Well we don´t seem to be able to get a straight answer – the Peru section of our lonely planet says that it is, while the Bolivia section says that it isn´t, but at 3920m above sea level it is definitely a contender for the Guinness book of world records, and probably only Norris McWerter can know for sure if it is number one.

A couple we met in Ecuador had recommended a hostel in the small village of Copacabana, on the Bolivian shores.  It was overlooking the lake and we had been looking forward to staying there ever since, so imagine our disappointment when we tried to book three days ahead only to find it was full.  Fortunately this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as they had availability in their sister hostel, where for only a little extra, we managed to get a two-story eco-cabin with a floor to ceiling stain-glass window looking out across Lake Titicaca.  After over three months of travelling we had been starting to miss some home comforts, so we took full advantage of the cabins facilities to enjoy a warming home cooked pasta dinner and a bottle of red wine, with a backdrop of the sunset over Lake Titicaca. 

Room with a view (and a cracked window!)

Lake Titicaca

View at sunset, Copacabana

Sunset over Lake Titicaca

The view from our room was all very well, but to really appreciate the lake we thought we should get out onto it.  Before arriving in Bolivia we had visited the Islas Flotantes on the Peruvian side of the lake.  These floating islands made of layers of buoyant totora reeds have been inhabited by Uros people for several centuries, after they fled there to avoid invasion by the Incas.  They are shockingly commercialised now – of the two islands we went to, one consisted only of a restaurant and gift shop!  But it was still interesting seeing the Uros unique way of life and walking on the spongy ground trying not to sink. 

Floating Islands

Family house, Floating Islands

Floating Islands

Reed boat, Floating Islands

Rach relaxing on the Floating Islands

Much more beautiful was the Isla del Sol in Bolivia.  The Incas believe the sun was born here, and as we trekked for four hours across the island there certainly was a lot of it!  To really appreciate the views of the lake and the sun we stayed the night on the island so that we could watch the sunset and the sunrise.  It was a close call with the sunrise though, since we had no idea what time it would happen, we randomly set our alarm for 5.15am and after a couple of snoozes we had to run up the hill to make it in time!

Isla del Sol

Inca ruins, Isla del Sol

Rob enjoying the view, Isla del Sol

The long and winding road, Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol

Sun going down on the Isla del Sol

Just made the sun rise, Isla del Sol

Mystical sun rise, Isla del Sol

Well it didn’t get off to the best of starts, when three days beforehand I fell down with food poisoning following a dodgy Peruvian kebab!  By the first day of the trek I was still feeling a little tender, but we had booked this more than six months ago and it was going to take more than a bit of a stomach ache to hold me back!  We met our companions for the next four days – 4 Americans, 7 Aussies, 19 porters, 2 guides and 1 cook.  All of the other trekkers had hired personal porters to carry their equipment, leaving just Rach and I carrying our large ruc-sacs.  We weren´t quite sure if they were all being lazy or if we were being stupid!  After going through passport control (that’s right you get an Inca Trail passport stamp) we were on our way.

The first day was 12km across relatively flat terrain passing through local communities.  We stopped for lunch by an old Inca village and arrived at the camp site at about 5pm.  Almost immediately my food poisoning decided it hadn´t finished with me quite yet, and at the same time one American girl and one Aussie girl also fell sick.  By the morning all 4 Americas were suffering, and one decided he couldn´t carry on and had to be carried back to the start by a mule.

The first ascent

Rob walks the inca trail

View along the inca trail

The rest of us soldiered onwards, although some soon regretted that decision, as the 12km of the second day were almost all uphill, from the campsite at 3100m to Dead Woman´s Pass at 4200m.  Then, just after the relief of reaching the top, it started hailing really heavily with stones the size of ball bearings that really hurt.  I´m sure one drew blood when it struck my ear!  Despite all this torture I really enjoyed the day and by the evening everyone was starting to feel better.

Finally at Dead Woman´s Pass

View down from Dead Woman´s Pass

The second night claimed two more victims of sickness – by now the porters had their work cut out brewing special tea for all the casualties!  I was feeling much better but, although Rach felt fine, she was starting to worry how much longer it would be before she got struck down by the Inca Trail curse!

At 15km the third day was the longest, but most rewarding of the trek.  The path now consisted of the original Inca stones, and was dotted with Inca ruins in amazing condition.  We saw an old Inca trading center, a resting place for Inca messengers, an Inca religious site and most spectacular of all – an old Inca farming site.  We walked through the clouds over two mountain passes, before descending over 3000 stone steps down to the camp site.  Fortunately when we arrived the porters had already put up our tents and had a cup of tea on the go!

Walking through the clouds

Inca trading centre

Arty shot of inca trail through ruins!

The inca trail

Sun and shadow on the inca trail

Us!

Terraces of an old inca farming site

The last day was only 6km, but in order to reach the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu for sunrise we had to get up at 4am and walk like the wind!  But it was worth it – looking down on the ancient city illuminated by the early morning sun was a unique sight that I will never forget.  Unfortunately it was on this morning that Rach started to feel ill, and the 6km sprint finished her off.  Not only did she not feel up to the guided tour of Machu Picchu, but she couldn´t eat or get out of bed for the next four days, and it resulted in our first trip to a South American doctor.  This meant the pressure of taking photos of Machu Picchu fell on my shoulders, so I hope you like them.

Despite all the illness we both agreed that the Inca Trail lived up to our expectations.  We were worried that it would feel more like a motorway than a mountain trek.  There were times when the trail was crowded, but by the afternoon everyone had spread out and we would often walk for ages without seeing anyone else at all.  The scenery was amazing and arriving at Machu Picchu from above in the early morning sun was unforgettable.

Our first view of Machu Picchu

We made it to Machu Picchu

Getting closer!

The postcard shot!

Finally there

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Cañon del Colca

It was a 5 hour bus ride to the edge of the canyon.  It was a bumpy road and the driver seemed to lose confidence in his rear suspension halfway, as we all had to get up and move to sit at the front of the bus!  We had left early, at 4am, so there was a chance to spot some early morning Condors, and we were in luck.  It was amazing watching these massive birds float effortlessly on the thermals.

Condor over the Cañon del Colca

Condors over the Cañon del Colca

It was a steep 4 hour trek descending 1000m to the bottom of the canyon, where we stayed the night with a local family in a basic adobe mud hut.  I had to kill several large insects and spiders before Rach could finally settle down to sleep!

Cañon del Colca

Village, Cañon del Colca

First night accomodation

The next day was a gentle walk through the villages at the bottom of the canyon.  There are an amazing numbers of families living in these villages that can only be reached by foot or mule.  Strangely enough I spotted the first rugby pitch I have seen in all of South American in one of these villages.  In the afternoon we relaxed and swam in an Oasis town, before sleeping in an even more basic mud hut!

Rugby pitch

Church, Cañon del Colca

Oasis

Relaxing at the Oasis

Second night accomodation

On the last day we got up at 5am to make the unrelentingly steep climb up and out the canyon before the sun rose, which would have made it unbearably hot.  Once at the top we rewarded ourself with an egg breakfast and a soak in the nearby hot springs!

Climbing out Cañon del Colca

Adobe mud hut, Cañon del Colca

Local resident, Cañon del Colca

Colibri (hummingbird)

Astronauta

Alcatraz

Arbol (tree)

Mono (monkey)

Araña (spider)

The panamerican highway from above

The lines were made by removing sun darkened stones to expose the light soil below, but who went to all this trouble? No one actually knows, but everyone has their theories;

• A sophisticated mathematical astronomical calendar 
• Ritual walkways of a water cult  
• Extraterrestrial landing sites    
• Ancient graffiti
• Any other ideas?

They were first spotted when commercial airlines began flying across the Peruvian desert in the 1920′s.  The lines can only be seen from the air and so we climbed aboard this little number to check them out.

The six seater express

The flights are known to be pretty bumpy as the pilot tilts the plane from one side to the other so people on both sides of the plane can get good views. After the whale watching boat incident Rach was not taking any chances so we picked out some motion sickness tables from the pharmacy. Not entirely sure we got the right thing though as we both felt pretty sick after the flight and then couldn´t stay awake for the rest of the day!

Cordillera Blanca

The perfect white glaciers, turquoise lakes and snow topped peaks of the cordillera blanca is the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen.  This mountain range, near Huaraz in northern Peru, is the highest mountain range in the world after the himalayas.  It has 22 peaks over 6000m, including Artesonraju, which you might recognise as it is rumoured to be the inspiration for the paramount picture mountain.

Artesonraju

We trekked from Laguna Llanganuco to Santa Cruz – 55Km over four days, including a whopping 22Km on the third day. We started past a few remote settlements where the children would rush out to greet us in the hope of getting some of our chocolate. Continued through imposing green valleys, round emerald lakes, and past freezing waterfalls, until we eventually climbed up and over the rocky Punta Union pass (4760m) where we got the best Andean views in all of Peru.

Our group, Punta Union pass

Rach had bought a new sleeping bag for our trip and was especially pleased at how small it was and how little room it took up in her ruc-sac. However, this was the first time she actually had to use it, and when we woke up on the first night to a heavy frost and a temperature of -5 she wasnt quite so pleased with her new toy. Determined to get a better nights sleep on the second night she decided to put on all the clothes that she had with her, then decided that still wasn´t enough, so started on mine!

Each day we got up at sunrise, around 5:30, but this was fine by us as we had been awake shivering for ages anyway!  We finished walking in the late afternoon, in time for a relaxing cup of coca tea in the sun – who needs the beach when you can relax in the sun at the foot of a glacier ?

We both really enjoyed being in the mountains.  They were really peaceful – we only saw a handful of other trekkers the whole time, and completely unspoilt.  This trek was definitely the highlight of my trip so far.

All smiles before the trek started!

Laguna Llanganuco

Cordillera Blanca

Cordillera Blanca

Cordillera Blanca

Cordillera Blanca

Sun and relaxation afer the Punta Union pass

Puerto Lopez

Fishing boats, Puerto Lopez

Fortunately we had arrived in time for the end of the whale mating season, so we ditched the beach and headed out on a boat to try and spot some.  We were lucky enough to see a few, but unfortunately we don´t have any photos, half because we only really saw a fleeting glimpse, and half because the rough sea had made Rach more concerned with keeping her breakfast down than messing around with her camera!

Leaving the whales behind we landed on the nearby Isla de la Plata where we saw plenty of boobies, blue footed boobies that is, and also caught a peak of the resident sea-lion.  Who needs the Galapagos Islands?!

Blue footed boobies, Isla de la Plata

Blue footed booby, Isla de la Plata

Isla de la Plata

In search of some proper, sunny, beach time we headed south into Peru and found ourselves in the even smaller fishing village of Huanchaco, near Trujillo. We really out did ourselves finding this place – it was even colder!  With no beach action possible we were forced to warm up for Machu Picchu with the ancient Chimu city of Chan Chan and the Moche pyramids of Huaca del sol and Huaca del la luna.

Trujillo

Trujillo

Trujillo

Trujillo

Ancient artwork, Huaca de la luna

The ancient mud city of Chan Chan

Sadly, looking ahead, I think we are now going to have to wait until we are in Brazil in December/January for our well earned beach time