Rainbow Mountain

This place has a few different names: Vinicunca, Montaña de Siete Colores, Mountain of Seven Colors, or Rainbow Mountain. 

For 80 soles ($25-ish USD), I waited for a bus in Cusco's city center and was picked up at 4 or 5 a.m. I met my group, and was bussed out of the city towards Rainbow Mountain. It's a three hour drive there, and three hours back. We stopped for breakfast and had another meal around 2-3p.m. (before and after the hike), which was included in the price. Both were very hearty meals, but I recommend bringing snacks for the hike itself, too. I was dropped off by the bus around 7 p.m., so to say this was an all day affair is an understatement. 

(pictured above: my new friend Abraham attempting to call a llama over to him. The llama is seen running away here). 

Locals had donkeys, horses, and other livestock - they would ask if you wanted to ride up on the animal to the top. It was extremely expensive to do that from the bottom, but got cheaper as people were closer the top, of course. I thought this was a ridiculous thought at the bottom of the mountain when we started, but my thoughts soon changed. (also, note this local's footwear. It literally snowed the day I was trekking, if that gives you any indication of the temperature. All locals wore the same exact type of sandal seen in this photo. I couldn't believe it, but my guide said they're all acclimated to it.)

As you can see, several people took the locals up on their offers. Why? Well, I consider myself relatively in shape, but this was the single, MOST DIFFICULT hike I've ever attempted in my life. You start out around 14,000  feet and finish up just over 16,500 ft. That's a lot of UP. The pace people are moving at by the time you get up to the top is almost laughable. It's a struggle to get one foot in front of the next - it's like watching slow motion hiking. 

And...yep, that's me, on a horse. There was absolutely no way I was buying one - it felt like letting the mountain "win." With this stubborn attitude, my new friend Abraham secretly bought one for me after telling me for an hour or so that I needed one. I disagreed until I actually got on the horse (pony? Donkey? I don't know...). I only rode about 5-10 minutes up before we were at the top, so I ALMOST made it on my own. But I think that animal (and Abraham!) may have been my saving grace. If you're wondering why I look ridiculous, it's because I didn't pack properly for this hike (or trip in general, honestly) and had to buy a lot of scarves, hats, sweaters, and layers!

Finally...THE TOP! 3 or 3.5 hours later, our group made it up. According to my iPhone, which tracks all kinds of data about my movements, I hiked 7.4 miles, walked 18,119 steps, and climbed the equivalent of 126 floors that day.

Shaun, Abraham, and I can say we made it to the top of Rainbow Mountain! We got encouragement from each other, our tour guide, people in our group, and random people passing by on the trail. We were all in it together. 

These photos have an edited filter on them, making the colors brighter than the were in real life. The photos from above are what they look like in reality - despite Photoshopped photos you see on the internet. They're both pretty in different ways, to me! 

A day for the books (blog).

Machu Picchu & Aguas Calientes

I took PeruRail to get to Machu Picchu and chose their Expedition Train. The panoramic views were incredible! I boarded at the Poroy Station (taxi ride away from where I stayed in Cusco) and took the 3 hour 50 minute train ride to Machu Picchu. In nearly 4 hours, of course I managed to make some new friends! They didn't speak English, so I called moments like these on my trip "private Spanish lessons." 

See those itsy, bitsy, tiny silver dots up on the mountain that everyone's lookin at? Those are hotels. They are the Sky Lodge, where you can essentially sleep on the edge of a cliff with some extraordinary views. Very expensive to stay in, but they seem incredible! 

I finally made it to the Aguas Calientes - the pueblo right next to Machu Picchu. (This is where the train takes you - it can't actually get to Machu Picchu itself.) The town of Aguas Calientes is so unique. I explored it the day I got into town, then only had one full day there (including the park). If I could do it again, I'd have a day for Machu Picchu AND a full day to explore Aguas Calientes, because they were both deserving of their own time! It was a nice change in weather to be in the jungle and not freezing in Cusco.

The town is called Aguas Calientes because there are natural hot springs there.

I had some amazing food in Aguas Calientes. #1 restaurant recommendation: Indio Feliz

And the next day, into the park! I bought a bus ticket (you can take the bus, or walk 5.9 miles to get up to the top and into the park. I decided to save my energy for inside and skip that trek. Money well spent.). I got lucky and had a BEYOND beautiful day. I talked to other travelers who told me they couldn't see the mountains when they went because it was so foggy. It was warm, but not hot - which was a drastic temperature change from freezing Cusco. I was afraid of bad mosquitos because of the warm climate, but never saw a single one. I was prepared with bug spray, but never once used it!

 One of those places you have to see to believe. The history is so fascinating. Experts believe Machu Picchu was built around 1450-1460, but it was just discovered in 1911! They call Machu Picchu the Inca ruins, but they're hardly ruins... It still looks incredible. 

When you buy your Machu Picchu ticket, you can elect to just buy a Machu Picchu park entry ticket, or add specific hikes for a little more $. I just bought the entry ticket, and found there were PLENTY of free hikes to fill my morning, like this one you see here. These shots are from the Sun Gate hike I took.

Llamas EVERYWHERE!

This is the spot I enjoyed a beer at after hiking - it's right outside the park. What a view! Even met someone traveling from Atlanta, Georgia, so we had plenty to talk about!

Lessons in hindsight: I have to say that I wish I signed up for a guided tour of the park. I did a lot of research before and after, but it would have been neat to have someone telling me what was what inside the park AS I was touring it. 

There were also options to do a full group tour -- not just of the park, but the whole package: Going with a group on the train, stay together in Aguas Calientes, heading into the park together...etc. A true guided tour. I've done a bit of backpacking in other areas of the world before, but all across Peru and Colombia, I learned South America doesn't really cater to backpackers like Europe or Southeast Asia does. It's pricy to get around on a whim in South America, unlike those other regions where "spontaneous planning" is encouraged and extremely affordable. Besides the obvious convenience of a guided tour, as a solo traveler, it would have also been nice to meet people in that group setting. 

I found in my experience that English isn't as commonly-spoken in Peru as it is in other areas of the world. After minoring in Spanish in school, living with a Spanish-speaking person for several years, etc...I got around just fine, and I learned a TON. That was my goal, and I feel good about the progress I made in learning the language. But my goal was different than most who are just looking to visit the park and see the region. My advice for anyone who doesn't speak Spanish fluently? GO ON A GUIDED TOUR!

Machu Picchu is a true wonder of the world, and I hope everyone takes a trip to experience it for themselves - as usual, these photos just don't do it justice!