This spring after an amazing season on the ice... I traveled to Peru with my Dad. We set off in April for a month flying directly into Cuzco. Our trip revolved around visiting Inca archeological sites and searching for remote Inca trails that lead to more archeological sites!
From Cuzco we toured the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba river, which leads to Machu Pichu. In the Sacred Valley we visited Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Pisac is known for its huge craft and food markets as well as Inca sites. I didnt escape without buying a few hats and Dad a cheesy t-shirt... The sites were situated around 10,000 ft elevation and as per usual, were stunning. Ollantaytambo was down river and also known for its incredible archeological sites. This was the home to the Inca emperor Pachacutec and later on Manco Inca. This was where Manco Inca succeeded in flooding the valley and defeating the Spanish horseman during the Incas resistance to the Spanish Conquistadors in 1536.
These sites were incredible to wander through, each stone a feat of architectural accomplishment. The Inca buildings were made out of field stones and their stone masonry inconceivable. They ground the stones to fit together with grooves to keep them from separating, strong enough to survive earthquakes and centuries of conquests. Each stone must weigh multiple tons. Slavery really came in handy in building these fortresses!
Ollantaytambo
After our week in the Sacred Valley exploring we returned to Cuzco to plan our trek with our guide Alaine. My Dad had done a two week trek with Alain before and wanted to return to visit some off the beaten path sites. From Cuzco we took a local bus into the Villcabamba.
