The Peru SST group spent three sunny days exploring Cusco and Peru’s Sacred Valley with the help of our guides, Abrahan Quispe Corrales for Cusco and Oswaldo Palomino Alvarado for the rest of our trip.
Cusco was the heart of the Inca empire when the Spaniards arrived in 1526; in fact the Incas referred to it as the “navel of the world.” At that time, the Inca realm extended thousands of miles, encompassing parts of modern-day Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Inca leaders ruled over an estimated 10 million inhabitants, from 1438 to 1533.
After the conquest, the Spaniards tore down many Cusco buildings and constructed their own palaces and churches on top of the Inca foundations. Examples of cultural fusion are still present – monumental Inca stonework on the bottom and colonial architecture on top. But the Spaniards could not tear down or build over all the Inca construction. Inca ruins are everywhere in the Cusco area.
We began our tour above Cusco at Saqsayhuaman, a walled complex of colossal rocks, carved to fit so closely that not even a knife blade could fit between them. We had read about an important battle that took place there in 1536. We visited the ruins of Inca way stations, military outposts, holy places and Qorikancha, the most important Inca temple, which was largely destroyed by the Spaniards to make way for the Church of Santo Domingo. In the evening, we returned to Cusco’s beautiful central plaza for dinner, a visit to the artisan market and to attend a folkloric dance show.
Jacob looking at the world from an Incan point of view.
On the second day, we traveled by bus through the Sacred Valley, stopping at more Inca sites. We visited Chinchero, where Inca royalty once sat on stone thrones to observe festivals; Moray, an ancient agricultural laboratory with stunning circular designs; and the Maras salt mines, which have been in continuous use for 1,000 years. We learned how artisans die yarn for alpaca weavings and then we enjoyed a lunch of traditional Andean specialties, including guinea pig, or cuy. We later arrived in the town of Ollantaytambo, where people still live in stone houses built centuries ago by their ancestors and walk on cobblestone streets with water flowing in canals along the side, just as in Inca times.
Moray
On the third day, we explored Ollantaytambo, climbing to Inca storehouses on a steep mountainside and then to the great Inca fortress and administrative center, site of another great battle we had read about. This was one of our favorite days; the views were spectacular. In the late afternoon, we took the train through the Urubamba River valley, dropping in altitude and watching beautiful scenery as mountain terrain give way to high jungle. By early evening, we arrived in the town of Aguas Calientes – our jumping off point for our visit to Machu Picchu the next day.
Photographer Lauren always finds the spot to frame the best photo.Approaching the famous zigzag walls of Saqsayhuaman Our guide, Abrahan, explains how the Incas built structures like this.Becca, Landon, Josh, Alan, Rudy, Jacob and LaurenWe felt dwarfed by these structures.We learned that Incan spirituality and technology went together. These stones include a sacred image of fertility/prosperity – a seated llama (hint: it’s ear was a stone at the top that is now missing).Saqsayhuaman doorwayThe slight slant of the walls has kept them stable.A view of the city of CuscoCusco rooftopsSaqsayhuamanIncan stone masons used only stone tools.Tambomachay, a spring where visitors to Cusco in Incan times could undergo ceremonial baths before entering the city.TambomachayThe Incas valued water as the source of life.With Abrahan, our guideRudy said he would like to return someday to hike the beautiful hills around Tambomachay.BeccaJoshJacobThe sky turned cloudy and a few raindrops fell during our visit to Puka Pukara, the “red fortress.”When the Inca ruler visited the baths at Tambomachay, his retinue and all of his dancers lodged here.Puka Pukara was an Incan guard post and lodge for travelers on the ancient road into Cusco. Landon checks out a cave.These structures have withstood weather and earthquakes for hundreds of years.Jacob looking at the world from an Incan point of view.An adobe brick-making businessAdobe is an economical building material. The bricks harden by drying in the sun.Abrahan introduces us to Q’enqo, a center for religious rites in Incan timesAt Q’enqo, archeologists have found an amphitheater, a gigantic central monolith, and underground galleries.Lunch in Cusco. The wall behind us is Incan stonework from precolonial times.Incan stonework needed no mortar.The cathedral on Cusco’s central plaza was started in 1559 and built on top of the ruins of the Inca ruler’s palace using blocks taken from other Incan structures.The Peru SST group: Rudy, Jacob and our service coordinator, Willy (first row); Richard, Alan, Becca, Landon, Josh, Judy, Lauren (standing)The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús on Cusco’s central plazaOur guide, Oswaldo, shows us the remains of a royal Incan parade ground at Chinchero.Perfect Incan terracing at ChincheroWalking where the Incas walkedA colonial church built on top of Incan architecturePetroglyphs at ChincheroLauren claims not to be a dog person, but this friendly pooch picked her out.Textile workers in Chinchero show us their craftWeaving on a hand loomThe alpaca wool yarns are colored with natural dyes made from plants and insects.In Chinchero we enjoyed a traditional Andean feast.Roasted guinea pig, or cuy, is a treat usually reserved for special occasions.Alan tries a little of everything.Becca discusses a possible purchase with one of the artisans who made the pieces.This little girl was curious about Josh.At Moray, archeologists have uncovered what seems to be an experimental agricultural nursery from Incan times.Moray features numerous circular concentric farming terraces. The Incas tested crops at Moray, where each level has its own micro-climate.MorayMorayFrom the road above, we caught the first view of the Maras salt mines.The salty water emerges from a natural underground mineral spring.Even before the Incas, the ancient peoples built terraces to capture the salty water and let it evaporate.The Incas expanded the facility to provide their vast empire with salt.The back-breaking work of collecting the salt is not much changed from ancient times.After a thousand years, the Maras salt mines are still producing.In the ancient city of Ollantaytambo, we stayed in the Las Portadas Inn.Walking the cobblestone streets of Ollantaytambo.The sign has a skull symbol to warn that this path is not safe! (it’s o.k., we were not going that way, anyway).We climbed to these Incan storehouses on the hillside above Ollantaytambo.Josh takes in the view.The town of Ollantaytambo from the window of one of the Incan storehouses.From the site of the storehouses, Landon views the great Incan fort of Ollantaytambo on the opposite hillside.Directors Judy and Richard with Becca, Alan, Jacob, Landon, Rudy, Josh and LaurenThe Ollantaytambo fortress, site of a battle in which the Incas repelled the Spanish invadersOllantaytamboThis fine Incan fountain at Ollantaytambo includes a stair step design important in Andean cosmology.A view from atop the fortress at OllantaytamboOllantaytamboOswaldo explains how the Incas moved and carved these huge stones.Rudy, Jacob and AlanPhotographer Lauren always finds the spot to frame the best photo.