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Riding to Machu Picchu

Riding Machu Picchu Vacation

I found many reasons why you should not accept the offer to go to Machu Picchu in Peru. The most obvious is the distance home, but to write my "How good that I am offered a good opportunity, but unfortunately, I unfortunately will have to decrease e-mail, a doubt continued to eat in the back of my mind. Yes, it was miles away, and I travel alone but I had always dreamed of visiting Machu Picchu and the opportunity to visit the heart of the Inca empire, on horseback, could have been me writing a screenplay? As the Spanish conquerors must feel all these years the temptation of the Incas became stronger then a rainy Monday night in England full of news of economic disaster newspapers in the world, I opened my laptop and book my ticket for a journey life.

Six days later, I flew Manchester, Amsterdam and Lima on board a KLM plane and later in the evening of my arrival in Lima. A flower market, used to grow orchids in their heyday in the main square and mingled with people struggled to negotiate for the bags of topsoil, fertilizer and orchids. Maybe you were the effects of a flight of 12 hours or maybe it was intoxicating aroma of orchids made me feel all dizzy with excitement in this new city and exotic.

I got up early the next morning, it is not surprising given the difference of 6 hours, and I wanted to explore the city a little more before my afternoon flight to Cuzco (the capital of the Inca empire). At this time of the morning stores were still closed, walked to the park overlooking the sea and watched the morning surfers seek to dominate the relentless waves of the Pacific. A beautiful embracing lovers sculpture is a popular proposals for the city and around many plaques bearing witness to the happiness that so obviously invited. At noon I met back to the hotel to pack my things and wave goodbye to this picturesque city. Later in the day he landed in Cusco and my long journey since England while I was looking more and more pain! I was received by my guests with warmth and generosity of character which had become for me the symbol this great country. Since I was safely stored in the van, exchanged greetings and are beyond our destination for the night.

The day begins Early in Peru, but it caused no problem that my body was still and resist change your internal clock. Today we were on a trip to the horse ranch living near the small town of Moyapata. After a visit to the cosmopolitan city of Lima, the cultural capital of Cusco, Moyapata represented for me what I had imagined "reality" to Peru. The houses are simple, narrow streets and a square full of curious people lined up to buy its breakfast business villagers did with the large canteen full of hot meals served at the roadside. Another local vision had become a room in his house in an internet cafe and as I sent in my top five e-mails of young boys crowded around the computer playing next to me with enthusiasm, "Grand Theft Auto … .. it is impossible to escape the internet games!

The stables are located along a bumpy track on the outskirts of the city and here I met the manager Ricardo stable and faithful Arturo assistant. They worked quickly and skillfully up to six horses at the time it takes me to veer to one in England. The horses were mostly horses quarter of all in good shape with shiny coats and a twinkle in his eye. We were assigned our forests by experts for the next five days and I took the time to familiarize with Fulmine really was only thoroughbred whose mother had been a success on the track in Lima before the change in occupation for broodmare. With this in mind and furnished with more information than their name comes from the word that roughly translates fulminate about "the explosion of a gun" I felt that continuing the other would not be a problem for me!

The owner of the horses and houses in which to stay during our trip, accompanied us throughout travel and its signal comes together on what must be the most memorable trip I've done. Enrique, the owner, had a vision for this expedition, as a skier Acute often had looked at the lodges around the world and thought … .. Peru and why not? Today, we headed west to the first Berghaus, for the first time I started looking for the mountainous terrain in the same way as the Inca people should have to look 500 years ago. The tracks we go along is rocky and hard, but the horses on a few stones and rocks with their shoes demanding precision just the right place.

Galloping down the mountain roads, Enrique said the old Inca irrigation canals that cut clearly saw the flank of the mountain on the opposite side of the valley. As the altitude increased my energy level has decreased, but the height had no effect on these sudden and as I become less effective in the saddle, gradually took control, I could almost feel raising an eyebrow and say, "another tourist! Just as I began to feel the first effects of the actual altitude seeping into my body, fortunately, the hotel is in sight. vision Henry was a reality, we reached the equivalent of a high-level Peruvian Colorado Ski Lodge. Only local staff, who gathered in front of our meeting, we gave our true destiny. As struck, also understands the needs of "Rooky tourists and we were greeted with steaming cups" Mate de Coca, a special tea prepared by the inhabitants of the coca leaf, which is known to avoid the effects of altitude. Ricardo Arturo and immediately fell back on their professionalism and well-rehearsed over the reins of the horses transported out of the corridors that we added to our Inca Palace. The hostel was built with all the elegance of this period as the story evokes Inca gold masks adorned the walls and it was easy to become completely enveloped in an atmosphere of luxury.

The next morning, we headed into the area around of Soraypampa. Our goal was to visit the Humantay lake is fed by a glacier over the hillsides Humantay. My horse looks so fresh and alive to set the date forward and we took them off the channels of climbing higher and higher into the mountains, I wondered what my horse at home in England would do this adventure. Premises scraping a precarious existence of the tracks relentless grazing animals that have sparse vegetation, scraping upslope impossible to reach all the last date edible vegetation. His life is difficult in the winter months, but I could not help thinking that the freedom of his life here on the mountain was preferable to civilized life of our animals from farm to home. As they mounted higher and higher mules, donkeys, ponies and cows we saw with languid eyes before continuing their daily work foraging.

The Inca glacial lakes is considered that the eyes of the mountain and it was easy to understand why I have seen the incredibly turquoise lake seemed to be blinking at me from his mountain refuge. To show respect to the mountain gods of the Incas would be based Apacheta (mound of stones) and Protesters continue this tradition today asking them safe passage trekking in the Andes.

Tonight, we stay in the same box to give us the opportunity to acclimatize to the altitude, I was drinking mate of coca tea, as if the left side of the fashion and I hope that there was no shortage of coca in the region.

The next day we went to the hostel second in our attempt to get to the enchanted city of Machu Picchu. In the high mountains, the air was cold, the clouds have wrapped in white blankets the tops of the mountains, and today we have warned the temperatures drop. We went through a mountain pass between two of the most sacred mountains of the Incas, we can expect temperatures of minus five degrees, including the wind chill factor. Our gracious host, who took pity on the poor guests dress gave me a wonderful hand woven poncho last night. The inhabitants are proud of the quality of its textiles, all colors are based on extracts from local plants and I was slowly slipping into the rhythm of life in the mountains that I pulled the poncho over my head.

Horses increased steadily over Mountain-building efforts on rocky hillsides and narrow space of negotiation between two blocks that leave the average British goat shaking in their shoes. I learned to trust my thoroughbred brave, knew more about these mountain roads that I, so I accepted that my job was to sit quietly and the light that I could in the saddle. As the rain began to fall, all of our ropes pulled and turned to take a group picture, I felt I could be easily confused with a set of Lord of the Rings, when Frodo moves High in the mountains of Mordor to dispose of the ring of traitors.

When we reach the top of the pass we stopped to make an offering to the god of the mountain and launch our gifts of coca leaves in the wind, we each have our own will. The guide explains that the more their belief, then it is more likely that his wish will be heard. I concentrated as much as I want the peace of the mountain can be with me and my close forever. The horses seemed oblivious to the cold and headed for the second shelter, marched forward with firm steps. The lodge sent the head to mountains to meet us, they had a field about 2 km away and a hot meal waiting for us inside a cozy tent. While we ate a casserole traditional beef from Peru I laughed a bit as the rain fell on the canvas, was a bit like a weekend of traditional British summer camping in Wales.

The second picture was my favorite, the theme such as religion and spirituality in this region and that every day in my new house I was more mountain and more to the incredible power of nature to the environment from rocks and plants.

The next day we headed for the mountain again and magically the rugged landscape changed rocky mountain pass in the jungle in the cloud forests. Temperatures have risen, I shed layers of clothing with every step, Orchid appeared on both sides of the track. I felt like I'd changed continents. The owner of the boxes and horses, Henry is passionate about this area through developed a system called Yanapana plans to eliminate poverty in this area over the next 10 years. Uses only local people in the pictures, included managers who are trained in their dressing room on the first side to a maximum of three months. It encourages farmers to develop fresh local products from kitchens boxes and has a turnover in employment for local drivers mule. Twice a year a group of doctors and dentists Lima and Cuzco travel to remote mountain villages clinics have with families, some of whom have never seen a doctor earlier.

Today we visited another of his projects, a small school local in the mountains above the lodge where we would stay the night. As the horses fought valiantly to climb the rocks near the tracks, Henry explained that Many children walk along this road every day from local villages, taking two hours each day to get to school, then two hours to return home by afternoon. I thought about going home X cash generation in Britain that can just 5 minutes walk to the bus stop and wonder how we could reach an "average." Finally, as thought, never get to school, I heard voices of children adrift in the woods on the top of my head. Double Around the next two smiling teachers appeared with a small group of students who accompanied him on the river, we stopped to exchange news.

As I went to school more excited children ran to greet us were so proud of their school they wanted to accompany us and a or two of them hitched a ride in the back of our chairs. The school was a simple building, but looking in the windows I could see the walls adorned with student work and knew that the work of Enrique "had not been in vain.

Tonight we stayed at a beautiful lodge perched above the confluence of three rivers. The view was really impressive I almost had to pinch myself to believe it could be surrounded by the dramatic beauty. Pachamancha we are eating, a traditional dish cooked meters hot stone.

The next day, I knew that my heart is heavy, as was our last day of driving. Our trip would end up like the start of the Inca Trail where horses are prohibited. I was determined to get the most out of my last Fulmine hours, I had developed a strong bond this career soldier with little and I sincerely hope that he thought the same myself. As I rode in the back, I could feel the warmth of her body in the chair, it felt like home. Continue down the mountain following the river valley, with some points that we have dismantled and taken to our horses when the track is narrow. Finally, we reach the small City of La Playa, as usual, all the people came to greet us and I felt like a celebrity, I'm proud of horses through the narrow streets. As we left the city, gently sloping path and jumped happily galloping horses have left the mountainous terrain and ready to stretch your legs! We ran down the aisles wide, our minds and hearts to the outbreak of the races in time for the hoofs of our horses. As he fell to the right path is the time to stop, we had reached the Inca Trail and now finally goodbye to our noble companions.

The next day, we exchanged four meters by two travel 900 meters upstream through the cloud forest to fly our first point of view over the valley of Machu Picchu. The splendor of the landscape is something that will stay with me all my life, mere words can not describe the sheer majesty of these mountains. After lunch we began our descent, which fell more than 1000 meters to the river and then headed along the coast to a small station where we took the train to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu.

The next day was my birthday and it is certainly one I will remember forever. What better gift than a visit to one of the most beautiful architecture in the world and cultural attractions. As I walked through the Inca temples and the tremendous energy of this notable infiltrated my bones and I felt my spirit fly like condor rose in the sky above me.

As I have flown to England next night I tried to order in my memories of the past 10 days. What was to be held closer to my heart? The views of the mountain scenery, flowers orchid beautiful cloud forest, river water cascading enormous spiritual or the majesty of Machu Picchu … … no, I'm afraid that I must remain true to my heart, Dress me was the sweet brown eyes and my patient had pretty foot Fulmine nobly led me on this journey of his life.

About the Author

Sarah Caplan has been riding horses all her life. As the owner of a Horse Riding Holiday company, www.equestrian-escapes.com , she is now privileged to be able to ride horses all over the world and she would like to share her travels with you.

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