LATIN AMERICA PERU TREKKING DESTINATIONS LEFT:


Machu Picchu


RIGHT: Wayra Lodge


As well as horse riding along the


trail, cycling and zip-wires are options available in some sections. Cultural elements are also woven in; the drive from Cusco to the start of the trail includes stops at a women’s craft cooperative, a colonial farmhouse and Inca ruins, and an organic farm. All Mountain Lodges of Peru’s


SAMPLE PRODUCT


An 11-night Salkantay


Lodge to Lodge Adventure with


Mountain Lodges of Peru starts at £2,345. The six-night Lares


Adventure costs from £1,885.


Prices are based on two sharing, on a full-board basis during the


trek and on a B&B basis in Cusco, and include transfers, entrance fees, tips (excluding the guide), Wi-Fi, permits to Machu Picchu, and a bilingual guide. mountain lodgesofperu. com


properties are community-run, managed and staffed by Quechua people. Many of them speak English, although attempts at Spanish are still warmly welcomed. Each lodge has its own character.


Salkantay Lodge is the largest of the five, with log fires, an igloo sauna and mountain-view hot tub. At Wayra Lodge, a courtyard tub and homemade pizzas are well received; Colpa’s traditional pachamanca meal, cooked under hot stones, is a lunchtime treat; while the valley views from Lucma Lodge are wonderful. But it’s the scenery that makes this


trail so special. As we walk, Wilfredo points out the wildflowers, the bright purple lupin that pop up at every opportunity, and the vegetation, which changes as we move through the ecosystems. And that’s not to mention the almost


overwhelmingly beautiful sights of Peru’s highlands, such as soaring Mount Salkantay, the Salkantay Pass and the descent into tropical climes. The luxury lodges are more than


places to bed down. They are where we make pisco sours with the staff, pore over coffee-table books about Incan sacrifice, and over dinner, listen


At the luxury lodges, we make pisco sours with the staff and pore over coffee-table books about Incan sacrifice


to Wilfredo’s tales and passion for Incan archaeology. Talented chefs serve delicious


Peruvian dishes, from ceviche to inventive potato dishes (thousands of varieties of the vegetable grow here) to local speciality cuy (guinea pig). And while the prospect of seeing Machu Picchu is exciting, there’s an air of wistfulness on the final morning, when no more will we wake up to these valley views. The hike ends at Llactapata Pass, from where groups catch the luxury PeruRail train to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu Pueblo, where a night at the beautiful Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel awaits, ahead of the holy grail the following day.


Cusco


Most people start trekking from Cusco. No matter their level of fitness, emphasise the importance of acclimatising for two to three nights. Suggest they take it easy on day one, stay well hydrated and have altitude- sickness tablets on hand. It’s worth factoring in time to enjoy Cusco, before or after a trek. Atmospheric, interesting and fun, many leave too little time for it. Whether it’s for the impressive Sacsayhuaman archaeological site, numerous top- notch restaurants, shopping for alpaca scarves and Peruvian crafts, or visiting its museums, Cusco is a sight in itself. Accommodation is plentiful. If you’re booking guests on a Mountain Lodges of


Peru trip, the company owns two hotels, El Retablo and El Mercado, which come highly recommended. El Mercado (pictured) is a more contemporary but still Peruvian-inspired property with an excellent restaurant, large terrace and evening campfire.


6 December 2018travelweekly.co.uk67


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