Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Southwest

(heads up, lots of pics included)

Uyuni and the Bolivian Southwest. This has probably been my most anticipated part of the trip since we started to do planning back a year or so ago. High mountain deserts, enormous salt flats that stretch almost as far as you can see, lakes in the middle of nowhere, what more could you want? There isn´t a whole lot that needs to be told about the trip, but the basic itenerary was a 3 day trip starting in Uyuni going through the Salar de Uyuni (highest salt flats in the world) then continuing through various desert country in the Bolivian southwest to see beautiful lakes (with flamingos?), geysers, rock formations, etc, and ultimately taking us to the Chilean border where we crossed over. Anyways, the pictures say it best …

As you can tell we had quite a bit of fun on the Salar and the landscape is completely amazing. Sadly, on the morning of the second day we had a rude awakening and a reminder that we were very much off the beaten track …

luckily that wasn´t our car, so nothing happened to us at all. that car was however the second car in our group and all we know is that something happened to the wheels, they lost control and the car tumbled a few times before landing on its side. the passengers were very fortunate that injuries were comparatively minor and the worst we know of was one woman who broke her clavicle, most everyone else suffered just bumps and bruises. So naturally that added to the already surreal environment we were in …

So for now we are in Chile checkin` out a thing or two before we bus our way back up to Peru where we´ll finish a couple things there which we didn´t get to do before and then it´s off to Brazil and the other side of South America!

Sucre

We don’t particularly have a lot to say about Sucre, but it was quite a beautiful place and we were a little sad that we only had one day to spend there, but oh well. Sucre was the old colonial capital of Bolivia before it changed to La Paz and it’s commonly called “The White City” which you will understand after seeing the pics …

La Paz, Salteñas, and The World´s Most Dangerous Road

So, before and after going to the pampas our base in northern Bolivia has been La Paz, the world´s highest capital city at 3600m. We did such a whirlwind of activities in La Paz that I don´t even know where to start, but why not start with the food, Salteñas. Mmmm, so good. Here´s a couple pics to wet your appetite a bit …

Salteñas are a kind of food filled pastry, usually coming in either pollo or carne, and they have a nice semi hard exterior and a juicy and delicious mix of meat and other goodies inside. They are typically eaten in the late morning, kind of like a second breakfast (gawd what a brilliant idea that is!) We pigged out on Salteñas while we were in La Paz and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Aside from getting fat on Salteñas we also walked around the city a fair amount and probably our most interesting stop was the Coca Museum (yes, coca as in cocaine). The museum itself is very small and unassuming yet totally fascinating. We had already taken for granted that coca is part of the way of life of people (mainly andean people) here in the mountains and it´s been steadily available since we got to Cusco, but we hadn´t had a chance to learn much about where it came from and why it was so important. The museum explained lots about how the plant was discovered (there is a nice religious tale to that), how it became important for andean people, and how it was exploited to make cocaine.

It was quite fascinating to learn some things like … Coca Cola really did contain cocaine originally and that`s where it´s name is derived; Pretty much the only legal growers of the coca plant are the most powerful countries in the world, supposedly allowed to grow it to use for medicinal purposes. Anyways, it´s a fascinating plant and has had an equally fascinating history. Cool stuff.

So now that we are fat on Salteñas and high on coca we are ready to mountain bike down the World´s Most Dangerous Road! Chels isn´t big on biking so she passed on this trip, but I couldn´t resist it. Basically what we did was started in the morning by busing up to La Cumbre at 4700m up in the high mountains, then we went bombing down about 30km of paved road (well, as much bombing down as you can do on a mountain bike) before we reached the entrance to the dangerous part, from there it was another 35km or so down a fairly narrow road which has no rails and the shortest drop off the side is about 120m. We ended down at the bottom as some tiny place i can`t remember, but it was at 1100m, so that means we covered 3600m of altitude in about 5 or 6 hours, on a bike. whoot! Okay, the pics can say the rest …

I wish I had some kind of downhill video which I could have used, but couldn´t get anything setup. There are some more pics coming as well as some videos of people going down the road, so I´ll post those as soon as I can.

So, that´s what we did in and around La Paz. After La Paz it´s on to Sucre and Potosi on the way down to Uyuni where we´ll do what sounds to be a pretty great trip around the salt flats in the southwest of Bolivia.

Bolivian Pampas

Finally some warm weather!!!

So we´re back from the jungle now. We spent 3 days staying in an eco-lodge, taking boat trips down the Yacuma river to view wildlife, and hanging out a lot in hammocks. It was super relaxing and a nice change from our practically 2 straight months in the mountains. (Although now we´re happy to be away from the mosquitos and not sweating profusely!)

Although it was a little difficult to get there (because the tiny planes that only fly a few times a day are often cancelled or delayed due to weather), we luckily made it! Our bus did break down for a short bit and we passed through mutiple big dust clouds on the way, but we arrived to the sleepy town of Rurrenabaque on Sunday.

The next morning we took a jeep ride (again dusty – glad I put on clean clothes for the ride!) to our lodge right on the Yacuma river. After lunch and a nap in hammocks, we set off to explore the wildlife of the pampas. While floating down the river, we spotted tons of alligators, birds and turtles as well as native animals called a capybaras (giant rodents), some monkeys, and more.

At night, we set out in search of more alligators. If you shine a flashlight on the river, you can see their eyes popping out of the water in bright red. We rolled up a little too close for comfort to some of them and got a few good scares ourselves. As you can see from the pics, we were inches away from them, just waiting for them to jump. I was freaked out, but it was good fun.

The next day we went swimming with pink river dolphins. It was a bit of a risk because there were actually still alligators in the waters near us, but the dolphins protected us (or so the guides said). We weren´t sure how safe it was given we passed a good 100+ alligators on the way and could barely see the dolphins in the water, but we did it anyways and survived.

That afternoon we got the chance to go fishing for piranas, which is not easy, but of course Al caught a few. You can see their nasty little teeth in the pictures. We tasted them later as well, but they have no flavor. Not really worth it since they are so small….

Finally, on our last day we went out in search of anacondas (world´s largest snakes). Unfortunately after a gruelingly hot walk along a dirt road for hours, we didn´t find any. Maybe that was for the best since I probably would have screamed, but I think the 2m long fresh skin we found was at least a taste of what it might have been like to find one…

All in all, the jungle was good fun and very relaxing. I have to say I love hammocks, so am looking to get me one of those. You also can´t be riding through the jungle on a boat…

Luckily we also made it back to La Paz, but I wouldn´t want to try my luck again…

Journey to the Jungle

getting to the jungle proved a little more challenging than we expected…

…ahhh Bolivia…

Lago Titicaca

So after tons of fun and adventure in the Cusco area, we were excited to see what laid ahead in the rest of Peru and Bolivia. Our next stop was the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca and then onto the Bolivian side….

After a half day bus ride from Cusco, we arrived in Puno and booked a tour of the three main Peruvian islands for the next two days. Not much to say about Puno except that its a touristy port for trips to the islands. On day one of our trip we visited Uros, which is a cluster of tiny islands made of reed that are completely artificial, but surprisingly interesting to see. They were a real higlight because they were so strangely unique and a bit spongey to walk on. It was hard to believe that people actually live on these tiny islands pretty much made entirely of straw. Although now they are primarily for tourism (the people live with solar panels, etc), you still got the idea of what they would have been like to live on a long time ago.

After Uros, we headed to Amantani, the largest island on the Peruvian side, where we stayed overnight with a local family. Although the island is primarily set-up for tourism now, the families and the way they live were all still authentic. We thought it might be a bit padded for the tourists, but our was stay was pretty real, down to taking our meals in their tiny stone kitchen with no light. The food was really good, primarily consisting of quinoa soup, boiled potatoes, and vegetable omelettes with rice. That night after a short hike up the island, we dressed in the local clothing on loan from our families and joined them in a traditional dancing ceremony (again touristy, but fun). The second day we made a quick stop to Taquile island, which mostly just had beautiful views of the lake.

After a quick border cross the next day, we dropped our bags in Copacabana (the main port for the Bolivian side) and headed straight for Isla del Sol. After a lot of steps to reach the top of the island, we were rewarded with great views from both sides. We watched the sunset over the dark blue water and had a “home-cooked meal” (b/c restaurant means lady cooking from her house) before bed. Day 2 we hiked from the South side of the island (Yumani) to the North side, where we did a quick ruin tour and spent most of the day just getting the ferry back to Copacabana. Be forewarned the ferries only run a few set hours each day and take a long time!

While the culture and history of the Peruvian islands were interesting to experience, the views from Isla del Sol were spectactular, making both sides of the lake worth a visit. The funniest part of our whole 4 days on the lake was that we didn’t realize in advance that there are no cash machines in many small towns in Bolivia. Hence we crossed the border with only $40 to spend until we reached La Paz. Luckily accomodation and food is cheap here, so we scrounged by, but after a few unexpected boat expenses, we had to not eat all day until we realized there were some shops that gave cash advances on credit cards in Copacabana. We were able to get some cash just in time to load up on snacks and luckily get dinner and a bus to La Paz…it was a close one and a lesson to read the guide book closely before you arrive somewhere…

We are now in La Paz enjoying the sights, the delicious saltenas, and our awesome hostal (Adventure Brew). So far, we are impressed with Bolivia as the people are more pleasant and it seems less touristy. Although there are a number of backpackers roaming through, it’s a much less travelled country, so you don’t get the same hassling as you you will find in Peru.

We’re off to the jungle tomorrow (hopefully if the flight goes) …

Machu Picchu

(we felt this deserved it´s own post and lots of pics. )

So after 3 days trekking through the Sacred Valley we had finally arrived at Aguas Calientes, the doorstep of Machu Picchu, where we had to wait overnight in anticipation of the big day. Most people trash A.C. as a being a very crappy place that you want to spend as little time in as possible, but we felt that was going a bit far. It was definitely touristy and not worth more than a night, but there was nothing particularly trashy or unpleasant about it. Anyways, just wanted to set the record straight about A.C.

On Machu Picchu day we started at the weee hours of the day by getting up at 4:30am so that we could be fed and waiting in line for the bus to Machu Picchu by 5:30 and hence to the park at 6:00 when they open. A handful of the real crazies from our group decided to walk from A.C. to Machu Picchu, which is about 80 minutes mostly uphill and to be at the park by 6am means you set out in the dark. ewww. we didn´t do that. In any case, getting to the park by 6am for the opening was totally worth it because you get the beautiful morning views with fog rolling in and out around the mountains …

After spending a good 30 minutes or so up at the guardian tower where you get the best angle of the whole city we headed down to start our tour of the park. I wish I had some kind of really special information to give about the city, but the reality is that Machu Picchu really was just a city for the Incas. A special city for sure, but similar to other Inca cities in most respects aside from the grandeur of its location.

The most fascinating thing about Machu Picchu is its location, surrounded on all sides by massive peaks as well as the Urubamba river, it almost feels like you are at a city in the clouds. The term Machu Picchu actually means “old peak” and the city sits almost on a ridge or arm of the Machu Picchu mountain which extends out a little ways and connects over with Wayna Picchu which is “young peak”. The typical photos of the park are taken from the guardian tower which sits a little higher up Machu Picchu mountain and shows Wayna Picchu in the background (the really tall, narrow peak). It´s also quite startling how quickly and steeply the edge of the city falls off …

After doing a loop around the city in our tour we took a short break before heading off to the far end of the park to make an attempt to climb Wayna Picchu. This is probably the biggest highlight of the park aside from the main city site and it´s basically a 50 minute hike straight up via a narrow rock staircase …

It was a fair amount of work getting to the top, but totally worth it because the views are amazing. Not only do you get to have a birds eye view of the park and a better sense of scope of the city and the surrounding mountains, but if you try twisting your head side to side a bit you should somehow be able to see that the city is actually made somewhat in the shape of a condor (or so say the specialists) …

After a well deserved 30 minutes or so admiring the views from the top of Wayna Picchu we fumbled our way back down the mountain and made straight for the food shack. Lunch time =) At this point we quite sadly waved goodbye to the rest of our trekking group because everyone else had to catch the afternoon train back to Cusco while Chels and I had decided to take an extra night in A.C. so that we could have a full day in the park. So once we were properly rested we set off for Intipunku, the Sun Gate, which is the opposite side of the park from Wayna Picchu and represents the place on the Inca trail where you can first see the city. Along that walk in the early afternoon we got this nice photo of the park being sprinkled in sunlight …

The rest of the afternoon up to the Sun Gate and back was very quiet and peaceful as there weren´t many people in this part of the park at this time of day. So we strolled along (actually it was far more laborious than that considering we had been walking all day since 6am) and were able to enjoy a fairly peaceful afternoon just admiring this amazing place …

Then some time in the afternoon when we had relaxed just enough to be able to walk again we made our way out of the park and took the bus back down to Aguas Calientes. We very graciously took advantage of the 3 for 1 happy hour in A.C. that night and relaxed a bit before getting up the next morning to begin heading back to Cusco.

The Lares Trek

So after much anticipation and planning, we actually survived the trek and made it to Machu Picchu. As some of you may know, booking an Inca Trail tour can be a complicated task. There are tons of companies and mulitple routes to choose from, leaving travellers often confused and a little anxious about the adventure. Nonetheless after it´s all said and done, we think we chose the right trek for us and highly recommend it for anyone wanting to do a trek in the area.

After multiple reports from other travellers, books, and tour companies saying that the actual “Inca Trail” is not necessarily the best route to Machu Picchu because it´s overcrowded, somewhat tough terrain, and not the best local scenery, we we´re happy to go with the Lares Trek instead, which is an alternate route that passes through a different valley stopping to visit local Andean villages and mountain people. (Not to mention, if you want to do the “real” trail you have to book abt at least 4 months in advance).

We went in a group of 16 people with SAS Travel, which was good fun and our group really got along and had a blast together (you can tell best by the partying we did upon return to Cusco…). All the food was great, gear was good, leaders were good fun, etc.

Here´s the rundown of our route:
Day 1 – 2 1/2 hr hike in Totora Canyon with views of Vilcanota Mtn Range (3,700 to 4,200 mts.), lunch and hot springs in Lares, continued with 3hr hike to Huacahuasi (3,200 to 3,700 mts.). It started to rain 1/2 way through this section, so we arrived to camp wet and cold ready for hot drinks and biscuits. Rained all night making me a little grumpy (in the words of Allen), but certainly added a little spice and challenge to our trip.

Day 2 – Rain cleared by morning, but our clothes were still wet, so we had to put on the same rags hoping they would eventually dry out. We toured the house of a local family that we camped near and then continued climbing from camp to Ibsaycocha pass (4400 mts. – our highest point). It started hailing about 30 min before we reached the peak. The last portion was a challenging climb that made breathing a bit difficult, but was worth the effort. Stopped for lunch drenched and freezing. Continued hike for 2 1/2 hours back down to 3700 mts. where we reached our 2nd camp at Patacancha (thankfully it cleared up the last hour, so we were able to dry off and warm up). Rained again that night.

Day 3 – 5 hr hike to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. Thankfully, it didn´t rain. We visited a school in the mountains and handed out tons of pens to kids who popped up on the trail in the middle of nowhere. Took the train to Aguas Calientes (access point to Machu Picchu) and the group hit the hot springs and had some much needed showers and cocktails. Went to bed early for 4:30 am wake-up call…

Although a little chellenging due to the altitude and weather (we thought we were ahead of the rainy season, but apparently not!), this trek was highly rewarding. Eventhough I´m not the best hiker or mountaineer, it was definitely worth the effort to get to really experience the Andes and see how local people live in the mountains. We saw tons of alpacas and llamas, beautiful mountain scenery, and lots of traditional Andean people (dressed in native clothing – and not for the tourists as in Cusco!).

What really makes this region so interesting is the mountains, so doing a trek is one way to really immerse youself in the sites around Cusco and experience the region to its fullest, not to mention it´s a pretty good build up for Machu Picchu. Although it was a lot of walking and we had to bear some unpleasant conditions, the trek was definitely doable and I didn´t really feel exhausted until after we conquered Machu Picchu…

Lares Trek and Machu Picchu photos online

Okay kiddies, it’s what you’ve been waiting for. We’re back from our 4 day trek and Machu Picchu and the photos are online. Enjoy.

Some form of description will be coming soon, but first we need massages =)

Cusco

Sorry we´re falling a little behind here folks, but we´re too busy traveling to be writing…

Anyways, just to catch you up, we´ve been in Cusco for the last four days hanging out exploring the city and nearby ruins. We´d heard Cusco would be a real highlight from other travellers and they were right!!

There isn´t much more to say than this city is beautiful and you have to see it for yourself. The cobblestone streets and colonial architecture mixed with Inca ruins is just beautiful! Although it´s a bit touristy, there is lots of shopping, good cafes, interesting ruins, and fun streets to wander around. You can easily spend mutiple days here enjoying this gorgeous city while you aclimatize to the high altitude (11,000 feet).

Here is me buying some warm alpaca gear outside one of the ruins…yes, I now own this poncho!

Tomorrow we begin our 5 day adventure to Machu Picchu. We are doing a trek through the Lares valley, stopping to visit local Andean villages and Inca sites along the way. It should be an adventure because hiking at this altitude is no easy feat. We´ll see how we do, but I think we can hack it. Following our 3 day trek, we´ve booked 2 days in the ruins to fully enjoy them and all the hikes around.

Stay tuned for more news on whether we make it Machu Picchu in good health…