Our recent trip to Peru
This June rsc and I travelled to Peru. It was technically 3 consecutive Ken McFarland trips:
Cusco/Machu Picchu,
a Boat on the Amazon,
and Arequipa/Colca Canyon.
Cusco, a gorgeous Colonial Spanish city that is now very large with some Inca ruins, is delightful (a bit challenging to start the trip since it is at ~11,000 feet). Machu Picchu is so completely amazing (this was a return trip for us since we were there in 2010). Thank you Hiram Bingham for publicizing it and helping make sure it was preserved.
The Amazon trip was on the Amatista, a lovely boat (30 passengers) on the Amazon and two tributaries: Marañón and Ucayali. Fascinating views, Pisco Sours, lots of trips in little boats and walking in the jungle to see birds, natives, a boa,... A most amazing experience.
Arequipa is another colonial city surrounded by mountains and volcanos and has had several serious earthquakes. The road from Arequipa to Cabanconde at the head of the canyon went through a pass that was at 16,100 feet - we walked around very slowly. The Colca Canyon is one the worlds deepest (~10,000 feet). We descended mostly by small bus down the windingest road I have ever seen with a short hike down a few more hundred feet to a completely isolated village.
I will be making a bunch more posts over the next few days - carefully selecting some of the 4,000+ pictures I took.
Click here for a few photos:
Cusco/Machu Picchu,
a Boat on the Amazon,
and Arequipa/Colca Canyon.
Cusco, a gorgeous Colonial Spanish city that is now very large with some Inca ruins, is delightful (a bit challenging to start the trip since it is at ~11,000 feet). Machu Picchu is so completely amazing (this was a return trip for us since we were there in 2010). Thank you Hiram Bingham for publicizing it and helping make sure it was preserved.
The Amazon trip was on the Amatista, a lovely boat (30 passengers) on the Amazon and two tributaries: Marañón and Ucayali. Fascinating views, Pisco Sours, lots of trips in little boats and walking in the jungle to see birds, natives, a boa,... A most amazing experience.
Arequipa is another colonial city surrounded by mountains and volcanos and has had several serious earthquakes. The road from Arequipa to Cabanconde at the head of the canyon went through a pass that was at 16,100 feet - we walked around very slowly. The Colca Canyon is one the worlds deepest (~10,000 feet). We descended mostly by small bus down the windingest road I have ever seen with a short hike down a few more hundred feet to a completely isolated village.
I will be making a bunch more posts over the next few days - carefully selecting some of the 4,000+ pictures I took.
Click here for a few photos: