Transit of livestock to the right.
The first day of an easy walk. At first it seems that if it were not for the need to rent horses, then the entire path can be reached by car.
The trail soon narrows. It is still at the very bottom, until the evening from this place to climb over a thousand meters.
The road goes up all the time, but flat ground and walk is not tiring. Around a beautiful mountain panorama. From this it is close to the settlement Chekiska. It's not even a village, and the shack on the road, where you can stop and get water. We got there after dark, so no photos.
Day Two. We go deeper into the Andes towards the ruins Chokekiro. Before they walk away 11:00.
Bought from local residents rooster for dinner. As they walked, he crowed all the way.
In the evening got to Chokekiro. This is the first city of the Incas in exile, here they fled from Cuzco, conquistadors, until they drove them further north in the direction of Vilkabamby. The ruins are not too old, they are less than 500 years. The height of 3000 meters.
To the place that used to be the central area, and got there before dark camp. Here goes few tourists and we spent the night alone. Inspect the design decided tomorrow at dawn, as I wished very next day.
Third day. The next morning the clouds came down and instead of a beautiful sunrise at all had to look through a thick fog.
The gates to the city and part of the fortress wall.
The ruins of the barracks and the Imperial Palace. On the misty hill place for sacrifices, but there is nothing interesting - just a stone paved floor. In normal times, it opens with a beautiful outlook over the city, but in this fog there was not anything to see.
Barn.
Agricultural terraces - the biggest part of all the cities of the Incas. Around the city grew only what you need, the main arable land are located a few kilometers from the city. I went there next.
Walk through the fog, too, wonder if he gives the landscape and the mystery reminiscent of times when I played in the Might and Magic 5. There, in the city like the fog descended.
Chokekiro recently begun to be cleared of undergrowth and most of the ruins still hidden by vegetation. The road to the side terraces Pinchinuyu passes through the picturesque woods. Miguel (my guide), it calls the high jungle (high jungle), but it is all in a row so called, I'm not sure how this is correct.
Closer to the top of the wood goes into the bush. Height of 3600 meters.
Finally the clouds parted a bit and opened the prospect. At the bottom flows the Rio Blanca, we have it today, will spend the night.
Terraces Pinchinuyu - in agricultural center Chokekiro. It still operates a system of automatic irrigation Incas drew mountain streams, so that they are uniformly watered every step of the terrace.
Condor eggs! bdysch bdysch bdysch. (In fact, the fruit of the plant, whose name I forget. But the first few minutes, I was sure that they, and only a fool Miguel was glad I was to breed). The idea that a giant egg giant bird in the whole entourage of good fit.
Construction entirely monumental, bad picture conveys the scale terraces extend for several hundred yards down the hill. Very nice.
Then we began to descend toward the Rio Blanca. At this stage of the journey I fell head over heels off the trail and flew twenty meters down a miracle itself without breaking anything. I was lucky three times in succession: first, that I fell on the rocky is not, as part of an overgrown hill. Then lucky that I hit a tree does not face, and back with a backpack, in which the laptop, lenses, and the rest served as a buffer technique. And thirdly, that this tree is generally met. A few feet was a precipice, a fall from which I would not have survived. At the same track segment fell from a mule, but he was not so lucky - he broke his leg and had to kill him.
The fourth day. From Rio Blanca to Yanam. The most difficult part of the way, 12-hour shift, of which 8:00 is a steep climb. The road is very beautiful.
This part of the way we passed along the road of the Incas. There is still the only way, though the Incas seriously flattered when comparing them with the Roman road system. It's just sunk into the earth stones.
The road runs along the edge of the cliff, so well did not fall.
I'm on the edge of the cliff.
After the pass (4400 meters) the road finally goes down. From here to Yanam 4:00 brisk descent.
By seven o'clock in the evening arrived at Yanam. Immediately, it became clear that the convoy with food and things to us today will not make it, and we started looking for dinner and overnight. We are housed in this building.
The master kitchen. On the floor of the National Peruvian food - guinea pigs (known locally as their Strike). When they are fed they are very cute chick. We had dinner today with them.
Supper in the kitchen. Surprisingly, during the whole campaign, I have never been poisoned, although the moral was ready for it.
Fifth day. In the morning went out to look around. Yanam is surrounded by mountains, walking a pleasure. By noon, we finally drove up to train and I posted the pursuer to seek to replace the mule of the deceased.
We decided that today are not going anywhere. To the place of the next stop is 10:00 walk - to the dark does not make it. To not sit still, has taken the initiative to go to the mountain lake "nearby." Local residents claimed that it is in 3-hour leisurely walk.
Not only that, until he was five o'clock a very heavy lift, and what kind is not worth it.
Sixth day. Woke up at five in the morning to slowly come together and get to the place before nightfall the next stop. The driver pulls the load the mules.
We depart from Yanam in the direction of the foot Kelkamachay. In the mountains the most unpleasant thing is a long descent, when you know that after passing the gorge will have to climb again.
River on the road.
Slight rise in the other side of the gorge. Before the evening away to climb to two thousand meters.
Bdysch bdysch! Because of the hills seemed Kelkamachay mountain. At its foot, we will now spend the night.
Seventh day. Dawn over Choketokarpa. Between its vertices is the only pass in the direction of Vilkabamba. We have to climb almost to the top.
The road is not easy, but beautiful.
View from the top. Choketokarpa very low elevation of the ridge, only 5400 meters. The pass of the Inca road system was built 600 years ago.
Goes down.
I'm the mule.
The road is well preserved, it is a pleasure to go.
The area around Vilkabamba was one of the most populated by the Incas. On the road now and then come across the ruins.
I still kind of in the background.
The descent is almost overcome. Then just walk up to legaya Vilkabamby. Seven days is the first place with electricity and water. A warm shower, you can not even imagine how it could be fine.
In Vilkabambe Inca conquistadors gave the final battle. Once it was the most populated area of the empire. But when the conquistadors in the 16th century by the Incas conquered it, then so strongly about it forgot that the ruins had been rediscovered in the 20th century. This tower was built right after the conquistadors victory. It also re-discovered in the twentieth century.
The ruins of the penultimate Inca city.
Quechua Vilkabamba means "sacred valley". This place was inhabited long before the Incas themselves and are still preserved artifacts doinkovoy culture. Huge hewn boulders, presumably used for sacrifices.
Hence I had to go in the direction of Espiritu Pampa - the last city of the Incas. But the city went down the rebels and expelled all foreigners (read more in my diary).Miguel explained that through Espiritu Pampa is an important transit point of drug trafficking, and that they protect the drug. Either way, people with guns shoved me into the car and sent in the opposite direction, the city Kilyabamba. Then the route had to improvise.
Kilyabamba perfect hole. Young village drowned in the jungle Echarate.
Central Square.
Do absolutely nothing in the city, but due to unforeseen situation, I had spend nearly two days, writing a new route.
Imperial flag of the Incas of the same size and color of the rainbow flag with the gay movement. How they divide it into Peru's interesting.
Beauty salon.
In Peru, half of private houses painted political agitation. How much do they spend money on it scary to imagine.
Handmade urn.
Locals explain what a good idea to wash your hands before eating.
In general, it should go.
On the second day of the planned route and decided to go into the jungle Megantoni. Kilyabamby from the edge of deep jungles of six hours on a car on a scenic tropical road.
Very nice.
In the jungle live the poor. How do they do it in such abundance can not imagine.
In the evening we arrived to the port Ivochote. Here the road ends, then you can get only by boat.
This is not the main street, this is the only street. People in the jungle are much less friendly than in the mountains. We were always looked askance, and in general I do not feel safe.
After spending the night in Ivachote we caught the canoe, which dovezlo us into the very depths of jungle in the Pongo de Manike. The final frontier of the Inca Empire, they did not go farther than ever before.
Swam (?) To the Pongo de Manike stunning. As if the scenery for the movie about Indiana Jones. A huge number of waterfalls, colorful birds scream. It will be exciting.
Already there.
6 hours later we landed on a deserted beach, where we went deeper into the jungle.
Inside the timber is not very interesting photograph. All grows so densely that no "species" in the jungle does not happen.
Trekking in the jungle is much more complicated than in the mountains. It's not even trekking, and struggle for every step. Rely on what you can not, go shallow roots, and any apparent safe ledge necessarily fails. All the time necessary to crawl on all fours.
Come across an absolutely fantastic plants. On this tree I fell badly and tore his arm. Never seen anything like it. I think it could grow into Mordor.
Cut the tree, which was bright red sap. As in the forest of suicides in Dante.
In order to somehow speed up the promotion had to walk along the river ford. Wet, but not so tiring.
In hot weather it is even refreshing, but you have to go barefoot, occasionally coming ashore to insects, brr.
Finally got to the top of the hill. Here today we'll spend the night.
And I went there with a machete.
The next morning the same way had to go down.
On the tree hang bird nest, whose name I zybal. This looks very strange.
By midday, down to the shore, where stood before the problem returns. Some time went along the river until they caught the canoe. The locals speak a language Machigenge, and my guide for only Quechua. Speak had signs. In the evening we sailed to Ivachote.
Bus leaves from Ivochote times a day in the morning. Private car in a place to rent is not possible, although we tried. Leave in the morning we were late and had to improvise. First rode in the trunk of the jeep passing cars, then moved to the back of a truck with fruit, and people. It was in good spirits.
But to get Kilyabamby still failed. Truck was just before this fantastic place of depression. We waited another three hours on the road, but did not encounter any more cars.
Miguel said that he spend the night in a tent in a place like this can be dangerous. We stopped at this woman.
She fed us guinea pigs and we went to bed.
In the morning we managed to catch the car without incident and to get to Santa Teresa. How do we set out on foot to Machu Pichu,.
The road goes ever on the slope into the woods and back.
In contrast to the jungles and mountains of this densely populated area. Constantly come across a village. Here the locals gather coffee.
And his hand dried. Poorly understood, than those collected and dried so attractive grain collected automatically.
The road towards the hydroelectric station.
Station "gidroelektrika." From here trains leave in the direction of the town AquaPhone Calientes, where you can get to Machu Picchu by bus. But the walk is much more fun.
The road to Machu Picchu, the most picturesque part of the path of the Incas.
Here, along the cliffs are built stage and everything is already like a full-fledged way.
There is absolutely breathtaking place.
Even a narrow path.
The closer to Machu Picchu, the more on the way come across the ruins. But until today I did not set came, and stayed in a hotel nearby (there is a civilization only in the photo it looks wildly).
I woke up at four in the morning to meet the sunrise over Machu Picchu,. Beauty.
Early in the morning there is still very few people. And the day will be pandemonium.
After admiring the sunrise went to inspect the complex and surrounding area. It is much more than it appears in the photographs is impressive.
Machu Picchu is the most ancient Inca city. His left back in the pre-Columbian era, presumably due to the outbreak of the epidemic.
All stones in the masonry delicately adjusted to each other. Looks nice.
The upper gate to the city.
The purpose of all buildings speculatively. Miguel calls it a "castle", the "temple". But the Incas did not have its own written language, which is why their way of life significantly is not known.
View from the window of one of the "temples." Class!
Terraces are similar to those built in Chokekiro.
Well, just a general view of the entire complex.
Watching in Machu Picchu, I sat on the bus and went to AquaPhone Calientes. Tourist city in a very picturesque place.
The city is not historical, founded in the early twentieth century.
All nice buildings are tailor-made for tourists. In this restaurant I ate. Nice town.
The same evening I went by train to Cuzco. Finally!
About Lima, Cuzco and surroundings will write a separate post. Unless it got too long. If anyone watched the all of this, you are great.
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