Nustayoc Ollantaytambo

... taken some painkillers for his bleeding head, we continued on our very own Inca Trail. Apparently the Incas had three different types of road: one for pilgramage (like THE Inca Trail), one for transporting supplies and one for messenger-runners. We were walking along the latter and it was basically a very narrow path that cut its way along quite a high cliff - not good for those who don't like heights. The going was much easier after our little break but it was still baking hot ...

... The guard did let us sneak in to take some pictures, though. The market there was cool, but we headed for our hotel to take showers as we were covered in dirt from the horseback ride. Had a so-so dinner and amazing dessert, and passed out.
We woke up at 4:30 am to go to Machu Picchu. Evidently the town of Ollantaytambo shuts off all its electricity at night, so we had to get ready by the light of our cell phones. We found out at ...

Well finally left Lima at 5.45am, got a stale role from Taca for breakfast, yum.Into Cusco at 7am, wow those mountains magnificent.Bit of haggling for a taxi and finally got one to agree to 100 soles, about $40.
First we went and bought our tickets for Puno next wedensday then headed out to Ollantaytambo, stopped at Moray on the way, an Incan agricultural experiment, think we were too tired to enjoy ...

... the Urubama Valley about 80 kilometres northwest of Cuzco. The Incas started building it around AD 1430 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later as they ventured further and further into the jungle in a desparate effort to escape the Spanish.

Although the city was always known locally, it was largely unknown to the outside world until an American called Hiram Bingham brought it to international ...

Up at 04:15 to be at the railway station for 5 am. Just time for a cup of coffee before boarding, thank heavens there is always somebody ready to earn a dollar at unearthly hours.
We have to go by train as there is no public road to Agua Calientes the access to Machu Picchu.
The train follows the river from Ollantaybambo to Aguas Calientes through deep mountain valleys. The river thunders down in the same direction swirling round rocks, some ...

... way through the narrow streets to find the Hostel Los Portadas, which has parking, even if it is a bit tricky riding through flower beds and narrow overgrown garden paths. The bikes will be safe here.
Ollantaybambo is the nearest place we can get to Machu Picchu by road without leaving the bikes exposed. From here we hope to get the first train in the morning 05:30 to Aguas Calientes which is the only access to Machu Picchu. From there ...

... br>
We arrived at Aguas Calientes by 8 am and dropped our stuff off at Puna Wasi, a hostel over the town bridge and directly across from the backpacker train station. For s/15, ($5) the place was great. The windows overlooked the valley and surrounding hillsides. This was the only hot shower we had in the last 3 weeks. And for part of the night we could sleep on a nice, thick, not moving mattress! The guy who owned the place was extremely nice too. He told us ...

... Picchu mountain (but not the site yet).

We had an early start on the last day to beat the crowds and it was all kind of hectic with about 20 groups queing up at the checkpoint near the camp that opens at 5.30am at 4.30 in the morning to get the best spot. From there it was a rushed 1 hour hike to the sun gate with everyone just trying to get there first - not so much fun.. From the sungate we had the first view of Machu Picchu below and waited ...

... time for me then to explore the mystical place by myself. Alpacas were grazing on the terraces – totally oblivious as to where they were eating.

I didn’t want to leave, but then thought seeing that no one from my group was nowhere to be seen, I thought it was best that I caught a bus from the ruins back to Aguas Calientes. When the bus left to go back to town, a local boy dressed as an Inca waved and shouted goodbye ...

The Incas referred to the valley along the Urubamba River as the Sacred Valley because it was so fertile. There are several ancient Inca towns along this way with archaeological ruins. I decided to do a day trip to this part outside of Cuzco and was picked up from the central Plaza where I was relieved to finally join the others in the tour group after being harassed by a number of sellers wanting me to buy their postcards of Machu Picchu. We first visited a ...