IMAGES: ALAMY


PERU


RIDE THE RAPIDS


Rafting the Urubamba River reveals a side of the Sacred Valley few hikers ever see, with trails etched into the hillsides, birds rising from the reeds and ancient, glacier-crowned peaks standing sentinel above it all


Cutting through Peru’s Sacred Valley like a lifeline, the Urubamba River is fed by ancient glaciers and flanked by Inca ruins, terraced farmland and eucalyptus-covered hillsides. It’s along this historic waterway that I find myself donning a wetsuit and helmet on a pebbled riverbank near Pachar, ready to experience the Sacred Valley from an entirely new perspective — by raft. After a safety briefing from our charismatic


guide, Ricardo Mendoza, my group and I heave the RIB to the river’s edge and push off. I’m immediately startled by its speed: just a few paddle strokes see us surging downriver, as weightless as a leaf on the breeze. Alongside us, a train snakes past, carrying passengers from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, while on the cliffs above, luxury hotels cling to the mountainside. It’s a scene that feels both ancient and alive — a rare, kinetic glimpse into a land that is most often explored on foot. As we ease into the rhythm of paddling, Ricardo


explains that we’ll be tackling Class I to III rapids, and it’s not long before the water begins to churn. Our speed increases, and Ricardo has us standing up, facing outwards, bracing our shins against the inflated sides of the craft and hooking our feet beneath its inner edges. Though the RIB is barely bouncing, I feel a shot of exhilaration as it gathers momentum through the tumult. Ricardo seems pleased we took to the water


From top: The Urubamba River winds through Peru’s Sacred Valley in countless bends and turns; its thrilling Class I to III rapids offer prime rafting adventures from May to September


with such aplomb so, for our next trick, he aims us directly at a large, slippery-looking boulder. Once again, I feel the raft powering up as the river below begins to blur. Our suddenly flimsy-feeling RIB glides over the rock, hovering as if in slow-motion, before tilting and splashing down into the current. For a second, I think I might inadvertently abandon ship, but the raft rights itself as Ricardo yells commands — “Forward! Down!” — over the sounds of rushing water. My paddle flails at empty air as the rapids buffet us about like a twig, but we emerge drenched and laughing. We celebrate our survival by coining a team


name: Mayu Pumas — meaning river pumas — inspired by the creatures the Incas consider


guardians of the land. We then raise our paddles in a pyramid and shout it to the skies. Our exclamations startle a group of black-faced ibis, distracting them from their investigations of mudbanks, and a pair of stray dogs appear out of nowhere, shadowing our trail along the riverbank. As we round a bend, the sky opens up above


us, streaked with thin wisps of cloud and framed by the crooked outlines of eucalyptus trees. Below, ancient Inca trails are etched into the hillsides, worn smooth by centuries of footfall. Ricardo points out the ruins of an old Inca village, Quellorakay, which peek through the terraced banks, and for a minute I get the surreal sense of floating through time. Suddenly, the rhythm shifts as the raft surges


forward. “Class II rapid coming up,” Ricardo announces. “When we start spinning, I want you to jump down inside the raft!” We paddle furiously, then withdraw our oars just as the RIB tips down into the foam. As it begins to turn, Ricardo’s voice cuts through the roar — “Get down!” — before we all chaotically slide onto the wet rubber floor. It’s a rush like no other: thrilling, freeing and completely addictive. It’s not long before the final challenge is upon us,


but with Class III rapids come first-class views. As we approach La Curva del Diablo, a lively stretch of water on the outskirts of Ollantaytambo, my attention is stolen by La Veronica’s glittering glacier, which appears suddenly between the valley walls. Towering at more than 5,791m (19,000ft), this majestic ice-capped peak is one of the highest in the region and a vital water source for the valley below. There’s something powerful and otherworldly about being in its presence, as though it holds the memory of every step ever taken throughout this valley. I wrench my gaze back to the river but, by this point, we’re practically experts, steering through the tumult with gusto. By the time we reach the riverbank on the


outskirts of Ollantaytambo, the adrenaline has faded, but a new perspective lingers — of a valley sustained and shaped by its waters, and perhaps best explored by following its natural rhythm.


NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – EXPERIENCES COLLECTION 29


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216  |  Page 217  |  Page 218  |  Page 219  |  Page 220  |  Page 221  |  Page 222  |  Page 223  |  Page 224  |  Page 225  |  Page 226  |  Page 227  |  Page 228  |  Page 229  |  Page 230  |  Page 231  |  Page 232  |  Page 233  |  Page 234  |  Page 235  |  Page 236  |  Page 237  |  Page 238  |  Page 239  |  Page 240  |  Page 241  |  Page 242  |  Page 243  |  Page 244  |  Page 245  |  Page 246  |  Page 247  |  Page 248  |  Page 249  |  Page 250  |  Page 251  |  Page 252  |  Page 253  |  Page 254  |  Page 255  |  Page 256  |  Page 257  |  Page 258  |  Page 259  |  Page 260