Peru Part 4 - Rainbow Mountain

 I chose Sunday March 29th to go to Rainbow Mountain. I was originally looking to book it with Alpaca Expeditions (the same company I chose for the Inca Trail). They were quite a bit more expensive $160 versus American Inca Trail (the company associated with Maximo Nivel) they had discounted trips there for volunteers for $45.00. This included round trip bus transport, breakfast and lunch, and a guide for the hike up. Big savings, but not nearly the level of service that Alpaca Expeditions offers. But for a short day trip it was fine.

The drive heads out of Cusco up into the high Andes of Peru. The drive up was beautiful as we drove higher in elevation. The highest peak in the Peruvian Andes is visible by the time we reached the trail-head for Rainbow Mountain. The starting elevation is just under 15,000 feet, and depending on which viewpoint you stop at it will be between 16,200 - 16,500 feet. We started the morning in Cusco which sits at 11,000 feet. so it was a 4000 foot gain just on the drive.

I started the hike out strong. I was feeling great for the first mile going up. But once I hit about 15,250  feet in elevation I suddenly felt like someone just sucked all the air out of my lungs. The hike then became a struggle. I had to pause about every ten feet to catch my breathe and let my heart rate drop a bit. Getting to the top was not looking promising. Now quite a few people ride a horse up the trail stopping just before the final incline. I really hadn't wanted to do that , but with still just over a mile to go I knew that was the only way I would get there. So the guide flagged down a horse and guide and for about $8 I rode the next mile up to the stairs that take you to the lookout. I felt a bit defeated. But I did get to the top. 

It was packed up at the lookouts. I really wasn't feeling like dealing with the crowds at this point so I took the required photos then headed back down, I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the view and the colors of the mountain were much duller that what is pictured online. It was also not as large or majestic as the photos would lead you to believe. 

I had originally planned on hiking the Red Valley route for the return. I was still struggling to breath so I skipped it and headed down. It didn't take long on the return before I was breathing easier and feeling better. I was disappointed with the hike itself except for the beautiful scenery on the way up. That and the drive did make the day worthwhile for the $45 that it cost. 

I honestly think that most people struggle to some extent on this hike. It is a huge altitude gain on the drive up and the body just does not have any time to adjust. I had hoped with having been in Cusco for a week I would have been better able to cope. It shows me though that I will need to take my time and acclimation days when I hike EBC trail if I want to be successful. I will be living at 8000+ feet prior to the trek for two months and hope to go hiking every weekend weather permitting. 

So here are a few pictures from the trip to Rainbow Mountain...

 Looking up towards the lookout points.

 The Valley on the drive up.

 Lots of llamas.

The highest peaks in Peru are visible on the hike.

 Breakfast stop on the way up and lunch on the return trip. 

 Rainbow Mountain. 

Peru Part 3 - Art and Churches

 I love photographing churches, especially the artistic elements of the architecture. There are so many churches in Cusco I could've spent days exploring them. Unfortunately the ones I visited do not allow photography inside the building so I had to limit my pictures to the exterior. The interiors varied from over-the top glitz to very rustic charm. You never know what you would see until you stepped inside. 

I also did get to visit a few museums. They were mostly small with limited displays that did not lend themselves to being photographed clearly. 

While browsing many of the local markets I would search out artisans that offered something unique. I did have one item in mind and that was a plate with Incan designs that I could display on my shelf at home. I was about to give up when I discovered Zama Pottery. He had what I was looking for- almost. The colors weren't quite right. I asked if he could do a custom piece and he was able to. He was also able to get it delivered before I left. I also purchased two small bowls from him. I did bring home in addition to the pottery, two small watercolor paintings, and two handmade Christmas ornaments. 

Peru Part 2- Exploring the City of Cusco

 Cusco City Center and the nearby neighborhood of San Blas are beautiful areas and are worthy of their UNESCO World Heritage designation. My arrival timed with the tail-end of the rainy season had it looking more like Spring than Autumn. Flowers were blooming everywhere in abundance. The area was clean and the buildings were all well kept.

While exploring the streets and alleys I would often discover Incan walls that the Spanish had built on top of. One area of the Inca's were the ruins of Saqsayhuaman just above the city and an easy uphill hike. It was interesting to see the remains of this religious settlement. The size of the stones used in some of the wall construction left me in awe of how they accomplished this construction feat. 

Cusco itself is a city of 500,000. Spread a long the valley and up into the hills. Outside of the Historic city center you see poverty, poor living conditions and garbage piled up. It becomes apparent that this is still a developing nation. Stray dogs roam the streets. They are everywhere. People even let their pets roam the streets during the day. Street vendors are everywhere. In the city center one can hardly walk twenty feet without being approached by someone selling something. Near the large San Pedro Market event the streets are lined with people selling any and everything you can think of. From art to underwear, it's there to be bought. Fruits, vegetable, spices, cooked foods (do not eat!). It is a busy, bustling noisy city. I felt a bit over-whelmed at times. I mostly enjoyed roaming the quiet alleys of the San Blas Neighborhood and market where I found a wonderful little vegan cafe' ( Govinda Lila). I had lunch there on three different days. I tended to eat at the same four spots during my stay. A lovely bakery (La Valeriana) that did amazing tarts and a great Americano. A great cafe' that had a good selection of vegan items and grew all their own produce - Organika.  And a Vegan Cafe -El Jardin located on the Plaza de Armas. It was very good and had a wonderful ginger lemonade.