Category Archives: Sacred Valley

Down the Canyon to Urquillos

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Yesterday’s hike was a spectacular walk from Chinchero down to Urquillos with much of it along a magnificently reconstructed secondary Inca road. I’ve done this hike before, but it was especially beautiful this time thanks to the heavy rains which have saturated the region for several months.

Once again it was a bit of a “United Nations” experience with The Netherlands (Jildao and Mero — I hope I spelled her name corrected), Peru (Dorian of Cusco’s best Spanish school, Mundo Antiguo) and the US (me!) represented.

After a short 45-minute colectivo ride to Chinchero (3 soles or $1 USD), we gathered some food and drinks and headed off down the road which winds below the well-known Chinchero ruins. Despite the occasional dark clouds, we were fortunate to avoid any bad weather and the ladies even got a bit of extra sun.

The scenery walking down the ancient Inca road was truly breathtaking.

The trail is almost all downhill with a few short uphill climbs along the way. Thanks to that nearly constant steep descent, my calves are surprisingly stiff this morning, but that means I got some needed exercise! It was more than worth it as the views yesterday were fantastic!

The highlight for most people is about 1/3 of the way down when we took a side trail along the mountainside towards a little known yet beautiful waterfall well off the normal trail.

I’ve been there before, but it’s especially spectacular during the rainy season. I thought for a moment that the two Dutch girls might get in the water despite it being SO cold!


A little farther down the trail we finally reached the bottom of the canyon where it was incredibly lush and green. I know I’ve said this before, but visitors who come during the busy season never know how beautiful it is here during the summer.

The trail along the small, rushing stream was almost tropical. Overhanging branches sagged under the weight of many leaves. For someone like me who loves the jungle, this was almost like going into my special place!

You never know when you’ll meet a friendly burro along the way!
We saw numerous waterfalls high in the mountains and even made our way to this small one set back against the mountainside.
As everywhere in the Sacred Valley this time of year, the flowers were abundant and brilliant.

We continued on into the small village of Urquillos and even stopped to drink some chicha — a slightly fermented drink made form corn that is incredibly popular in the Andes outside of the cities.

The last few kilometers were fun, though everyone seemed to be getting tired. My favorite part was visiting with people as well as seeing all kinds of cute, friendly dogs along the way.

The quiet Plaza de Armas of Urquillos sits in front of an old colonial Jesuit monastery.

I should have taken more photos, but I’m always a little conscious about photographing people. (I doubt most would mind as long as I asked permission, but I’m still not comfortable with doing that yet.)

After passing through old hacienda farmlands and the community plaza de Armas, we finally made it to the highway where we caught a ride back to Cusco where I think we were all ready to rest after a great day’s hike!



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Just Another Hike in Peru’s Sacred Valley

Posted on by Posted in Calca, Pisac, Sacred Valley 1 Comment

The weather forecast gave me hope so I decided to head out the door for the Sacred Valley this morning with the hope of getting in a few miles of hiking in Peru’s Sacred Valley along the Rio Urubamba from Calca to Pisac before any significant rain appeared.

I was not disappointed. In fact, today turned out to be a spectacular day with only a couple of brief periods of very light rain. The hike itself was a bit tougher than I expected because Google Maps once again mislead me into thinking it was just over 10 miles when in fact it was over 13!

Despite the long distance, it is generally quite flat hiking along the river so I wasn’t too concerned when I crossed over the bridge at Calca and headed east.

Fortunately, the entire hike is along along a dirt road. This time of year, though, that means the road is likely to be extremely muddy. Thanks to the recent heavy rains that have sent the river cresting over its banks in many places, it was necessary to slog through the mud in quite a few places.

To be honest, I am really tired tonight so I’m not going to do a lot of writing about the hike except that I’m glad I did it and, as always, say far more cool things than I expected.

(Be sure to click on each individual photo to see a larger version.)

This was the dominant scene all day — soaring mountains, a roaring river, and farmlands all across the valley.
Thank goodness for this sign. You never know when a basketball game is going to break out in the middle of nowhere.
The awesome waterfall was the biggest reason I wanted to make this hike. I saw it on Saturday from the road and knew I had to get some photos.
Across the river is the small village of Lamay. It’s known for its many restaurants that specialize in cuy (guinea pig), but I think its setting below the valley behind is beautiful.
Everywhere you look are the remains of ancient walls first built centuries ago and still in use today.
The road into Coya also leads to a stunning setting in the Andes.
Two more waterfalls coming down from the mountain tops flow into this ancient water channel still lined in many places by Inca stonework.
I wish I knew about the colonial history of this area. I was surprised when I came across this old home that likely was the headquarters for one of the large haciendas that controlled farming in the region.
Nebraska + mountains = the Sacred Valley.
You just never know what kind of traffic will fill the back roads up in the Andes!



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The Sacred Valley Near Calca and Urqo

Posted on by Posted in Calca, Cusco, Ruins, Sacred Valley, Unique Places 1 Comment

Yesterday I went with a group from Mundo Antiguo Spanish School to the Sacred Valley near the town of Calca to hike along the Rio Urubamba.

I had never been along that part of the Valley though I have hiked north of the town several times. Despite the rainy weather typical this time of year, it turned out to be a lot of fun and we saw quite a few places that were new to me. It was great going out again with our wonderful guide, Dorian, along with my friends Carina (Austria), Laurence (Luxembourg), and Caroline (Seattle/US).

Dorian talked about the amazing carving on the huaca (sacred rock) at Urqo where water-related ceremonies were likely held.

After taking the hour-long colectivo (passenger van) ride to Calca, we walked across a bridge and turned north along the raging river in a light rain. Thanks to very heavy recent rains that had caused flooding in several communities, the river was threatening to overflow it’s banks the entire way.

Along the way, I spotted some rock paintings (“pinturas repestres”) on the wall along the wall as well as several Inca cemeteries. Unfortunately, rain didn’t allow me to pull out my camera and get any photos. That’ll have to wait for another time.

Eventually we made our way to the ruins of Urqo. I had seen the extensive agricultural terraces there which lie next to the main road running through the Valley, but I had no idea there was actually more lying behind the hills.

There wasn’t much to the ruins, but what was there was certainly worth the hike. Besides the amazing huaca (see the above photo), there was a circular building that likely was also built for ceremonies. (Round buildings are almost unknown in Inca construction as they are almost always rectangular. )

The complex was quite small with a number of smaller buildings next the huaca. These were likely rooms for Inca priests and attendants as well as storerooms.

The colors of the valley, while somewhat subdued on this rainy day, were still sparkling with the color of flowers and a million shade of green. Most visitors to Cusco and the Sacred Valley have no idea what everything looks like in the summer!

Like any walk through the valley at just about any time of the year, there are fantastic photo opportunities. Thank goodness the last half of the hike was mostly dry!

Thanks to Dorian for being such a great guide!


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My Top 10 Hikes in the Cusco Area for 2019

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This is my first full year living in Cusco. In that time I’ve explored many incredible places in this area, yet I haven’t even begun to touch all that is here. Here is a list of my favorite hikes taken this year.

Be sure to click on the links to get detailed descriptions of the hikes including tons of photos and some videos.

# 10 – An Inca Road from Chinchero to Urquillos

I only recently took this trail popular among visitors to Cusco. It’s a fairly easy hike descending from the ruins at Chinchero through the canyon passing through some beautiful countryside and providing spectacular views of the valley below and the mountains on the other side. (Be sure to check out the trail to the waterfall.)

You can read about my hike down the canyon here: Hiking an Inca Road from Chinchero to the Sacred Valley.

Last week I also a short video of the first part of the hike with my new camera that will give you an idea of how beautiful it is: Hiking Down an Inca Road.

# 9 – El Camino al Antisuyo to Yucaypata

This was the first real hike I took out of Cusco along the main Inca road out of Cusco heading to the Antisuyo region to the north. Almost every tourist walks along part of this road as it begins in the Plaza de Armas next to the main Cathedral, but none realize the significance or have any idea where it leads.

Much of the road has been reconstructed as it climbs up into the mountains above the city past the Templo de los Monos and Templo de la Luna. Those two spots get a fair share of visitors, but almost no one continues on up the road towards the village of Yucaypata where it disappears soon after when it meets up with the Pisac Highway.

Don’t expect to see any people once you pass the Templo de la Luna, but do expect to see some beautiful scenery. Keep an eye for the ruins of Inkilltambo on the right as you head away from Cusco.

You can see a short hyperlapse video of the first part of the road leading out from the Plaza de Armas here: Inca Trail in Cusco? Of Course!

# 8 – Ccorca

My friends Jhedi and Fania have been telling me about this beautiful place for over a year and recently I finally took a trip to explore the magnificent canyon west of Cusco.

It was certainly as unique a place as any I’ve experienced. The solitude in the canyon as I passed beside the (at the time) dry river bed with only the sound of birds and the wind to keep me company.

It’s the only place I know where ancient tombs still exist containing the bones of people who once occupied the region.

I wrote about my September trip to Ccorca here: Find Yourself Alone in Ccorca’s Tecsecocha Canyon.

# 7 – Yucay to San Juan Bautista

If you want to see how people of the Sacred Valley still utilize the agricultural structures that were built over 500 years ago by the Incas, then Yucay is the place to go. The extensive complex is probably the largest surviving set of andenes (agricultural terraces) that are still in use today.

There are a number of trails passing up from the small town towards the canyon leading to the tiny community of San Juan Bautista high in the mountains below the majestic peak of Chicon. It’s impossible to get lost and the rewards are indescribable.

Catch a glimpse of people farming very much like they did long ago. Depending on the season, keep an eye out for farmers using oxen to pull enormous wooden plows. Flowers bloom in the spring and the colors are spectacular in the summer months, though watch out for storm clouds appearing rapidly over the mountains. (Trust me, I’ve been caught in the rain here before!)

As you go up the canyon, you’ll follow along side the stream and discover the ruins of the old hydroelectric plant, a roaring waterfall, and you might even spot the ancient Inca cemetery high on the cliff above the valley.

Check out the my pics and the story of this lovely area here: Yucay — Exploring Ancient Trails in a World Standing Still.

# 6 – Above Tambomachay

For simply breathtaking vistas, this is probably my favorite hike. I’ve done it several times and each time I discover something new. It was the first place I ever hiked where my jaw literally dropped when I saw the canyon view for the first time.

This is another of those “don’t expect to see another person except the occasional shepherd” hikes, though you are likely to see plenty of sheep and llamas.

I wrote this the first time I explored up the canyon: Hiking Above Tambomachay.

A couple of weeks ago while climbing farther than I have ever gone before, I stumbled across what appeared to be a significant ruin site. You can read about it and see the video I did on these two blog posts:

Exploring More (almost) Unknown Ancient Ruins
Exploring More (almost) Unknown Ancient Ruins – Video

Last fall I put together this little video on some of the ruins just a short distance from Tambomachay: Ruins Above Tambomachay.

# 5 – The Inca Road from Pachar to Ollantaytambo

Thousands of tourists every year pay hundreds of dollars each to hike along what’s commonly known as “the Inca Trail”. Despite being only a tiny part of the actual Inca road system, it’s considered one of the world’s greatest treks.

Needless to say, if you want to say you walked along that very same road, it’s possible to do so absolutely free. Along the way you may get to interact with local farmers and you’ll avoid the crowds along the way. Indeed, the only people you may see are farm family and an occasional campesino leading a string of horses along the trail.

Along the way as you approach Ollantaytambo, you’ll come upon the ruins of Choqana. I can’t really explain why, but this is one of my favorite places. I wrote about it here: Choqana — Ancient Fort or Inca Tambo?

You can read more about this hike here: Hiking THE Inca Trail for Free in the Sacred Valley.

# 4 – Kinsa Cocha to Pisac

If you want to see breathtaking high altiplano scenery with not a soul around, then the Kinsa Cocha area about 25 km. above Pisac is the place to go. I’ve never seen another person there except a couple of shepherds watching over sheep and llamas grazing in the remote mountains.

A taxi can take you from Pisac and they will gladly wait for you, but I strongly recommend walking back down to Pisac. While it’s a very long hike, it is downhill and the opportunity to walk along Inca roads and interact with the many villagers you’ll pass is worth every moment.

This area gets few visitors so people tend to friendlier and less jaded about tourists invading their pueblos.

You can read about my last trip and the hike down at Hiking Back in Time at Kinsa Cocha

# 3 – Palccoyo – the “Alternative” Rainbow Mountain

If high altitude hiking among the remote Andes Mountains with breathtaking scenery in every direction sounds intriguing, then the place to go is Palccoyo, also known as the “alternative” Rainbow Mountain.

Hiking at well over 5000m/16,400′ above sea level can be pretty daunting for most, but Palccoyo is a great spot to visit because you are dropped off near the top and there is relatively little climbing involved. As long as you aren’t bothered by high altitude and go at a reasonable pace, this is an easy hike.

Make sure you take a camera as this is one of the most photogenic places in all of South America.

(I’ve been there three times and heartily recommend my friend Roger Mamani and Rainbow Mountain Expeditions if you want to go. Roger is from the area, speaks excellent English, and specializes in trips to Palccoyo.)

Please check out all my photos and a description of this fantastic place at Palccoyo – The Alternative Rainbow Mountain.

# 2 – Aguas Calientes to the River Intihuatana

Easily one of the most important sites in the Machu Picchu region, the river Intihuatana remains the least visited as it is hidden in the jungle. It’s a very small site only a few meters from the route taken by thousands of visitors to Machu Picchu who hike to Aguas Calientes from the hidroelectrica along the Rio Urubamba, yet it is virtually unknown.

This was my first experience in searching for ruins hidden in the jungle. While most of the local people are familiar with it, I found that some parts were unknown even to long time residents. Indeed, I was able to discover some nearby Inca walls that were apparently undiscovered by previous archaeological explorations.

The beautiful hike along the Rio Urubamba from Aguas Calientes is worthy of a day by itself. I’ve seen all kinds of rainforest animals including agoutis, oropendulas, and even a river otter. Be aware that stepping off the trail into the jungle can be risky as extremely poinsonous and agressive bushmaster snakes (known locally as “shushupe”) are known to inhabit the area.

You can read about this incredible hike at Searching for the River Intihuatana.

I also did this video a few weeks later (including some ruins that I was unable to find on my earlier explorations) that will give you an idea of what a special place this is: Searching for the River Intihuatana near Machu Picchu.

# 1 – Waqrapukara

While there are some world-class places to visit in the Cusco area, I think my favorite are the incredible ruins of Waqrapukara perched high above the remote Apurimac canyon.

The challenging hike to the ruins along provides scenery that rivals almost anything I’ve ever seen, but the nothing tops the fortress of Waqrapukara itself.

It’s hard to put into words just how spectacular this hike really is, but hopefully you can get a idea by checking out my pics and description of this magnificent place here: Waqrapukara – Peru’s Most Breathtaking Ruins?



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Hiking an Inca Road from Chinchero to the Sacred Valley

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A couple of weeks ago I had a great time making a hike I’ve been putting off for a long time. We took the old Inca route from Chinchero down through the canyon to the village of Urquillos in the Sacred Valley.

I usually don’t go with tour groups, but every once in awhile I go with the school groups sponsored by Mundo Antiguo (which is Cusco’s best Spanish school, by the way!) The guide was my friend Dorian who was a teacher at the school but now is working as a commercial artist in Cusco. He grew up in the area and knows it well. He’s shown me some really interesting places and I’ve learned a lot from him.

As usual, our group was a veritable United Nations gathering with hikers from The Netherlands (Tessa and Stijn), Germany (Julian and Peter), Peru (Dorian), and the US (myself). One of the highlight of my hikes is interacting and making friends with people from all over the world!

We all hopped on colectivos at the usual spot near Calle Belen. Since I was the “local” guy, I let the others fill up one car to have a little more space while I got on a different one with other Peruvians. I always like riding with local people and making friends on the short 45-minute ride to Chinchero.

Once there, we walked to Plaza where everyone took one last break and got a little breakfast of choclo con queso (corn with gigantic kernels and cheese), then headed off to the trailhead behind the market area.

The hike begins by passing below the terraces of the Chinchero ruins which were probably built by the inca Tupac Yupanqui. The ruins are pretty impressive, but the best part soon came as we made our way past the ruins as the trail continued into the canyon.

The first part of the trail is reconstructed well, but don’t expect it to be this way all the way down!

We turned off on a smaller trail to the right and hiked along the steep side of the canyon for several hundred meters before coming upon a really beautiful waterfall. Of course, this time of the year there wasn’t much water coming down as it’s the dry season.

We spent a little time there while everyone took selfies then headed back down the trail and joined up with the main trail. Frankly, the trail the rest of the way down is rather boring until we finally reached Urquillos at the bottom of the canyon. The trail is often hard to follow, though you can’t get lost by continually moving downhill.

I’m looking forward to going back to seeing this waterfall during the rainy season when it must be quite spectacular.

The views were nice looking into the valley below, but most of the time there wasn’t much to see except eucalyptus trees which, of course, block much of the view of the canyon.

This probably isn’t a surprise for those who know me, but the hikes better be breathtaking for me to be impressed. (Fortunately, almost every hike in the region fits that description!)

While beautiful, I enjoyed getting down to Urquillos and walking through the village. Urquillos has a small population, but it is a very large place due to the fact that it is thin and stretches all the way to the highway that runs between Urubamba and Pisac.


Unfortunately, we didn’t see many people. I wondered if many were simply working in the fields on Saturday morning. I always like chatting with people as we walk by.

While a nice morning walk, I doubt I’ll make this hike again except to see the waterfall when it is flowing more.



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Choqana — Ancient Fort or Inca Tambo?

Posted on by Posted in Ruins, Sacred Valley, Unique Places 1 Comment

Yesterday I went back to the Inca ruins of Choqana just outside of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to see if I could get a better idea of its original purpose.

I was accompanied this time by my friends Stijn (from The Netherlands) and Judy (from Florida) for a great day of hiking on spectacular day. Hiking is always more fun when I get to share it with fantastic people!

We started at the impressive Ñaupa Iglesia site above the small town of Pachar and hiked along the Inca Road from Pachar to Ollantaytambo that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago here: Hiking THE Inca Trail for Free in the Sacred Valley.

Peter Frost, author of Exploring Cusco, says it was a fort, but he doesn’t explain why he thinks so. The first time I visited the site two weeks ago I only explored a couple of room, but yesterday I was able to walk through most of the small complex that provides a dominant view up and down the Urubamba Valley.

After walking through all the complex, I am convinced that it was not a fort at all. Despite the imposing outside walls just above the river, there is nothing else that leads me to believe there was anything about it’s position or construction that made it a good a defensive fort.

Choqana, though a small ruin complex, holds an impressive spot above the Rio Urubamba.

As you approach along the dirt road from the south which generally follows the original Inca road connecting Cusco to Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, the walls rising above are certainly quite imposing, but their position on the steep mountainside made it almost necessary for to build high. Indeed, much of the lower foundation is actually the mountain itself with Inca stonework beginning quite higher as shown in the photos below.

The site itself is actually quite small, though on the approach there is a significant set of agricultural terraces. It’s necessary to climb up to the few rooms. A couple of buildings originally had two flotheroors, but few of the rooms had more than window or two. (If you’re just staying the night, you really don’t want windows where cold drafts can creep in.)

Because of it’s small size, it couldn’t hold more than a handful of soldiers necessary to defend against even a small invading force.

Even more important is that it simply in the wrong place. Choqana sits above the river along a major Inca road, but anyone wishing to attach from farther up the valley would simply travel on the other side of the river where farm land made for a simple, easy approach to Ollantaytambo.

Also, because the Incas controlled all of the Urubamba Valley from Ollantaytambo to Pisac, there simply be no need. Those cultures they had difficulty with lay north and east of the Ollantaytambo and would approach from those two directions.

Almost all of the small rooms had a large number of typical trapezoidal niches where ceremonial artifacts were kept. Would a very small military fort have almost every wall include a large number of ceremonial and/or religious components? That just doesn’t make much sense since soldiers were distinctly separate from the “priest” class.

Of perhaps even more importance are the existence of two carved stones (below) that appear to be small ceremonial platforms. In a very small defensive fort, I wonder if Inca builders would have gone to the trouble of creating two separate ceremonial platforms. These were generally reserved for more important, religious sites.

While the walls — especially those from the south approach, are very thick — they are not particularly useful for defensive purposes. Incas generally preferred close quarters, hand-to-hand warfare with handheld weapons. The windows didn’t even provide a decent view of the surrounding countryside which would be needed for a defensive position.

Frankly, for all of the reasons described, I can see no reason to believe that Choqana was a fort. Nothing about it except its initial appearance supports that.

What it does seem to me — and this is based simply on my readings of those who have spent their careers studying the Inca culture — is that Choqana was some kind of tambo, or stopping place along this very important Inca road.

Because of the large number of ceremonial niches and platforms, my first thought yesterday was that it was perhaps even a stopping place for the Inca leader himself on his way to Ollantaytambo or Machu Picchu.

Much has been written about this famous “Inca Trail” having a number of ceremonial/religious stopping points along the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu. (I like to compare them to CHristian “Stations of the Cross”.) Being less than an hours’ walk to the Inca town of Ollantaytambo, this would make a convenient stopping place along the way.

The small number of rooms could conveniently house those who maintained the site — perhaps priests and workers who lived in Ollantaytambo, but needed a place to spend the night or escape from the weather when necessary.

(Interestingly, Andean peoples still use utilize this practice of having small shelters all over the mountains to spend short periods of time when working planting or harvesting crops of working with livestock like sheep or llamas.)

I’d love hear what others think. So much of ancient culture is still shrouded in mystery, but they were brilliant engineers and they were able to shape the largest civilization in the Americas within a very, very short period of time not because they were warlike, but because they had a purpose for almost everything they did.

They built things for a purpose and in certain places for a reason. They were logical and highly educated about the world around them. I think the ruins of Choqana are an example of just this kind of brilliance they exhibited all over the region.

Choqana is an easy 30-40 minute walk from Ollantaytambo for anyone interested in visiting. There are ruins even higher above and a trail that leads up and over the mountainside that I want to explore soon.


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Hiking THE Inca Trail for Free in the Sacred Valley

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Most people know of the famous “Inca Trail” that goes to Machu Picchu, but almost no visitor is aware that that is only one section of the original trail that connected Cusco and the famous “forgotten” ruins. A couple of days ago I hiked several kilometers of that trail and had the entire route to myself except for local people I passed along the way.

I really had no idea what my plan was going to be when I left home in the morning. I considered going to Ccorca, a vilage west of Cusco where there are some incredible sites to see. I chose to hop in a shared tax (15 soles) taking me to the village of Ollantaytambo where many people begin their trip to Machu Picchu on the train.

I considered going all the way to Ollantataytambo and hiking up to the Inti Punku (“Sun Gate”) high on the mountain above the valley, but hazy skies convineced me that the beautiful vistas I hope to see would not be available.

Once I got to the village of Pachar I got out at the bridge crossing the Rio Urubamba and started a long hike uphill along the new highway that just opened 7 months ago towards the ruins of Ñaupa Iglesia. (More on that coming tomorrow!)

On the way back I decided it would be interesting to continue on down the valley towards Ollantataytambo along what I knew was a road or trail along the river. I was in for a surprise as it turned out to be an upper portion of the famous Inca Trail!

Inca trail
While the walkway is, of course, newer, the foundations of this bridge over the Rio Huarrocondo was designed and built by the Incas.

The start of the trail is an ancient Inca bridge that still uses the same support structure built centuries ago by Inca engineers in a style commonly used. While there isn’t much water now, this river flows strongly during the rainy season.

In The Footsteps of History

To be honest, I was sure it had to be the main road because many, if not most, of the Inca roads still exist where they are not covered over by modern roadways and are used daily by local people who still walk to get from place to place most of the time.

This was the only place it could exist and the trail was obviously heavily used. Also, the terraces above and below were much wider and this section had walls that continued for many kilometers — something agricultural terraces don’t do. Finally, I scratched into the dirt path in a couple of places and found paving stones below which confirmed that it was, indeed, the road.

It’s an interesting feeling to travel along ancient pathways knowing that I was following in the exact footsteps of Inca emperors as well as conquistadors including Francisco Pizarro who led the Spanish conquest of Peru. The stone walls that had witnessed the passing of some of the greatest figures in American history continued to stand as I, too, passed through the valley along the Inca Trail.

Spending Time with Local Farmers

Inca trail

At one point I noticed a little farther ahead a group of local people gathered near the trail. I had no idea what was going on as so far I had only passed one many with a group of pack horses heading up the trail.

When I got closer, I realized it was a family of farmers planting crops the old fashion way — by plowing with a pair of bulls pulling a plow on the end of a long, sturdy trunk of a eucalyptus tree while another person followed behind dropping seeds into the turned up earth.

They were extremely kind and friendly when I asked to take a photo. They stopped for a few moments to come over and visit with me to explain that they were planting corn as spring was fast approaching.

The elderly matron of the group even offered me a cup of chicha — a slightly fermented corn drink that has been the preferred drink of farm workers here for thousands of years.

In traditional fashion, I poured a little on the ground as an offering to Pachamama — the Andean Goddess of the Earth — before drinking it. (While Catholicism dominates Peru, the mix of Christianity and the ancient Andean beliefs (known as syncretism) still dominates this region of the country.)

Moments like this are what makes the difference between a traveler and a tourist so clear. One the other side of the river hundreds of tourists passed me in buses and trains on their way to Machu Picchu so they could spend a couple of hours being herded through the ruins and getting selfies to show their friends so they could check off one more place they could say they had visited.

I, however, was able to spend a little time with a local family as they went about their daily routine. We talked, laughed, and shared a culture that has been around for far longer than that of most of the tourists passing us by. Instead of just seeing a place, I formed a relationship with some of the people and their culture.

Ancient Ruins Along the Cusco to Machu Picchu Pilgrimage Route

Inca trail

A little farther the trail joined with a very dusty, dirt road that provided the only real transportation link to the other side of the river, other than walking, for those living along the southern mountains of the valley.

As the family had told me I was now less than an hour’s walk from Ollantaytambo, I didn’t really expect to see much. I was in for a big surprise.

Looming along the riverside in the distance was one of the largest walls I’d ever seen rising up alongside the road. As I got closer I realized this was a complex actually built into the mountainside in the traditional way that the Incas incorporated existing stone into their construction.

Having the place to myself, I did a little exploring of this complex known as Choqana, and quickly realized this was just one more example supporting Johan Reinhard’s now generally accepted idea that Machu Picchu was not only a kind of “Camp David” retreat for the Inca Pachacutec, but also a Sacred Center that involved a pilgrimage of sorts for those coming from Cusco.

Choqana, like a great many other surviving ruins along the this Inca Trail route, was likely a stopping point along the way for the conducting of religious ceremonies — kind of like “Stations of the Cross” — for those those on their way to Machu Picchu.

Indicative of its religious importance were room with symmetrically arranged trapezoidal niches in the walls that once held idols and religious artifacts.

As I neared Ollantaytambo, I passed one more set of ruins in really bad shape that also appeared to be a ceremonial stopping point based on one larger room that had several niches in the traditional Inca fashion on the walls. This set of ruins consisted mostly of really small rooms which were likely workers’ housing that were overrun with thick, cactus that made it difficult to explore.

On to Ollantaytambo

The rest of the way was a quiet walk through agricultural fields still using the same terraces that Inca that slowly gave way to more and more homes.

For some reason, I’ve always been fascinated with these walls and the stairs that are built directly into the walls. The Incas inserted stones which stuck out from the walls providing a kind of flying stairway up the sides enabling farmers to move from one level to the next.

Inca trail

Many of the stones are broken off, but the fact that most still exist and are used after 500 years is amazing. These walls were fairly low, but I’ve seen these same kinds of stairways used on the side of walls over 5 meters (16 feet) high!

Near the end of the hike, I passed through the small, quiet village of Choquekillca sitting along the river below Ollantataytambo. To get to Ollanta, it’s necessary to cross another bridge built on the foundations of an ancient bridge constructed by the Incas.

Inca trail

Another of my favorite, little known places in this region is the old colonial entrance to Ollantaytambo. All the tourists pass right past it and probably only a handful notice, though it is a beautiful that brings back images of new arrivals to the town climbing up alongside two water channels through a well-guarded gate into Ollanta itself.

Inca trail
The imposing old Spanish colonial entrance to Ollantaytambo. (And, yes, I did help the woman who was having a hard time by carrying her bicycle the rest of the way up for her.)

As I mentioned earlier, these kinds of hikes are what make exploring this region so special. For hours, I never saw a single outsider while walking along a portion of the same Inca Trail that is perhaps the most famous route in the world. Almost no one travels these important parts of history except the local people going about their daily life exactly as their ancestors have done for centuries.

That is what makes living here so special. It’s not just the breathtaking scenery that inspires me, but the opportunity to pass through a bit of history and, in a way, experience the mingling of the ancient with the modern that provides an understanding of how they are really the same in the most fundamental ways.

Inca trail



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Yucay — Exploring Ancient Trails in a World Standing Still

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A couple of days ago I made a last minute decision to take a colectivo into the Sacred Valley to a rarely visited town called Yucay barely touched by tourism and dominated by agriculture still using Inca terraces built centuries ago.

Despite being on the busy highway that runs the length of the wondrous Sacred Valley near Cusco, no one stops in Yucay and the only people walking the quiet streets are locals.

It doesn’t take long to leave the central part of town which lines the main road through town and head into the agricultural fields where people still plant and harvest by hand probably using the same techniques that their ancestors used before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.

Walking Through the Agricultural Terraces

My goal is always to pass through the agricultural terraces and hike into the canyon in the distance towards the tiny village of San Juan Bautista far, far in the distance.

I like to quickly get into the fields quickly so I took a shortcut through an empty lot and past a couple of huge cows eating grass to access the network trails that criss-cross among the small farm plots and majestic stone walls in what is might be Peru’s largest Inca agricultural terrace complex.

Once you get into the fields, it’s easy to get “lost”, but as long as you head east towards the canyon in the distance you’ll eventually find your way there. The trails usually run alongside water channels that carry water throughout the terraces. While the channels are relatively newly lined with concrete, I’m certain they are part of the same intricate network designed by Inca engineers to irrigate the extensive farms necessary to supply food for the empire.

This is an excellent example of the water channel designed by Inca engineers to bring water from a high terrace to a lower one.

I’ve hiked up and down and along a number of trails here and the experience is never the same. Changes in seasons and weather make every visit different as crops change, plants along the trails become more lush, flowers bloom in season, etc.

The trails are usually quiet and empty except during the rest time in the middle of the day — around noon to 2 pm — because people are working in the fields. This leaves the trails to me to explore in relative quiet with usually just the sound of birds and my footsteps to break the silence.

I always smile and say “buenos dias” or “buenas tardes” to everyone I see and the responses are always the same — a big, friendly smile. Often I pass a campesino who responds in Quechua — the language of the Incas spoken by most people in the region besides Spanish.

One of my favorite photos ever, this old woman quietly passed with her dog and spoke a gentle greeting to me in Quechua.

The high walls of the terraces sometimes approach 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) in height. Occasionally you must climb stone steps built into the walls to reach the next level above which can be a bit unnerving if you are afraid of heights!

A mix of old walls, newer adobe walls, and hedges created by an abundance of cactus and agave plants dampens ambient sound and frequently only the sound of cascading irrigation water is the only sound you hear.

The feeling of going back in time is very real. In a way, as I walk through these ancient paths through timeless landscapes, I have done just that as they are probably nearly the same as the in the time of the Incas. It is an indescribably experience that permeates your soul in a way that can’t be explained.

Once I passed through the terraces, I came upon a dirt road that leads up into the canyon. A handful of people live along this road, but you’ll likely only see people walking up and down as it’s little more than a trail.

Along the way is a small chapel perched high on a bluff above the valley. I didn’t go this time, but the view from there is spectacular. Indeed, the Sacred Valley is lined with small chapels on the mountainsides that are rarely visited by outsiders.

On the way up, you need to keep an eye out for a set of holes high up on the left side of the canyon. I spotted these on a previous trip and confirmed from a friend who grew up there that it is, indeed, an ancient Inca cemetery! He told me when he was a child there were still bones, but that they are gone now.

Also along the road on the right side is an adobe ruin perched high above that has intrigued me since my first time there. It reminds of me of some old Scottish castle ruin because of its commanding position in controlling the entire valley. I doubt it was ever more than a home, but it still impressed me.

One day I want to climb up and explore these solitary ruins overlooking the canyon and valley below.

Farther Up the Canyon

Eventually the road evolves into a trail climbing up the canyon. Ahead I saw a good bit of snow in the higher elevations — probably on the beautiful mountain called Chicón which its small glacier on the west face.

The climb can be pretty steep at times and tough when it is raining as it was on my last hike here. Fortunately, the dark clouds held off and I only felt a few small drops along the way. (Thank goodness since I had neglected to bring rain gear!)

One of my favorite places along the way is a tiny little building, but one that must hold a lot of history. As I climbed up, the trail followed a very nice wall on the right just before the ruins of the Yucay hydroelectric plant. At some time in the past, electricity for the village below must have been produced from the stream roaring on the other side of the trail.

I wonder how many people over the years worked in this little building far up the canyon to provide limited electricity for the villagers below.

Because of the possibility of rain and my poorly planned unpreparedness, I decided to return back down the trail at this point, but it’s worth climbing on up to the San Juan Bautista an hour or more farther up the canyon.

Needless to say, this is an area that I strongly recommend exploring for anyone who has the time. Passing old women carrying goods up and down the trail from the town below on the backs of burros is an experience that hasn’t changed in centuries.

You never know who’ll you meet on the trail to San Juan Bautista.

An hour or so farther up the trail you’ll eventually come upon the pueblo of San Juan Bautista. Don’t expect to see much because it is just a remote scattering of small homes and farm animals.

The only person I saw was a single woman peeking out from inside her home watching the strange gringo passing through her village. I’ll bet outsiders are pretty rare here.



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Flying Over Chinchero’s “Other” Church Ruin

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This is just a quick piece I shot yesterday flying over the ruins of a very old church just east of Chinchero, Peru. The Inca/Colonial ruins of Chinchero are highly popular with tourists, but in many trips to this remote place not far out of the village, I’ve never seen anyone except for an occasional shepherd tending to sheep nearby.



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Hiking Back in Time at Kinsa Cocha

Posted on by Posted in Pisac, Ruins, Sacred Valley, Unique Places Leave a comment

The best part of exploring the Cusco region is visiting places that very few people take the time to see because almost know one outside locals know about them. Kinsa Cocha, a small lake 25 kilometers up into the mountains above Pisac in the Sacred Valley, is one of those places.

[ Note: Be sure to click on the individual photos to see a larger version. The scenery on this hike is some of the most spectacular anywhere in the region.]

Yesterday my friend, Thuy Mai, and I went up to Kinsa Cocha and had a great time hiking high in the Andean altiplano before walking back down along ancient Inca roads on the way back to Pisac.

Getting to Kinsa Cocha is pretty easy, though not so cheap as public transportation doesn’t normally go there. Once we got to Pisac on a colectivo we hopped on in Calle Puputi, we had to ask for a taxi up the valley into the mountains to the lake. (We ended up paying 70 soles for a taxi to take us there, but could have paid the driver 40-50 soles more to wait a few hours to take us back down.)

The taxi let us out at the lake where we started hiking the trail with the cold wind in our faces. Strong winds aren’t common so this was unexpected for me as I only had a long sleeve T-shrirt and a very light windbreaker! I know — it wasn’t very smart of me.

  • Kinsa Cocha itself is nice, but not worth the trip by itself. If you’re patient, however, the best is just around the corner!
  • Watch for animals along the way like the alpacas and llamas we saw early on our hike.

Kinsa Cocha is actually dammed up on the east end to make sure there is a steady water supply for Pisac far below. You can take trails around either side of the lake and you’ll likely see alpacas, llamas, and sheep along the trail. It’s not the prettiest alpine lake I’ve ever seen, but if you’re patient you are soon rewarded with incredible views.

The climb above Kinsa Cocha is very rocky with some slightly steep sections, but there are nice steps cut into the rocks most places and there is relatively little climbing involved the entire hike. That makes it a pretty easy hike for anyone willing to explore this remote area.

Once you leave the village behind, the trail leads you to breathtaking alpine views.

This was my second time there and I have never seen another person except for an occasional shepherd along the way. We didn’t even see any animals after the first 200 meters. I have a feeling it was because of the season as I saw a lot more when I was here last spring.

Off in the distance we saw dark clouds and the concern for rain was very real, but fortunately it was only cold and windy as we left civilization behind.

Once you pass over the high part of the climb above Kinsa Coach, you’ll find yourself steeping back in time as the only sound you’ll hear is the wind and the chirping of small highland birds. (We did see a pair of huge Andean geese — biggest I’ve ever seen — far below us on the edge of a second small lake, but they were too far away to photograph.)

As you leave Kinsa Cocha behind, you realize you are walking among the ruins of a very, very old Andean settlement that likely originally pre-dated even the Incas. None of the handful of remaining houses was occupied and likely they were only used as shelters by shepherds in case of bad weather needed to escape the severe storms that frequent the highlands.

The more I looked around, the more obvious that this was a small village that had been abandoned long ago. Stone walls surrounded us along with the foundations of a few stone buildings. The bleak landscape made me wonder about the life that people must have led here perhaps centuries ago long before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.

As the dark clouds moved closer and a few drops of water began to fall, Thuy wisely decided that we needed to head back down to the village lest we be caught in a storm without shelter.

Sure enough, as we were almost back to the village on the east side of the lake, a cold rain began to fall. Again, being much wiser than me, she spotted a man outside his home a little farther down the hill and said we should go see if he would allow us to shelter in his home until the rain passed.

We were thrilled that the man, Felix, actually had a small room with large table in a room connected to his home where he offered us some coca tea. As we relaxed sipping the hot tea with the sound of raindrops falling on the roof above, he soon returned with a nice bowl of fresh popcorn! After a couple of hours’ hiking at over 4000m (13,500′) in altitude, it was a pleasant and much appreciated surprise as we shared this wonderful snack with Felix.

Finally the rain seemed to almost come to a stop and we decided to start out hike to the highway about 8 km (5 miles) in the valley below. Of course, it didn’t take long before powerful winds started to blow and light rain began to fall once again, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t manage. (Thank goodness the wind was at our backs!)

  • This first view of the rainbow literally stopped us in our tracks. I’ve never seen a rainbow this wide.
  • This was our last view as the rainbow arced across the valley before us.

As we walked along the dirt road, soon saw an incredible sight in the distance. Ahead of us was perhaps the most spectacular and longest lasting rainbow I have ever seen. We took lots of photos from several places along the road before it finally faded away.

The next hour found us walking along mostly ancient Inca roads cutting which are used by the local campesinos who normally walk up and down the mountains instead of taking the very rare cars that pass on the dusty road.

  • I loved this old road passing through a eucalptus grove. An old woman told me above this shortcfut down the mountain months ago.
  • I was surprised at how much grain was still waiting to be harvested this time.
  • I doubt the scenery looks much different now than it did hundreds of years ago.
  • The old wall alongside the road was indication that this was an Inca road.
  • We were able to keep the distance rain behind us most of the time.

We passed idyllic fields, stepped aside as old women led their family cow up the mountain, skirted an unfriendly horse who seemingly wanted to kick rather than let us pass on the narrow trail, and were even asked by one old woman to go around her cow who had taken over the trail ahead in search of grass to eat.

I guess local cows have the right-of-way over foreigners. Such is life in the Andes highlands.

As we both began to grow quite tired, a car approached from above and the driver stopped to ask if wanted a ride down the mountain for 5 soles each. He probably would have taken half that from a local person, but as we’d already hiked about 5 hours it was a bargain we couldn’t pass up.

His old car rattled its way down hill towards Pisac while he and his passenger in the front seat chatted away in Quechua, the language of the Incas that is still spoken by almost everyone in the region as a wonderful day’s trek came to an end.

If you ever have a spare day, Kinsa Cocha is one of the best hikes in the region. You’ll likely not see another soul and you get a chance to experience an other wordly view of a lost Andean village from another time long ago in the highlands.

And if you’re willing to hike down towards Pisac you’ll have the chance to see a bit of Andean life that has changed little in centuries and perhaps share a bit of it with friendly local people.

Thanks, Thuy, for a great hike!


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