This colourful and
culturally packed adventure traces the history of one of the most captivating and enduring
of all ancient empires, set against the magnificent backdrop of the high Andes. The entire
journey is a breathtaking palette of historical resonance, vibrant culture and untamed
wilderness that constantly thrill and inspire.
Who could fail to be stirred by Machu
Picchu perched incredibly atop a precipitous Andean peak at the edge of dense rainforest,
the sapphire-coloured serenity of Lake Titicaca, the unexplored Apolobamba and Vilcabamba
cordilleras, condors soaring over lonely Andean peaks and bowler-hatted cholita women clad in brightly coloured textiles,
with haunting panpipe music and the chatter of Quechua for background?
Highlights
Sacred Lake Titicaca and Isla del Sol,
birthplace of the Inca civilisation.
Bolivia’s wild and unexplored
Cordillera Apolobamba, which offers a glimpse into the heart of Andean culture (including
gold miners, witch doctors and condor hunters) and sightings of rare Andean wildlife,
especially alpacas, vicuñas and majestic condors.
Cuzco (where we witness two of the
greatest Andean festivals), the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu (fabled “lost
city” of the Incas), which we explore in the ghostly light of a full moon.
The densely forested mountains of
Vilcabamba in Peru and the little known ruined Inca cities at Choquequirao and Espiritu
Pampa, where the Incas made their last stand against the Conquistadors.
Encounters throughout the journey with
indigenous people descended from the Incas: Aymaras around Lake Titicaca; Callawayas
(reputedly the witch doctors who treated Inca aristocracy) in southern Apolobamba; and
Quechuas north of Apolobamba.
La Paz
Our journey begins in La Paz, the
world’s highest capital, which is set in a huge bowl fringed by lofty Andean peaks.
Its steep, cobbled streets and seemingly endless markets are alive with cholita women dressed in brightly striped
traditional costumes (Bolivia boasts the highest indigenous population in all South
America).
Tiahuanaco Ruins
Leaving La Paz, we head west towards Lake Titicaca where we will
meet our team of horses and mules. Nearing the lake, we pass the ruins of Tiahuanaco,
believed to be the earliest of all Andean cultures. These cultures grew up along the
shores of Lake Titicaca and later conquered all the surrounding valleys. Although few
traces remain of the Tiahuanacos themselves, their influence can be seen in the cultures
of Wari, Nazca and Paracas, and especially the Incas in Peru.
Lake Titicaca
According to legend, the first Incas
– Manco Capac and his sister Mama Ocllo – rose from the sacred waters of Lake
Titicaca under direct orders from the sun. At 3,800m, Lake Titicaca is one of the
world’s highest lakes. Despite its extreme altitude, a warming microclimate allows
surprisingly efficient agriculture, including potato growing and llama rearing, which were
important foundations of the Inca economy.
We journey across the lake by traditional
reed boat and visit the islands of the sun (Isla del Sol) and moon (Isla de la Luna). We
take great care not to fall in as the dazzlingly bright water is also freezing cold! On
Isla del Sol, we trek to a point at its northern tip that is revered as the birthplace of
the Inca empire. Even without the Inca legend, visiting the lake and its islands is a
serene experience. Add the Inca legend and the experience verges on the spiritual.
Start of the Riding Journey
Returning to the Bolivian
“mainland”, we start the riding journey near the southeastern shore of Lake
Titicaca. Our team comprises two riders from Britain plus guides from local villages.
Horses and mules carry all our supplies.
The horses and mules play a vital role in
the journey. The terrain is wild and inaccessible to vehicles; the going very arduous.
Trekking the route would be virtually impossible.
Pre-Inca Trails
Our route shadows several pre-Inca trails
that connect the Andes with the Amazon jungle. We climb high passes and gain great views
over surrounding mountains, visit remote Aymara villages and encounter typical Andean
wildlife such as alpacas, llamas and condors.
Apolobamba
This is a stunning, little visited range
of glaciated peaks, breathlessly high passes and unspoilt Andean villages preserving
centuries-old ways of life. We encounter rare wildlife, particularly condors, possibly
spectacled bears and coyotes and, if we are very lucky, pumas.
Throughout Apolobamba, we delve deeply
into local religion, culture, beliefs and traditions, which include hanging dried llama
foetuses from house beams. We pass ancient gold mines, meet witch doctors and condor
hunters, and learn Inca astronomy.
By journeying in the dry (winter) season,
the Andes stand out in razor-sharp clarity against a deep blue sky. We might not see a
cloud in weeks. Days are bright and sunny; nights at altitude bitterly cold. Above this
high altitude wilderness, night skies are as spellbindingly clear and starry as anywhere
this side of outer space.
In tiny isolated villages, we witness
traditional Andean festivals involving dazzling – sometimes gaudy – costumes,
loud – sometimes raucous – brass bands and, inexorably, unbroken bouts of heavy
drinking.
Each evening, we cook and socialise
around campfires as we relive the highs and lows of the day. We occasionally try to catch
fish for supper in fast-flowing mountain streams.
Peruvian Altiplano
Skirting the Ullaulla vicuña reserve, we
reach the northern extreme of the Cordillera Apolobamba, where we enter Peru at a
non-standard border crossing. In contrast to the Apolobamba mountains, this is a region of
typically flat Altiplano, where we at last have the chance of some faster riding.
Cuzco
Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital, is a
fascinating mixture of colonial Spanish architecture built on foundations of perfect Inca
stonework. In Cuzco we witness two historic and colourful festivals: Qoyllur Rit’i
and Inti Raymi.
Qoyllur Rit’i is one of the greatest
native Indian festivals and embodies much of the heritage of the Peruvian Altiplano.
10,000 pilgrims climb to the snowline at Sinkara on the Mount Ausangate glacier outside Cuzco,
accompanied by dancers in full costume portraying mythical characters. A group of queros
(probably Peru’s purest Quechua community) set out for the mountaintop at 6,362m in
search of the Snow Star, reputedly buried in the mountain. On their way back down, they
haul massive blocks of ice on their backs for the symbolic irrigation of their lands with
holy water.
Inti Raymi is the most majestic
pre-Hispanic ceremony honouring the sun. The central event takes place beneath the
imposing Sacsayhuamán fortress just outside Cuzco. Thousands of actors enact a ceremony
giving thanks to the sun god Inti. The Inca ruler is carried to the city’s main
square, two llamas sacrificed and predictions made for next year’s harvest, after
which the entire city erupts into festivities that rage for several days.
Sacred Valley
Leaving the Cuzco festivals, we return to
peaceful landscapes of ancient villages and Inca terraces as we ride west into the Sacred Valley.
We are heading into the heart of the Inca empire and the ruins become increasingly
impressive, particularly at Ollantaytambo and above Pisac (which also boasts a lively
market).
Machu
Picchu
Despite its fame, visiting Machu Picchu remains an extraordinary
experience. Travelling to Machu Picchu by horse or mule provides a refreshing alternative
to the busy Inca Trail trek and lets us escape the crowds. Once again, we journey back in
time as we follow forgotten roadways that were once the main arteries of the Inca
highlands. Carefully avoiding the traditional trail, we pass wild, unspoilt country,
medieval villages and seldom visited Inca ruins. Using horses lets us climb over high
passes beyond the reach of most trekkers.
We aren’t allowed to ride our horses
all the way to Machu Picchu and have to join the trekkers for the final stage of the
journey. By staying at the ruins, we escape the day-trippers once more and experience the
spirituality of exploring the ruins in moonlight.
Vilcabamba
Beyond Machu Picchu lies a wild, densely
forested region of cold uplands and hot sub-tropical valleys. Following the Spanish
conquest, most of the surviving Inca royalty fled into the steep, overgrown Vilcabamba
mountains where they hid for several decades and made their final refuge.
Our route through Vilcabamba is dominated
by high peaks as we climb from the cloud forest below Machu Picchu and cross the spine of
the range before descending into another steep canyon.
After Machu Picchu, Choquequirao is one of the best-preserved
major Inca ruins. The fantastically preserved ruins are comparable in size to Machu Picchu
and are dramatically located on a promontory 2,000 metres above the roaring Apurimac
River.
Espiritu Pampa hides the ruins of many Inca
buildings, temples and palaces, almost completely covered with vines and lush tropical
growth, all beneath a towering canopy of trees. Although Machu Picchu has to date cornered
the publicity as the “lost city” of the Incas, Choquequirao and Espiritu Pampa
are the true lost cities of the empire.
Espiritu Pampa, the poignant last capital
of the last Incas, marks the finish of our journey. It was here in 1572 that Tupac Amaru
was captured and executed, thus bringing to an end the Inca dynasty. |
