Cusco, Sacred Valley and the Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu

After a week of shitty, unreliable Bolivian internet, I am finally able to do a quick update of our time in Cusco and our tours around the Sacred Valley and to Machu Picchu. These tours were the main reason we came to Peru so quickly, as we had actually booked the tour almost two years ago when it was an online coupon deal from Australia. After putting the tour off several times (as we were having too much fun in Central America and travelling too slowly) the company told us that we had to do the tour by April this year. When we finally locked-in a date, Cassie's mum and sister decided to join us for the tour and to travel with us for a little longer.

When we arrived in Cusco, we spent a few days wandering around, checking out the sights, markets and generally trying to acclimatise due to the high altitude (Cusco's city centre sits at around 3400m above sea level). The locals all swear by Coca tea as a remedy or preventative measure for altitude sickness, so we drank as much as we could everyday. The first day, walking up Cusco's steep streets took our breaths away, but after a while we got used to it.

After a few days in the former capital of the Incan Empire, we left for our four day Machu Picchu Jungle Trek. The trek began with a downhill mountain-bike ride from 4200m through winding mountain roads, eventually ending (after almost 55km of riding) at about 1300m above sea level. We stayed a night in the small town of Santa Maria before beginning the toughest part of the trek, a 7 hour, 20km+ hike through the jungle and along the Urubamba river. The hike finished with a great hand-driven cable-cart across the valley and a visit to the hot springs / thermal baths. After staying in this town, Santa Theresa, for the night, we began the next day with ziplining through the valleys before again hiking for several hours along train lines to a town at the base of Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes. On our final day of the tour, we were up at 4:30am to begin the hike up to the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. We were inside the grounds just as the sun was beginning to show itself over the surrounding mountains which made for a beautiful first glimpse of the ruins. After a 3 hour tour, and another 3 hours of exploring the ruins on our own, we hiked back down to Aguas Calientes to spend a few hours before catching a train and bus back to Cusco. Cassie's dad arrived the following morning, in time to join us on a tour of the Sacred Valley the following day.

All-in-all it was an extremely busy week of tours that we were pleased with, though a word of warning for anyone wishing to visit the area - do not book tours before you arrive as the prices are far lower when booking in Cusco itself, and be clear on what you are actually paying for (the price wasn't so much of an issue for us as we had paid 2 years ago, though what Cassie's mum and sister had to pay was ridiculous - a problem with booking through an Australian company, I guess).

The biggest pumpkin ever seen in a Latin American market - San Pedro Market, Cusco, Peru.

The remains of Qurikancha, the Temple of the Sun, the most important temple in the Incan Empire, dedicated to Inti, the Sun God. The walls and floors were once covered in silver and gold plating, until the Spanish arrived and demanded gold from the Incan leaders. The remains are now part of a larger church built in colonial times (the Spanish always built a church over the top of Incan temples), and, despite several earthquakes that damaged the church, the stones of the temple are still intact. These small trapezoidal 'windows' were used to place items of sacrifice (sometimes children).

Our first glimpse of an alpaca at the ruins of Sacsayhuaman - Cusco, Peru.

Some of the largest stones at the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, which are placed together without mortar, are estimated to weigh between 160-200 tonnes - Cusco, Peru.

Looking out over the main plaza of Sacsayhuaman with Cusco in the distance - Cusco, Peru.

Local women in traditional dress stand outside the ruins allowing people to take photos of them for money - Cusco, Peru.

The beginning of the downhill mountainbike ride - Abra Malaga (4200m), Peru.

Playing some street 'volley' with the local kids - Santa Maria, Peru.

Santa Maria, Peru.

This guy was waiting for us at our second stop on the jungle trail. I think it is a Kalinowski Agouti - a large rodent native to Peru.

The view from the Jungle Trail.

We made it to the highest point, all downhill from here!

The guide and I were a little excited.

Cassie and a local lady competing over who could carry the most.

Melissa (facing her fears) and Larni setting out over the Urubamba River on the cable cart.

A shot from midway across - notice the lack of safety features and the drop below! - Santa Teresa, Peru.

The hotsprings at the end of the trek - Santa Teresa, Peru.

We were happy to finish with a cold beer - Santa Teresa, Peru.

Again crossing the Urubamba the following day.

Midway through the hike on day three.

The view back along the railroad tracks on day three (Machu Picchu is situated on the mountains above).

Our first glimpse of Machu Picchu breaking through the clouds.

Llama with Huayna Picchu in the background - Machu Picchu, Peru.

The iconic photo of Machu Picchu later in the day once the clouds had cleared.

Traditional dying techniques by the Quechua women of the Sacred Valley - Chinchero, Peru.

Cactus beetles are squished to make the red dyes - Chinchero, Peru.

The range of colours created with only natural ingredients taken from the surrounding valleys - Chinchero, Peru.

Looking down into the Incan 'laboratory' of Moray. The three colosseums, or terraced depressions, are believed to have been used by Incan scientists as testing grounds or nurseries as each terrace has its own microclimate. Apparently there is a temperature change of 15°C between the top and the bottom due to the depth and orientation with regards to the sun and wind.

The salt mines of Maras. There are over 5800 evaporation pools in which natural salt water flows out of the valley and into these pools. Once the water has reached each individual pool and the sun warms it, the water evaporates leaving salt crystals which are then extracted by the pool's keeper. The salt comes in various colours and qualities and, once extracted, is sold for a range of uses.