control your fear of heights, you better skip this mountain.
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Huayna Picchu is home to a famous archaeological site called Temple of the Moon. The Incas built this temple in the middle of a cave.
The hike to the top of Huayna Picchu is more vertical than the Machu Picchu mountain. However, the ascent of Waynapicchu will take less time.
Mount Machu Picchu:
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Machu Picchu mountain offers less steep, wider and less scary routes than Huayna Picchu.
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It is known as the "old mountain". In their skirts, the Incas built the Inca city which today amazes the world.
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Hiking on this mountain is suitable for tourists of all ages. It is ideal if you come with children or elderly people.
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You don't have to reach the top to enjoy the scenery. In the middle of the route you can take good photos of Machu Picchu.
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In the mountain of Machu Picchu, there is no temple or Inca site.
Attention, it will be necessary to take the tickets in advance, the mountain Huayna Picchu a few months before even...
HOME STRETCH...
Here, after almost four days and more than 60 km of effort, we finally enter the enclosure of Machu Picchu. With emotion, it must be admitted. An emotion reinforced by the circumstances: the rain stops and the mists that closed the view gradually move away. Moment of magic. We discover the place. It's actually big, really big. The city itself is wonderful, it's true. But above all, it is integrated into a fantastic natural setting, on a promontory, between dozens of steep mountains. The most wonderful reward, after these days of walking in the Andean mountains. I leave you all the pleasure of discovering this marvel just below!
