Some trips are born twice - Peru April - May 2025 (page 7 of 13)

In Zanskar, there weren’t enough places to stay along the route, so we had to camp... As for the price, I think $420 per person is pretty fair... In Peru, I did a trek in the Cordillera Blanca, but in terms of landscape colors, you really made the right choice. If you ever think about going to Nepal, Upper Mustang is also stunning for the variety of rock colors mixed with the green of mountain oases.

We paid $420 per person, based on two participants.

In the end, it was a completely reasonable price for the extraordinary experience we had. I really need to plan another trip out there ;)

Hi Carmen, About your itinerary, where did you find the info to put it together? What was the difficulty level of the hikes you did? And did your drivers speak French? Happy travels with your travel journal! Jacques

Hi Carmen, The landscapes along the Ausangate trek are truly stunning. Temperature-wise, though, it must’ve been a different story—especially since it snowed while you were there in the shoulder season! By the end of the second day, you can really recognize the distinctive Palcoyo mountains, which offer a nice change of scenery from the start of the trek. Either way, it sounds amazing! P.S.: Reading your travel journal inspired me to finally start writing ours…

hi

After sharing a lovely moment with family, we set off again toward Ananta Pata, at 4,730 m elevation. ...

We head out and climb up to Warmisaya Pass, at 4,950 m. Snow starts falling, and we walk for an hour and a half through the flakes. It’s cold, but we’re well equipped with our puffy jackets, rain shells, gloves, and beanies. .....

We finally reach our campsite by the small lake Qellococha, at 4,880 m elevation. It’s freezing, but the sky clears again. While waiting for dinner, we take refuge in our sleeping bags.

What’s your secret for being so comfortable at altitude?

We skip the Pisco Sour and opt for hot tea instead. ...

Did someone really offer you a Pisco Sour at 4,880 m?

I’d totally forgotten the photos with the blue sky! That area around Ausangate in the sunshine is really gorgeous... When we traveled through the Inca region around Cusco / Machu Picchu, etc., we later headed toward Paucartambo / Tres Cruces. Ausangate seemed hard to reach back then—nobody really talked about it... It’s making me want to go back to Peru and explore that region. I saw there’s a campsite and "lodgings" in Upis... Looking forward to the rest of your trek!

About your itinerary, where did you get your info to put it together?

Just by reading dozens and dozens of travel journals and blogs. Since I’m bilingual, when I can’t find certain info in French, I also look in German.

For the days spent at Lake Titicaca, Laurent from Tout Pérou gave me the details.

About the Puya Raimondii forest, I found a trip report on a German blog. Thanks to that blog, I knew these plants were in the Lampa region, on the famous trail we unfortunately couldn’t take because of the bad weather in the weeks before. So we had to go through Ayaviri instead.

I discovered the Sillustani site through a blog as well. The other stops along the way, I spotted them on Google Maps and Google Earth.

In 2020, we’d planned to rent a car. We wanted to go to Upis and do the 7 Lagoons hike. Without a car, we had to go through an agency. After digging a bit, I came across info about treks around Ausangate. Since we also wanted to see the Rainbow Mountain, Vinicunca, I eventually found the trek we booked. I exchanged messages on WhatsApp with the manager of XTremTourbulencia agency, and we organized the trek with him.

What was the difficulty level of the hikes you did?

We didn’t find them particularly tough. The descent into Colca Canyon was very steep, so it’s best to avoid if you have knee problems.

On the islands at Lake Titicaca, if you’re well acclimated to the altitude, it’s not particularly difficult.

At Palcoyo, the short hike seemed very easy to us. But we saw tourists struggling because of the altitude.

For the trek, the first day was long but not especially hard. There was more elevation gain on the second day, but the trails are beautiful and the scenery is stunning. The elevation changes weren’t a problem for us. We went up, down, and so on, without big sudden climbs like in Colca Canyon. If I remember right, the ascents and descents were always around 400 m.

For us, the main challenge of the trek was mostly the cold in the mornings and evenings. For others, it might be the altitude on top of the cold. Our guide even told us he sometimes has to cut the trek short when participants can’t handle the altitude.

That said, it’s always tricky to judge the difficulty of a hike because it really depends on each person’s level and experience.

Did your drivers speak French?

The first one spoke a little French. The driver we had in Cusco and the surrounding area spoke English. The others only spoke Spanish, but we managed to communicate easily with a translation app.

The landscapes along the Ausangate trek are truly stunning. Temperature-wise, it must’ve been quite another story, since it snowed while you were there in the shoulder season! .

Mornings and evenings can indeed be freezing. Snow makes sense at that altitude, though. We slept at nearly 5,000 m on the second night—a first for us. We even wondered if we’d handle sleeping at that altitude. In the end, it wasn’t an issue at all. That said, we’re glad we brought our own sleeping bags. Thanks to that, we didn’t get cold at night.

Yes, snow at 5,000m is common even near the equator! Altitude sickness affects people more or less regardless of their fitness level, by the way. Personally, I was more prone to it (above 4,000m) when I was young than after turning 50... Spending a few days between 3,000 and 4,000m is still helpful for going higher...

What’s your secret for being so comfortable at high altitudes?

I don’t know—we’ve always handled altitude well, but we still make sure to acclimate properly before going higher. Three nights in Arequipa, four nights in Colca Canyon, four nights at Lake Titicaca...

In Bolivia, we spent two nights in Sucre and two nights at the Uyuni Salt Flats before tackling a 5,000 m peak. But afterward, we descended to sleep at 3,600 m.

In Ladakh, we flew into Leh at 3,500 m and spent several nights between 3,500 m and 4,000 m before heading up to 5,000 m.

Honestly, I’m not sure what to tell you. Acclimatization is key, but I think we just handle altitude pretty well in general. In Switzerland, I can go up to 3,000 m without any issues, while others struggle if they go straight to 3,000 m.

Did they offer you a Pisco Sour at 4,880 m?

Yes but they could tell we weren’t having any trouble with the altitude.

When we traveled through the Inca lands around Cusco / Machu Picchu etc., we then headed toward Paucartambo / Tres Cruces.

I’d also considered a trek in that region, but you’ve gotta make choices. 🙂

Looking forward to the rest of your trek!

The rest is coming...

Friday, May 2nd

Wake-up at 5:15 AM for a 6:00 AM departure to reach Vinicunca Mountain, the famous Rainbow Mountain, before the hordes of tourists invade the site. Everything is frozen, and it's very cold this morning.



Gorgeous reflections...



We reach Vinicunca Mountain a little before seven o'clock and climb to the highest point at 5,036 meters. There are only seven of us on site: the two of us, our guide Cristian, and three young French women with their guide, who arrived from a campsite near the mountain.

We enjoy the spectacular view for almost an hour before the first tourists appear. In the distance, minibuses arrive at the parking lot, and horses carry the first visitors up.

The famous Rainbow Mountain

At the foot of Vinicunca Mountain, you can see the stalls set up to sell souvenirs to tourists. We're lucky to enjoy the site without the crowds. The view of the valley

A little zoom on the colorful rock

We descend for a moment, then climb up the other side toward the Red Valley pass, at 5035 m. Bad surprise: Cristian tells us the car is waiting at the parking lot on the Cusipata side. I remind him that we had agreed, when booking and during the briefing at the agency, to walk down the Red Valley to arrive on the Pitumarca side.











After several heated phone calls with his boss, he finally asks the driver to come pick us up on the Pitumarca side. We feel bad for the driver, who has to make a long detour, but we’re relieved to be able to walk through the Red Valley.

The landscape of the Red Valley is breathtaking—the colors are intense, almost unreal. We descend along the trail, sometimes cutting through the red sand. After a while, we join a track built in 2021 to allow quads to climb up from Pitumarca. Fortunately, we only come across one quad group. Cristian explains that many people are upset, but for some, the income takes priority over ecology and the site’s tranquility. He tells us the quads climb up from behind to reach Vinicunca Mountain.









We continue descending along a stream. The mountains lose their red hues, but the landscape remains beautiful. Many alpacas and llamas graze peacefully on the mountainsides. After 3 hours and 15 minutes of descent and 1000 m of elevation loss, the driver meets us at the rendezvous point above Japura Quilca. This trek with overnight tent stays will be an unforgettable memory!

On the way to Cusco, we stop for lunch, included in the trek’s price. Finally arriving at the Casa Esmeralda by Katari hotel, we get the same room as before the trek—perfect.

After a good shower, we head out and reach the Plaza de Armas, which is especially lively tonight. Music groups are playing, people are in costumes, and the atmosphere is really friendly.

After eating, we return to our hotel, exhausted.



We’re happy with our choice of agency. Sure, there was a misunderstanding at the end of the trek about descending the Red Valley, but it was likely due to poor communication between the different people involved in organizing the trek. What matters to us is that the overall organization was perfect.

For the rest of the travel journal, click here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11465064;a=11465064

Hey! I’ve been lurking since the beginning. This is a trip I’ll never take, but your amazing photos of stunning sites made me want to chime in. And kudos for the treks! Thanks for sharing.

we’ve always handled altitude well, but we still make sure to acclimatize properly before going up.... Acclimatization is essential, but I think we generally handle altitude pretty well. In Switzerland, I can go up to 3,000 m without any issues, while others can’t handle going straight up to 3,000 m.

A gradual ascent with stops to acclimatize is obviously necessary, but as you mentioned, you also need to have a personal constitution that’s suited to it.

Did they offer you a Pisco Sour at 4,880 m?? Yes but they understood we had no trouble with the altitude.

My best Pisco Sour memory was around 3,850 m, in Copacabana, on the terrace of the Cupula, with a view of Lake Titicaca.

Thanks for your message. It’s always nice to get them, and it motivates me to keep going.

Saturday, May 3

This morning, we enjoy the breakfast buffet before heading off with our driver Ricardo. He speaks English really well, so we take the chance to ask him a few questions about life in Peru. We then hit the road toward Písac to visit the archaeological site perched above the village. Before arriving, Ricardo stops to give us our first viewpoint. From there, we can make out the astonishing shape of the site—a condor with its wings spread.

I admit, without Ricardo’s help, we wouldn’t have seen the "condor"

Ricardo drops us off at the entrance after buying two *boleto turístico*, valid for ten days and granting access to several sites in the Sacred Valley. We walk along the Inca terraces, visit the Q’allaquasa site, then head down toward Intihuatana. At one point, we take a wrong turn and have to backtrack quite a bit before finding our way again. After this great visit, we walk down to the village of Písac.















The village is very touristy. Ricardo had warned us: 90% of the items sold here are made in China. According to him, you’ll find the same issue in some tourist shops in Cusco. We buy a few fruits and little treats, then sit on a bench in the village square to soak up the atmosphere.





The road to Ollantaytambo passes through Calca and Urubamba. Ricardo tells us a lot about life in the Sacred Valley, including the villages, guinea pig farming, and other aspects of daily life.

We arrive at the Tierra Inka hotel in Ollantaytambo in the late afternoon. The hotel is perfectly located and surrounded by a beautiful flower garden. We go for a stroll through the village, where the many narrow streets invite you to wander. Then we have a drink on the top floor of a small restaurant before dining at Jallpa. This restaurant is quite expensive for Peru, but the dishes are excellent and beautifully presented.

For the rest of the travel journal, it’s here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11465874;a=11465874

Hi Carmen,

I’ve been quietly following you. I follow you both for the pleasure of reading your really interesting travel journal, discovering your amazing photos, and because I’m interested in my future trip. I have to admit, your treks make me full of admiration—and a little envious of your fitness. Just reading about them tires me out!! Is Ricardo your driver for the Cusco region?

I just caught up on my backlog—VF probably doesn’t want me going to Peru because I’m not getting notifications for your travel journal or Guillaume’s 😕. I appreciate your photos even more knowing I’ll never take a trip like that myself, between physical condition, the cold, and the altitude .

I have to admit, treks make me admire and envy your fitness. They tire me out just reading about them!!

Honestly, the treks didn’t seem that difficult to us. We had plenty of time to walk at a relaxed pace, which let us take lots of photos, chat while walking, and really soak in the scenery. We never felt like we were pushing our limits. And yet, after my accident, I wasn’t in the best physical shape at the time.

Is Ricardo your driver for the Cusco area?

Yes, we had Ricardo for trips to Písac and Ollantaytambo, and also from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco. Ricardo is the son of the driver we had from San Pedro to Cusco via Palcoyo. I think he’s the owner of the company. Both were really friendly and went out of their way to make sure we were happy. We were completely satisfied.[;]