September 15, 2005
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Arrive in Lima, Peru
Lima, Peru
Our “Islands and Incas” tour begins with our evening arrival in Lima, Peru. We are met by an Adventure Life representative and transported to our hotel.
Create your Trip Journal [click here]Islands and Incas
By : Les Moore and Sabine Westland
Trip Begins September 15, 2005
Trip Ends October 1, 2005
One trip, but two different experiences. Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu is just awesome. Whatever history tells us, the Inca culture is clearly still alive! Then the Galapagos Islands provide a wonderful wildlife discovery adventure!
Want to go? Islands and Incas
I went to: Galapagos, Peru, Ecuador, Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu Ruins, Machu Picchu
Trip Begins September 15, 2005
Trip Ends October 1, 2005
One trip, but two different experiences. Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu is just awesome. Whatever history tells us, the Inca culture is clearly still alive! Then the Galapagos Islands provide a wonderful wildlife discovery adventure!
- Sep 15 - LimaArrive in Lima, Peru
- Sep 16 - LimaA day in Lima
- Sep 17 - CuscoLima to Cusco
- Sep 18 - CuscoThe Sacred Valley
- Sep 19 - CuscoOllantaytambo and Machu Picchu
- Sep 20 - CuscoMachu Picchu again, then back to Cusco
- Sep 21 - LimaA free day in Cusco
- Sep 22 - QuitoTravel to Quito, Ecuador
- Sep 23 - San CristobalQuito to the Galapagos Islands
- Sep 24 - GenovesaGenovese
- Sep 25 - South PlazaNorth Seymour and South Plaza Islands
- Sep 26 - Santa FeSanta Fe
- Sep 27 - Santa Cruz IslandSanta Cruz
- Sep 28 - FloreanaFloreana
- Sep 29 - EspanolaEspanola
- Sep 30 - San CristobalReturn to Quito
- Oct 1 - QuitoHomeward bound
Want to go? Islands and Incas
I went to: Galapagos, Peru, Ecuador, Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu Ruins, Machu Picchu
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September 16, 2005
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A day in Lima
Lima, Peru
The journey from Australia to Peru has been a long one, so we have arranged an extra day in Lima to “find our legs again” before we fly on to Cusco to begin our adventure in the Andes.
We make this a leisurely day, but we do take an outing to visit the Inca museum in Lima. This is an excellent choice – it is a fine introduction to the Inca culture that we are about to immerse ourselves in!
September 17, 2005
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Lima to Cusco
Cusco, Peru
During our flight to Cusco, the excitement builds as we are treated to spectacular views of the Andes.
At Cusco we are met by our guide, David, and transported to our hotel. The hotel is small, but very comfortable. It has a resident, much photographed, green parrot and is only a short walk from the centre of Cusco.
We take a stroll and discover that Cusco is, architecturally, very much a Spanish colonial town. The balconies are beautiful and the central square, Plaza de Armas, with its two cathedrals, is truly impressive. There are more squares with fountains. We love Cusco and we're already glad we came!
At the same time we discover that we are a little affected by the altitude – easily becoming breathless. However that effect recedes over the next day or two and is not a problem.
We will be visiting Cusco again later in our tour, and we resolve to explore it thoroughly.
September 18, 2005
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The Sacred Valley
Cusco, Peru
We set out with our guide and driver to make our way through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where we will stay for the night.
As we leave Cusco, our first stop is at the Inca site of Sacsayhuaman. This was originally a religious site for the Incas, but also functioned as a fortress during the Spanish invasion. Here, in a bloody battle in 1536, the Spanish defeated an Inca army and effectively crushed the Inca empire for ever. Pizarro, the Spanish leader of the Conquistadores, died in this battle.
It seems that our choice of dates for this trip has been inspired because today at Sacsayhuaman is a spectacular annual event.
It is the modern continuation of an ancient “coming of age” ceremony, in which hundreds of schoolchildren dressed in brightly coloured costumes, many of them carrying the colourful Inca flag, perform in dances and re-enactments of famous Inca battles.
David, our guide, tells us that the families of these children have spent weeks preparing the costumes for this event. The children, their costumes and their performances make this day something special for us.
Later, we arrive at the Pisac markets, another high point of the day. A section of the market is devoted to tourists but, for the most part, it is a genuine food and produce market for the locals - all of whom are colourfully dressed.
A woman at a stall selling potatoes, and a customer of hers, couldn’t stop laughing when I asked for permission to take a photo.They made a beautiful scene, as did various other locals at the market (see the photos).
In the afternoon we arrived at Ollantaytambo, as small village at the north western end of the Sacred Valley. In the village, some establishments have a bright red decoration above the door, indicating the availability of local corn beer (it tastes awful!).
Ollantaytambo is the site of a massive Inca citadel and temple that were still under construction at the time of the Spanish invasion, and were never finally completed. The temple dominates the village, looming high above it.
September 19, 2005
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Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu
Cusco, Peru
We start the day in Ollantaytambo by visiting the temple early. This Inca site is second in importance only to Machu Picchu.
The terraces below the Temple of the Sun rise above the village. They were used for food production and they give the impression of massive steps leading up the mountainside with normal sized steps, appearing tiny, threading between them to reach the top.
Above the terraces, the unfinished temple faces the rising sun. This is the only Inca site successfully defended against the Spanish. Although the stonework of the terraces is rather rough, when we reach the “Temple of the Niches”, at the entrance to the Temple of the Sun, the standard of the stonework changes dramatically to the magnificent workmanship for which the Incas are famous.
We are glad we started early, giving us plenty of time to explore before we take the short train trip to Aguas Calientas. We are lucky enough to be seated at the front of the train, able to take in the scenery along the way – sometimes catching glimpses of hikers making the four day trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
We arrive at Aguas Calientes, leave our belongings at our hotel, and take the bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu. The bus ride is hair raising, but we arrive safely and then are overwhelmed by the awesome experience of the place.
Machu Picchu is an entire Inca city built high on a ridge in the Andes. It was never found by the Spanish, but was abandoned by the Incas at the time of the invasion and became lost as the jungle overgrew it. It was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American archaeologist.
Walking around Machu Picchu is something which will be remembered forever – every step brings a new aspect and every one is a knockout. The Temple of the Sun, the Intiwatana (the “Hitching Post of the Sun”), the Temple of the Condor, the Temple of Three Windows and the “image stones”, carved to represent the mountains behind them, are all stunning. The central plaza with llamas quietly grazing, and the urban areas where the common people lived, as well as the precipitous terraces, used for growing food, all leave us breathless.
This is what we came for, and we are not disappointed!
September 20, 2005
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Machu Picchu again, then back to Cusco
Cusco, Peru
A word of advice to anyone planning to visit Machu Picchu – make sure your itinerary gives time for a second visit to the mountain top!
Of course, we rose early and took one of the first buses back to Machu Picchu. It hadn’t changed a bit – still simply awesome! We took the trail to Intipunku (the “Gateway of the Sun”), an entrance portal on a ridge where the Inca Trail arrives at Machu Picchu. We rested there, breathless from the hike at his altitude, and enjoyed the amazing view over Machu Picchu. This was a moment to just soak up the experience.
We spent another few hours absorbing as much of the Machu Picchu atmosphere as we could, and then headed back down the mountain to Aguas Calientes and then to Cusco. This trip was to have been by train but, due to a “general strike” in Peru, the train was not running. However, our guide, David, overcame this obstacle and arranged for a car and driver, so we still arrived on schedule back in Cusco.
September 21, 2005
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A free day in Cusco
Lima, Peru
Our itinerary says “Free Day Cusco” but David, with no other motive, feels that he should accompany us on our day in Cusco. He has been wonderful to us so far and today is no exception.
Our day becomes a walking tour of Cusco and, a “day of discovery”. David’s descriptions and explanations are invaluable in giving us an understanding of the Inca Cusco, and of the times of the invasion and subsequent Spanish Cusco.
Although the architecture of Cusco is mainly Spanish colonial (and beautiful), the real history is in the Inca ruins. Over Cusco the colourful Inca flag flies everywhere, while the official flag of Peru is hardly seen. It is noticeable that the locals are proudly Incas.
We thoroughly enjoy our day, the highlights being the central square and its cathedrals, as well as Qoricancha (the Temple of the Sun, largely destroyed by the Spanish and built over by the Spanish Santo Domingo church).
From the balcony of our hotel, we have stunning night time views of Cusco as we finish our time in the Andes.
September 22, 2005
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Travel to Quito, Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador
Our flight from Cusco to Lima connected with the next flight to Quito, where we arrive mid afternoon and settle in our hotel.
A late afternoon stroll gives us some idea of the area and then we retire because we have a big day tomorrow.
September 23, 2005
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Quito to the Galapagos Islands
San Cristobal, Galapagos
Our flight from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, via Guayaquil is uneventful and we arrive at the airport on San Cristobal. The flight normally arrives at Baltra, a different island, but the runway there is under repair. This necessitates a few changes in the itinerary of our island cruise, but it’s all under control.
We are met at the airport by our guide, Ivan, and transported to our floating home for the next seven days, M.V. Fragata.
We depart the Island of San Cristobal and make a stop at Isla Lobo. Strange looking birds follow the boat. These are identified as frigate birds – after which the Fragata is named. They abound in the Galapagos and have some unusual habits, as we will discover later in the trip.
Late afternoon we visit a small island known as Isla Lobo, where there are many sea lions and marine iguanas. Sea lions swim close by our boat as we prepare to land. Once ashore, we discover the wildlife that brought us to the Galapagos Islands.
First we encounter the magnificent, prehistoric looking, marine iguanas. We will see many more of these throughout the Galapagos, but it is notable that their colour varies from island to island. On the northern islands they are smaller and more black in colour, and on the southern islands larger and with more red in their colouring. Here on Isla Lobo we are midway between these extremes and these are quite black, but with some noticeable red markings.
Also on Isla Lobo we encounter a large colony of sea lions, many of which have recently given birth. The pups, some no more than hours old, are beautiful and our cameras are pressed into heavy duty once again.
Other wildlife that we encounter for the first time includes lava lizards and the Sally Lightfoot crab, a native of the Galapagos. No amount of research has succeeded in tracking down the source of the name. Who was Sally Lightfoot, and how did she come to have a crab named after her? We guess we’ll never know.
September 24, 2005
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Genovese
Genovesa, Galapagos
After sailing all night, we arrive early in the morning at Genovese, one of the most northerly islands, and the northernmost point in our trip.
Genovese is home to colonies of Masked Boobies and Red Footed Boobies and the surprising Short Eared Owl. Also on Genovese are colonies of Frigate Birds.
As we land, we come across colonies of masked boobies and red footed boobies, and the cameras run hot again!
Red footed boobies, not surprisingly, are easily identified by their brilliant red feet. They are unusual in that, unlike their cousins, the Masked Boobies or the Blue Footed Boobies, they never alight on the ground. They are seen everywhere in the low bushes on the island, but never on the ground. On Genovese is their largest colony, around 140,000 pairs.
We crossed the island and came to the rocky shore on the far side. There we were lucky enough to see a Short Eared Owl haunting the entrances to caves used by seabirds for nesting, looking for young birds left alone in the nest while their parents are off hunting for food. The Short Eared Owl is the only owl in the world which hunts in the daytime - because it has no competition from other raptors. We catch some good photos with a long lens.
As we stopped at a beach on Genovese for a short swim, we also came across some Galapagos Gulls – notable for the unusual bright red ring around their eyes. This ring is luminescent and actually glows in the dark!
In the afternoon we set off in the direction of another island, North Seymour.
September 25, 2005
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North Seymour and South Plaza Islands
South Plaza, Galapagos
Arriving in the morning after sailing all night, we land at North Seymour.
Going ashore, we pass a nesting area for Frigate Birds.
The male Frigate Bird has a red pouch on his chest, which inflates when he is ready for mating. He displays his glory while waiting for a female to choose him, and later deflates his pride and glory while tending to the nest. We se many pairs in the area, each male with his bright red pouch inflated.
We follow the trail across the island to where Blue Footed Boobies wander among the rocks on the shore. They are beautiful looking birds, and obviously don’t share the phobia that their red footed cousins have about landing on the ground. We also come across more sea lions, including some recently born pups.
As we start on the trail back to Fragata, we witness an attack on a Blue Footed Booby by three Frigate Birds. The Booby had caught a fish and was bringing it back to its nest when it was fiercely attacked by the Frigate Birds, which eventually stole the fish. It seems that Frigate Birds, whose diet is mainly fish, prefer to steal fish that other birds have caught rather than put in the effort to catch the fish themselves.
On the way back we pass many marine iguanas, much darker than the ones on Isla Lobo, and we also encounter one large, colourful, land iguana.
In the afternoon, we move on to another island, South Plaza, which has a landscape totally different from the islands we have visited so far. It is quite flat and stony with cactus and portulaca as the only vegetation.
Soaring high on one side of the island, where the wind lifts above the cliff face, are Red Billed Tropicbirds with their long slender tails stretching out in the breeze.
There are many large land iguanas, as well as marine iguanas and plenty of sea lions.
On the lower, more protected and comfortable side of the island there are large groups of female sea lions with their new born pups, each group dominated by a large bull sea lion. On the other side of the island, on the steeper, rockier and windswept coast, is the “losers’ colony”. This is populated by males who have lost the fights against other males for the right to mate with a group of females. Here they recuperate and keep telling themselves “Next season, maybe?”
September 26, 2005
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Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Galapagos
Overnight we have made our way back to San Cristobal, where some passengers disembark, and others join us as we head for the more southern islands. We then head for the island of Santa Fe, where we arrive in the late afternoon.
Here we enjoy the company of a large number of sea lions, many with beautiful young pups, and many land and marine iguanas.
All around, the rocks are covered with the brightly coloured Sally Lightfoot crabs. Once again, who was Sally Lightfoot, and why does she have a crab named after her? We'll never know.
September 27, 2005
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Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
This morning we are at Santa Cruz, the main island in the Galapagos group.
The long term closure of Baltra airport has led to some itinerary changes which reduce the amount of time we can spend on Santa Cruz. This doesn’t really worry us as the main attraction of Santa Cruz, apart from the Charles Darwin Research Centre, is the township and, frankly, we prefer to see the wildlife on the other islands.
The Charles Darwin centre is interesting and it is certainly contributing to the maintenance and protection of the National Park. For us though, the main point of the visit is to see the Giant Tortoises for which the Galapagos are famous – in particular to visit the well known “Lonesome George”.
In the afternoon we head south for the island of Floreana.
September 28, 2005
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Floreana
Floreana, Galapagos
Our first landing on Floreana is to visit its “Post Office” – a site where, in the past, sealers and whalers would stop and leave addressed letters for pick up and delivery by others who might be headed in the right direction.
This custom is continued today, with visitors to the island leaving cards and letters addressed to families and friends around the world. Other visitors, who will be returning home, are encouraged to take with them any letters addressed to their home countries and ensure that the letters are delivered.
Then we moved to the other side of the island and took an amazing walk around a lake where flamingos were feeding. Again, the cameras were put to good use.
Overnight we sail to Espanola.
September 29, 2005
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Espanola
Espanola, Galapagos
We are finishing our cruise on a high note.
There are some really cute sea lion pups playing with large brightly coloured marine iguanas (this is the most southerly we have been, and the marine iguanas the most brightly coloured we have seen).
Up until now we have only seen a few Masked Boobies, but there are lots nesting here.
And we had the privilege of seeing a Waved Albatross taking to the air. The Waved Albatross breeds only on Espanola. At about six months, the young leave Espanola to travel the oceans of the world for up to four years without touching land (they do rest on the water from time to time) before they return to Espanola to breed.
There is a very rough “runway” of irregular shaped rocks where they pick up speed in a very clumsy, awkward run until they reach the cliff edge. There, they dive over the edge and take off in beautifully elegant flight.
We finish our stay on Espanola with a swim at a beach where we snorkel with turtles and sea lions before boarding Fragata for the final leg of our cruise, back to San Cristobal.
September 30, 2005
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Return to Quito
San Cristobal, Galapagos
We arrive at San Cristobal and transfer to our flight to Quito, where we stay overnight before heading home.
October 1, 2005
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Homeward bound
Quito, Ecuador
We depart Quito on the beginning of our long trip home to Australia.
This has been a memorable trip that we would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone.
