Some trips are born twice - Peru April - May 2025 (page 11 of 13)

I’d be tempted to try a roof-top tent 4x4 so I’m not always dependent on hotels, but how safe is it in the middle of nowhere?

I’m not sure Peruvians are very open to that kind of thing. For safety, you’d really need to be far from everything. We wanted to rent a 4x4 and sleep in the car for a few nights like we did in the South Lipez, but I think it’s more complicated in Peru.

Otherwise, hiring a driver like you did—seems like the budget works out about the same.

That’s why we gave up on renting a 4x4. If you pick one up in Arequipa, the extra cost to drop it off in Cusco was really high. Plus, a lot of rental companies advertise 4x4s, but you end up with just an SUV. Still, an SUV is enough if you’re doing a classic trip. For us, the fact that we had quite a few days without a car made our decision easier.

PS: Bolivia is tempting me too.

For Bolivia, check this out: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=9888495;#9888495 An unforgettable trip with incredible landscapes. But you’ve got to love desert scenery.

I’ll try to convince my partner to keep a travel journal...

👍

Clever! 😛 Now that I’ve really dug into your Bolivia travel journal, I’m also itching to go—especially since we love deserts...

Tuesday, May 6

Ricardo picks us up at 8:30 AM and drives us to the Moray site. There are very few people around; the tour operators haven’t arrived yet. Moray is an ancient Inca laboratory, made up of a series of terraces at different levels. This setup allowed for the creation of microclimates, with each terrace replicating the climatic conditions of various geographic zones within the Inca Empire.

Before exploring the site, Ricardo takes us to a specific viewpoint. There, he reveals an unexpected detail. From above, the site isn’t perfectly round or oval—it resembles the shape of an avocado.



We then ask him to drop us off at Maras, with the plan to walk to the salt mines. He leaves us at the edge of the village and points out the meet-up spot. This little hike is really pleasant: we pass shepherds with their sheep and follow a small canyon, with lush vegetation and colorful rocks, before overlooking the Maras salt mines. Arriving on foot offers stunning views and lets us capture the beauty of the site before descending.









The salt mines, which have been worked since pre-Inca times, create a fascinating landscape. The pools display a subtle palette of whites, beiges, and browns, sometimes tinged with pink or ochre. We move from one viewpoint to another, snapping photos, captivated by these shades.

Ricardo meets us at the parking lot and then drives us to Chinchero. Before visiting the church, we buy some empanadas but only manage a few bites. A small stray dog, very thin with swollen teats, approaches timidly and finishes the rest. We hope this meager meal will help her feed her pups.

The view of the salt flats from the road



We then quickly visit the church, still under renovation, before strolling through the Inca site and the artisan market set up on the main square. Before meeting up with Ricardo again, we visit a small museum next to an alpaca wool shop. The quality of the wool is beautiful. We take the opportunity to do some shopping.

















Back in Cusco, we head to the Atoq San Blas hotel. What a nice surprise—we’d booked a superior room but were upgraded to a junior suite. The room is lovely, and the view is stunning. We have tea on the terrace and enjoy the panorama of the city. As dusk falls, we wander down the streets of the San Blas neighborhood and go for a cocktail at a bar with a view of the Plaza de Armas. We end the evening at the Rucula restaurant. Once again, the dishes are delicious and beautifully presented.

The rest is here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11469006;a=11469006

Hi Carmen,

I’m still gathering details from your story—it’s just as fascinating as ever. "We then ask him to drop us off at Maras, with the idea of walking to the salt mines. He leaves us at the edge of the village and points out the meet-up spot. This little hike is really pleasant" Could you let me know how long this hike takes and how difficult it is, please? Thanks in advance! Larri

The scale of these salt flats is incredible!

And still those beautiful colors everywhere...

Could you tell me how long this hike takes and how difficult it is, please?

It’s more of a walk than a real hike. At the end, there’s a short descent to the parking lot, but nothing steep.

I don’t remember the exact time, but we took less than an hour, stopping to take photos. It’s a short, easy stroll. It’s nice to arrive at the salt flats on foot.

Just one more little detail: the walking times listed in the travel journal always include photo stops, breaks to chat with people, and so on.

We like to take our time and really soak in the scenery. After all, it’s a vacation, not a race!😉

Thanks for the details

If the crossing through the Salines is still allowed, you can continue the descent on foot to the Urubamba River (which you cross on a small wooden bridge) and then join the road leading to Ollantaytambo

If crossing the Salineras is still allowed, you can continue the descent on foot to the Urubamba River (which you cross on a small wooden bridge) and then join the road to Ollantaytambo

Unfortunately, crossing the Salineras is no longer allowed.🙁 But there are still plenty of short hikes to do in the area. I think you can easily spend a week around Cusco without getting bored.

Wednesday, May 7

The breakfast buffet is well-stocked, and we enjoy it before starting our day. We walk up to the Sacsayhuamán archaeological site, passing by the Sapantiana aqueduct. Along the way, I get a WhatsApp call from Laurent. He tells me our flight to Lima has been delayed again—we won’t arrive until 3:00 PM, which leaves us little time to visit the city center. I ask if he can try to move our flight to the morning. A little later, Laurent calls back: there’s still space on the 10:00 AM flight. We agree, and five minutes later, we receive our boarding passes. What efficiency!

The Sacsayhuamán site is massive and offers stunning views of Cusco in places. The enormous stone blocks, perfectly fitted together, are a testament to the Incas' genius. We climb up to the site of the former round tower of Muyukmarka, then descend toward the Chuquipampa esplanade. We watch a mama llama and her two little ones playing together, then climb the hill to admire the Inca’s Throne before heading to the natural slides of Suchuna. We spend much of the morning wandering this vast site before reaching the Cristo Blanco viewpoint. The statue, surrounded by a fence, is swarming with tourists, making it hard to take photos. Plus, the view from Sacsayhuamán or the San Cristóbal viewpoint is just as beautiful.

Beautiful view of the Sacsayhuamán ruins



Intipunku

Muyukmarka

The zigzag-shaped wall

The natural slides of Suchuna



The view of Cristo Blanco

Afterward, we head back down to the city to buy some sandwiches and slices of cake before returning to the hotel. We settle onto the terrace and quietly enjoy the view and the sunshine. Later, we head back into town and stop by the San Blas covered market. Less authentic than the San Pedro market, it’s still lively and colorful. We order fresh fruit juices: everyone picks their fruits, and the ladies cut and press them right in front of us.

Next, we make our way to the Plaza de Armas before heading back up to the hotel to pack our bags. In the evening, we go out to eat at the restaurant Inti Llay, just near our hotel. This new spot turns out to be an excellent choice.

















The rest of the travel journal is here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11469689;a=11469689

In cities like Cusco and Arequipa, you might come across Peruvians in traditional clothing holding a baby alpaca, lamb, or kid in their arms. They offer tourists the chance to take photos with them for a fee.

I just want to warn you: two of our drivers explained that these young animals, often taken from their mothers, usually don’t survive long. Separated far too early, they’re weakened, and their life expectancy is significantly reduced.

It’s important to keep in mind that a baby goat or alpaca "is worth" less, unfortunately, than the money made from these photos.

Even if it might seem harmless or cute, these practices have real consequences for animal welfare.

If the crossing of the Salines is still allowed, you can continue the descent on foot to the Urubamba River (which you cross on a small wooden bridge) and then join the road leading to Ollantaytambo

The connection can also be made by going uphill (about 200 m of elevation gain, starting from 2,850 m) To go down, you don’t cross the basins. You take the path above, on the left flank. At the bottom, after the bridge, there’s a large restaurant called TUNUPA, very touristy.

In cities like Cusco and Arequipa, you can come across Peruvians in traditional dress holding a baby alpaca, lamb, or kid in their arms. They offer tourists the chance to take photos with them for a fee.

I just want to warn you: two of our drivers told us that these young animals, often taken from their mothers, usually don’t survive long. Separated far too early, they’re weakened, and their life expectancy is greatly reduced.

It’s important to keep in mind that a baby goat or alpaca "is worth" less, unfortunately, than the money made from these photos.

Even if it might seem harmless or cute, these practices have real consequences for animal welfare.

Thanks, Carmen, for this warning. As tourists, we really don’t realize what this means for the animals.

Some really beautiful photos of the Sacsayhuamán site! About the photos of Peruvian women with alpacas, I have a strong feeling we unintentionally contributed to the baby alpaca’s discomfort... There were two adults and one little one 😕

Shortly after, Laurent calls me back: there’s still space on the 10:00 AM flight. We give our okay and get our boarding passes five minutes later. What efficiency!

Shows that even if you love traveling independently, it’s sometimes handy to have a local contact (as long as they’re as efficient as Laurent ;)).

To go down, you don’t cross the basins. You take the path above, on the left flank

It’s precisely that path on the left flank that’s no longer accessible.