Gallavanting around PeruInca Trail, Day 1! I wake early, before 6, and slip out to explore Ollantaytambo in the quiet of the morning. I find the central plaza, see the men in their colorful garb--orange-red shawls and hats--and walk around the town as it awakes. After breakfast at the hotel, Marco takes us to buy walking sticks--broomsticks with rubber tips and colorful woven handles for 10 soles each. Shortly after 8 am we are packed and in the van, on our way to kilometer 82 and the beginning of our hike.
Marco calls today the acclimating day; we gain only 1,000 feet in elevation over the course of 6 or 7 miles. This gives me plenty of time and energy to appreciate the landscape through which we walk: views of Veronica, a spectacular 19,000-foot snow-capped peak; the Urubamba River paralleling the trail; and the wealth of bird and plant life. We see hummingbirds of all colors, American kestrels, flocks of loud green parakeets, geese. We pass yellow-flowered Scotch broom, white angel's trumpet flowers, avocado tees, fig trees, and myriad orchids. We stop frequently to rest, eat snacks of fruit or chocolate, and explore the ruins along the way. Our porters do not stop to rest. Though we started off before them, they pass us quickly, their muscled calves moving quickly beneath their huge packs.
When we arrive at our lunch spot, we find a large dining tent set up and waiting for us. Bowls of warm water, soap, and towels are set outside, and we wash our hands and faces gratefully. Lunch is delicious and generous--as, I will soon discover, are all our meals on the trail. We down the spinach soup, fresh vegetables, chicken, yucca, and tea as though we haven't eaten in a week. The altitude may be contributing to our overactive appetites . . .
We hike for only a couple more hours before reaching our campsite at Wayllabamba. Our tents are set up (of course!), and our duffels spread out on a tarp. I have a spacious tent to myself, and the provided thermarest has already been inflated and put inside. There are basic but adequate bathrooms here, which I was not expecting, but I am grateful! We have a light tea since dinner won't be ready for another couple of hours. I find that I enjoy being fed every 2-3 hours. We eat another fantastic meal by the light of a gas lamp, and spend the evening telling stories and jokes and laughing, before heading into our tents for the night. I sit outside for a little while with Marco, watching the stars blazing overhead. I haven't seen so many stars in a long time. Marco points out the perfectly proportioned Southern Cross, the bright Eyes of the Llama in the river of Milky Way, and familiar constellations like Scorpio and Orion.
We've used Adventure Life for several trips in the past and have always been very pleased with them. The staff is personable and professional at the same time. Erin put this trip together for us in just a few days, and it has everything we were looking for! I recommend them without hesitation.
benn
3 weeks ago
I served as the person responsible for planning a trip to Galapagos and Machu Picchu for a group of 14 people. Jane with Adventure Life was very helpful throughout the process. Making suggestions, offering insight, and in the end helped me overhaul an initial plan into something even better. Also, Jane makes all the plans including the flights within and between Peru and Ecuador. Thanks to her this is going to be a stress-free adventure. After making the final decision about the trip, Jane gathered the contact information for all the travelers and sent out the details to each traveler individually with links to pay deposits, upload passport info, and personal preferences. She also ensured a group email was sent out to the entire group welcoming us to the trip preparation process. Our trip is a year from now and we are excited to make this once in a life time trek. I am happy to have organized things through Adventure Life. However, two small issues came up that were a little off putting. First, Adventure Life adds $50 per person to the cost for each traveler as a donation to a Galapagos conservation fund. I think this should he offered as something that can be added at each traveler’s discretion. Instead, it is automatically added, and each person must ask to have it removed if they do not want it included. Second, although the trip deposit may be paid with a credit card without incurring an additional fee, the balance must be paid in another way to avoid a 3% credit card fee. Maybe this is standard with all travel agencies. In the end I would definitely go through Adventure Life for the next big trip.
Brenda Nielsen
1 month ago
I think it was very helpful that Franny and I spoke on the phone. I think she had a better idea of what we were looking for, and she planned a great itinerary for us!
Elizabeth
2 months ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
3 months ago
Easy.
Great work on the follow up and details by Waru.