Peru -- November 4-16, 2010

^{The hiking portion of this trip is rated 5 boots out of 5 on the Hiking Boot-o-meter.}

^{The world travel portion of this trip is rated 5 little upside-down (southern hemisphere) globes out of 5 on the Globe-Trotting Globe-o-meter.}

Seattle to SF to Miami to Lima to Cusco

Cusco - Plaza de Armas

Sacred Valley tour

Sunday morning market in Pisac

Cusco city tour

Cusco at night 

the view looking down from our hotel rooftop terrace

first hike - a warm-up hike on the Inka Trail - to Machu Picchu with our guide "Jimmy"

Started at kilometer 104 on the train track

lunch at Winay Wayna

the Monkey Stairs just before entering Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate

spent the night in Aguas Caliente, then back up to Machu Picchu very very early the next morning

second hike - Salkantay Trail - 5-day / 4-night hike from Marcocasa to Aguas Caliente, then another visit to Machu Picchu

Day 1 - Cusco - Mollepatta - Markocasa - Cruzpata - Checchicancha - Soraypampa

Day 2 - Soraypampa - Andenes

Day 3 - Andenes - Chaullay - bus to La Playa

Day 4 - La Playa - Llactapata - Hydroelectrica - train to Aquas Caliente

Day 5 - Machu Picchu  

Jose our horseman and Locario our cook

Frank our guide who by now had gotten used to (1) the meal-time picture taking and (2) hiking really slow

first night's camp at Soraypampa

sunrise

second night in Andenes

third night in La Playa, where we were entertained by the "Poultry Parade" outside the tent which was set up in a farmyard

hot coca leaf tea served in the tent

looking across to Machu Picchu in the distance

after a hotel night in Aquas Caliente, another visit to Machu Picchu, a trail full of llamas,

and the Inca Bridge

back in Aquas Caliente for a late lunch and some more Inca Kola, to which we had, by now, become addicted