Peru and Brazil: A South American Adventure
Aug 29th, 2014, 11:00 AM
#21
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The Inca Trail
Today is the big day! We’ll hike the Inca Trail to the citadel of Machu Picchu. There’s the classic 4-day trail as well as variations off of it, but we are only doing the shorter 1-day version this time. The 1-day hike starts at KM 104, which is about 6 or 7 kilometers away from Machu Picchu Pueblo, the town right below the citadel.
Our original plan was to wake up in Ollantaytambo and catch the early train to KM 104. From there we would begin our trek. However, as you recall, there was an anticipated strike that required us to plan around it. As a result, we started our hike at 6am from our hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo, where we were met by Wilson, our guide. From here, it was a two-hour walk along the Urubamba River paralleling the railroad tracks back to KM 104, from where the “real” journey began.
The walk from our hotel to KM 104 was very easy. The path was flat – gravel in some areas and small stones in others. This is the path that porters use to transport equipment to and from the campsites along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Pueblo, and we saw several of them during our walk. Along the way, we saw parts of the trail that we would be following later in the day, including views of the Winay Wayna ruins. The weather was cooler than the last couple of days, but perfect for hiking.
During the walk, we saw a maintenance train pass by. About 20 minutes away from KM 104, we saw what was supposed to be our train this morning pass by. There was no strike after all. We still felt like we made the right decision as we did not want to run the risk of not being able to complete this portion of our trip. On the contrary, I think we lucked up that the possible strike was announced in advance. Had the strike been unplanned and that it had actually taken place, we would have missed out.
At KM 104, we posed for a couple of obligatory photos before crossing a suspension bridge to the other side of the river, from where we picked up the Inca Trail. Here, we were greeted by a couple of rangers, who checked our passports, gave us our tickets, and signed us in.
The trail was relatively easy. It was paved with gravel paths and stone steps, including some steep areas. There is a lot of ascending and descending. As we made our way along the trail, we were treated to some scenic panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. We also saw some ruins along the way, including the impressive ruins at Winay Wayna. The ruins here are only partially excavated, but they were among some of the most extensive we’ve seen that dated to Incan times other than at Pisac and Machu Picchu itself. There are places along the way for breaks, and we took plenty of them, both to pace ourselves but also to just sit and admire the beautiful vistas.
Shortly before 2pm, we arrived at the staircase leading to the Sun Gate. We were filled with anticipation as we reached this point, as we knew what laid in front of us. Slowly we ascended the steps (this to me was the most difficult part of the hike), and there before us was the citadel in full view along with the incredible mountains that surround it. And what a view it was! And what a sense of accomplishment! The Sun Gate was less crowded than we expected, and most visitors were coming up from the citadel rather than from the Inca Trail. We stayed here for about an hour, just trying to take it all in, before making our way down to the citadel itself.
We spent about an hour at the citadel. Wilson gave us a quick orientation of the place, and showed us a few of the key sites before we made our way out of the citadel. We even saw a couple of llamas. At the exit / entrance, we boarded our bus for the trip back down to town.
Here, we said our goodbyes to Wilson and thanked him for being such a wonderful friend and companion. We truly enjoyed sharing our experience, one that we will never forget, with him. He’s easy to chat with, and easier to get along. I felt as if I had known him for a long time, even though we only met three days ago.
After we checked into our hotel, we rested up, ate dinner, showered, and went to bed, for another intense day awaited us tomorrow.
Today is the big day! We’ll hike the Inca Trail to the citadel of Machu Picchu. There’s the classic 4-day trail as well as variations off of it, but we are only doing the shorter 1-day version this time. The 1-day hike starts at KM 104, which is about 6 or 7 kilometers away from Machu Picchu Pueblo, the town right below the citadel.
Our original plan was to wake up in Ollantaytambo and catch the early train to KM 104. From there we would begin our trek. However, as you recall, there was an anticipated strike that required us to plan around it. As a result, we started our hike at 6am from our hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo, where we were met by Wilson, our guide. From here, it was a two-hour walk along the Urubamba River paralleling the railroad tracks back to KM 104, from where the “real” journey began.
The walk from our hotel to KM 104 was very easy. The path was flat – gravel in some areas and small stones in others. This is the path that porters use to transport equipment to and from the campsites along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Pueblo, and we saw several of them during our walk. Along the way, we saw parts of the trail that we would be following later in the day, including views of the Winay Wayna ruins. The weather was cooler than the last couple of days, but perfect for hiking.
During the walk, we saw a maintenance train pass by. About 20 minutes away from KM 104, we saw what was supposed to be our train this morning pass by. There was no strike after all. We still felt like we made the right decision as we did not want to run the risk of not being able to complete this portion of our trip. On the contrary, I think we lucked up that the possible strike was announced in advance. Had the strike been unplanned and that it had actually taken place, we would have missed out.
At KM 104, we posed for a couple of obligatory photos before crossing a suspension bridge to the other side of the river, from where we picked up the Inca Trail. Here, we were greeted by a couple of rangers, who checked our passports, gave us our tickets, and signed us in.
The trail was relatively easy. It was paved with gravel paths and stone steps, including some steep areas. There is a lot of ascending and descending. As we made our way along the trail, we were treated to some scenic panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. We also saw some ruins along the way, including the impressive ruins at Winay Wayna. The ruins here are only partially excavated, but they were among some of the most extensive we’ve seen that dated to Incan times other than at Pisac and Machu Picchu itself. There are places along the way for breaks, and we took plenty of them, both to pace ourselves but also to just sit and admire the beautiful vistas.
Shortly before 2pm, we arrived at the staircase leading to the Sun Gate. We were filled with anticipation as we reached this point, as we knew what laid in front of us. Slowly we ascended the steps (this to me was the most difficult part of the hike), and there before us was the citadel in full view along with the incredible mountains that surround it. And what a view it was! And what a sense of accomplishment! The Sun Gate was less crowded than we expected, and most visitors were coming up from the citadel rather than from the Inca Trail. We stayed here for about an hour, just trying to take it all in, before making our way down to the citadel itself.
We spent about an hour at the citadel. Wilson gave us a quick orientation of the place, and showed us a few of the key sites before we made our way out of the citadel. We even saw a couple of llamas. At the exit / entrance, we boarded our bus for the trip back down to town.
Here, we said our goodbyes to Wilson and thanked him for being such a wonderful friend and companion. We truly enjoyed sharing our experience, one that we will never forget, with him. He’s easy to chat with, and easier to get along. I felt as if I had known him for a long time, even though we only met three days ago.
After we checked into our hotel, we rested up, ate dinner, showered, and went to bed, for another intense day awaited us tomorrow.
Aug 29th, 2014, 12:45 PM
#22
Great post! I think you were so right to make the changes to your itinerary when you did.
We spent the first 4 nights in Ollanta and the first morning the road out of town was blocked with rocks due to a unannounced protest regarding hikes to the taxi fares. Our lovely guide David Choque was able to get around it (on some very hairy "roads") but I think it's a good idea to act if there is the real possibility of a strike.
We spent the first 4 nights in Ollanta and the first morning the road out of town was blocked with rocks due to a unannounced protest regarding hikes to the taxi fares. Our lovely guide David Choque was able to get around it (on some very hairy "roads") but I think it's a good idea to act if there is the real possibility of a strike.
Aug 30th, 2014, 05:45 AM
#23
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Elizabeth, thank you. We were prepared to do everything we could to make sure we can get to Machu Picchu. Glad that you were not hindered by the strikes either.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu. What can I say? It is one of the places that evokes mystery, mystique, grandeur, bewilderment, and a host of other feelings and emotions. It is a testament to human civilization and the ingenuity of a people well advanced before their time. It is also one of the places that I had wanted to see since I was young. And here all around me is Machu Picchu. I'm here! It's here! I cannot properly describe the feeling of seeing it for the first time yesterday and in communion with it today.
We awoke at 4 am for an early breakfast before securing a place in line for the bus that will take us to the citadel. The buses start departing at 5:30, although we were at the station a good 45 minutes before. The buses left promptly and we were on the fourth bus going up that morning. We arrived about 10 minutes before the gates opened at 6, and were quickly let as soon as it opened. We were given a good orientation of the complex by our guide yesterday and were on our own for a full day today.
Our visit began with a walk up to the Caretaker's Hut, passing by the Funerary Rock and admiring the panoramic views of the citadel along the way. We then made our way to the City Gate and onwards towards the Main Temple. We walked around the ruins at and near the Main Temple as well as the Temple of the Three Windows. From here you have superb views across the plaza towards the residential and industrial sections as well as ahead to the perch on which sits the Intihuatana stone. The carved stone is believed to be used by Incan astronomers to predict and observe solstices. Following time here, we continued onward passing two huts and a sacred rock, near the entrance to the climb up Huayna Picchu. We chose to forgo Huayna Picchu on this trip in favor of summitting Machu Picchu Montana instead. We now made our way to the residential and industrial sections of the citadel, taking our time to walk among the ruins. One of the better known sites in this section is the Temple of the Condor. Next up is the Inca house, as well as several ritual fountains. Nearby is the Royal Tomb and right above the Sun Temple. At the Royal Tomb, we saw a natural cave filled with rocks carved by the Incas. The Sun Temple is the only Circular - shaped structure in the citadel and lines up with the Sun Gate that we saw yesterday; the two align so that the sun's rays passes from the Sun Gate to the window at the Sun Temple on the day of the solstice every year. We then rambled across a few more terraces and thatched huts before making our way back towards where we started this morning.
In all we spent about four and a half hours at the citadel this morning. Most people and guidebooks say that it takes about three hours to see everything but we took our time to really take it all in and enjoy where we were. It was also less crowded in the early morning and the site is large enough that it's easy to get away from the handful of tour groups that were here this morning. By the time we completed our tour, we saw that the tour groups began arriving and the site is starting to get overrun with people. At this time it was time for us to continue onward to our next highlight of the day - the summit of Machu Picchu Montana.
The citadel of Machu Picchu sits in a cradle between two mountain peaks: Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Montana. You see Huayna Picchu behind almost every photo of the site. Machu Picchu Montana is behind it. The entrance to the Montana hike is near the Caretaker's Hut and on the way to the trail heading to the Sun Gate (the whole site is very well signposted). We arrived here at 10:30 and checked in at the gate for the climb up.
Only 200 people are allowed to summit Montana on a given day, which means that ticket go quickly. We reserved ours when we booked our tickets for the Inca Trail back in January.
Montana is not for everyone. It requires a fair amount of fitness and a degree of energy and stamina. Except for a few gravel paths, the hike up consists of 1,700 stone steps, steep in some areas, although not as steep as the steps on the Inca Trail leading up to the Sun Gate. However, it is very narrow at parts, with a far drop down the precipice at one side. Along the way are several viewpoints from where you are able to relax and take it bird's eye views of the citadel below. The hike up took us just over two hours. We reached the summit at about 12:30 and spent about half an hour here. The views - and sense of accomplishment, for that matter - is incredible. Words cannot express my feelings at this point. However, like all experiences, it had to come to an end.
At about one o'clock the ranger announced that the summit was now closed to visitors and asked everyone remaining (there were about a dozen of us) to make our way back down as the site closes at 2pm everyday. The walk down took us just a bit over an hour. We had a good time chatting with the ranger as we were descending, who gave us much more insight into the whole place.
Back down, we exited the complex for some lunch and refreshments. There's a cafe right outside where we grabbed some sandwiches and soft drinks. We finished our lunch and hung out a bit, in part to wait for the tour groups to empty out of the site before we returned for one final visit. This time we rambled across the terraces and headed straight to the main plaza and made our way to the Intihuatana stone. It was about 4:30 now and we almost had the place to ourselves. From here we made our way back to the Sun Temple, where we stayed until the Rangers began blowing their whistles, signaling the time had come for everyone to leave. We bid the site goodbye, headed out, and caught one of the buses back down to town.
Our visit to Machu Picchu was simply amazing. We felt having the entire day today and a little more than an hour yesterday was just about right for us. It gave us the opportunity to really see what we wanted to see, to "touch and feel" the place, and most importantly to take it all in slowly.
That's all for now. I'll wrap up my thoughts on Machu Picchu, including hotels, in my next post.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu. What can I say? It is one of the places that evokes mystery, mystique, grandeur, bewilderment, and a host of other feelings and emotions. It is a testament to human civilization and the ingenuity of a people well advanced before their time. It is also one of the places that I had wanted to see since I was young. And here all around me is Machu Picchu. I'm here! It's here! I cannot properly describe the feeling of seeing it for the first time yesterday and in communion with it today.
We awoke at 4 am for an early breakfast before securing a place in line for the bus that will take us to the citadel. The buses start departing at 5:30, although we were at the station a good 45 minutes before. The buses left promptly and we were on the fourth bus going up that morning. We arrived about 10 minutes before the gates opened at 6, and were quickly let as soon as it opened. We were given a good orientation of the complex by our guide yesterday and were on our own for a full day today.
Our visit began with a walk up to the Caretaker's Hut, passing by the Funerary Rock and admiring the panoramic views of the citadel along the way. We then made our way to the City Gate and onwards towards the Main Temple. We walked around the ruins at and near the Main Temple as well as the Temple of the Three Windows. From here you have superb views across the plaza towards the residential and industrial sections as well as ahead to the perch on which sits the Intihuatana stone. The carved stone is believed to be used by Incan astronomers to predict and observe solstices. Following time here, we continued onward passing two huts and a sacred rock, near the entrance to the climb up Huayna Picchu. We chose to forgo Huayna Picchu on this trip in favor of summitting Machu Picchu Montana instead. We now made our way to the residential and industrial sections of the citadel, taking our time to walk among the ruins. One of the better known sites in this section is the Temple of the Condor. Next up is the Inca house, as well as several ritual fountains. Nearby is the Royal Tomb and right above the Sun Temple. At the Royal Tomb, we saw a natural cave filled with rocks carved by the Incas. The Sun Temple is the only Circular - shaped structure in the citadel and lines up with the Sun Gate that we saw yesterday; the two align so that the sun's rays passes from the Sun Gate to the window at the Sun Temple on the day of the solstice every year. We then rambled across a few more terraces and thatched huts before making our way back towards where we started this morning.
In all we spent about four and a half hours at the citadel this morning. Most people and guidebooks say that it takes about three hours to see everything but we took our time to really take it all in and enjoy where we were. It was also less crowded in the early morning and the site is large enough that it's easy to get away from the handful of tour groups that were here this morning. By the time we completed our tour, we saw that the tour groups began arriving and the site is starting to get overrun with people. At this time it was time for us to continue onward to our next highlight of the day - the summit of Machu Picchu Montana.
The citadel of Machu Picchu sits in a cradle between two mountain peaks: Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Montana. You see Huayna Picchu behind almost every photo of the site. Machu Picchu Montana is behind it. The entrance to the Montana hike is near the Caretaker's Hut and on the way to the trail heading to the Sun Gate (the whole site is very well signposted). We arrived here at 10:30 and checked in at the gate for the climb up.
Only 200 people are allowed to summit Montana on a given day, which means that ticket go quickly. We reserved ours when we booked our tickets for the Inca Trail back in January.
Montana is not for everyone. It requires a fair amount of fitness and a degree of energy and stamina. Except for a few gravel paths, the hike up consists of 1,700 stone steps, steep in some areas, although not as steep as the steps on the Inca Trail leading up to the Sun Gate. However, it is very narrow at parts, with a far drop down the precipice at one side. Along the way are several viewpoints from where you are able to relax and take it bird's eye views of the citadel below. The hike up took us just over two hours. We reached the summit at about 12:30 and spent about half an hour here. The views - and sense of accomplishment, for that matter - is incredible. Words cannot express my feelings at this point. However, like all experiences, it had to come to an end.
At about one o'clock the ranger announced that the summit was now closed to visitors and asked everyone remaining (there were about a dozen of us) to make our way back down as the site closes at 2pm everyday. The walk down took us just a bit over an hour. We had a good time chatting with the ranger as we were descending, who gave us much more insight into the whole place.
Back down, we exited the complex for some lunch and refreshments. There's a cafe right outside where we grabbed some sandwiches and soft drinks. We finished our lunch and hung out a bit, in part to wait for the tour groups to empty out of the site before we returned for one final visit. This time we rambled across the terraces and headed straight to the main plaza and made our way to the Intihuatana stone. It was about 4:30 now and we almost had the place to ourselves. From here we made our way back to the Sun Temple, where we stayed until the Rangers began blowing their whistles, signaling the time had come for everyone to leave. We bid the site goodbye, headed out, and caught one of the buses back down to town.
Our visit to Machu Picchu was simply amazing. We felt having the entire day today and a little more than an hour yesterday was just about right for us. It gave us the opportunity to really see what we wanted to see, to "touch and feel" the place, and most importantly to take it all in slowly.
That's all for now. I'll wrap up my thoughts on Machu Picchu, including hotels, in my next post.
Aug 30th, 2014, 01:42 PM
#24
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Wrapping Up Machu Picchu
During our time at Machu Picchu, we stayed at two different hotels: the Sumaq for one night and El MaPi for two nights. We originally wanted to get a third night at MaPi but it wasn't available when we inquired at the last minute.
The Sumaq is about a 5 - minute walk from the train station, next to a river. It's a little more removed from the main drags in town than the other hotels. The Sumaq is a 5 - star property, and deserves every star. Its rooms are beautiful but not over the top, and its public areas are similarly appointed. Upon check - in we were treated to welcome drinks and a plate of chips. In our rooms were a complimentary plate of delicious chocolates and truffles, a very nice touch. Our rates included dinner as well as breakfast. Dinner is a 3- course meal. There are options to fit every taste as there were several dozen choices for appetizers and main courses. Even for dessert we had to choose from among 15 to 20 options. Everything we had were prepared perfectly, and looked liked works of art. From the ox tail corn cake to the leg of lamb to the molten chocolate cake, the portions were large and the tastes divine. Its breakfast buffet is equally amazing. All the traditional Western options were available plus some Peruvian specialties and fruits I've never seen before. Come here for comfort but definitely come here for the food.
The MaPi is a 3- star property located on the main tourist drag just a block away from the main square. The property is simplistic but tasteful, and built to sustainable environmental standards. The rooms were large but the bathrooms were very small. Also included in the price are dinner and breakfast as well as a welcome drink. Breakfast included the usuals plus a cook - to - order egg station. Dinner is also a 3- course affair, although the options were much more limited. To me breakfast was much better than dinner.
Both hotels that we stayed at offered porter service to and from the train station.
To Cuzco
We caught a morning train out of Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo the day following our visit to the citadel. Our train departed on time, although it broke down about an hour into our journey. The repair took about 90 minutes to fix. Things like this happen, and are understandable. My only critique is that there were no announcements as to what was going on. The attendants on board did come down the aisles, but they only relayed the information to a couple of the tour group leaders and not to any of the others who weren't part of a group. We eventually arrived at the train station at Ollantaytambo, about two hours behind schedule. Here we were picked up by Sebastian, our driver from earlier in the week. Together we walked to the Pakaritampu, where we retrieve our baggage, and continued on our way to Cuzco.
Along the way we stopped for lunch at Inka's House in the town of Urubamba. The restaurant served a delicious buffet. The salads were very good, but the chicken and beef dishes were even better, as well as the potatoes and the tamales.
Fortified we were on the road for about another two hours before we arrived in Cuzco, where we checked into the Casa Andina Private Collection, our home for the next four nights.
We toured Cuzco over the next two days and took a day trip to the South Valley on our final day here. More to come in the next installment...
During our time at Machu Picchu, we stayed at two different hotels: the Sumaq for one night and El MaPi for two nights. We originally wanted to get a third night at MaPi but it wasn't available when we inquired at the last minute.
The Sumaq is about a 5 - minute walk from the train station, next to a river. It's a little more removed from the main drags in town than the other hotels. The Sumaq is a 5 - star property, and deserves every star. Its rooms are beautiful but not over the top, and its public areas are similarly appointed. Upon check - in we were treated to welcome drinks and a plate of chips. In our rooms were a complimentary plate of delicious chocolates and truffles, a very nice touch. Our rates included dinner as well as breakfast. Dinner is a 3- course meal. There are options to fit every taste as there were several dozen choices for appetizers and main courses. Even for dessert we had to choose from among 15 to 20 options. Everything we had were prepared perfectly, and looked liked works of art. From the ox tail corn cake to the leg of lamb to the molten chocolate cake, the portions were large and the tastes divine. Its breakfast buffet is equally amazing. All the traditional Western options were available plus some Peruvian specialties and fruits I've never seen before. Come here for comfort but definitely come here for the food.
The MaPi is a 3- star property located on the main tourist drag just a block away from the main square. The property is simplistic but tasteful, and built to sustainable environmental standards. The rooms were large but the bathrooms were very small. Also included in the price are dinner and breakfast as well as a welcome drink. Breakfast included the usuals plus a cook - to - order egg station. Dinner is also a 3- course affair, although the options were much more limited. To me breakfast was much better than dinner.
Both hotels that we stayed at offered porter service to and from the train station.
To Cuzco
We caught a morning train out of Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo the day following our visit to the citadel. Our train departed on time, although it broke down about an hour into our journey. The repair took about 90 minutes to fix. Things like this happen, and are understandable. My only critique is that there were no announcements as to what was going on. The attendants on board did come down the aisles, but they only relayed the information to a couple of the tour group leaders and not to any of the others who weren't part of a group. We eventually arrived at the train station at Ollantaytambo, about two hours behind schedule. Here we were picked up by Sebastian, our driver from earlier in the week. Together we walked to the Pakaritampu, where we retrieve our baggage, and continued on our way to Cuzco.
Along the way we stopped for lunch at Inka's House in the town of Urubamba. The restaurant served a delicious buffet. The salads were very good, but the chicken and beef dishes were even better, as well as the potatoes and the tamales.
Fortified we were on the road for about another two hours before we arrived in Cuzco, where we checked into the Casa Andina Private Collection, our home for the next four nights.
We toured Cuzco over the next two days and took a day trip to the South Valley on our final day here. More to come in the next installment...
Aug 31st, 2014, 03:50 AM
#26
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Crellston, thank you. Your trip report was one of my sources for ideas and reference on this forum as I was planning my own journey.
Hello Cuzco
Cuzco first caught my attention a week ago as we were heading out of the city, to the Sacred Valley. As we made out way around the Plaza de Armas and through some of the streets, I wondered to myself, "Wow! There's a lot of charm to this place." It's easy to fall in love with Cuzco, the beautiful buildings, the colors, the atmosphere - the whole place oozes charm.
We began our first day of sightseeing at the Plaza de Armas, the main square in central Cuzco. This is the focal point of the city, with a park, a central fountain, and the Cathedral, the Church of the Society of Jesus, and shops and cafes surrounding it. I recommend coming here at least twice, once during the day and then again at night, as the atmosphere is totally different. We probably wind up here at least ten times during our visit to Cuzco.
On our agenda today is a walking tour of the city. We followed the route suggested in the Lonely Planet guidebook. From Plaza de Armas, we headed a block southwest to Plaza Regocijo and the nearby Regional History Museum. The museum is housed in the former home of Spanish - Incan writer and historian Garcilaso de la Vega and contains art and artifacts from several pre - colonial civilizations.
Following our time here we continued along the street until we reached Plaza San Francisco with its namesake church sitting just beyond the plaza. Right in front of the church was a celebration complete with song and dance; we stayed and watch for a bit.
Next up is the San Pedro Market. The market is divided into sections according to the items sold. Vendors hawked everything from cheap souvenirs to meat and poultry to household wares. Given our interest in markets we were here for quite some time.
Continuing on the walking tour we headed down a commercial street, passing by the city's judicial building and a long alleyway lined with large Incan stones on one side and the wall of a building with a courtyard housing curios stalls before arriving back at Plaza de Armas, where we stopped at a nearby cafe for some food and refreshments.
Moving on, we visited the Archbishop's Palace. In addition to fine architecture, the palace is home to some of the city's finest religious art. Also noteworthy is the outside wall of the palace, where visitors can see the stone with 12 sides.
From here it's an upward climb to the San Blas neighborhood with its church, square, and myriad shops. There's a bohemian vibe to San Blas, and quite the charm. In some ways, it felt like its own small village removed from the rest of the city.
Our last stop of the day is a visit to the ancient Incan site of Sacsayhuaman, located not to far outside the city. We could have hiked up but instead chose to take a short taxi ride to the site, saving our legs for more walking up there.
Sacsayhuaman is the site of an immense fortress built by the Incans. It has both religious and political relevance. The site is known for heavy fighting between the Incans and the Spanish during the Spanish invasion and conquest of Peru. The site is still used today, on June 24 of every year, for the Inti Raymi festival.
The fortress occupies most of the site. We spent about two hours wandering among the stones, which are larger than any which we've seen in Peru in our week and a half of travels so far. From up here we were also afforded with fine panoramic views of the city.
After the visit, we returned to our taxi (we settled on a round - trip price and simply asked him to wait while we toured the site, as we were unsure how difficult it would have been to find transport) for the trip back to Cuzco and our hotel.
Hello Cuzco
Cuzco first caught my attention a week ago as we were heading out of the city, to the Sacred Valley. As we made out way around the Plaza de Armas and through some of the streets, I wondered to myself, "Wow! There's a lot of charm to this place." It's easy to fall in love with Cuzco, the beautiful buildings, the colors, the atmosphere - the whole place oozes charm.
We began our first day of sightseeing at the Plaza de Armas, the main square in central Cuzco. This is the focal point of the city, with a park, a central fountain, and the Cathedral, the Church of the Society of Jesus, and shops and cafes surrounding it. I recommend coming here at least twice, once during the day and then again at night, as the atmosphere is totally different. We probably wind up here at least ten times during our visit to Cuzco.
On our agenda today is a walking tour of the city. We followed the route suggested in the Lonely Planet guidebook. From Plaza de Armas, we headed a block southwest to Plaza Regocijo and the nearby Regional History Museum. The museum is housed in the former home of Spanish - Incan writer and historian Garcilaso de la Vega and contains art and artifacts from several pre - colonial civilizations.
Following our time here we continued along the street until we reached Plaza San Francisco with its namesake church sitting just beyond the plaza. Right in front of the church was a celebration complete with song and dance; we stayed and watch for a bit.
Next up is the San Pedro Market. The market is divided into sections according to the items sold. Vendors hawked everything from cheap souvenirs to meat and poultry to household wares. Given our interest in markets we were here for quite some time.
Continuing on the walking tour we headed down a commercial street, passing by the city's judicial building and a long alleyway lined with large Incan stones on one side and the wall of a building with a courtyard housing curios stalls before arriving back at Plaza de Armas, where we stopped at a nearby cafe for some food and refreshments.
Moving on, we visited the Archbishop's Palace. In addition to fine architecture, the palace is home to some of the city's finest religious art. Also noteworthy is the outside wall of the palace, where visitors can see the stone with 12 sides.
From here it's an upward climb to the San Blas neighborhood with its church, square, and myriad shops. There's a bohemian vibe to San Blas, and quite the charm. In some ways, it felt like its own small village removed from the rest of the city.
Our last stop of the day is a visit to the ancient Incan site of Sacsayhuaman, located not to far outside the city. We could have hiked up but instead chose to take a short taxi ride to the site, saving our legs for more walking up there.
Sacsayhuaman is the site of an immense fortress built by the Incans. It has both religious and political relevance. The site is known for heavy fighting between the Incans and the Spanish during the Spanish invasion and conquest of Peru. The site is still used today, on June 24 of every year, for the Inti Raymi festival.
The fortress occupies most of the site. We spent about two hours wandering among the stones, which are larger than any which we've seen in Peru in our week and a half of travels so far. From up here we were also afforded with fine panoramic views of the city.
After the visit, we returned to our taxi (we settled on a round - trip price and simply asked him to wait while we toured the site, as we were unsure how difficult it would have been to find transport) for the trip back to Cuzco and our hotel.
Aug 31st, 2014, 06:16 AM
#28
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Sdtravels, you're welcome and happy planning. There's a wealth of info in this forum. It really helped me as I was doing my own planning. And please feel free to ask questions as you follow along and / or do your research. I'm happy to help as I know many others here.
Cuzco Close - Up
After a good overview of Cuzco yesterday, it's time to dig deep. We stayed close to the city center today, and spent most of the day dropping into its churches and wandering through its museums.
The day begins at Plaza de Armas, where we toured the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus. The Cathedral is enormous. It was built in the 16th century on the foundation of the remains of an Incan temple that the Spanish destroyed during their conquest of Peru. Many of the stones used to erect the Cathedral came from Sacsayhuaman. We started from the Chapel of the Holy Family and moved on to the main structure. The altar, dripping in fine solid silver, is exquisite. The paintings are also unique in its use of native and traditional Christian imagery at the same time. We exited the Cathedral by way of the triumphal chapel to its right, much of it under repair and restoration.
Up next is the Church of the Society of Jesus. In my opinion, the exterior of this church is more appealing than the Cathedral itself although the Cathedral wins hands down for its interior. Nonetheless, the painting along the side depicting the marriage of an Incan woman to a Spanish man is worth a look. While here, make sure to climb to the second floor for a panoramic view of the iconic plaza below.
We continued down the street towards the Temple of the Merced. Unfortunately the church was closed to visitors, and there was no signage as to when its operating hours were (we were here on a Monday).
It's time for lunch. We dropped into a nice - looking Italian place just off of Plaza de Armas, Incanto (I will do restaurant reviews separately in another post). Fueled up and ready to go, we headed for the Inka Museum. We spent about 90 minutes here, taking in a few exhibits that caught our attention. We could have easily spent more time here but wanted to save enough time for the Qoricancha, which was next on our agenda for the day.
During Incan times, the Qoricancha was one of the most important religious sites, not only in Cuzco but throughout the kingdom. What remains today is the stone foundations, upon which stands the church and convent of San to Domingo, built by the Spanish shortly after the conquest. This is my favorite spot in all of Cuzco; I highly recommend a visit here. We spent about two and a half hours here on our visit, not because we couldn't have stayed longer but it's only open from 2 to 5. We wandered among the stone foundations and took in all the artworks contained within these walls. The courtyard is also of note for its octagonal font.
After our Qoricancha visit we went across the street for some delicious pastries and coffee and tea. We stayed here until it was time to head down the street to the Cuzco Center for Native Arts, which hosts a nightly performance of traditional Peruvian song and dance. The show starts at 7pm and admission is included in your boleto turistico. The show lasted an hour long and provided a good overview of the wealth of artistic and musical traditions found across this great land. What a fine way to round out a perfect day!
To the South Valley, when we meet again...
Cuzco Close - Up
After a good overview of Cuzco yesterday, it's time to dig deep. We stayed close to the city center today, and spent most of the day dropping into its churches and wandering through its museums.
The day begins at Plaza de Armas, where we toured the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus. The Cathedral is enormous. It was built in the 16th century on the foundation of the remains of an Incan temple that the Spanish destroyed during their conquest of Peru. Many of the stones used to erect the Cathedral came from Sacsayhuaman. We started from the Chapel of the Holy Family and moved on to the main structure. The altar, dripping in fine solid silver, is exquisite. The paintings are also unique in its use of native and traditional Christian imagery at the same time. We exited the Cathedral by way of the triumphal chapel to its right, much of it under repair and restoration.
Up next is the Church of the Society of Jesus. In my opinion, the exterior of this church is more appealing than the Cathedral itself although the Cathedral wins hands down for its interior. Nonetheless, the painting along the side depicting the marriage of an Incan woman to a Spanish man is worth a look. While here, make sure to climb to the second floor for a panoramic view of the iconic plaza below.
We continued down the street towards the Temple of the Merced. Unfortunately the church was closed to visitors, and there was no signage as to when its operating hours were (we were here on a Monday).
It's time for lunch. We dropped into a nice - looking Italian place just off of Plaza de Armas, Incanto (I will do restaurant reviews separately in another post). Fueled up and ready to go, we headed for the Inka Museum. We spent about 90 minutes here, taking in a few exhibits that caught our attention. We could have easily spent more time here but wanted to save enough time for the Qoricancha, which was next on our agenda for the day.
During Incan times, the Qoricancha was one of the most important religious sites, not only in Cuzco but throughout the kingdom. What remains today is the stone foundations, upon which stands the church and convent of San to Domingo, built by the Spanish shortly after the conquest. This is my favorite spot in all of Cuzco; I highly recommend a visit here. We spent about two and a half hours here on our visit, not because we couldn't have stayed longer but it's only open from 2 to 5. We wandered among the stone foundations and took in all the artworks contained within these walls. The courtyard is also of note for its octagonal font.
After our Qoricancha visit we went across the street for some delicious pastries and coffee and tea. We stayed here until it was time to head down the street to the Cuzco Center for Native Arts, which hosts a nightly performance of traditional Peruvian song and dance. The show starts at 7pm and admission is included in your boleto turistico. The show lasted an hour long and provided a good overview of the wealth of artistic and musical traditions found across this great land. What a fine way to round out a perfect day!
To the South Valley, when we meet again...
Aug 31st, 2014, 12:27 PM
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Hope folks are having a nice weekend. I'm a bit on a roll today so here's another installment for your enjoyment.
The South Valley
About 30 minutes to an hour's drive outside of Cuzco, heading in the direction of Pino and the shores of Lake Titicaca, are the South Valley sites of Tipon and Piquillacta and the village of Andahuaylillas. This seemed to be the least visited area throughout the Cuzco region, as we saw even less people hear than some of the places in the Sacred Valley. If you have the time, I highly recommend some of it here, as the sites are quite different than what you see in the other parts of this region.
After breakfast at our hotel, we hired a taxi to take us to the South Valley. We started out around 9 and arrived at Andahuaylillas shortly after 10. Here we visited the Church of San Pedro right on the village square. The church is highly decorated and drips with paintings and baroque detailings. Next door is a small museum including a mummy and numerous deformed skulls from ancient times.
From here we headed back in the direction we came. Our next stop was the ruins at Piquillacta. Dating back to pre - Incan times, the site was constructed by the Wari people in the second half of the first millennium. What remains today are foundations from the ancient buildings as well as several layers of defensive walls. It was fun to wander along the walls, admire the skill that it took to build the site, as well as imagine what it was like back in those times. This was our favorite South Valley site.
From here we continued on to Tipon, an Incan site with some of the most complete irrigation systems still remaining. Found at Tipon are the agricultural terraces we saw all over the Sacred Valley as well as the remains of buildings. What is unique here are the ceremonial baths, fountains, and the other parts of the irrigation system. The waters were flowing quite strongly during our visit to the complex. It lent the site an overall pleasure water garden quality and feel, in my opinion.
In addition to the Incan remains, Tipon is well known in these parts for its cuy al horno, a whole roasted guinea pig complete with various accompaniments. As they say, "When in Rome..." We stopped at one of the restaurants serving cuy recommended by our driver (applogies but I didn't pay attention to the name of the place) and ordered the famous dish for lunch. The skin was very crispy and the meat lean and juicy. It was better than I expected.
We returned to Cuzco after our meal and spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering the city, doing some final shopping on what was our final night in Peru.
Tomorrow is Brazil, but not before some suggestions / observations on our hotel and some of our favorite places to eat as well as final thoughts on our time in Peru.
The South Valley
About 30 minutes to an hour's drive outside of Cuzco, heading in the direction of Pino and the shores of Lake Titicaca, are the South Valley sites of Tipon and Piquillacta and the village of Andahuaylillas. This seemed to be the least visited area throughout the Cuzco region, as we saw even less people hear than some of the places in the Sacred Valley. If you have the time, I highly recommend some of it here, as the sites are quite different than what you see in the other parts of this region.
After breakfast at our hotel, we hired a taxi to take us to the South Valley. We started out around 9 and arrived at Andahuaylillas shortly after 10. Here we visited the Church of San Pedro right on the village square. The church is highly decorated and drips with paintings and baroque detailings. Next door is a small museum including a mummy and numerous deformed skulls from ancient times.
From here we headed back in the direction we came. Our next stop was the ruins at Piquillacta. Dating back to pre - Incan times, the site was constructed by the Wari people in the second half of the first millennium. What remains today are foundations from the ancient buildings as well as several layers of defensive walls. It was fun to wander along the walls, admire the skill that it took to build the site, as well as imagine what it was like back in those times. This was our favorite South Valley site.
From here we continued on to Tipon, an Incan site with some of the most complete irrigation systems still remaining. Found at Tipon are the agricultural terraces we saw all over the Sacred Valley as well as the remains of buildings. What is unique here are the ceremonial baths, fountains, and the other parts of the irrigation system. The waters were flowing quite strongly during our visit to the complex. It lent the site an overall pleasure water garden quality and feel, in my opinion.
In addition to the Incan remains, Tipon is well known in these parts for its cuy al horno, a whole roasted guinea pig complete with various accompaniments. As they say, "When in Rome..." We stopped at one of the restaurants serving cuy recommended by our driver (applogies but I didn't pay attention to the name of the place) and ordered the famous dish for lunch. The skin was very crispy and the meat lean and juicy. It was better than I expected.
We returned to Cuzco after our meal and spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering the city, doing some final shopping on what was our final night in Peru.
Tomorrow is Brazil, but not before some suggestions / observations on our hotel and some of our favorite places to eat as well as final thoughts on our time in Peru.
Sep 1st, 2014, 11:42 AM
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Cuzco Round - Up
In all, we had a very enjoyable time in Cuzco, and an even better time in the surrounding region. During my travels, we met numerous fellow visitors who were based in Cuzco and did day trips to the Sacred Valley and to Machu Picchu. While it may be the only option for some, whether due to timing or to costs, I highly recommend overnight stays in both locations whenever possible. Machu Picchu is worth more than a few hours than a day trip allows, but more importantly, time to explore the citadel without the intense crowds. As for the Sacred Valley, there's simply too much to do. Among Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, we stayed a total of 9 nights and wouldn't have mind a couple more, especially to explore some of the lesser known towns and villages in the Sacred Valley.
I've already shared my thoughts about hotels and restaurants in the Sacred Valley and at Machu Picchu, but here are some observations for Cuzco.
Casa Andina Private Collection Cuzco: Overall, the property is lovely, tastefully appointed, and situated in a very convenient location a block away from Qoricancha and three blocks from Plaza de Armas. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The public areas are also well - kept and functional. I enjoyed sitting in one of its numerous interior courtyards just reading and sipping my cup of coffee or tea. Breakfast is adequate with the standard items. The housekeeping staff was fantastic. My two criticisms concerned the concierge staff and the front desk staff. This is the only hotel I stayed at where wake - up calls and laundry were handled by the concierge not the front desk. Not to get into the details but we were misinformed and overcharged for laundry by the concierge. And check - out was a nightmare (it was 4:30 in the morning, we were the only ones checking out, and It took 40 minutes, long enough that our waiting taxi left us).
The two restaurants that I want to make note of are Casa Qoricancha and Incanto. Located on the second floor of a beautiful building right around the corner from the temple, Casa Qorikancha serves upscale Peruvian cuisine. We had two meals there. During our first visit, I had a chicken and quinoa soup followed by a lomo saltado (filet with fries made us regular and sweet potatoes) and a lucuma creme brulee for dessert. The soup was good, the beef amazing, and the dessert absolutely divine. On our second visit, I had a very good potato soup, which was paired with a wonderfully prepared trout dish. The lucuma creme brulee was so good that I had to have it again.
Incanto is an Italian - Peruvian restaurant located less than a block away from Plaza de Armas. The space is very open and inviting, with a wood - burning oven in the center. The pizzas and pastas were all prepared perfectly, as was the ossobuco I ordered on one occasion. And I highly recommend the passion fruit pisco, which was a delicious complement to the meal.
Some Final Thoughts on Peru
Overall I had a fantastic time in Peru, and everything about this extraordinary country exceeded my expectations. The people are warm and welcoming, the sites incredible, the food delicious, and the sounds and the colors vibrant. I definitely felt like I was in a different place, and at times in a different, more simplistic era.
Even with 12 nights in the country, I know that I only scratched the surface of what Peru has to offer. The visit definitely left me with the desire to return for more, both to explore some of these areas more deeply, but to also see some of the places that I hadn't seen on this trip. Our museum excursions gave me a taste of some of the ancient pre - Incan civilizations such as the Paracas, the Chimu, and the Wari that I didn't know existed before this trip, and piqued my curiosity.
And finally, is Cuzco better than Lima? This is a hard question without a definitive answer. It's easy to like Cuzco. It's well organized and very manageable to explore on foot. The city possesses an inherent charm; in many ways, it feels like a large village than a major city. Lima, on the other hand, often gets passed by. I met many travelers who went straight to Cuzco or other more "exciting" destinations, or perhaps stayed overnight just because their connecting flights required it. In my opinion, Lima is worth more time than Cuzco, as it's a much larger city with so much more to do. It requires more time to get to know and appreciate all it has to offer. I wished I had 5 or 6 nights rather than 3. Don't get me wrong. Cuzco is worth several days but I prefer getting out to really explore the region with all its history, culture, and simpler way of life.
Goodbye Peru, Hello Brazil (and Argentina)
With that, it was time to bid goodbye to Peru and onwards to Brazil, where the other half of our South American Adventure awaited. We flew from Cuzco to Lima and onwards the Iguazu Falls, Brazil. The flights departed and arrived on time, and were generally uneventful. We were served a light snack on the first leg and a small lunch on the second, more than we can expect flying in economy within the U.S. these days. There was a bit of a wait to go through immigration in Brazil, as there were only two agents processing us. In all fairness, the airport doesn't see many international flights.
Once we were through, we went to the taxi counter and were on our way to our hotel on the Argentinean side. It took us about 40 minutes from the airport to our hotel, including border formalities on both sides. We needed to exit the vehicle on the Brazilian side but were processed via a drive - through on the Argentinean. Both experiences were relaxed. The staff were friendly and efficient.
Upon arrival at our hotel, the Iguazu Jungle Lodge, we were shown to our room, a large family suite, where we freshened up before going downstairs for dinner.
Tomorrow: water, water everywhere, oh my!
In all, we had a very enjoyable time in Cuzco, and an even better time in the surrounding region. During my travels, we met numerous fellow visitors who were based in Cuzco and did day trips to the Sacred Valley and to Machu Picchu. While it may be the only option for some, whether due to timing or to costs, I highly recommend overnight stays in both locations whenever possible. Machu Picchu is worth more than a few hours than a day trip allows, but more importantly, time to explore the citadel without the intense crowds. As for the Sacred Valley, there's simply too much to do. Among Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, we stayed a total of 9 nights and wouldn't have mind a couple more, especially to explore some of the lesser known towns and villages in the Sacred Valley.
I've already shared my thoughts about hotels and restaurants in the Sacred Valley and at Machu Picchu, but here are some observations for Cuzco.
Casa Andina Private Collection Cuzco: Overall, the property is lovely, tastefully appointed, and situated in a very convenient location a block away from Qoricancha and three blocks from Plaza de Armas. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The public areas are also well - kept and functional. I enjoyed sitting in one of its numerous interior courtyards just reading and sipping my cup of coffee or tea. Breakfast is adequate with the standard items. The housekeeping staff was fantastic. My two criticisms concerned the concierge staff and the front desk staff. This is the only hotel I stayed at where wake - up calls and laundry were handled by the concierge not the front desk. Not to get into the details but we were misinformed and overcharged for laundry by the concierge. And check - out was a nightmare (it was 4:30 in the morning, we were the only ones checking out, and It took 40 minutes, long enough that our waiting taxi left us).
The two restaurants that I want to make note of are Casa Qoricancha and Incanto. Located on the second floor of a beautiful building right around the corner from the temple, Casa Qorikancha serves upscale Peruvian cuisine. We had two meals there. During our first visit, I had a chicken and quinoa soup followed by a lomo saltado (filet with fries made us regular and sweet potatoes) and a lucuma creme brulee for dessert. The soup was good, the beef amazing, and the dessert absolutely divine. On our second visit, I had a very good potato soup, which was paired with a wonderfully prepared trout dish. The lucuma creme brulee was so good that I had to have it again.
Incanto is an Italian - Peruvian restaurant located less than a block away from Plaza de Armas. The space is very open and inviting, with a wood - burning oven in the center. The pizzas and pastas were all prepared perfectly, as was the ossobuco I ordered on one occasion. And I highly recommend the passion fruit pisco, which was a delicious complement to the meal.
Some Final Thoughts on Peru
Overall I had a fantastic time in Peru, and everything about this extraordinary country exceeded my expectations. The people are warm and welcoming, the sites incredible, the food delicious, and the sounds and the colors vibrant. I definitely felt like I was in a different place, and at times in a different, more simplistic era.
Even with 12 nights in the country, I know that I only scratched the surface of what Peru has to offer. The visit definitely left me with the desire to return for more, both to explore some of these areas more deeply, but to also see some of the places that I hadn't seen on this trip. Our museum excursions gave me a taste of some of the ancient pre - Incan civilizations such as the Paracas, the Chimu, and the Wari that I didn't know existed before this trip, and piqued my curiosity.
And finally, is Cuzco better than Lima? This is a hard question without a definitive answer. It's easy to like Cuzco. It's well organized and very manageable to explore on foot. The city possesses an inherent charm; in many ways, it feels like a large village than a major city. Lima, on the other hand, often gets passed by. I met many travelers who went straight to Cuzco or other more "exciting" destinations, or perhaps stayed overnight just because their connecting flights required it. In my opinion, Lima is worth more time than Cuzco, as it's a much larger city with so much more to do. It requires more time to get to know and appreciate all it has to offer. I wished I had 5 or 6 nights rather than 3. Don't get me wrong. Cuzco is worth several days but I prefer getting out to really explore the region with all its history, culture, and simpler way of life.
Goodbye Peru, Hello Brazil (and Argentina)
With that, it was time to bid goodbye to Peru and onwards to Brazil, where the other half of our South American Adventure awaited. We flew from Cuzco to Lima and onwards the Iguazu Falls, Brazil. The flights departed and arrived on time, and were generally uneventful. We were served a light snack on the first leg and a small lunch on the second, more than we can expect flying in economy within the U.S. these days. There was a bit of a wait to go through immigration in Brazil, as there were only two agents processing us. In all fairness, the airport doesn't see many international flights.
Once we were through, we went to the taxi counter and were on our way to our hotel on the Argentinean side. It took us about 40 minutes from the airport to our hotel, including border formalities on both sides. We needed to exit the vehicle on the Brazilian side but were processed via a drive - through on the Argentinean. Both experiences were relaxed. The staff were friendly and efficient.
Upon arrival at our hotel, the Iguazu Jungle Lodge, we were shown to our room, a large family suite, where we freshened up before going downstairs for dinner.
Tomorrow: water, water everywhere, oh my!
Sep 1st, 2014, 04:33 PM
#31
Sounds like Peru got its hooks into you tripplanner001. I know the feeling.
Such a diverse country with incredible history, food, art, and (as you've noted) exceptionally pleasant and helpful people.
Such a diverse country with incredible history, food, art, and (as you've noted) exceptionally pleasant and helpful people.
Sep 2nd, 2014, 05:11 PM
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Water, Water Everywhere
We spent a total of three nights in Iguazu Falls, which gave us two full days and an additional half day to visit this world wonder. We originally planned to spend our first full day on the Brazilian side of the falls and the following day, as well as the morning of our third day, on the Argentinean side. To some, this may be overkill. To us, we knew how much we enjoy waterfalls and wanted to make sure to spend as much time as we could to “see everything” there is to see.
We made arrangements with Marcelo, our taxi driver from last night, to meet us at our hotel for the drive back to Brazil this morning. He arrived promptly at 8am and we were on our way. On our agenda for today was a helicopter ride over the falls followed by a morning at the national park, lunch, an afternoon visit to the Bird Park, and a tour of Itaipu Dam if time permitted.
We encountered no traffic at the border crossing and arrived at the helicopter departure point at 8:30. The first flight was scheduled to take off at 9am so we were the first in line. The flight lasted 10 minutes but provided us with a thrilling bird’s eye view of the falls as well as the surrounding area. It was just enough to whet our appetite for what we were about to see and experience over the coming days.
Following the helicopter ride, we went over to the national park, where we boarded one of the buses that took us to the Path of the Falls stop (the fourth of five stops). Here, we followed the wooden platforms that guided us along the cliff overlooking the waterfalls, most of which are on the Argentinean side. We were treated to a panorama of the falls at the first viewpoint. The vista was incredible. The sky was a bit overcast, but it didn’t damper the mood, as the water was voluminous and in full view. The scenery just got better and better, as we were afforded with clearer views of Salto San Martin, one of the larger falls that make up the Iguazu Falls, as we continued along the walkway. Along the way, we saw several quatis, anteater-like creatures that were found all along the platforms in the park. The views just got progressively better as we approached the Devil’s Throat, the largest of the falls. We were prepared to get wet, but were quickly thoroughly soaked. It was a bit hard to face the falls to get a good view. The spray wasn’t nearly as bad when we walked all the way to the end of the platform. Because of the direction the wind was blowing, we were able to see the Devil’s Throat very clearly from here as well as San Martin Island opposite it and some waterfalls in the distance. We then proceeded to go up to the upper observation deck for a different perspective of the Devil’s Throat. In all, we spent about three hours on the trails and were 110% satisfied with the experience. I thought I was impressed when I saw Niagara, but Iguazu is in a completely different league of its own. It’s hard to describe the experience and do it justice; you just have to see and, more importantly, experience it for yourself.
Following the walk, we grabbed a quick lunch at Porto Canoas Square at the end of the walk. There were a couple of options, including a sit-down restaurant and a couple of fast food kiosks. We opted for a couple of quick items at one of the kiosks as we were still doing okay from breakfast. After a bite to eat and a browse in the gift shop, we hopped on the bus that took us back out to the entrance, from where Marcelo awaited us and took us to the Bird Park.
The Bird Park has a wonderful collection of tropical birds, several of which are native to the area. We especially liked being able to see some toucans up close, as well as enjoy the huge macau enclosure. Boy, these are some loud creatures! The trails are well laid out, and it’s a good stop to make to help round out your experience. In all, we spent about an hour and a half here.
Our last stop of the day was Itaipu Dam, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay about 40 minutes away from the falls. We opted for the special tour, which was two and a half tours long, but gave us the opportunity to go inside the actual dam. The tour started with a brief film about the construction followed by a bus ride to the dam. Enroute, we stopped at a couple of viewpoints before going inside this massive structure. We were able to see the control room, as well as some of the larger pieces of equipment. The tour is not for everyone, especially if you’re not a “technical” person.
By the time we completed the tour it was already 6pm and we headed back to our hotel , but not before stopping at a grocery store in town for some items.
Tomorrow we explore the Argentinean side of the falls.
We spent a total of three nights in Iguazu Falls, which gave us two full days and an additional half day to visit this world wonder. We originally planned to spend our first full day on the Brazilian side of the falls and the following day, as well as the morning of our third day, on the Argentinean side. To some, this may be overkill. To us, we knew how much we enjoy waterfalls and wanted to make sure to spend as much time as we could to “see everything” there is to see.
We made arrangements with Marcelo, our taxi driver from last night, to meet us at our hotel for the drive back to Brazil this morning. He arrived promptly at 8am and we were on our way. On our agenda for today was a helicopter ride over the falls followed by a morning at the national park, lunch, an afternoon visit to the Bird Park, and a tour of Itaipu Dam if time permitted.
We encountered no traffic at the border crossing and arrived at the helicopter departure point at 8:30. The first flight was scheduled to take off at 9am so we were the first in line. The flight lasted 10 minutes but provided us with a thrilling bird’s eye view of the falls as well as the surrounding area. It was just enough to whet our appetite for what we were about to see and experience over the coming days.
Following the helicopter ride, we went over to the national park, where we boarded one of the buses that took us to the Path of the Falls stop (the fourth of five stops). Here, we followed the wooden platforms that guided us along the cliff overlooking the waterfalls, most of which are on the Argentinean side. We were treated to a panorama of the falls at the first viewpoint. The vista was incredible. The sky was a bit overcast, but it didn’t damper the mood, as the water was voluminous and in full view. The scenery just got better and better, as we were afforded with clearer views of Salto San Martin, one of the larger falls that make up the Iguazu Falls, as we continued along the walkway. Along the way, we saw several quatis, anteater-like creatures that were found all along the platforms in the park. The views just got progressively better as we approached the Devil’s Throat, the largest of the falls. We were prepared to get wet, but were quickly thoroughly soaked. It was a bit hard to face the falls to get a good view. The spray wasn’t nearly as bad when we walked all the way to the end of the platform. Because of the direction the wind was blowing, we were able to see the Devil’s Throat very clearly from here as well as San Martin Island opposite it and some waterfalls in the distance. We then proceeded to go up to the upper observation deck for a different perspective of the Devil’s Throat. In all, we spent about three hours on the trails and were 110% satisfied with the experience. I thought I was impressed when I saw Niagara, but Iguazu is in a completely different league of its own. It’s hard to describe the experience and do it justice; you just have to see and, more importantly, experience it for yourself.
Following the walk, we grabbed a quick lunch at Porto Canoas Square at the end of the walk. There were a couple of options, including a sit-down restaurant and a couple of fast food kiosks. We opted for a couple of quick items at one of the kiosks as we were still doing okay from breakfast. After a bite to eat and a browse in the gift shop, we hopped on the bus that took us back out to the entrance, from where Marcelo awaited us and took us to the Bird Park.
The Bird Park has a wonderful collection of tropical birds, several of which are native to the area. We especially liked being able to see some toucans up close, as well as enjoy the huge macau enclosure. Boy, these are some loud creatures! The trails are well laid out, and it’s a good stop to make to help round out your experience. In all, we spent about an hour and a half here.
Our last stop of the day was Itaipu Dam, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay about 40 minutes away from the falls. We opted for the special tour, which was two and a half tours long, but gave us the opportunity to go inside the actual dam. The tour started with a brief film about the construction followed by a bus ride to the dam. Enroute, we stopped at a couple of viewpoints before going inside this massive structure. We were able to see the control room, as well as some of the larger pieces of equipment. The tour is not for everyone, especially if you’re not a “technical” person.
By the time we completed the tour it was already 6pm and we headed back to our hotel , but not before stopping at a grocery store in town for some items.
Tomorrow we explore the Argentinean side of the falls.
Sep 3rd, 2014, 03:01 AM
#34
Boy you really did the Falls! We had hoped to take the helicopter tour but it was pouring the day we were on the Brazilian side.
We laughed at the quatis (coatis) everywhere on the trail cadging food, as we had been so excited to catch even a glimpse of one in the Amazon. At Iguazu they're like the raccoons in Toronto - entitled!
Did you see any capybaras? Giant rats - so large they don't creep you out! (we saw them on the shore)
So nice traveling along with you!
We laughed at the quatis (coatis) everywhere on the trail cadging food, as we had been so excited to catch even a glimpse of one in the Amazon. At Iguazu they're like the raccoons in Toronto - entitled!
Did you see any capybaras? Giant rats - so large they don't creep you out! (we saw them on the shore)
So nice traveling along with you!
Sep 3rd, 2014, 02:58 PM
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Elizabeth, thank you for your comments. I do appreciate the feedback. I didn't see any capybaras; for some reason I thought they were only found in the Pantanal. We also saw quatis at Tijuca Forest in Rio.
Sep 3rd, 2014, 03:30 PM
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Can't wait to hear more. I have a time share trade booked for a week in Oct 2016 in Iguazu on the Argentian side. We love waterfalls too. Last year we went to Victoria Falls. A week might be overkill but it's a cheap stay.
Sep 3rd, 2014, 03:55 PM
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The coatis are quite bold. I was relaxing, eating a popsicle (in the Argentine park) when one began to climb up onto my shoulder from a rock wall behind my seat to try for a taste. And just then along came a park ranger to yell at me for "feeding" that nimble little thief ! Meanwhile, at the next table, another coati was licking up a spilled soft drink. Clearly they have become overly used to human "treats".
Sep 3rd, 2014, 07:10 PM
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Sdtravels, I will try to get the next installment up on Friday. It's interesting that you mention Victoria Falls as I'm thinking about a visit there next year. What did you think?
SambaChula, I'm not surprised that they're coming up to humans. They probably associate us with access to food as people feed them (not you or me) even though they're asked not to. Saw a couple of people do that while we were there.
SambaChula, I'm not surprised that they're coming up to humans. They probably associate us with access to food as people feed them (not you or me) even though they're asked not to. Saw a couple of people do that while we were there.
Sep 4th, 2014, 02:56 AM
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tripplanner001, go,go,go. Victoria falls are great. You can see some of my photos at www.garyandsusan.shutterfly.com
Under the "More" tab, it's in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
I think we will be following exactly in your footsteps in Peru.
Under the "More" tab, it's in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
I think we will be following exactly in your footsteps in Peru.
Sep 4th, 2014, 02:51 PM
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Sdtravels, your photos of Victoria Falls as well as the rest of your Africa trip are gorgeous. My visit to Iguazu Falls is really the inspiration for Victoria and got me really thinking about it. And given how much I enjoyed Rio (more on this later) and my slight obsession with Sydney, folks have impressed upon me how much I would like Cape Town given the similarities.
I also see that you had a good time in Turkey earlier this year. I was there in 2008 and it's one of my favorite places to this day; didn't make it to the Aegean coast but we spent time in Istanbul and Cappadocia on that trip.
Glad my report on Peru is giving you food for thought.
I also see that you had a good time in Turkey earlier this year. I was there in 2008 and it's one of my favorite places to this day; didn't make it to the Aegean coast but we spent time in Istanbul and Cappadocia on that trip.
Glad my report on Peru is giving you food for thought.
