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Peru
Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Inkas |
Cusco: The city of Cusco is located in the southeastern Andes. Its name in Quechua means "center of the world," from when it was the capital of the Inca Empire. Legend has it that the city was founded by Manco Capac and Mama Occllo, who rose out of Lake Titicaca. The Incan architectural legacy of Cusco dates back to the 15th century and is attributed to the Inca Pachacutec, who built the city's most remarkable structures. Inca architecture is known for its fine stone carvings, and for the perfect fit between the stone blocks of its walls and buildings, long considered to be amazing feats of engineering for a civilization that did not yet have the wheel. Some of these buildings include Sacsayhuaman, in the upper part of the city; the Korikancha (temple of the sun) on top of which the Spanish built the Santo Domingo convent; and on the street called Hatun Rumiyoc (two blocks from the main square), the wall that includes the famous 12-sided stone.
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Inca Wall with twelve-sided stone
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Cusco became a mestizo and colonial city featuring splendid colonial architecture, and which developed its own styles of building and painting that can be seen in the Cathedral and the Compañia de Jesus church. The city is known as the Archaeological Capital of the Americas. UNESCO declared Cusco a World Heritage Site in 1983.
There are two clearly defined seasons: The dry season, from May to August, when the nights and early mornings are extremely cold (frosty); and the rainy season, which is from December to March.
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Qóricancha |
The Sacred Valley of the Inkas: An hour’s drive from Cusco, the Urubamba Valley, or Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a setting of picturesque communities, impressive terraces and many important archantain range, the valley has been the storehouse for agricultural products for the city eological sites. Dominated by the imposing peaks of the Vilcanota mouof Cusco since Inca times, and today is famous for being home to maize cobs with the largest kernels in the world. The valley includes the area between the Inca communities of Písac and Ollantaytambo. Its mild weather and particular geography make it ideal for outdoor sports enthusiasts to practice rafting, mountain bike-riding, hang-gliding and trekking.
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Snow-capped peak at Chinchero |
Písac has a Sunday market that attracts thousands of visitors and people from remote communities, dressed in colorful, traditional attire. Every Sunday morning, the procession of the varayocs, is held, in which the mayors stride to the church to attend the traditional Mass held in Quechua.
Chinchero‘s main attraction is its Sunday market, which was originally dedicated to the bartering of products between the people of the valley and the upper areas. Barter continues to be an accepted form of commerce here even in modern times. Chinchero is a weaving community where the indigenous population weaves a variety of textiles, often from the wool of their own sheep and alpacas, and dyed with plants gathered by the women of the tribe.
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Chinchero chapel |
Ollantaytambo was named in honor of the chief Ollanta, who was famous for courting an Inca princess, daughter of Pachacutec. Ollantaytambo also features an extensive archaeological site located on the imposing hillside overlooking the town, containing structures such as the Temple of the Sun, the Mañacaray or Royal Hall, the Incahuatana and the Baños de la Princesa.
Tipón: This picturesque set of agricultural terraces is an outstanding example of the Incas’ knowledge of hydraulics. Water is channeled via stone structures, including aqueducts (some of which are underground), waterfalls and gullies. The Inca worked with their knowledge of gravity and in harmony with the Earth’s natural contours in creating these still functioning irrigation systems.
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Ollantaytambo |
Moray: This community is famous for its embedded amphitheater, formed by four circular terraces that seem to disappear into the interior of the puna, or artificial crater. The Andean terraces, built on retaining walls filled with fertile soil and watered via a complex irrigation system, sustain more than 250 different types of vegetables and cereals, such as corn, quinoa and kiwicha.
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Circular terraces at Moray |
Activities.
Visits to archaeological sites, museums and churches, arts and crafts markets, experiential tourism, ecotourism, trekking, cycling excursions, river rafting, mountain climbing, balloon rides, bungee jumping and horse-riding
Attractions.
The Cathedral, the Compañia Church and Santo Domingo Convent, San Blas artists' quarter, Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park which includes Kenko, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay..
The Sacred Valley includes the remarkable archaeological areas of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. The archaeological complex of Choquequirao is 185 km (114 miles) from Cusco, with a main square, storage buildings, terracing systems and ceremonial platforms.
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The Inca Trail “The Highway Of The Great Empire”
The Incas built a vast network of roads to communicate with the four regions of their vast empire. One of the most impressive and best- preserved roads is the trail that links Cusco and Machu Picchu, known worldwide as the Inca Trail.
Today, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu allows the visitor to step back in time and walk through a variety of eco-systems and dazzling scenery. Its 39 kilometers (24 miles) includes unforgettable views, archaeological remains, 400 different species of orchids and begonias, exotic trees and innumerable species of fauna in their natural habitat. |
Hikers at Dead Woman´s Pass
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If visitors are lucky, they may catch a glimpse of the endangered and vegetarian spectacled bear.
There are two seasons: the dry season, from April-October, and the rainy season, with heavy cloud cover, from November to March.
Acclimatization is necessary. Refrain from any overexertion during the first few hours of the hike. Eat easily digestible food and drink coca tea to ward off high-altitude sickness. Trekkers will need to be in good physical condition to be able to tackle the longer Inca Trails. Follow the regulations for conservation of the trail.
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Camping on the Inka Trail
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Activities: Archaeology, trekking (moderately difficult), wildlife watching.
Nearby Attractions: Along the trail one can find a variety of archaeological sites such as Machu Q'ente, Huayna Q'ente, Pulpituyoc, Kusichaca, Patallacta, Torontoy, and the snow-capped peaks of Mount Veronica and Salcantay. |
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