Peru Trip – Cusco and The Sacred Valley
How we got to Cusco from Lima
In my previous post I gave a general overview of our trip, including details of how we got to Lima. The next stop after our overnight at Kangaroo Wasi was a flight to Cusco the next morning. We had arranged the round trip with the taxi company that we took from the night before, so getting back to the airport was pretty painless.
The flight is a quick trip, about an hour. After we landed, I used the opportunity to pick up my train tickets for our Cusco- Aguas Calientes trip from the Inca Rail office in the airport. You can also pick up the tickets at offices in town or at the train station itself, but this was most convenient.
Where we stayed in Cusco
We stayed at Tierra Viva Cusco Centro, one of three Tierra Viva properties in Cusco. An airport transfer was included in the rate, and our driver was waiting for us when we arrived. The location was great- easy walking distance to the Plaza de Armas and the centre of the historical district, as well as the train station in San Pedro.
Altitude Sickness
So while doing research for this trip, I had of course come across that it might be possible to be affected by altitude sickness. The most often recommended solutions were arriving early and aclimatising before doing anything too strenuous, and drinking lots of coca tea (which is readily available everywhere). This seemed simple enough to me, so I didn’t take it much further. Big mistake. As I mentioned before in my previous post, and cannot emphasise enough, if you are not sure how your body reacts to a change in altitude, please make sure you have anti-altitude sickness tablets in your possession. You will likely be saving yourself from what can be a lot of discomfort. I made a mistake underestimating the effects.
When we first landed in Cusco, we felt ok at first. I felt a little off, but I put that down to hunger and travel fatigue. However as the night progressed I really wasn’t feeling so great, nor was Stef. The worst symptoms for me was mild nausea accompanied by a constant feeling of unease. I also believe the altitude was messing with my ENT system and triggered my sinuses. Stef had it a little worse. He pretty much couldn’t sleep at all that first night and was restless. I didn’t sleep very well either.
I called the front desk and asked if they had any tablets, however they hotel policy is not to administer drugs to guests (fair). They did however offer to bring up an oxygen tank for us, which we gratefully accepted.
Clearly they are used to this sort of thing happening! Save yourself the trouble and err on the side of caution. Get your tablets! They are widely available so order online before you go, or pop into a pharmacy once you get there.
What we did in Cusco
Shortly after we checked -in, we struck off in the direction of the Plaza Las Armas. We were feeling hungry so first things first we dealt withthat. We ened up at Kion, a Peruvian/Chinese fusion restaurant. After lunch we headed back out to the main square to sight-see.
If you are the type that doesn’t book tours in advance, or want to get a feel on the ground before doing so, no worries here. There are hundreds of tour operators and tour offices in the vicinity of the city centre and beyond.
On our second night in the city we headed back into the historical district. We had our first pisco sours and sampled Alpaca skewers. We took a walk afterward and scoped out where the train station was on our way back to the hotel, so that we would know exactly where we needed to be for our early departure the next morning.
What we did in the Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is a region of the Peruvian Andes that formed the heart of the Inca Empire. Many famous Inca archaeological ruins and historical sights (including Machu Picchu ) are located in this area.
ATV Tour to the Maras Salt Mines and Moray archaeological site
For the most part, I opted for tours that would pick up from the hotel. This is another adnatage to staying in a central location. For our first full day in Cusco, we took an ATV tour into the Sacred Valley; to the Maras Salt Mines and Moray. I booked this tour with Find Local Trips who facilitate bookng tours with local operators.
After a drive of about an hour and a half, we arrived at the tour operator’s depot. Here they gave us tutorials for the ATVs and we went on a practice run nearby. Then we were off!
Maras Salt Mines
Our first stop was at the Maras Salt Mines. The ATVs were not allowed inside, so we parked up and a bus took us down to the site. Our tour guide took us down to the salt ponds and explained the history of the mines and the process. Spring water comes from the mountains and is channelled into the pools, where it concetrates and leaves behind the salt. The salt is then painstakingly collected by hand and hauled up the hillside.
I had seen in reviews of this tour that some people would have desired more time at this site, however I was ok with amount of time we spent here.
On another note, the effect of altitude on your lungs is no joke. Going uphill which would have been light work under normal circumstances, had me huffing and puffing.
Moray
Once we got back to our ATVs it was time to hit the road again. It was a fine day weather wise, so the ride was quite pleasant. It started to get a little less pleasant when we were nearing Moray. The sun disappeard and there was a serious temperature drop. I had to draw for another layer and a scarf . Needless to say, it’s a good idea to keep extra layers on hand as the weather switches up pretty quickly.
By the time we got here, we were a little hungry. So before we did anything else we went over to the food vendors . We were still being affected somewhat by altitude sickness, so we didn’t feel like experimenting much. Even though I knew I was hungry, I didn’t really feel like eating. Eventually I went ahead and bought some Andean Corn and cheese.
Moray site contains unusual Inca ruins, mostly consisting of several circular terraces. As with many other Inca sites, it also has an irrigation system. While the exact use is still not known, it is suspected that the site was used for agricultural experimentation.We were not there long enough to do one of the trails through the site. However I honestly was not feeling up to it anyway , so I don’t count it as a loss.
I was glad I had my rain jacket! It was one of the things I had acquired specifically for this trip, and it was very handy, lightweight and packable. It had been raining, so there was some mud splashing on the ride back.
Overall, I would recommend this tour. The photos really don’t do justice to the majesty of the landscape. It was a great way to spend the day with visits to the sites interspersed with some adrenaline. I think I much prefer this option as opposed to simply visiting each of the sites by bus.
It was during this outing that we finally accepted that we were not going to acclimatise to the altitude sickness, and we needed to get the tablets. Best decision ever. I could kick myself for having not done that before. That night was definitely a LOT better than the first.
Train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes
The next morning was the first leg of our journey to Machu Picchu. We got to Aguas Calientes (also know as Machu Picchu Pueblo/town), by taking the train from Cusco up through the Sacred Valley. There are two train companies that offer this service- Peru Rail and Inca Rail. We decided to go with Inca Rail. I will write in more detail about his part of the trip in my next post.
General Tips
- Wear your sunblock. Do not be deceived, those rays are kicking at altitude, even in overcast conditions.
- Always have extra layers at hand. A waterproof layer could prove useful.
- Take it easy with food on the first day. Give your body a chance to acclimatise as best possible.
- Please get your altitude sickness tablets beforehand- I will say this in every post. It can ruin your vacation!
Next post will be about Aguas calientes and Machu Picchu!
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[…] you are already in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, the next step is to find your way to Aguas Calientes, now also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo (Town). […]