Day 401 - 403 - The Hike from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu
Day 401 - Crossing Rio Blanco
Day 3 Heading back up the mountain toward Machu Picchu. We had lunch after crossing the Rio Blanco on 30 foot logs that bridged the river in two places. But then, as the video says, it was time to make our way up the mountain on the other side of the river. Steep rocks. Sometimes we used the mules. About 3/4ths of the way up, these were the views we received as a gift. We made it to camp just before dark as clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled and rain fell a second night.
On the Way to Yanama Valley
Day #4 (Morning 3): Our camp at Maizal, a good 10,000 feet high, we awaken to the clouds below and begin to ascend to more than 12,000 feet. We are back in the cloud forest and it is awesome
Yanama Campsite Arrival
Day 4 of the Choquequirao/Machu Picchu Hike. We came down the highest mountain on foot after a steep morning ascent and eventually reached the tiny town of Santa Teresa above the Totoro River. My video reveals a bit of the location. That’s our tent and the toilet. Lovely! The next morning we planned to get a ride to the trailhead to Machu Picchu, but the driver didn’t show. So we spent some time in the village. Cyn caught me and Renato having coffee in the little kitchen where a young woman brewed the coffee. More to come.
Day 402 - Yanama Camp
We continued to spend time in this small camp village in the Yanama Valley waiting for a car to get us to a train to Machu Picchu. The people you see walking down the street are beginning work on a cable car that will make it easier for people like us to reach Choquequirao. A video follows chicks and her mom who were all around the camp. A little boy hung with us by the small store while we waited. I should have caught his name but failed to. On the Choquequirao hike we met up with three great guys from Belgium who were hiking all over South America, and I mean serious hiking. You can follow Felix de Patoul, Pierre Caprasse and Andrien Debray on Polarsteps. They are doing amazing things! Finally a view of our camp before we departed.
The Piggies of Yanama
I think this video speaks for itself. The last little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home.
Heading to Santa Teresa
Finally a little after noon we found a car to take us over the mountains to Santa Teresa where we would catch a train to Aquas Caliente (literally hit water) at the base of Machu Picchu. Before we headed out, though, I took this time-lapsed video of the clouds in the Yanama Valley chasing their ghostly forms. The road was a ribbon that wound us several thousand feet high (so much easier by car!), and that gave us more incomparable views of the Andes. Those snow covered peaks, we were told, were called the “Fingers of the Puma.”
Recommendations
If you’re making the trip to Peru, consider these recommendations to make the most of your adventure.
“Occupying a whole block and guarded by imposing high walls, it is one of the most fascinating religious buildings in Peru. Nor is it just a religious building – the 20,000-sq-meter complex is almost a citadel within the city. It was founded in 1580 by a rich widow, doña María de Guzmán.”