Dos Manos Peru
Based in Cusco, the former capital of the Incas we have a direct link to the diverse aspects of the culture and the history of our Country — and the best local contacts.

Our link URL is http://www.dosmanosperu.com/

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PERU TRAVEL INFORMATION

Description: PERU ADVENTURE TOURS is authorized adventure tour operator by the Peruvian government. PERU ADVENTURE TOURS features a variety of private and luxury excursion all over Peru; Peru Cycling, Peru Trekking, Peru Climbing, Peru Horseback Riding, Peru Birding, Peru Rent A Car, Peru 4×4 Tours, leisurely jungle tours, private and backpacker Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Salkantay trek, Lares Llama Trek, Ausangate Trek, Trekking to Choquequirao, Trek in the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyon and more amazing outdoor activities on the high Andes of South America.

Our link URL is  http://www.peruadventurestours.com

Email: info(at)peruadventurestours.com

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The links to the companies above are for reference.  We are not personally familiar with all of these companies, so further research may be required before using their services.

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No one seemed too bothered about the early start (4am) on the final day.  We were all too excited and had been unable to sleep properly anyway – our dreams of seeing Machu Picchu were about to be realised.  For almost the first time in four days it was not raining and the sky was full of bright stars.  It was only now that it became apparent how many other people had been actually walking the Inca Trail.  Joined by extra groups who were on a shortened two-day Inca Trail there suddenly appeared to huge numbers of walkers heading towards Machu Picchu.  Looking in front and behind us along the path was a torch lit procession snaking along the side of the mountain through the woods.  We walked in almost complete silence for a couple of hours, getting more and more excited.  The hair on our heads stood on end from the anticipation, and not the fact that it had not been washed for 4 days.  Heading towards Intipunku, the Sun Gate, we became agitated by slower walkers.  As the sky became lighter and lighter, the whole valley below us was revealed to us as the sun started to rise from behind a mountain in the distance and we were anxious we were going to miss our first view as the sun rose up over Machu Picchu.  We virtually ran up the steep steps to the Sun Gate.  As we walked around the corner and looked down on the ancient citadel, our hearts dropped.  The valley in front was filled with a mass of swirling cloud.  We tried not to be disappointed, but after 4 days of walking in the rain to be greeted with fog was not what we had planned on.

Joe, an American in the group, chuckled to himself.  He had not really been prepared for the walk, wearing jeans and trainers that got soaking wet on the first day.  His attempts to carry all his kit did not last and he had resorted to hiring a porter by day two.  He caught a cold and looked like he had not enjoyed the trek.  It was also very disturbing when he spoke, because his slow drawl sounded just like the character played by Billy Bob Thornton in the Oscar winning film, Sling Blade.  At any moment we expected him to say, “Ah, Huh, I Rekkun”.  If he could see the funny side of the situation then we had no reason not to either.  There was nothing else we could do about it, but laugh with him.

   We hung around at the Sun Gate, waiting for the fog to clear, but it was not looking very hopeful.  Our guide told us that he probably only sees Machu Picchu from that spot once or twice a year.  That is something they don’t bother to tell you in the guidebooks or at the tour agencies.  Of course we had to take some photos, it was after all our first view of Machu Picchu.  We thought we might be able to use it for a game, a bit like pin the tail on the donkey.  As we descended into the clouds we glanced behind us to admire the valley and mountains from where we had come from which were now bathed in early morning sunlight.

After 30 minutes walking down through the fog we finally reached the photographers vantage point, known as the ‘Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock’.  If you have ever received a postcard of Machu Picchu, it is likely that it was taken from this spot.  The fog started to lift and we got our first glimpse of the ruins.  There were the obligatory wisps of clouds clinging to the hillside making it looked really mystical.  An ideal photo opportunity, the only noise was from the clicking of cameras.

Maybe it was the angle that the photos had been taken at, but we imagined the ruins to be a lot bigger.  It is the location of the ruins that make them so important and not it’s size.  The beautiful natural setting of Machu Picchu at 2,430 m above sea level, set amongst tropical mountain forest, is extraordinary.  The site lies in the middle of a saddle shaped ridge between two mountains.  No one knows what the Incas called their city, which has adopted its name from the mountain that rises behind the ruins, Machu Picchu (literally meaning ‘Ancient Peak’).  This mountain is just one of four ancient peaks that surround the ruins, the other three being Huayna Picchu, Putukusi and Pumasillo.  From the centre of the site, each peak points towards a specific direction, North, South, East or West.  Blending in naturally with the landscape, its giant walls, terraces and ramps could easily be mistaken for the rock escarpments that it is built on.

It is easy to understand why these ruins went undiscovered for so long, it’s remote location and its concealment ensuring that the Spanish did not know of its existence.  If they ever did know, it was probably too inaccessible for them to have bothered with.  For whatever reason, it luckily escaped the looting, plundering, burning and destruction that most Inca sites were subjected to during the Spanish Conquest.  As a result, this has become the most significant and famous archaeological site in South America.

It was not until 1911, when a Yale University expedition led by a chap called Hiram Bingham, that the ruins at Machu Picchu were ‘rediscovered’.  Bingham paid a local Quechua man one sol (things haven’t changed much since 1911), who told him that on top of the hill, out of sight was an archaeological ruin.  He assumed it to be the site he was looking for, Vilcabamba (one of the last Inca strongholds), and so he actually discovered Machu Picchu purely by mistake.  The site was totally overgrown with vegetation and although it had been abandoned by the Inca centuries before, a couple of local peasant families were living there.

The search for Vilcabamba continued for many years, until 1964 when Gene Savoy (an American archaeologist) unearthed the site at Espiritu Pampa.  Hiram Bingham had already made it there not long after he had discovered Machu Picchu but had left it alone thinking he had already found the last Incan stronghold.  In his excitement he forgot to log the exact location, and therefore it became ‘lost’ again.  More recently, Peruvian and British explorers have discovered a number of other lost Inca cities all in the same area.  Lying only 40 kilometres from Machu Picchu are one of these sites, Corihuayrachina.    These ruins are even more sophisticated than Machu Picchu, suggesting a well-developed settlement.  Included in the site are ruins of circular homes, storehouses, cemeteries, funeral towers, roadways, waterworks, farming terraces, a dam and a truncated pyramid.

Obviously, there has been a lot of archaeological exploration since the discovery of Machu Picchu and new things are always being excavated.  In total, about 150 skeletal remains have been exhumed; the vast majority of these are females, with only about 20 males and four children.  The large number of female remains was quite curious and has led to various theories, the most popular being that the last inhabitants of Machu Picchu were women, left by the men who had gone off to fight the Spanish, selected to stay to continue important ritual ceremonies.  The theory of it being a glorified brothel is a great suggestion but, unfortunately, very unlikely.

The mystery surrounding Machu Picchu and its precise function is one of is greatest attractions and huge numbers of people believing it was a particularly important centre of worship and ceremonies come searching for a spiritual experience.  Maybe it was the two dogs copulating in the main grassy plaza that distracted us, but it did not really feel that it was a particularly sacred place.  Neither of us felt compelled to sit down and meditate, or take off our clothes and run around naked for that matter.

The majority of the site is split between agricultural terracing and buildings to accommodate about 500 people.  Even though there are a number of temples and the usual stone alter that is illuminated by the sun during one of the Solstices, most of the buildings are very functional consisting of not just houses, but also workshops, storage areas and baths.  Built at the height of the Inca Empire it was probably one of the most amazing urban centres, not the biggest, but certainly one of the most dramatic.

Machu Picchu is an exceptionally well-preserved archaeological site, with some fantastic granite stonework, locking together like a huge jigsaw puzzle (one stone had 34 interlocking angles cut into it).  Anyone who has ever worked with granite will know that it is not only a very heavy stone, but also very tough and is takes a great deal of skill to cut it accurately.  There are 3 granite quarries within the site, which must have been working full time to provide a constant supply of stone during the city’s construction.

 Our guided tour only took an hour and a half and by 10 am we were left to explore on our own.  Vicky decided to climb up Huayna Picchu (Younger or Lesser Peak).  This is the hill that is the backdrop for most of the photos taken of Machu Picchu and is almost 400 metres higher than the ruins.  We had been warned it was not the easiest hills to climb and those with a fear of heights, including Caius decided to give it a miss.  The route clings to the side of the mountain and there is an almost vertical stairway of about 50 metres carved into the rocky face.  It was not too scary and there was a handrail much of the way to support and pull yourself up.  The final climb to the top was with the aid of a rope, which someone had apparently recently misjudged and had tumbled to their death.  The panoramic view from the top was worth the tiring climb, with Machu Picchu, the Urubamba Canyon and the snow-capped peaks in the distance.  There were too many people hanging around at the top, determined to try and find the highest and most precarious rock to conquer.  The walk back down was a little more disconcerting and from the top of some mini terraces we realised how steep it really was.  The set of tiny steps we had come up now seemed even smaller and steeper and we realised there was nothing at the bottom to stop us from falling right to the bottom if we had slipped.

By the time we had reached the bottom, the ruins were crawling with tourists.  Caius had managed to spend a relaxing hour wandering around before the train from Cusco had arrived.  Even though there are restrictions on the number of people walking the Inca Trail, there are none on the number that can visit the ruins.  From a height it looked like someone had been painting the ruins in splodges of white, blue, red, green, yellow and black.  What we were actually looking at was a load of tourists wearing ponchos, shuffling around in their organised tour.

It had been a good idea to walk in shorts, while it was raining, but now we were lower down and it was warmer we were the prime targets for sand flies again.  We were too engrossed in the excitement of going to Machu Picchu we had forgotten to put on any mosquito guard that morning.  They were particularly attracted to our bare legs, which were soon covered in small, weeping wounds.  Our early start had been worth it, but sharing the ruins with a couple of thousand other people (and sand flies) was not enjoyable, so we made our escape just as it started to rain – again.

Article taken from Inca Hoots by Caius Simmons & Vicky Brewis.

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For a small fortune, even by UK standards, a bus took us to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes.  This is the closest town to Machu Picchu, which at first appears to be a pretty miserable place – full of expensive hotels, tacky souvenir shops, busy restaurants, and American and European tourists.  Based on the horror stories about the thermal springs we decided to give bathing a miss. 

We never found out if Gringo Bill’s lives up to it’s good reputation.  So much for making a reservation in advance – when we turned up, they didn’t have a room reserved for us and they wanted double the price we had agreed over the phone.  The extremely rude receptionist assumed we would just put up with her offer, but we just walked away.  Later, overhearing a conversation between six friends, we listened to an almost identical story.  They were extremely pissed off because they had already paid for their rooms through an agency and ‘Bill’ was insisting they coughed up for a room again. 

 Los Cabaña was a far nicer, and friendly, alternative.  After being so cold and wet, and not washing properly for four days, the shower was magic.  Aguas Calientes we were in, and ‘aguas calientes’ it was.  Standing underneath the hot, powerful jet of water, it was wonderful to feel the bones warm up again.  It was just a good job the soap and hot water ran out, otherwise Vicky would have stood there forever. 

Against popular opinion, we quite liked Aguas Calientes, once the last train left and all the tourists had gone, that is.  The main street is, in fact, the main rail track, with shops, stalls and restaurants lining the platform.  As long as we stayed away from here we seemed to be relatively safe from being touted.  Strolling around the main square with Bobby (the Canadian), and Joe (“Ah, Huh, I Rekkun”), was more than a pleasant way to spend an evening, reflecting on our trip to Machu Picchu.  Bobby taught us how to deal with any touts outside the restaurants.  When they approached, he would say “Que tal?” (How are you?), which would really throw them, not knowing what to say, and leaving them completely speechless.  By the time they figured out a reply, we had passed by and onto the next restaurant.

The next morning, just to make absolutely sure we were completely worn out from the rigours of the Inca Trail we decided to go on yet another walk, this time up Putukusi, which along with Huayna Picchu is one of the four sacred mountains that surround Machu Picchu.  It was a very pleasant walk, for about half an hour, until we turned a corner and were faced with a sheer vertical face with a rather dodgy looking ladder going up it.  Admittedly it was made of large branches and it seemed to be securely fixed to the rock face, even if it did appear to lean outwards at a few places and we could not see the top.  We were determined to make it to the top, particularly Caius, who wanted to overcome his fear of heights (not the best place to start).  After 120 rungs of intense concentration, and sweat, we reached the top.  Caius found some solid ground away from the top rung and after the adrenalin levels had dropped we set off again.  Around the next corner we were confronted with another ladder.  It was not quite as long, but around the next corner was another and then another.  This happened a few more times and finally we reached a path and a view of the rest of the route.  It was steep but manageable and, better still, there were no more ladders.

Maybe it was our poor Spanish, but we were convinced that the tourist information officer in Aguas Calientes told us it was not scary and if we had been up Huayna Picchu we would not have a problem!

Earlier on in the walk, when he was clinging tightly to a ladder, Caius had said he was not going to stop until he could see Machu Picchu.  It finally came into sight as we rounded the last corner and got a view over the other side of the mountain.  From here Machu Picchu looked so small, but it was interesting to see it from a different angle and how extensive the terracing is around the buildings.  From our vantage point we could easily make out all the geological fault lines that lie underneath the ridge that Machu Picchu is built on.  There was a constant stream of buses snaking up and down the road, ferrying visitors from the recently arrived train from Cusco.  We stripped off and lay our sweaty clothes out on the rocks to dry.  Flying high above us was the rainbow coloured Andean flag.  We were finally disturbed by a couple who had also made it to the top.  Like most people, they had travelled from Cusco on the train and were using Aguas Calientes as a base to get to Machu Picchu.  However, they had got all the way here (and paid the extortionate train fare), but were not prepared to pay $20 to go into the site as they thought it was too expensive.  It seemed a bit like going to a posh Chinese restaurant and ordering Fish ’n’ Chips.

For some reason going back down was not quite as scary as the climb up.  Perhaps it was the thought that the quicker we got down, the quicker we would be back on ‘firm’ ground.  It was certainly a relief when we finally made it to the bottom of the last rung..

The train back to Ollantaytambo was a particularly posh one, with soft, comfortable seats.  Luckily we didn’t have to pay extra for the ticket, as it was all included in our Inca Trail trip.  Forking out a bit extra for a decent tour company definitely paid off.  Given the low cost of transport in Peru in general, this train ride is probably the most expensive journey, flying excluded, in the country.  With the knowledge that tourists will pay whatever is being charged just to get to Machu Picchu the train company can charge what the hell they like.  Our single ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (about 15 miles) would have cost $25 each – bargain.  Windows in the ceiling meant we could watch the mountains slowly pass by as we trundled along the valley.  The sun was just starting to set and the snow capped peaks, towering way above us, had a hint of red on them.  It seemed more than two days previously that we had been walking in amongst the mountains and now we were leaving them, and Machu Picchu, behind.  By the time we reached Ollantaytambo the sun had disappeared, only to be replaced by a beautiful full moon.  The pink light on the mountains turned to a peaceful, eerily calm, glow.

The train station at Ollantaytambo was in total confusion and there was no one there to meet us, as promised.  The conductor informed us that there was another stop further down the track where all the buses, that couldn’t get through the narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, stopped to pick up passengers.  Logically, we stayed on, but when the conductor shoved us off at the side of the road we realised we had made a mistake.  Stuck in the middle of nowhere and with all the bus drivers denying any responsibility for three scruffy travellers (Bobby was also with us) we had no option but to walk the short distance back to the village.  This confusion must happen all the time because a few minutes later a minibus came to our rescue and took us back to Ollantaytambo.  When we hadn’t shown up at the train station, they guessed what had happened and drove out to collect us.    Back in Ollantaytambo, we hooked up with a larger bus to take us the last leg of our journey, back to Cusco.  Unfortunately the driver had left the lights on and we ended up pushing the bus through the main square to bump start it. 

The full moon hovered above the mountains, lighting up the valley around and ahead us.  On the previous journeys along this part of the Sacred Valley we had not seen any of the peaks as they had all been shrouded in cloud.  That night we could see for miles, the Vilcabamba and Salcantay mountain ranges looked tantalisingly close.

Article taken from Inca Hoots by Caius Simmons & Vicky Brewis.

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