Cusco, close to the Rainbow Mountain
The ancient Inka city of Cusco is maybe mostly known as the gateway to Machu Picchu; the Rainbow Mountain is another discovery not to miss. Cusco was the capital of the Inka empire, and an extensive part of the city is from this period. On our trip, preparing for the hikes, Cusco was used for acclimatising and as a base for the first days in Peru. We were already 3400 meters above sea level, so you can feel the altitude here.
Cusco, the capital of the Inka Imperium
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Inka Imperium was one of the largest imperium in the world. It covered large areas of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Cusco was in this centre and the natural place to build the capital. It was not built up on hillsides like many of the Inka cities typically were, so it was quickly conquered by the Spaniards.
Twelve-angled stone
The Inkas had a very intricate way of building their stonework, without any cement, and so close fit, not even a razor blade fits in between. In many places in Cusco, you can see Inka stone structures and then colonial houses erected on top of that. This wall is a exellent eksample of fantastic Inka kraftmansship. You can see the so-called Twelve-angled stone in the centre of the picture. You can here see how perfectly all the rocks fit together.
Cuscos surroundings
The archaeological site Tambomachay is located close to Cusco. An alternate Spanish name is El Baño del Inca (“the bath of the Inca”). It consists of a series of aqueducts, canals and waterfalls that run through the terraced rocks. It is situated near natural hot springs channelled through three waterfalls that still flow today. Inka’s fantastic craftmanship in rock building is very evident on this site.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas
In the Sacred Valley, we visited several ancient sites; the most impressive and famous is Ollantaytambo, also one of the most well-preserved structures left after the Inkas. From here, we could look at the holy mountain with the Sitio arqueológico Pinkuylluna. Several built structures in the mountain, some used for food storage.
Rainbow Mountain
Before I left home, I had booked a tour of Rainbow Mountain, and on the fourth day in Cusco, we would have a day off, so I thought this would be a good idea. Some other guys in the group wanted to join; however, our local guides did not recommend it because we would hike up to over 5000 meters, and if we were going to get altitude sickness, it could ruin our seven days hike to Machu Picchu.
Nevertheless, we were three that did not want to miss this opportunity and went for the day trip. The Rainbow Mountain is made up of 14 different colourful minerals, and as recently as 2013, the mountain was not visible as it was permanently covered in snow. No doubt, the hike was challenging; we could have hired a horse and been ridden most of the way up, but we hiked all the way, and it was a site never to forget. Nature’s wonders can be just as impressive as human achievements sometimes.
