Cuzco and Sacred Valley

It was an early departure from our hotel in Lima and with good reason. The traffic built up quickly as we neared the airport and congestion was horrendous. 

 

The short, one hour flight to Cuzco over the Andes was spectacular.

 

 

 

 

The landing at Cuzco was exciting. The airstrip looked like it was in the middle of town along the valley floor (but apparently the airport was built on the outer fringe and the city has expanded around it)... 

... so the plane had to bank sharply around the basin of the hills before lining up the runway. 

 

The group had to fly in on 2 separate flights, but eventually we all arrived.

 

Coca leaf candy! My new best friend! Altitude sickness is very real, with Cusco at 3400 m, making it one of the highest large cities in the world. The air was noticeably thinner, so conscious breathing, slow movements, constant drinking of water and chewing either coca leaves or coca candy was in order.

Various other remedies abound. Just as well there are no drug tests in the next two weeks, since the obvious active ingredient stays in your system for about that time.

Given the effects of altitude on travellers, we were taken by bus from the airport to a hotel in the Sacred Valley at Yucay, which is about 2200m elevation, so considerably lower than Cuzco. 

The bus drove around the far side of the airport before climbing a ridge to access the Sacred Valley.

Past rural properties ...

... to a farm where llamas, alpacas and picayune are raised.

... then over the ridge and down towards the Sacred Valley, with snow-capped mountains in the distance.

The restaurant where we stopped for lunch, the Altar Inca Hotel had the most spectacular view down into the Sacred Valley.

Some days later, when returning from the Sacred Valley, the photo below of the hotel on the slopes overlooking the valley give some perspective to the view.

The small settlement at the start of the valley, Pisaq, was a productive and prosperous town.

A considerable drive along the Valley...

 

brought us to our hotel for the next two nights, La Casona Hotel in Yucay.

The long two-lane road along the base of the valley runs through town, but the grounds of the hotel were quiet and calm.

The Spanish-inspired courtyard made one look around in case filming of Zorro was still happening.

The lone Peruvian woman selling crafts did quite a deal of trade.

The landscape was breath-taking in all directions.