Sacred ValleyWe departed in a van for the Sacred Valley. Our first stop was the Inca ruins at Pisac, set high on a hill with terraces stepping down with an impressive fountain, a cemetery in the hillside, now marked by holes left by grave robbers, and stone dwellings overlooking the terraces. After this we went to the market at Pisac, where we bought green serpentine jewelry for me, a hat for Dave and textiles.
Next was Maray, where the Incas sculpted natural depressions in the earth into concentric circular terraces. We walked on stone steps cantilevered from the walls to the bottom where we encountered two men digging potatoes. Following local custom, we left an offering of a quarter in the very center of the circle. The Incas used the terraces, which were irrigated by a central stone-lined channel, to test crops at different levels or microclimates. (Peru grows 3,000 varieties of potatoes, and Dave swears that they are the tastiest he's ever eaten.)
Next were the salt flats of Maras, where terraces have been used to evaporate water from a salty spring for 600 years. It was here that I clumsily dropped my camera in the brine, ending its useful life. This was disappointing because it meant I would be without a camera at Machu Picchu the next day. I decided to accept this fate rather than buy a disposable camera along the way. There may be some merit to the idea that looking through camera can hamper really seeing. In the end, Edwin saved the day by taking many photos on his cellphone/camera and emailing them to us at the end of the trip.
The landscape approaching the Sacred Valley consisted of a wide plateau divided into small fields cultivated with barley, wheat, and alfalfa and managed by Andean campesinos, or subsistence farmers. We saw tiny dark-skinned men and women, children and dogs wandering in the streets and fields, sometimes seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but they appeared perfectly comfortable in their space. The traditional dress for women is a gathered skirt, a sweater and a top hat, with narrow brim, often plastered white (to reflect the sun's hot rays?). They carry their babies on their backs wrapped in brightly striped cotton blankets. All the children seemed happy and secure, possibly because they were in constant physical contact with their mothers as babies. There also seems to be only one sort of dog -- a shaggy, medium-sized mutt. They were seen sleeping in the sun in the streets and seemed to belong to no one.
At almost every archeological site or scenic vantage point and public square, we were approached by women and children to buy their handicrafts woven belts, watercolors, carved gourds, pendants or to take their photos in full Andean costume with a llama in tow for a small fee. On our way to the Sacred Valley we stopped for a picnic at an overlook. We were soon visited by a shy two-year-old girl offering little llamas. I gave her a cupcake and took her picture. After a while, a three-year-old boy, also in costume, came over offering some other trinkets. I sent him back to his mother with a sandwich.
When we pulled into Ollantaytambo at dusk we found a living Inca city. Laid out in a grid with narrow stone-paved lanes, the town also had a substantial water system with channels near the western edge of the city. Each lane was flanked by stone walls pierced by wooden doorways into inner courtyards and small stone chambers. Our hotel was at the western edge of town, and our corner room had a magnificent view of the terraced Inca ruins on the hillside. Just before dinner, the power went out, so we entered a restaurant by candlelight. The ambience was so romantic, I was a little disappointed when the lights came back on.
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
1 month 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
2 months 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
3 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.