Machu Picchu 2022 Recap
The 2022 Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu team is now home after an astounding couple weeks in Peru! The crew gathered in late April in the ancient capital city of Cusco. With Lima being the current capital city of Peru, Cusco was originally the beating heart and capital city of the whole Incan Empire, spanning the length of the Andes encompassing nowadays western Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile.
Cusco is known for it’s archaeological remains from this pre-Columbian time period as well as Spanish colonial architecture. The city is the launching point to enter the Sacred Valley towards Machu Picchu and is full of vibrant Peruvian food, music, and culture. After a day of exploring the city, the Ryder-Walker team set off to begin our journey along the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu.
This route encompasses five nights in luxurious lodges from the high-alpine to cloud-forest to jungle environments. The lodges were hand built in 2008 and resemble a fully stocked and staffed backcountry ski hut or 5-star B&B that you would find in the European Alps. With hot tubs in each lodge, private bathrooms, communal WiFi zones, and family dinner tables provided by highly skilled and trained chefs, our evenings spent at each hut are incredibly relaxing and transformative as we step into the Peruvian Andes.
After six days of trekking directly beneath some of Peru’s largest glaciers and identifying as many orchids as possible, we arrive in Aguas Calientes. Perched directly beneath Machu Picchu on the river bottom, Aguas Calientes caters to travelers from all over as we get re-acquainted with society and settle into our bungalows at the Inka Tera Hotel in preparation for our early morning entrance into Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is a symbol of the Incan Empire and a citadel sitting on the ridge-line of a mountain at 8,000 feet hosting an incredible amount of mind-blowing stone wall architecture. Machu Picchu has been declared one of the ‘7 Wonders of the World’ and hosts many visitors year round. After two hours of visiting the citadel, the Ryder-Walker team has the opportunity to climb the mountain directly next to Machu Picchu, Huyana Picchu, by taking an Incan staircase for an hour all the way to the top. Incredible views!
This trip and trek along the Salkantay route to Machu Picchu is an adventure to remember and unparalleled anywhere in the South American Andes. Our 2023 trip is scheduled for May 3 through 13! We hope you can join us next spring when we return to this magical place. Give us a call to reserve your 2023 dates or book your own, private trek.
I am looking forward to sharing this with all of you!
Much love,
Dave Nesis
Ryder-Walker Lead Guide
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