Tag: South Peru

Posted on

Peru day 8 – 13: Ausangate trek

Wonderful 6 day trek around Ausangate (6384 masl) including one-day Jampa (Qampa, 5550 masl) climb organized by ☞ Nuestra Montana (recommended) was the highlight of our South Peru trip. The trek was spectacular and very well organized. We had great weather with clear skies and amazing views. Our guide Yjeguel was outstanding, food excellent. There awere very few people on the  Ausangate circuit trail. The circuit hike can be done independently without a guide and  support team, but it was so nice not to carry our tent and food. We were never rushed and hiked at our own pace (we opted for a private trek, mostly because of the climb). There are beautiful mountains, valleys, lakes, alpacas, tiny Andean communities, vicuñas, viscachas, Andean geese, other birds… a dream. We loved it. It is at high altitude (highest pass ~5100 masl) and requires good acclimatization. We didn’t have much altitude-related problems. The glacier climb of Jampa was more difficult than we imagined, it was our first climb ever with crampons, ropes, axes etc. And altitude made it more difficult. This part required specialized equipment and mountain guide  (Yjeguel ). We succeeded thanks to our excellent and supportive team. The trek ends in Pacchanta with couple of hours in relaxing hot spring pool. Last night we stayed in small hostel run by the family of our horsemen: basic rooms plus hot shower.

Trekking and climbing was really 5 days, with return to Cusco by car on day 6. We stopped briefly at Rumiqullqa, a gate near Pikillacta, as we didn’t see it well on our earlier  trip to the South Valley. In the afternoon, we went to San Pedro Market and craft market in Cusco,  and stayed for the night in the same excellent apartment where we left all our stuff we did not need on the trail.

Ausangate circuit Click on wikiloc logo for more info

Ausangate circuit overview and profile (Google Earth) Click on image to see full-size

Trek Day 1: Tinki-Upis

Trek Day 2: Upis-Arapa pass-Puka cocha-Apacheta pass-Ausangate cocha

Trek Day 3: Ausangate cocha-Palomani pass-Savaycuchupampa

Trek Day 4: Jampa

Trek Day 5: Jampa camp 2-Pacchanta

Trek Day 6: Pacchanta-afternoon in Cusco

Posted on

Peru, day 5 – 7: Cusco & South Valley

We stayed four nights in Cusco, at AirBnB two blocks from Plaza de Armas, excellent, beautiful and spacious apartment, best place we stayed in Peru.

First day was Corpus Christi, we spent long time watching colorful procession. Than we had special traditional Corpus Christi meal chiriuchu at Plaza San Francisco with all the locals, it includes a piece of Guinea pig (cuy), chicken, sausage, corn, pancake, seaweed and fish roe, it represents food from different parts of Peru. We ate all that in great festive atmosphere of the plaza. Then we visited Quricancha – the Inca palace in Cusco and its museum, and the Jesuit church with a great view of the Plaza with more fiesta going on.


Chiriuchu at Plaza San Francisco

Next day, we took taxi to visit Tambomachay, walked to Puca Pucara, flagged a bus down to Quenqo, walked to Sacsaywaman, spent long time there, and then walked down to Cusco. Whole day of visiting different ruins, great day. We also went to Cusco Cathedral. The Cathedral was also very interesting and all the figures from different churches were staying there 8 days after Corpus Christi. One evening we went to dance performance, it was good, but started later than we thought and we were tired of waiting.

Last day in Cusco, we went to the South Valley. We planned to travel on our own, but for sake of time we took a tour and we enjoyed it. We visited beautiful church in Andahuaylillas. We watched llama dance in front of it  by group attending Qoyllur Rit’i festival, fascinating and authentic. We also visited Tipon terraces and water fountains/channels and wonderful and huge Huari (Wari) ruins of Pikillacta. The guide was good and provided interesting explanations without being boring. We would wander more on our own, but this tour was surprisingly good. On the way back, we ordered chicharron and Guinea pig in a town famous for them and had our orders delivered to the bus to eat after we were back in Cusco. Guinea pig in the Corpus Christi dish was better though. Other days we were eating both in tourist places and local (including Chifa, very good tamarind chicken), and most dishes were very tasty. We liked beef heart anticuchos.

Posted on

Peru, day 4: Pisac

We went from Ollantaytambo to Urubamba by collectivo and than by local bus to Pisac, very easy and fast. It was great to travel with locals, kids going to school, mother with a baby, folks going to the market. In Pisac there was a fiesta (Children’s Day), we left luggage in a hotel near the bus stop, had coffee in the main square with views of children performances and then we hiked up to the Pisac ruins. Trail was great, very few people. Pisaca town and main temple ruins were very impressive. We could go further up on alternative path through terraces (main path was closed after a rock slide) to upper ruins, but we chose to walk down on different path through ravine, beautiful and peaceful. Another excellent day, slow touring as we like. We took a collectivo to Cusco, this time mostly with tourists.

Pisac

Click on wikiloc logo for more info

 

error: Content is protected !!