The Sacred Valley is home to several different ruin sites. We visited 5 or 6 of them. Several sites are on the same road, so we took a van to this first ruin site, and walked home, stopping by 3 more sites along the way. When we started this excursion we had been in the city for almost 24 hours so our bodies had adjusted to the altitude fairly well – thanks mostly to our giant water bottle.
TAMBOMACHAY
This site is small but beautiful. It is incredible how flawlessly the stones fit into each other. Look closely and you’ll see that the stone edges are perfectly straight. I wish I could see the talented Inca stonemasons at work.
The water feature here is run by a natural water spring. Another name for this site is “El Bano del Inca” or “The Bath of the Inca.” The hiking warmed us up after a little bit, but we were surprisingly cold when we first started exploring. Wool gloves make a huge difference. Totally worth the 8 soles we paid. (which is only about $3!)
PUKA PUKARA
I tried so hard to climb the wall but the cracks are so smooth there is no room to put a hand, or a foot, or even the tips of your fingers. Other than a little jump, I never left the ground.
Lucas doesn’t fit in the Inca buildings. He is significantly taller than every doorway. Fun fact: Inca door frames are primarily trapezoid shaped to withstand earthquakes.
View from the top!
Q’UENQO
The people who live here have ancient ruins in their front yard and a view of the city in the distance. So lucky!
Also known as, “Temple of the Moon.”
Sacrificial Altar
Like anyone, I’ve had my fair share of bad ideas. This headstand, at an elevation of about 13,000 ft when my body hadn’t yet adjusted fully to 11,000 ft, was a bad idea.
Lucas, being a smart man, chose a pose that would not compromise his vision.
I married up.
This is the view that those people pictured earlier get to wake up to every morning. The city of Cusco. I would almost trade advanced plumbing for this.