I am on Christmas vacation in Toronto. Not a good time to visit this place. It’s snowing heavily outside. It also happens to be the first time I am experiencing such extreme conditions. Not an ideal way to spend your Christmas vacation, but honestly, I am not complaining. New York was getting way too crowded, and I wanted a break. Also, I was tired of the mundane schedule. So, here I am. Sitting at a café in Toronto.. sipping my Chai tea latte. A lot of folks have been asking me for my Peru trip itinerary, so I thought of putting it down here for convenience.
Here goes my itinerary –
Day 1 – Cusco city tour – Roaming around the city and adjusting to the high altitude.
Day 2 – Inca’s Sacred Valley tour – Pissac, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba
Day 3 – Salt Mines of Maras and Moray
Day 4 – Salkantay Trek begins – Humantay Lake and Salkantaypampa
The first section began with a 3-hour hike to Soraypampa (3600 m) along an Inca-era aqueduct. After lunch, we continued on a two-hour ascent to the breathtaking Humantay Lake (4200 m). Then, we proceeded for a further two hours to the first campground at the base of Salkantay Mountain. SalkantayPampa is the location of the camping (3900 meters). This basecamp provides a clear view of Salkantay Mountain and the night sky.
Day 5 – Basecamp – Salkantray Pass – Collpapampa
Woke up in the tent with a hot cup of coca tea and a spectacular view of the mountains. The most challenging part of the trek is the 2-hour ascent to the highest point of the Salkantay Trek, the Salkantay Pass (4630 m). I was not too confident going into this, so I opted to take a horse ride up to the top and walked back going down. We walked for 2-hours to Hayrajpunku from the top. After enjoying the well-earned lunch, we continued descending for 3 hours until arriving at the second Campsite near the village of Collpapampa, located at 2770 m.
Day 6 – Collpapampa – Lucmabamba
We trekked along the Salkantay Valley, following the white water river from the high mountains like Salkantay, a verdant area home to several waterfalls, orchids, flowers, coffee farms, and small villages. We had lunch among avocado trees at Lucmabamba. Afterward, we went to nearby hot springs – which everyone desperately needed.
Day 7 – Hydroelectric – Aguas Calientes
We started with a pleasant 3-hour hike along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. This part of the hike is full of history — American Explorer Hiram Bingham III used this route during the 1911 expedition that led to the discovery of Machu Picchu.
Day 8 – Machu Picchu – Cusco
We woke up super early, had breakfast, and hiked to Machu Picchu. Our tour guide explained to us the incredible history of this place. After that, we took a bus to Aguas Calientes and had lunch. Finally, we took the Vista dome panoramic train back to Cusco in the evening.
Day 9 – Rest day – Going around the city, shopping
Day 10 – Pack up and return
I haven’t been to Europe (on my list, lol), but I can see the Spanish influence in this city’s architecture. Moreover, it’s very, very safe. I traveled solo, stayed there for 10 days, and did not feel scared, even for a day. Finally, food in Peru is to die for. There are wide varieties of exotic fruits, and even the normal ones taste much better. So, I will shut up and let you book your tickets 😂
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