On Sunday morning, Jeff and I got up around 5am to get our tickets and wait in line to hike Huayna Picchu mountain – the large mountain almost always seen in the background of pictures of Machu Picchu. Only 400 people per day are allowed to make the hike – we made it into the first group and, after waiting in yet another line, started at about 7:45am. We made it to the top in about 1 hour, stopping to take pictures and catch our breath along the way. The gate to Huayna Picchu is at about 8,000 feet and the peak is at about 9,200 feet.
Sun starting to rise over the mountains…
Gate to Huayna Picchu from within Machu Picchu
View of Machu Picchu from half-way up Huayna Picchu
View from the top of Huayna Picchu
Crawling through a tunnel and up some stairs to get to the very top…
Floating staircase at the top of Huayna Picchu – we opted for the non-floating stairs to get to the very top.
Top of Huayna Picchu – Machu Picchu in the background
On our way down – it’s hard to tell from this picture, but these stairs are very steep and very uneven and drop of the mountain on one side, that’s why I’m holding on to the wall.
One more view from the top…that zig-zag line on the left is the road that the bus takes up to Machu Picchu.
It was definitely a lot of hard work, especially given the altitude, but so well worth it to hike Huayna Picchu – this was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
On Saturday, we left the Sacred Valley and headed to Machu Picchu. The route to Machu Picchu has not been completely repaired since the rain and mudslides this past January. We drove for just over 2 hours to board the train – usually you can take the train from Cusco or the Sacred Valley, but the tracks are still washed out in many places. After about 1 hour 30 minutes on the train, we arrived in Aguas Calientes – the closet town to Machu Picchu. From here, we took a 30 minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu – our hotel, the Sactuary Lodge, is the only hotel located at Machu Picchu. We spent the afternoon walking around the ruins. While Jeff took some amazing pictures of this ancient Incan site, I can honestly say that pictures don’t seem to do it justice – Machu Picchu is incredibly big, especially considering its location, and the views are breathtaking. It really is a very special place.
Boarding the train to Machu Picchu
View from our hotel room at the Sactuary Lodge – Huanyu Picchu Mountain in the background
Machu Picchu site with Huanyu Picchu Mountain in the background – we are planning to hike to the top of Huanyu Picchu in the morning.
It’s hard to believe we’ll be on a flight to Ecuador in exactly a week!
Here’s what our itinerary looks like…
May 14
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador
May 15
Fly to the Galapagos Islands to begin our cruise.
May 15 to 19
Explore Galapagos Islands
May 20 to 21
Arrive in Cusco, Peru. Explore Cusco and acclimate to altitude before heading to Machu Picchu.
May 22
Take train to Machu Picchu and explore city ruins. Stay at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel located adjacent to the ruins.
May 23
Hike Huayna Picchu (we hope!) and then take the train back to Cusco.
May 24
Explore more of Cusco
May 25
Fly to Iquitos, Peru to begin our cruise along the Amazon.
May 25 to 29
Explore the Amazon on this boat -
And check out the chef!
Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, Executive Chef on the M/V Aqua, will oversees the M/V Aqua menus and restaurant operations, focusing on fresh, delicious Peruvian fare, paired with fine South American wines. Schiaffino is owner of Lima’s renowned Malabar Restaurant, and previously made his international reputation at La Huaca Pucllana, where his superb nouveau-Andean fare resulted in an invitation to become a featured chef at the James Beard House in New York City. Schiaffino studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York, and did Master’s level work at the Italian Culinary Institute. While in Italy, he also honed his skills at the Michelin three-star Ristorante dal Pescatore, under renowned chef Nadia Santini and at Piero Bertinotti’s celebrated Ristorante Pinocchio.
May 29
Take a red-eye back to NY.