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From the Trek

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Course Instructors

10th of July, 2016

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Peru '16

Cortlin and Sofia playing with our friend Edwin's cute puppies at our hotel in Urubamba. We stopped here to drop off our daypacks with unnecessary items before our trek. We will be staying here after we visit Machu Picchu on Monday!
Cortlin and Sofia playing with our friend Edwin’s cute puppies at our hotel in Urubamba. We stopped here to drop off our daypacks with unnecessary items before our trek. We will be staying here after we visit Machu Picchu on Monday!

 

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A Peruvian shaman came to invoke the good spirits of the mountain gods, or "apus," to ensure that we would have a safe journey on our trek.
A Peruvian shaman came to invoke the good spirits of the mountain gods, or “apus,” to ensure that we would have a safe journey on our trek.

The shaman spoke Quechua and called upon countless apus to protect us. He gave us each three coca leaves so that we could make the intentions of our journeys known to the apus. We then buried the leaves, giving them to Pachamama, or “Mother Earth.”

There was a whole hoard of llamas just below the drop-off where the two llamas are standing. We have seen countless herds of llamas and alpacas so far. How to tell the difference between the two animals? Llamas are bigger, their legs aren't as furry, and their ears look more like bananas. Alpacas are smaller, have little ears, and have furry legs and faces.
There was a whole hoard of llamas just below the drop-off where the two llamas are standing. We have seen countless herds of llamas and alpacas so far. How to tell the difference between the two animals? Llamas are bigger, their legs aren’t as furry, and their ears look more like bananas. Alpacas are smaller, have little ears, and have furry legs and faces.
Our SStS group before we set out! You can see our path cut into the mountain on the left. The path comprised of many tough uphill sections on the first day, as we increased our elevation over 1200 feet!
Our SStS group before we set out! You can see our path cut into the mountain on the left. The path comprised of many tough uphill sections on the first day, as we increased our elevation over 1200 feet!

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