We were meeting the explore party on Sunday so we arrived in Lima on the Saturday evening, staying at the same hotel as detailed by explore. We had booked it ourselves and received confirmation yet when we arrived, the hotel reception had no record of our booking.
After much arguing and showing of e-mails we were allocated to rooms for which we had to pay again. Within 10 minutes of being in our rooms we were told by the reception who had been in touch with our booking Company that our Hotel had been changed and they had forgot to inform us – super So, we were picked up by the other hotel and shifted across town.
We had an evening wander around the Miraflores area of Lima, ate and visited a pharmacy to get some “essential medication.” The following day we checked out early and went back to the original hotel and checked in there. We then had a good walk down to the coast and a shuffle round town before dinner. Monday morning we breakfasted out then went back to the hotel and headed down to reception to start the tour.
One by one we met fellow trekkers from all walks of life and all parts of the world. There was a guide there from Condor Travel who was getting us to the airport and sending us on our way.
Back at Lima airport we boarded flight 6 of 11 to Juliaca via Cusco. The flight was good, we flew over the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu en route and had the most horrendous landing in Cusco. We then took off again and had to abort our first approach into Juliaca and come round again before a marginally better landing than Cusco! One for the airport geeks here, Juliaca airport is the second highest in the world after La Paz in Bolivia and as the air is so thin the runway is 5.5kms long to accommodate the issue!!
Here we met our guide for the trip Juan or Lobo as he preferred to be called. So all luggage and folks accounted for we boarded the bus heading for some Inca burial towers on the way to Puno. The towers were quite interesting and also quite remote but a good opener for an Inca trip.
We were now on our way to Puno and our hotel for the next two nights. When we arrived in Puno it was dark and our hotel was fairly central to town. When I say town it is actually a city and quite a big one at that. In fact we were told that after the carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Puno hosts the second biggest carnival in South America.
Our hotel was comfortable and the evening’s dinner was arranged by our leader Lobo. After a good dinner some of us went back to the hotel, others went out to a bar. We had been told by Lobo that due to the fact we had flown from sea level at Lima to 3900mtrs at Puno, altitude could be a problem. We were advised to take it easy on the alcohol until we were better acclimatised. He told us about the local tipple a pisco sour, which could help with the altitude but only have a couple. This was a super drink and became a nightly ritual!!
After much arguing and showing of e-mails we were allocated to rooms for which we had to pay again. Within 10 minutes of being in our rooms we were told by the reception who had been in touch with our booking Company that our Hotel had been changed and they had forgot to inform us – super So, we were picked up by the other hotel and shifted across town.
We had an evening wander around the Miraflores area of Lima, ate and visited a pharmacy to get some “essential medication.” The following day we checked out early and went back to the original hotel and checked in there. We then had a good walk down to the coast and a shuffle round town before dinner. Monday morning we breakfasted out then went back to the hotel and headed down to reception to start the tour.
One by one we met fellow trekkers from all walks of life and all parts of the world. There was a guide there from Condor Travel who was getting us to the airport and sending us on our way.
Back at Lima airport we boarded flight 6 of 11 to Juliaca via Cusco. The flight was good, we flew over the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu en route and had the most horrendous landing in Cusco. We then took off again and had to abort our first approach into Juliaca and come round again before a marginally better landing than Cusco! One for the airport geeks here, Juliaca airport is the second highest in the world after La Paz in Bolivia and as the air is so thin the runway is 5.5kms long to accommodate the issue!!
Here we met our guide for the trip Juan or Lobo as he preferred to be called. So all luggage and folks accounted for we boarded the bus heading for some Inca burial towers on the way to Puno. The towers were quite interesting and also quite remote but a good opener for an Inca trip.
We were now on our way to Puno and our hotel for the next two nights. When we arrived in Puno it was dark and our hotel was fairly central to town. When I say town it is actually a city and quite a big one at that. In fact we were told that after the carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Puno hosts the second biggest carnival in South America.
Our hotel was comfortable and the evening’s dinner was arranged by our leader Lobo. After a good dinner some of us went back to the hotel, others went out to a bar. We had been told by Lobo that due to the fact we had flown from sea level at Lima to 3900mtrs at Puno, altitude could be a problem. We were advised to take it easy on the alcohol until we were better acclimatised. He told us about the local tipple a pisco sour, which could help with the altitude but only have a couple. This was a super drink and became a nightly ritual!!
The following day we were all suffering the effects of altitude with very little sleep and banging heads (no not the alcohol.) Thankfully today we were on a boat trip and not doing anything strenuous. After a buffet breakfast we were all herded into rickshaw type transportation and heading for the port and our boat for the day.
Our first call was with the Uros peoples who live (allegedly) on the floating reed bed islands on Lake Titicaca. We stopped off with some folks on one of the many reed islands and got a demo on how they built the island, a chance to buy local crafted goods and took a boat trip out on one of their hand built reed boats. All in all a good and eye opening experience.
Next we were heading for Taquile island on the lake where we were to take lunch – local caught trout from the lake – mmmmm my favourite. (I managed to get a less attractive looking omlette!) The island was two hours away so most folks were catching up on the previous nights lost sleep. We had a local guide who was very knowledgeable about both the Uros and the Taquile folks.
The island itself was very picturesque and we literally walked up one side to the village, had a shop, some lunch and a beer then walked down the other side back to our boats. The people here all wore strict dress code with the ladies wearing different coloured hats to display their marital status and the men all wearing different coloured belts/cummerbunds for the same reason.
The trip back was a long one and as soon as the sun dropped it was cold instantly. It’s the altitude you know. We got back to Puno and were bussed back to our hotel and out for another planned dinner with entertainment this time. It was also at this point that we got “the bad news.” Strikes and road blocks are a common occurrence in Peru and it just so happened that the elections were looming and there was a major protest underway in Cusco. This meant we had to stay another night in Puno to then fly to Cusco the day after as both the roads and railways were blockaded.
The evening meal went well with both alpaca and guinea pig hitting the tables. I think the alpaca went down better as it had more taste and without being unkind we all know how big guinea pigs are!!! Not much there to chew on is there. The entertainers were good at song, dance and change of outfits. Later some filtered back to the hotel whilst others went out for an extended evening.
So today, we should be driving to Cusco but as said earlier we have more time here. Today Lobo showed us the local market which was a very colourful experience and then we had a walk up to Condor hill which is at 4100mtrs – good training we were told. Another evening meal and an early start the following day for our flight to Cusco.
All up and ready and bound for the airport. Then more bad news……our flight to Cusco had been cancelled due to bad weather in Cusco so Lobo on the phone for hours and we eventually were told we were going back to Lima to get a flight back to Cusco early tomorrow morning so we could start the Inca trail as our permits are only valid or a tomorrow start. Are you keeping up here?? You can imagine how we all felt. We didn’t think we were ever going to get to the trail or Cusco.
Well now our 11 flights has suddenly become 13 with 2 unexpected extras!!
We eventually got to Lima mid afternoon and checked into a splendid on airport hotel – some small compensation. The plan now was up at 0330hrs tomorrow for the 0530 flight to Cusco. In Cusco, shoot to the hotel; get breakfast and then sort out what goes on the trek and what stays in the hotel. Then board the bus to go to “kilometre 82” the Inca trail start point and get under way. No pressure then!!
The flight left Lima, it got to Cusco, we all flew round sorting and eating and before we knew it we were on the bus to kilometre 82. Why km 82 I hear you ask well, the Inca Trail start point is 82kms from Cusco, nothing more complicated than that. Still, it is a silly place name. Having said that all the other places along the rails towards the Inca citadel are also named after their distance from Cusco! Only in Peru……
That’s it for this segment so if you are still awake there will be an Inca trail instalment soon.
Our first call was with the Uros peoples who live (allegedly) on the floating reed bed islands on Lake Titicaca. We stopped off with some folks on one of the many reed islands and got a demo on how they built the island, a chance to buy local crafted goods and took a boat trip out on one of their hand built reed boats. All in all a good and eye opening experience.
Next we were heading for Taquile island on the lake where we were to take lunch – local caught trout from the lake – mmmmm my favourite. (I managed to get a less attractive looking omlette!) The island was two hours away so most folks were catching up on the previous nights lost sleep. We had a local guide who was very knowledgeable about both the Uros and the Taquile folks.
The island itself was very picturesque and we literally walked up one side to the village, had a shop, some lunch and a beer then walked down the other side back to our boats. The people here all wore strict dress code with the ladies wearing different coloured hats to display their marital status and the men all wearing different coloured belts/cummerbunds for the same reason.
The trip back was a long one and as soon as the sun dropped it was cold instantly. It’s the altitude you know. We got back to Puno and were bussed back to our hotel and out for another planned dinner with entertainment this time. It was also at this point that we got “the bad news.” Strikes and road blocks are a common occurrence in Peru and it just so happened that the elections were looming and there was a major protest underway in Cusco. This meant we had to stay another night in Puno to then fly to Cusco the day after as both the roads and railways were blockaded.
The evening meal went well with both alpaca and guinea pig hitting the tables. I think the alpaca went down better as it had more taste and without being unkind we all know how big guinea pigs are!!! Not much there to chew on is there. The entertainers were good at song, dance and change of outfits. Later some filtered back to the hotel whilst others went out for an extended evening.
So today, we should be driving to Cusco but as said earlier we have more time here. Today Lobo showed us the local market which was a very colourful experience and then we had a walk up to Condor hill which is at 4100mtrs – good training we were told. Another evening meal and an early start the following day for our flight to Cusco.
All up and ready and bound for the airport. Then more bad news……our flight to Cusco had been cancelled due to bad weather in Cusco so Lobo on the phone for hours and we eventually were told we were going back to Lima to get a flight back to Cusco early tomorrow morning so we could start the Inca trail as our permits are only valid or a tomorrow start. Are you keeping up here?? You can imagine how we all felt. We didn’t think we were ever going to get to the trail or Cusco.
Well now our 11 flights has suddenly become 13 with 2 unexpected extras!!
We eventually got to Lima mid afternoon and checked into a splendid on airport hotel – some small compensation. The plan now was up at 0330hrs tomorrow for the 0530 flight to Cusco. In Cusco, shoot to the hotel; get breakfast and then sort out what goes on the trek and what stays in the hotel. Then board the bus to go to “kilometre 82” the Inca trail start point and get under way. No pressure then!!
The flight left Lima, it got to Cusco, we all flew round sorting and eating and before we knew it we were on the bus to kilometre 82. Why km 82 I hear you ask well, the Inca Trail start point is 82kms from Cusco, nothing more complicated than that. Still, it is a silly place name. Having said that all the other places along the rails towards the Inca citadel are also named after their distance from Cusco! Only in Peru……
That’s it for this segment so if you are still awake there will be an Inca trail instalment soon.
Pix from the top are - first two are of the Inca burial tombs, Bill and I in our rickshaw, the next four of the Uros islands and people, next three are on Tequile island, two from Puno market, the Cathedral in Puno square, the steps to Condor hill and the view from Condor hill.
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