Cusco! We started our second part of the trip acclimatizing in the city of Cusco. Acclimatizing is required mainly for those, who are planning to do the Inca trail, and that was exactly our plan! On arrival to our hotel we were welcomed with a cup of the infamous coca leaf tea. One led to another and after the third cup we almost had a permanent smile on our face :). I’d like to blame it on the lack oxygen though. The rest of the day was spent drinking more coca tea and exploring exquisite local cuisine.
The next two days were spent discovering the city and the surroundings of Cusco. In my opinion Cusco is possibly one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. The sight of ladies in traditional colourful costumes and lamas and young kids weaving souvenirs in the cathedrals shade was truly mesmerizing. Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in enjoying the moment that I forgot to take any meaningful pictures. We also went to see Sacsayhuaman archeological site, which is one of the most important Inca buildings, walked on the streets that still had their bit of colonial flavor and, of course, we didn’t miss any cathedrals as I’m crazy about them.
The following day was spent exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We ran around the terraces and climbed up the fortress in Pisaq. For the first time, we struggled with the altitude but despite that we soldiered our way to the top. The second part of the day we continued along the valley to Ollantaytambo, considered as the Last Living Incan Village in the Sacred Valley. There we hiked up to the Incan temples and other Incan archaeological sites, located nearby and within this lovely valley. The warm-up for the upcoming trail was nearly done!
Nosey Nomad 