Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley - Our Peru Adventure
on this episode of love to travel wendy and lawrence explore peru [Music] we climb rainbow mountain travel the sacred valley scale machu picchu in spectacular fashion nearly get run over in cusco and discover other incredible experiences [Music] so pack your bags and join us for another amazing adventure if you love travel and who doesn't we have something at the end of this video you'll definitely want to hear so stick around i'm very excited yeah it's been on my bucket list forever that check nearly didn't make it to the bucket list our trip took place during the covet pandemic and there was the ever-present threat of peru just closing its borders of visitors or shutting down the historical sites like machu picchu which is sort of the reason for going after some confusion with forms and proof of kobe test at lima airport we headed on over to the wyndham hotel just across the street a few hours of solid sleep and we started the morning refreshed but took off in some fairly dismal weather on a pretty packed flight but once the sunrise dawn we were shown just how majestic the country truly is with mountain ranges breaking through the clouds [Music] landing at cusco our incredible adventure took a vibe straight from the movie trains planes and automobiles we booked a taxi to drive us from cusco to aliyah and tambo where we'd be staying for a few nights [Music] you're in cusco [Music] you may ask why not take the train at that time only commuter trains were running and with all the stops it would make a taxi only took half the time to get there [Music] so we sat back with pamela behind the wheel left cusco and watched the urban landscape fade into the beautiful scenery of the countryside villages farms and fields consumed the landscape as rugged mountains reached higher and higher into the sky the more we drove finally the town we'd call home for a few days appeared the historic town of aliyah and tambo it seemed to sneak up on us looking like so many of the other villages and towns along the drive fortunately i was filming when it came into view ali ayan tambo is a great place to stay if you want to explore the sacred valley it dates back to the late 15th century and has some of the oldest continuously occupied dwellings in south america which is amazing in itself we'll add to that incredible history by making it our home for the next three days sure three days isn't much over 600 years but every little bit helps right yes my very first local beverage because i've had beverages since we've been foreign [Music] our adventure in peru mostly focused on the sacred valley a lush valley carved out by the urabomba river the sacred valley is generally considered as running from machu picchu all the way to the town and the inca ruins at pisac on average the intensely cultivated valley floor is about 1 kilometer or 0.62 miles wide and 100 kilometers or 62 miles long giving stunning views when viewed from the surrounding mountains as you can see there are a lot of incredible historic places to visit in the sacred valley but because we only have nine days in peru and one of those is set aside for rainbow mountain which is located way outside the sacred valley we decided on places that really piqued our interest sure you could do more but as you'll see we really like to explore everywhere we go we set our travel plans for aliyah at tambo moire salinarus demaris pisac cinciero and of course macho pichu part of the master plan was to become acclimatized to the incredible altitude of all these historic sites the best part of this clever plan we would be stepping back in time everywhere we went and we'll be staying in an equally historic hotel the el albergue advertising itself as a historic and romantic hotel the el albergue originally opened in 1925 under the name of hotel santa rosa chairs on the deck beg guests to sit back and enjoy the amazing views sometimes you even have company another part of the hotel is cafe mayu it sits on the train stations platform and is enjoyed by tourists locals and those who happen to be coming through town by train it has a menu full of espresso coffee tea cookies brownies sandwiches and even salads no matter where you stay in alia and tambo everything is a quick walk to the heart of the town and its amazing ruins we love to wander and explore so we went into aliyah and tembo with no plan other than grabbing some lunch and getting lost in its narrow ancient alleys it's hard to believe the town was destroyed by the famous inca emperor pasha kute when he conquered it way back in the mid 15th century to be fair he did rebuild it building the town on a grid system which you can still see today the rebuilt town featured a large plaza at the center that may have been as large as four blocks [Music] there's so much history in the town from the open irrigation systems bringing fresh water from the mountains to larger stones in the walls and houses that date back to the mid 15th century as you emerge from the small ancient alleys on the west side of town you're greeted by ali ayan tambo's famous archaeology site [Music] we didn't need any more of an invitation to head over for our first taste of peruvian ruins [Music] the ruins of this ancient fortification sit at 9160 feet atop a high hill the closer you get the more it seems to tower above you because the terraces are so impressive the temple hill is commonly known as the fortress but this is a little misleading with experts claiming the main functions of the site were religious as impressive as the ruins are the valleys below take your breath away [Music] we were lucky enough to meet jj an official tour guide who actually grew up in aliyah and tambo aside from being an awesome guy jj was incredibly patient as we struggled with the high altitude altitude is something every traveler needs to consider when planning a trip to peru and we're going to have more about that later [Music] the ruins in aliyah and tambo have some of the best stonework after macho picchu one of the most surprising details are the rocks found on the complex which are perfectly polished and have perfect edges all after being transported from six kilometers away originating in a quarry near the urobomba river [Music] [Music] according to archaeologists the unfinished structures and the numerous stone blocks that litter the site indicate it was still undergoing construction when it was abandoned [Music] it's hard to miss the colorful market at the foot of the ruins the vibrant colors and traditional dress do make you feel better about it being a bit of a tourist trap but quite frankly it's a weird experience to browse tchotchkes even as you're mentally digesting the incredible ancient ruins all around [Music] the next day it was time for some serious exploring the hotel manager arranged a taxi to help us venture into the sacred valley for the whole day we bought our much needed boleto touristico or tourist ticket the day before and admits you to 16 different cultural sites such as ruins and museums and it's valid for a whopping 10 days [Music] before we knew it our driver victor pulled off the main road and headed over a one-lane wooden bridge and onto bumpy red dirt roads full of switchbacks that climbed up the surrounding mountains you don't realize just how high you've driven until a quick stop rolls out the beautiful valley floor below [Music] our first stop was moire which clocks in at 11 500 feet [Music] considered a prime example of terrace farming it's believed moire was used by the incas to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops the wide temperature differences in the terraces create microclimates just like a greenhouse all this aside it was a fascinating step back in history with some great views speaking of views we came across so many amazing sights driving along the top of the mountain range heading towards our next stop [Applause] visually stunning and looking like something from the mind of star wars creator george lucas salinaris demaris is basically an ancient salt farm [Music] natural salt wells are channeled into 4 200 terraced salt ponds which are dried under the peruvian sun and it produces natural salts that are as rich in flavor as they are in history salt has been harvested for thousands of years with over 3 000 local families working these ponds through a local cooperative [Music] our last full day in aliyah and tambo started early after delicious breakfast of eggs homemade bread and butter fresh doj and amazing coffee pisac there's a reason for that wow the pisac ruins are among peru's most extensive archaeological sites in the sacred valley [Music] built on top of a mountain range the site offers views of towns and farms that fill the valley below [Music] considered one of the best preserved sites in peru it covers the entire mountain and is surrounded by numerous agricultural terraces that blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape or as wendy would put it it's a hot and very high altitude but it's just spectacular i don't know how to say it reaching a height of 11 565 feet with rocks that take visitors up and down the ruins p-sac is a bit of a challenge it's also huge spread across the entire top of the mountain travelers heading to psac should budget an entire day really to make sure everything is seen and oh take a lot of water unfortunately time got the better of us and we couldn't make it across the entire mountaintop but we did sort of visit the furthest most ruins through wendy's telephoto lens it was a tough call but we had to leave peace act ahead for a very special and historic market town of course that historic market town is chinchiro considered as the birthplace of the famous peruvian rainbow and its weaving [Music] this typical andean village combines inca ruins with a colonial church some wonderful mountain views and a colorful sunday market without either having much command of each other's language wendy and victor did a great job communicating with broken english and spanish after picking up a couple of tourists from spain we all headed through the historic town of chinchero to a weaving center and learn why the town was known as the home of the famous peruvian weaving there are a lot of weaving centers in chinchero with so much more to see and do in these tiny plazas [Music] it's amazing to learn the traditional methods of cleaning dyeing and even weaving the wall [Music] we enjoyed a slow start to our day as we readied for the train ride to the famous macho picchu although we checked out hours before the train departed the hotel was more than happy for us to hang out in cafe mayu and enjoy their incredible piece ghost hours just one more time [Music] this was so much more than a train ride it was a front row seat to the incredible peruvian countryside its culture and terrain [Music] growing mountains looked down on the rich farmland and small villages that filled the countryside [Music] after one and a half hours of incredible views we arrived at aguas calientes [Music] aguas calientes or macho pichu pueblo as it's known lies on the vilcanota river and more importantly at the foot of machu picchu the town grew to what it is today after being connected to the national railway system way back in 1931. ever since anyone visiting the famous machu picchu ruins pretty much stays in aguas calientes [Music] very much a tourist town the only things that are truly authentic or historic seem to be the surrounding mountains [Music] incredible bridges reach over dramatic stone streams connecting mazes of streets and alleys that wind through the hotels stores and restaurants at dinner we saw the restaurant serve the peruvian dish of kui kui is considered an andean food staple so of course we had to try it very greasy to the touch it tastes a little like chicken but has a deep fattier flavor we were both glad we tried it but it left me with a bit of an upset stomach you never get tired our macho pichu day started it dark pre-dawn at 5 am so we could get a good spot in the line to catch the first bus of the day up to the 15th century inca citadel [Music] machu picchu officially opens at 6 a.m and we were among the first dozen to start climbing the mix of old and ancient stairs that would take us to the top of the ruins which led to the entrance into the citadel [Music] [Applause] [Music] starting this early runs the risk of morning clouds covering the famous inca ruin pretty much ruining any views but we were lucky enough to enjoy clear gorgeous views with colors that seem to change from second to second [Music] [Music] hmm we were lucky enough to have jj our guide from ollie i and tambo join us for the day [Music] there's so much to see and experience at machu picchu you really need a guide to explain the incredible history you're walking through [Music] throughout the citadel are large stones that trace nearby mountains maps of sorts which are still recognizable all these centuries later [Music] [Applause] [Music] it's our first peruvian blizzard babe there are restrictions when visiting machu picchu from the number of people allowed in to a ban on selfie sticks and even rules where you can walk these are frequently updated so if you are going be sure to check for the latest do's and don'ts an example of a change visitors follow a route through the citadel and it only runs in one direction [Music] there are so many things they're still discovering about the citadel even today [Music] uh [Music] [Music] if you want to know more about our roots have a closer look at what we saw check out the macho pichu virtual tour video on our youtube channel we grabbed lunch with jj and aguas calientes and decided to upgrade our train ticket to peru's vista dome car featuring nicer decor and panoramic windows the car stop entertain passengers with fashion shows and traditional dances [Music] we were torn between taking in the incredible views painted by a setting sun and all the fun stuff going on in our car [Music] [Music] we even saw some familiar sights along the way nearly a four hour trip from macho picchu to cusco the temperature fell as quickly as the sun leaving us to catch a taxi in the darkest night to our final hotel for the trip [Music] the great thing about a late night check-in is waking up in a new city we stayed at the hilton garden inn located on the northwestern edge of cusco about half a mile from the city's historical district as we headed in to explore cusco we could see just how high the hotel sat on the mountains that surrounded the city giving the walk-in some incredible views of what lay ahead of us [Music] it's a historic city filled with activity and a lot of traffic some of it can be pretty dangerous if you don't pay attention the city was the capital of the inca empire from the 13th century right up until the 16th century spanish conquest the spaniards destroyed much of the inca buildings leaving a definite spanish feel to cusco majestic churches and a lot of parks dot the city colonial architecture is everywhere from ancient walls and gates which surround city squares while carved wooden balconies accent second floors everywhere you look [Music] we came across coracantia in santo domingo plaza this was the most important temple in the inca empire with the name korkancha roughly translating to walls of gold to enter the temple during inca times worshipers needed to have been barefoot fasting and carrying a heavy load upon their back as a sign of humility to the god hopefully heavy backpacks and camera gear count for tourists one of the more famous areas of cusco is the plaza de armas there is a huge event going on when we found it a must visit is the cathedral basilica if not to see the famous version of the last supper yes my friend that is coulee on the table the plaza is a perfect place to stop for lunch with great restaurants just make sure to choose one overlooking the square [Music] [Applause] we roam the busy streets of cusco heading towards the central market of san pedro the main and oldest food market in the city filled with 1180 stalls and sell everything imaginable from bread products meats fruits vegetables and even andy and chaminera products [Music] the one thing we could buy and definitely wanted to try were the fruit drinks needless to say we didn't disappoint nor did the drink the next day was another early morning start our tour van drove around cuzco in the pre-dawn hours picking up passengers and heading out on a two-hour drive arriving at a rustic restaurant located closer to rainbow mountain [Music] we were seeing yet another side of peru driving through narrow valleys of streams and small villages [Music] green would fade to bear brown as the dirt road turned to switchbacks taking a caravan of tour buses higher and higher towards rainbow mountain rainbow mountain is a relatively new destination in peru rainbow mountain or vinicunka as it's also known attracted attention from about 2015 when climate change melted some glacier caps exposing the colorful mountain range this makes rainbow mountain a bittersweet adventure we'd arrange for some horses to help us not only save energy on the long height but also beat the crowd to the top of rainbow mountain how's it going baby [Music] leaving the horses at the base of rainbow mountain we started the tough climb to the top there were frequent stops [Music] local villagers made the climb look easy even if some of their animals were less than keen llamas were like i'm not coming up once at the top we were at 16 522 feet and any exhaustion was just washed away by the stunning views [Music] looking back we realized not just how far we'd come but how many hikers were heading our way [Music] [Music] even as we made our way down the views were just as stunning [Music] skipping the horses to hike all the way back down on foot was a great idea as we enjoyed amazing views and experiences the whole walk back quite a few people on our tour bus came down with altitude sickness on the ride back to cusco both wendy and i had different symptoms of altitude sickness later that night and on into the next day looking back we realized we were so in awe of the views from rainbow mountain's viewpoint we probably stayed longer than the 15 or 20 minutes recommended at the top which wasn't good fortunately there was nothing planned for our last full day in cusco giving us time to chase up covet tests and rest for the long flight home as before we flew from cusco to lima but this time we would be flying first class from lima to atlanta that's right wendy managed to get an upgrade for only two hundred dollars per person unfortunately our flight back to the united states was delayed by three hours taking off at 1 30 in the morning but wendy did sleep comfortably in first class i took it all in with some good food and a chance to finally watch the big lebowski seriously it was the first time we've been fortunate to visit incredible parts of the world peru was an amazing experience the country people and its amazing culture is something everyone should try to enjoy speaking of which our special announcement this is our very first video on our love to travel youtube channel to celebrate this amazing moment we have an exciting idea and offer when this channel gets 3 000 subscribers we'll celebrate by releasing a special video featuring our top 10 tips for traveling peru that's right 10 things we thought went well on our trip or would do differently all personally presented by wendy and lawrence so please subscribe to our channel click the like button to let others know they should watch this video as well and feel free to share this video with a friend or two or ten feel free to share it with all your travel loving friends wendy and i are excited about the opportunity of sharing our top 10 tips for traveling peru with you not to give it away but to quote a famous song as for mistakes i've made a few now go unpack that youtube carry-on watch that peruvian dust out of your travel pants and we look forward to you joining us on our next adventure on love to travel [Music] foreign
2022-09-12 05:35
