#WhenIn Machu Picchu (via Cuzco & Salkantay)

Yuan Nielsen
Aug 9, 2017 · 6 min read

Reaching Machu Picchu at dawn with wobbly legs, after the slightly intense five-day trek through the Andes and Amazons, is a pretty incredible feeling. Hiking vigorously and determinedly up and down the steep and beautiful mountains (yeah, Inca flat my…), from icy snow fields to humid jungles, and sleeping under the stars is not for everyone (thinking back on the poor Indian couple struggling to keep up, almost as much as trying to remember why they decided to do this in the first place). In my opinion, this trek is one of the most refreshing things you can do, and while you are in Inca territory, there are also plenty of other amazing historical sites to see…

Where to stay:

Your tent is your friend on this trip, shielding you from cold winds in the mountains and funky insects in the jungle. If you go with a trekking company, they will provide tents and light meals, while you only have to deal with your personals.

How to get around:

Your legs will feel fine the first few days, but then at some point you will notice how they start to disobey your brain’s commands, and suddenly they turn into jello around the day before reaching Aguas Calientes — and then you will be praying for up hill rather than down hill.

Where to eat:

Uchu in Cuzco is a great Peruvian steakhouse, where you can enjoy your last supper before the trek. They make a delicious alpaca dish, and I would really savor this meal, because the next few days will contain slightly less interesting menus.

On the trek, you will get very simple meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (white bread with jam or small portions of chicken and rice), and you will like it (no, seriously, you will be so tired and hungry that it will taste delicious).

What to eat:

Ceviche is made with fresh sea bass, shrimp, scallops, or octopus (“seared” in the acid of lime juice) with aji pepper, red onions, and tomatoes, and it is very delicious. Alpaca, a smaller cousin of the llama, is a very lean meat (that is slightly gamier than beef ) and tastes surprisingly good. Cuy (guinea pig), on the other hand, is quite bony and rubbery (not much meat and a lot of chewy skin), and I have to say that though I am glad I tried it, it looks too frightening (it’s served whole with a rather terrifying expression on its face) and tastes too funky for my liking.

What to do:

Walk around Cuzco. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, this charming Peruvian city, with its many cobble stones and small alleys, is rich with history and beautiful buildings.

Visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Full of amazing views and ruins explore, this gorgeous valley is a great place for a walk.

Visit the Ollantaytambo Ruins. This site is quite magnificent (which people obviously figured out, since there are a lot more tourists roaming these parts), and the fortress, steep terraces, and panoramic views are all very impressive.

Visit the Women’s Weaving Cooperative. This lovely little village, with Peruvian women coloring alpaca wool and weaving beautiful yarns, makes for a really warming experience.

Trek Salkantay with coca leaves. Chewing coca leaves is supposed to help with altitude sickness and fatigue, and you roll it up with a small sugar clump and let it sit inside your cheek . The actual trek starts at Mollepata and goes through Soraypampa, Lucmabamba, and Aguas Calientes. It is an absolutely amazing five-day trek with incredibly fresh air, unbelievable views, and total peacefulness.

Hike to Humantay Lake. This lake is located behind the mountains of one of the earlier camp sites and is an absolute must see. The steep climb is fun, and the wow-effect when you get there (after thinking you may never get there), is priceless.

Relax in Aguas Calientes. Getting here is awesome, because you can now take a shower in a real bathroom (rather than in the river) and you can eat food of your own choosing (things you will appreciate a bit differently when you get here). And somehow you can tell the Salkantay hikers from the Inca trail hikers, as they definitely look more beaten up.

Reach Machu Picchu at dawn. The best time to take in this fascinating place is definitely right at dawn, since most of the other tourists haven’t woken up yet. You get the beautiful city more to yourself, and you can escape before it starts to get really packed around noon.

Hike to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). Even though your legs may be tired, you should still hike up to this important site that once served as the main entry point to Machu Picchu from the South. The sunrise here is spectacular, and you get the view of the entire sanctuary. And it will be your last real jike before catching the train back to Cuzco.

What not to do:

Don’t eat guinea pig… just don’t…

#WhenIn

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Yuan Nielsen

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