November 16 – 22: Peru, part 3…. Cusco and trekking through the land of the Inka’s

On Monday I take I easy: stroll a little bit through the city, buy snacks and water for the trekking, then the briefing by the tour guide towards the evening. Back in the hostel I split my belongings up into: what comes with me on the trekking and what will stay in Cusco together with Suzy. For the first time since Alaska I get the warm merino clothes out of the bags again. Edgar our tour guide has already warned me that it will be pretty cool, mainly the first night on almost 3900MüM. I cannot sleep very well, probably I’m somehow excited: how will I manage these four days of hiking (between 15 - 25 km per day with up to 2500 meters of elevation)? And I didn’t much of hiking the past months – not exactly part of my daily activity ;-). But at least I feel ok so far even in the altitude of Cusco.

Early in the morning at five I’m picked up by Edgar and his Team. The composition for the next 4 days: Edgar (tourguide), Mario (horseman), Epifanio (cook), 2 Dutch, 3 Germans, 2 Americans and me. And once again I’m twice as old as all the others. Only Edgar is with 28 years a little "older" as the other participants. Hmmmm ... ..well, at least under these circumstances I have an excuse in case I’m running out of air during the trekking ;-)

We drive up to the starting point of our trek: Mollepata (2800MüM). After a hearty breakfast we start hiking. We carry "only" our day backpack with rain clothes, clothes for changing during the day, drinks and snacks. The rest (max. 5kg including sleeping bag) is carried up by the horses. The first day is like a "warm up". After about 10km we already reach our first camp site Soraypampa on 3890MüM. After a delicious lunch and a short but most welcome nap Edgar walks with us up to a mountain lake. 300m of elevation, straight up high to the lake below the Humantay (5317MüM). The view is fantastic, a few "tough guys" from another group even show their courage and go for a swim !! Edgar makes this "unnecessary" walk on the first day always; partly because of the lake and the really stunning view up there but partly because like that he sees how good our condition is and plan the walking times for the next two days.

Humantay behind me (5317 m)

Despite the altitude (and cold) we all sleep well after a nutritious dinner; the next morning we are awakened already at 5am and get a hot cocatea for a start and after getting ready of course again a rich breakfast. Already at 6.00 clock we start our longest and probably hardest hiking day: 24km and almost 2400 of elevation (700up and 1700down), bundled up with cap and gloves as it is really cold up here. But as soon as the first sunlight reaches the valley it is getting warm and I quickly get rid of my jacket and the gloves. Although already over 400MüM I’m walking around in my t-shirt (but with the cap because of the wind). Edgar has ensured us to walk in our own suitable pace and not to rush up or pay attention to the others pace. As always I have to stop shortly every few hundred meters and take 3-4 times a deep breath before I can continue. Not really a convenient habit but one that accompanies me since I know on my hikings. The increasing altitude doesn’t make it easier that time, that’s for sure. But at least I’m not the only one who has to fight the way up to the pass. Edgar assures us, however, that we are doing well and he had much slower trekking participants before. The landscape is simply breathtaking, the Salkantay accompanies us the whole time; the beauty of its snow and ice walls are becoming clearer, the higher we get. 

our sturdy "helpers" ;-)

After about 3 hours we reach happy but quite out of breath the Salkantaypass (4620MüM). Edgar tells us a lot about the surrounding mountains (the Salkantay was for example only 3 times conquered so far, one of them a Swiss), the significance of its name, the history of colonization and the rituals that still celebrates his people (the Quechuas) today. While he tells us all these interesting details we can observe how far up in the mountain an avalanche breaks down; however, after a short time gets stuck in the ice. 

After we have done all the obligatory reminder pictures and eat some snacks we go on hiking, but now exclusively down, partly very steep and rocky. I'm glad I rented some trekking sticks, my meniscus will thank me. Again a nutritious lunch, 30 minutes for a nap and on we go. Downwards we walk in quite a speedy pace and reach - contrary to the expectations of Edgar - the 2nd campground already by 4pm. Of course we're all pretty exhausted but also very happy with what we all have achieved that day. The landscape - and of course the temperature - has changed during walking down, you realize that we are approaching the rainforest. The campground is like the first an accumulation of simple houses which are built and operated by locals. While we sleep in a tent, the tent is under a roof. Makes it easier, since it rains almost every night here. That way we can pack up the tents dry in the morning – or in other words we can help Marion with packing them. Actually, we have an incredible luck with the weather: in spite of the rainy season it was raining only during the night and only briefly. Edgar says that our group seems to have a good karma ;-) last week it had rained continuously during 4 days – I don’t even want to imagine that – hiking in rain all the time!!

On the last pure trekking day we hike down to 1500 meters above sea level and arrive in the afternoon happily in Aguas Calientes; or Machu Picchu Pueblo as it is called for the tourists as well. I‘m totally appalled by the sight that offers the village to me: hundreds of tourist shops, dozens of hotels and hostels. Although not high season there is an industrious bustle and teeming with tourists (at least it seems so). Well, to be fair, right now I’m one them as well. But honestly, I do not want to imagine what’s going on here during peak months, where up to 4,000 people per day are visiting Machu Picchu. After a great dinner we all greatful take a hot shower and fall into the beds.

The next morning we get up early again as we want to be up at Machu Picchu at sunrise. Means that we have to be at the bus station the latest at 5.30am. Of course you could also walk up but none of us felt doing that and be tired even before the tour starts – did enough of walking the last three days ;-) An in addition, I was counted among the lucky 400 who were allowed to hike up to „montana Machu Picchu“. Getting up early has not paid off, the ruins were covered by clouds and after the 2 hours - again very informative - tour of Edgar I started with mixed feelings the 1.6km distance from the ruins up to the summit (3000MüM). It is quite a hard walk up as the whole way is just consisting of stairs!! And my short legs are once more not really an advantage. But at least we are lucky with the wheather; shortly after reaching the summit the clouds vanish and we have a magnificent view down to the ruins, over the holy mountain Huayna Picchu and the surrounding mountains, respectively. the jungle. The climb down then for my knee again no bed of roses but it was worth it anyway. The rest of the afternoon we stroll around in the ruins and get down to the train station just in time. 

sunwatch of the Inka's

these is "montana Machu Picchu"

the street up from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

holy animals up in Machu Picchu :-)

Well, however, this time we are unlucky. The locomotive does not work – due to engine problems - and we have to wait on a replacement locomotive for 2.5 hours. I was amused how some of the guests were completely upset about the situation. A waste of energy and the train employees did really their best to keep us in a good mood with coffee and snacks. So we came back to Cusco finally at 1.30 in the night. But I didn’t care about that as I had no plan to get up early but mainly explore Cusco and plan the upcoming days.

Cusco is the provincial capital, lies on 3416 meters above sea level and has approximately 350,000 inhabitants. Already since 1983 Cusco is one of the Unesco World Heritage sites. Cusco is called in the Quechua language - the indigenous people of this region - "navel of the world" and the legend says it was founded by the first Inca Manco Capac (son of the sun) together with his sister Mama Oclio about 1200ac. Cusco is today the economical and touristic center of this area. Since it is not high season, the flow of tourists is quite pleasant and the hawkers are limited. 

Today (Sunday)I’m even be able to enjoy a parade: today the raising of the two flags (Peru & Cusco) is specifically celebrated. The city and the deputy president of the province of Cusco draw up the flags, meanwhile the local music band plays the respective anthems. While the Peruvian anthem is played all people stand up and sing along with fervor; the Peruvians are proud of their country and of their Inca history. At the same time there is a parade of various schools and children which represent different countries, of course, dressed appropriately. I did not find out what was the reason for this parade in time. I like it here in Cusco. Although very touristy, the city shows a charm that has been revealed to me in no other city like this. So I stroll comfortably through the city, let my clothes washed and indulge my favourite city passion: people watching ;-)

In the evening I will meet Ira ( the one from Canon del Pato) for dinner which will arrive in the afternoon with another German motorcyclist. Tomorrow I will leave Cusco and drive towards Lake Titicaca - which means that my days in Peru already come to an end ...... unfortunately. Apart from the driving style I really enjoyed the time I could spend in Peru. Of course also here you could easily spend 1-2 months (or longer), that many beautiful and interesting areas and sights are still to discover. But first I look forward now to the remaining 4 weeks that I will spend in South America.

Hasta luego mi amigos

November 11 – 15: Peru, part 2…. cañons, mountains and some bike adventures…

So Wednesday morning I meet Ira shortly after Chimbote. She is from Germany and is on her trip with a BMW GS800 Adventure. She happened to see the photo with me and Nestor (Trujillo) in Facebook and has send me spontaneously a message. We decided to drive together the off-road track towards Huaraz, the famous "Cañon del Pato". While we have a few minutes our first talk and decide how to plan that day, Simon and Josefine - they were both on the Stahlratte – drive by accidentally when of course stop when realizing the 2 motorbikes with Swiss plates. What a happy coincidence! We exchange news and I give them the tip to stop by at Don Clemente ;-)

As it is quite a long drive up to Huaraz we soon take off. After a short time the asphalt is replaced by great gravel and we ride into the Canon, always along the river. Ira is more or less the first time really on a gravel road, so we take it easy and do not rush – not possible anyway as we constantly “have to stop”: the scenery is incredible impressive and we take many pictures. 

Thanks god it has only few oncoming traffic, now and then a truck or a bus crammed with people of the surrounding villages. For once, an advantage that it is so dry - dust announces every vehicle on time as you often don’t see around the curve. Rather arduous are the pitch-black, single-track tunnels, some even with curves in it; I’m quite happy that there are not too many yet – there should come many more later on. For once even I take the advantage of the horn –like all Peruans do it all the time. My moderate (original) front light (a big thank to the manufacturer!) is absolutely useless in theses tunnels. Successfully - although meanwhile quite dirty - we come to the end of the canyon and drive on asphalt again. While taking a rest Ira says: “I’m happy that this off-road part worked so fine; it was quite an adventure for me”. I joke and answer her: look, it’s written on your bike; and where adventure is written, you will find adventure! This spell should prove to be true a short time later !! We soon drive on as we still have quite some kilometers until we will arrive in Huaraz, in best case 6.30pm the latest as we won’t drive in the dark. Again the road winds its way along another river, a really great landscape and the road: pure driving pleasure - up to now many tunnels, most of them one-lane again and without light. Again, only honking helps; Ira, who has mounted auxiliary lights on her bike drives shortly behind me so the lighting is sufficient for both ;-)
Suddenly I realize that Ira is no longer behind me. I stop, wait a moment and drive. She stands at the roadside and it looks like the rear tire has suspiciously little air in it. We try it at first time with inflation and drive off again. But after a short time it is clear: the tire is flat! We even find the reason for the problem: a fat nail stucks in the tire. Phhhuuuu ... ..we are 20km away from the nearest village, it is already after 4pm and actually we still had at least 1.5 hours to drive. Load the bike up onto a pickup or so is out of the question as the BMW is just too heavy for that. The only sensible solution right now is to remove the rear tire and I drive to the next village and let it repair. Of course we could also expand the hose ourselves but that would take definitely much longer as we both are not really used to do that sort of work ;-) We have to laugh at how quickly my previous comment about the “adventure” would become true!! So we took first all the luggage down, put the motorcycle on the center stand, removed the rear tire and packed it onto my Suzy. Nice enough that exactly while taking the tire off a heavy but luckily brief thunderstorm run over. OK….now that would not have been necessary. But what the heck, I drive off like an express train towards the village, it is now just before 17h! Approximately 5km before the village there is once again a police check .... and of course they wave me off the road. No paper-control but simply chatting with me – as most of the times. That’s what I could not use just now!! One of the two policemen askes me about the where to, where from, why a the rear tire on the back, etc .... and all of a sudden the 2nd policeman (that one hadn’t said anything so far) says out of the blue: you have beautiful eyes !! Hääääää? Since I did not adequately respond well to his remark, he even repeated it. Now I stand there impatiently and rather would prefer to drive off as quickly as possible and he gives me compliments. I really almost fell from the bike! I thank him dutifully - I know by now that the South Americans totally fancy on my green eyes - and may actually finally drive on. In the village I don’t see right away any tire workshop (which you normally find in every small village), so I drive on to the gas station and ask there. And yeppeeaaa, exactly at the gas station is one: took the tube out (which has a crack of at least 3cm), patched it, tested it in the water bath, reinstalled it. Within a few minutes it's done and it costs me just 5 Peruan Soles (approximately CHF 1.50) !! Gratefully I give him the double, buy 2 cokes and some crackers and drive as fast as possible (note: not as fast as allowed) back. At nightfall - in other words with the help of front lamps - we build the rear wheel back and speed off towards Huaraz – this time Ira in front with her good lamps. Tired and yet quite exhausted we get around 9.30pm to the Hostel, have first to fight for a guarded parking place and then order 2 beers and 2 pizzas. Hands entirely black, the faces covered in dust and still in full motorcycle gear we sit in the lobby and enjoy the cold beers. We both laugh about that adventurous day and both agree that despite of – or maybe even because of – that incident that day had just been great. 

 

with a cold beer we celebrate the successful repairing !!

 And the best for last, the hostel even had hot water ... .. what a luxury to take a hot shower after 14 hours on the road. Yet 4 months ago I would not have dreamed that I would appreciate hot water that much; in South America in most hostels, simple hotels and private accommodation hot water simply does not exist.

The next morning we meet with Daniela, who just arrived with an overnight bus to Huaraz (she too was on the Stahlratte) for breakfast and later than originally planned I drive off in the direction of Cisco. There are four riding days with a total of 1450km on the plan. I want to arrive in Cusco at the 15th of November the latest, so I still have one day to get prepared the booked trekking. OH wow… I’m rushing ahead again; sorry.

According to Google Maps I will permanently on the 3S that is suppoed to be national main road; However, I am just slightly optimistic as my Garmin partially indicates gravel on the 3S. Well, I will see. The appr. +/- 350km per day seem to us Europeans not a long drive but here you really rarely get over an average of 60km/h; 50km/h are even more standard - and therefore also clear that I will face every day at least 7 driving hours. And of course, the road is just on the first day - on which I took off too late anyway - a pure torture. What my Garmin indicates as a gravel road is now paved but it has so many and partially deep potholes that regular, fluent driving is simply impossible. The road winds its way along the valleys and in many corners the asphalt is washed off by the water coming down the hills and mud and dirt have taken over. As it is drizzling more or less the whole day these parts are not really funny to drive through. After some hours I’m even too tired to drive around all the potholes and drive over most of them – just standing up. My Suzy has a hard day with me and I’m grateful that she just drives on sturdy as a good horse ;-) The last 50km then again a "normal" street, I'm driving as fast as it is possible, curvy as it is. Shortly after nightfall I reach my destination for the day and just take the first hotel with a parking place. 

on the right deep down to the river - one lane for two-lane traffic :-)

something that occurs quite often.... 

I’m really thankful that the next three days are just cool. The roads mostly in very good conditions, I still always find the time to take pictures of villages, people and the absolutely impressive landscapes - I drive actually quasi permanent along rivers and hills (naughty to call it that “hills” as I’am always more or less at an altitude of 3000 - 4000MüM !!). Only the driving style of the Peruvians reduces my driving pleasure massively. 

 

and my Suzy still doesn't show any altitude problems ;-)

 

And here I have to let off a little of my anger: I’m really happy that gasoline is that expensive in Per; thanks to that circumstacne there is not that much traffic. But the few are horrible: drive usually in the middle of the road whether there is a vehicle coming or not; for a motorcycle they do not give place anyway. As long as there is a shoulder there is no reason NOT to overtake; of course I can drive to the side. Only, they also overtake even when a motorcycle comes and there is no shoulder. More than once I had to brake hard to a stop because the car would otherwise simply run over me. But more than once I also switched to stubborn and forced the car (or often even the small transport buses) to step back in line. Now I understand finally the road sign "mantenga su direcha" (stay on your right side) !! In the cities I’m meanwhile accustomed that every centimeter is fought for. But on the main roads - where also the Peruvians are driving with 100 or more - it is simply dangerous. So next to the expensive gasoline I’m also quite happy that it has many steep parts and hills since my “little” Suzy is far stronger than most of the cars (and busses and trucks anyway). Hmmmm… enough grumbled ;-)

   

scnerey towards Cusco

 So I arrive in Cusco as planned on Sunday, found after a while through all the one-way-streets my hostel and am now looking forward to 4-day trekking towards Machu Picchu. Not the famous Inca Trail which is fully booked for months since limited to 500 people per day. I'm doing the so-called short-Salkantay Trek – also to find easily on www. I’m quite curious how good I will cope with the altitude and the fact that I did not much of hiking the last few months. But I am well acclimatized and feel really good ;-)
More about Cusco, my adventure to walk on over 4600MüM (and camp) and of course the famous Machu Picchu then in the next blog. Hasta luego mi amigos