Cusco was by far my favourite city in Peru and is nestled right in the heart of the Andes Mountains. This one is a bit of a bumper blog post, as there is so much to fit in.
We were warned we may start to feel the effects of the high altitude when we arrived (Cusco is 3400m above sea level) so we made sure to keep drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. There was also plenty of free Coca leaf tea on offer which also helps with the altitude. I was determined not to get sick on this trip.
After dropping off our luggage at the Prisma Hotel we walked through the Plaza de Armas to an amazing organic restaurant for our first group lunch.
From here, we visited one of the local Peruvian markets where you could buy everything from local textiles, to fruit and veg or even a pigs head (if that takes your fancy).
In the evening we were given our Inca Trail de-brief and told to pack our duffle bag for the trek, only bringing the essentials and being mindful of the fact not to overload our porters. Butterflies started to kick in as they explained exactly what each day of the trek would involve. More on the Inca trail to come soon.
The next day we left the hotel early to take a short bus ride to a lookout point where you can get up close to a miniature version of Christ the Redeemer. The view from the lookout point of the red rooftops made for a stunning photo opportunity.
As I was on a G Adventures tour we were lucky enough to visit a sponsored Planeterra that is run by a local community of women weavers. Here we were given a demonstration of how they take the raw llama/alpaca wool and then bleach it using the root from a Tequila plant. They then dye using all natural substances such as berries and leaves. It was fascinating to see a process go back to basics, particularly as I work in an industry where we rely heavily on chemicals to do the job.
The planeterra also had small market stalls selling home made handicrafts which gave us the perfect opportunity to stock up on a nice warm hat, scarf and a pair of gloves ready for the Inca Trail. The women and children were all so friendly and helpful and it was nice to see that some of the money from my trip went towards providing a sustainable career for these families.
From here we drove to the town of Pisac in the Sacred Valley on the Urabamba River. The area is perhaps best known for its Incan ruins, known as Inca Písac which the Incas used to construct agricultural terraces on the steep hillside.
A further short drive from Pisac we arrived at our hotel for the night in the small town of Ollantaytambo. Now the people who cheat and catch the train to Machu Pichu will do so from here, however for those like myself doing the actual trek you will find yourself in love with this quirky little town. Ollantaytambo offers the perfect experience for wandering the narrow cobblestone streets, hopping over the babbling water irrigation channels, and is also home to some pretty impressive Inca ruins.
I will blog about what came next on the Inca Trail in a seperate post but after returning from the trek I spent another full day and night back in Cusco, managing to see more of what the city had to offer.
No trip to Cusco is complete without a trip to the Choco Museum and this place served up the most amazing french crepes covered in dark Peruvian chocolate. You can also take a chocolate making class if you have enough time. This place is perfect for a little indulgence while you take a seat on the balcony overlooking a small courtyard area.
The great thing about G Adventures is that they are so informed and helpful as to what other activities are available for you to do with your free time on the tour. So when they mentioned Horse Back Riding I jumped at the chance. It was a really nice way to spend an afternoon riding through the Saqsaywaman National Park and the horses were all really friendly.
My final dinner in Cusco was spent at Papachos who serve up THE most amazing burgers. They also give you wax crayons and a paper placemat to doodle on to your inner child's content.
As you can see my time in Cusco was pretty jam packed and varied and I would definitely return to Cusco in a heartbeat. The people are friendly, the food is incredible and the whole city just has a really relaxed feel to it.
Next stop was the Inca Trail - stay tuned, but for now here's a photo of some cute Alpacas. :)
Thanks for reading x
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