Cuzco to Soryapampa Lodge (Day 3)

Picked up early by Pepe and the rest of them in a Mercedes Sprinter van (definitely a contender for our big trip). First stop was Quillarumiyoc (Temple to the Moon Rock) - this was an old ruin and probably the first test of Nicola’s uphill skills (or lack off). Yarik (the second guide) told me (Nicola) at that point that it was quite likely that him and I were going to become good friends.

After that we headed to Mollepata and did a little tour of the Sunday market which was kind of cool. On the way stopped at an overpass with rocks growing out of trees and an amazing vista of the avocado farms below.

 Then off to the Mountain Lodges of Peru project - in here they are spearheading a project to become fully self sufficient in vegetables and cooking etc. They are also involved in a number of ‘outreach’ programs with the locals population, mostly around their products I.e all things alpaca.  After that we headed off to lunch at the Mountain Lodge farm where they are farming European pets.... We had our first and hopefully last Guinea pig farm..... With lunch they allowed us to taste the local produce - my god the avocado is excellent. Beats anything you can get in NY hands down!!

Lunch and shopping over we piled back into the Sprinter for the trip up the valley to the drop off point. The road is amazing, narrow, rutted, bisected in areas by rivers and on one side a cliff! So both the guides promptly feel asleep. Those of our group on the right side of the bus not so much.

The drop off area was a mule train depot, we donned our back packs and started the trek for real. During the four mile trek to the lodge we gained only 690 odd feet but when you start at 12,400 odd every feet of that is fought for, especially as this was really our first outing. We got the impression that this was the first of the bum sniffing and sadly Nicola and I didn’t fare so well, we were both slow and I was being naughty and rushing and then stopping to catch my breath. Eventually Nicola gave in and swallowed her pride and for a while allowed the muleteer to carry her backpack - apparently was far too heavy - Yarik told me to drop at least 2.5kg for the next day. First part of the trek was uphill - puff, puff, puff, stop, puff, puff, puff, stop. Then we walked along, the mainly flat, route of the Inca canals - some original, some restored, but quite amazing to experience.

Perfect right angle

Inca aqueduct

Dinner was lovely and after dinner we marveled at the frat boy (+30 years) getting stuck into the Pisco. They had a very early start to the Salkantay pass trek in the morning (and we were later to find out a trek and a half with snow on the pass).

Arriving at the lodge was breath taking. Both the Humantay and Salkantay peaks were free of clouds and bathed in the late afternoon sunlight which was a killer back drop for post trek hot tub (and as we have come to notice hot tubs in Peru are HOT 110+).