 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
||||||||||||
One Day |
|
The trip starts at the Hotel. We leave by van and drive out of the Sacred Valley. During the 45-minute ride we have an impressive view of the snowcapped Vilcanota mountains. The driver drops us off at the ruins of Moray. Our guide will take us down into these ruins and explain their function. It is said that the ancient agricultural terraces of circular and concentric shape, which were built by the Incas, were used as a seed-producing area for the principal crops of the empire: maize and potato. After this visit we head our bikes down a dirt road towards the town of Maras, the snow-capped peaks of the Vilcanota Mountains before us. Maras is a typical town dedicated to agriculture and cattle, with portals built during colonial times. Near the Plaza de Armas, we rest and enjoy a snack next to an old church. Continuing our ride down to Salineras, the saltpans, we have two options: taking a single track all the way or the easier part-paved and part-dirt road. Once at Salineras we get off our bikes and watch (and perhaps participate in) the salt draining process. The single track which takes us into the Sacred Valley requires some skill. Some people might prefer to walk the very steep and narrow parts. The track leads us past Pichingoto, a small village with houses built into the rocky slopes, giving the place a unique appearance. From here we cross the Urubamba river over a hanging bridge and descend on the paved road to Yanahuara. We pass the town, cross the river once more and continue on a dirt road near the river bank. Arriving in Pachar, which has a small train station, we stop to rest and have lunch. Cycling on to Ollantaytambo we will see a growing number of ancient Inca terraces and note that the river becomes a canal. To enter Ollantaytambo we cross another hanging bridge built next to the remains of an old Inca bridge. We visit the town with its many houses that date back to Inca times. Other homes were constructed with the stones left by the Inca civilization. Before entering the fortress of Ollantaytambo we put on warm clothing, since the wind causes the temperature to drop sharply at the top of the fortress. To keep warm we also drink tea or coffee. Our guide will show us around the ruins, constructed with some of the largest stones in the Inca empire. We cycle back or take the van depending on the physical condition of the group. Programs |
|
||
