Carnet de voyage

Peru

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Par
4 étapes
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Par Sasch
Rich history, lived tradition and breathtaking landscapes in the former Inka Empire
Du 1 au 9 mars 2018
9 jours
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When I arrived in Cusco it was like arriving in a different world. From the plane I could to see the majestic Andes mountains and after landing my altimeter indicated 3400m above sea level. I arrived from Managua, Nicaragua which is just some meters above sea level and felt pretty dizzy at arrival. But finally it was possible to breath fresh air again after the hot and humid days in Nicaragua. At the airport I got to know some other travelers and we shared a taxi to the downtown area. The staff at my hostel gave me a warm welcome and it felt more like a family than people who work for a hostel. In the room I noticed that my laptop was out of energy and charging wasn't possible because the cable was broken. Finding apple products was not possible so I decided to let the laptop in my bag for the rest of the travel (that's why I write the blog a couple of months later in Germany now).

Next morning I had a traditional coca tea. Coca leaves are supposed to help you to lower altitude sickness and to vitalize you. I still felt quiet tired, not really concentrated and was out of breath fast. This kind of forced me to slow down and to explore the city in a quiet easy going way what I liked! The historical buildings and the traditional clothes of the people impressed me. I was lucky because there was a street parade going on when I was in town and people made music and danced on the streets. My favorite place was the big market with traditional Peruvian clothes and a big colorful variety of fresh food.

In the next days I explored more of the city, met friends and learned about the Inkas in the Inka museum. In the evening I took time to plan my trip to Machu Picchu. It feels like there are hundreds of different companies and possibilities to get there and it was far from easy to get things arranged. Finally I decided not to book a arranged package from a tour company and took the local bus the next day.

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.. it took me two days till I could pronounce it! Ollantaytambo was the village my local bus from Cusco was heading to. On the bus I felt like in the Alps in Germany. The nature was green with many flowers, rough mountains and rivers with clear water. I loved it. Around me were many locals who needed a ride from the big city Cusco to one of the villages in the Andes where they live.

In the cute old village of Ollanaytabmo you have no other chance than slowing down. Embedded in great nature and between Inka ruins it is a truly special place. I stayed in one of the nicest hostels I have ever seen and explored the Sacred Valley of the Inkas from there. My highlight was hiking in the area of the Salineras de Maras (salt terraces) and to walk around the lovely town / village of Ollantaytambo with its narrow old roads and a little market. It was a pleasure to hear the water of the river next to the hostel all day long and to breath the fresh mountain air. There were some other visitors from Heidelberg in the hostel and we enjoyed the local beer and an alpaca burger in the evening.

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The next morning I took the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. The round about two hours train ride in a panoramic wagon with stunning views on the Andes Mountains, small villages and farmland was a highlight on my trip. After the arrival in Aguas Calientes (closest town to Machu Picchu) I walked through the (a bit touristy) market, tried some of the local beer and prepared my hiking equipment for an early hike next morning. I got up at 4:30am because I got a morning ticket (I'd recommend the afternoon tickets because of the foggy mornings) and once I've stepped out of the hostel door it rained like cats and dogs. I'm not a mornings persons and I saw the rain as a higher sign to go back to bed and give it another try around 7:30am (which meant less time and more people in Machu Picchu but also more sleep^^). Accompanied by the sun I enjoyed the very steep way up through the rainforest to the legendary old Inka city. When I arrived the only thing I saw was fog. I decided to hike to the Inka bridge (one of the old routes to reach Machu Picchu). Afterwards I returned to Machu P where the clouds slowly disappeared. It was like windows opening up for a while and closing again. When I saw the the city ruins it gave me goosebumps. It looked majestic! A scenery which makes you feel small. It truly is an architectural masterpiece which the Inkas built here in the 15th century. I got to know some other visitors and a guide and learned about the place before I walked through the ruins to have a closer look.

After getting a stamp in my passport I hiked to Aguas Calientes where I took the Inka Rail train back to Ollaytaytambo. A day later I was in Cusco again and prepared everything for my short flight and stay in La Paz, Bolivia.

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I really liked that people in the Cusco area have their own authentic identity and a part of it is a typical way of clothing. You could really see and feel that you are in Cusco and not somewhere else in the world. Being in the beautiful Andes in Peru gave me the feeling of being away from the problems of a fast moving world. It relaxes and slows down and provides you with an inner balance. People smile a lot and welcomed me in a very warm and friendly way like almost everywhere in Latin America. I have the impression that the "natural distance" and formalities are much lower than in Europe. People seem to be closer to each other.

Places like the Andes, the breathtaking nature there and Machu Picchu have a big and eternal spirit. They make you feel small and they fascinate you with a certain transcendence. You automatically feel less important and understand that you're only a visitor on this planet. I have the impression they connect us with something bigger than we are. They were there long before us and will be there long after us. When I was there I felt a connection to the past and the future. A connection to nature and this beautiful planet. It encouraged me to do more for the environment around us and to be more thankful for what earth provides us with.