When we returned to Panama we wanted to check if “Maya” was OK. She had survived the three months well, and we were able to pack our trekking gear for the upcoming trip to Peru in peace.
Why Peru?
Peru had been on our bucket list for a long time and we had already received many tips from friends. The colourful and diverse culture of the Incas and the beautiful, breathtaking landscapes alone make it a special destination.
We stayed there for a total of two months and travelled from the north, starting in Huaraz, then via Cusco and Puno to Arequipa and Lima.
Peru captivated us, but you need time to acclimatise to the altitude which can take two weeks.
The fantastic trekking tours in the Andes in the Cordillera Blanca were unique. Additionally in Cusco and Arequipa, you can find the best culinary delights at affordable prices.
Our start from Panama to Lima was didn’t go according to plan. We only had a reserved return flight to Panama booked, which was required for the immigration officials. Since mid-June 2024 the rules had changed and you needed a valid return ticket. Very annoying! We had no choice but to book a new return flight.
Late in the night we finally reached Lima. Luckily I had booked a hotel at the airport as our connecting flight to Huaraz in the north was early in the morning.
We reached the small airport in Huaraz in a small twin-engine plane. Everything was very straightforward, our luggage was already waiting at the exit, as was the taxi to our first accommodation – Akilpo Hostel.
The Akilpo Hostel is run by three very nice brothers and is unique.
We stayed here for two weeks and went on several high-altitude hikes from there. We got this tip from friends. Here you can get very good tips for hikes, which couldn’t be more detailed, and we felt like part of the family . The parents of the three brothers also live there and it was quaint to see the mother sitting in the courtyard with a spinning wheel.
To help with the altitude adaptation our first three hikes did not go above 4000m. Except for one hike, we did all of them on our own.
In the heart of the Cordillera Blanca, we embark on an epic trekking tour that takes us around the most beautiful mountain in the world, Alpamayo, and to the world-famous and arguably most beautiful Laguna 69.
During our hikes, we cross passes that reward us with breathtaking views of these majestic mountain formations and peaks. With every step we traverse untouched valleys with small rivers and a fascinating array of plants and animals.
These hikes and the beautiful nature provide moments of pure happiness. But they also push us to our physical limits up to the altitude of almost 5300m.
The city of Huaraz is a small, dusty bustling city with many small colourful markets. The women with their beautiful traditional costumes and hats are simply eye-catching. Unfortunately, they rarely allow themselves to be photographed.
What shocked me was that many older women sit on the street with a lamb in their arms and ask you to take a picture in exchange for payment. There is no social support in Peru and those who have no family are left to fend for themselves in old age.
Of course, a visit to the Pastoruri Glacier was a must, and the breathtaking journey through so many varied landscapes was unique. However, even the 5,250-metre-high Pastoruri Glacier has been affected by climate change and has already receded by more than 50% in recent decades.
From Huarez, we flew via Lima to Cusco, located at an altitude of 3,416 metres, the capital of the province of the same name and the centre of the Andean highlands.
In the local language Quechua, it means “navel of the world” or “centre of the world”. It is the stronghold of Inca culture and has many sights and great museums. From here, we did the breathtaking Salkantay trail to Machu Picchu over 5 days and a trip to the legendary Rainbow Mountains.
Another 3-day trip took us to the small, unspoilt mountain village of Ollyantayambo with its Inca ruins.
In Cusco, you can just drift along and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the individual squares in the city with a glass of pisco sour. The many small restaurants offer a rich selection of culinary delicacies such as different types of ceviche.
From Cusco, we took a 7-hour bus ride to Puno and Lake Titicaca.
There, we gained insight into the hard life of the Uros inhabitants, especially the women.
We spent 3 wonderful days on a floating island with an Uros family.
At night it gets bitterly cold there and we lay under eight blankets with a hot water bottle, which the 10-year-old daughter brought us every evening. It’s a bit of a strange feeling walking on these small, completely moving islands, which are only loosely stacked with bundles of reeds. Every few weeks they have to be renewed or re-stacked.
Early in the morning, the mothers take their children to the mainland in a small boat so that they can go to school. Most of the fathers work in the city and are only at home on weekends. The women want a better future for their children, but only a few can study because it is very expensive and there is no support from the state, they told us.
From Puno, we continued with a 6-hour overland bus ride to Arequipa, arguably the most beautiful city in the area. Arequipa, the white city, is a World Heritage Site, surrounded by volcanoes and rich in historical heritage.
We stayed in Arequipa for a whole week and enjoyed the wonderful variety of restaurants in the city centre. A week-long trip took us past natural springs and small historic mountain villages to the Colca Canyon.
A challenging 2-day trekking tour took us into the 1000-metre-deep gorge to a small green oasis. It was incredibly steep, dusty and very hot.
We started our return ascent at 0200 with headlamps, as it gets very hot from 9 am onwards.
When travelling by bus, it can happen that you get stuck in traffic for six hours because of a small construction site on the route. Then the traffic jams up for miles in both directions.
When we arrived in Arequipa, we stayed at our favourite accommodation again, where we had also left our rucksacks. We enjoyed the excellent food and friendliness of the Peruvians over the last few days.
We really liked Peru as a country with its diverse nature and people, and we will definitely come back again.
Back at Shelterbay Marina in Panama, it’s now time to work on and under Maya. Sand down the propeller and treat it with antifouling. Change the anodes and get the boat ready for the water again. This time, we had the marina sand down the Coppercoat.
Maya is back in the water after a week and it feels great again. It’s a strange feeling living on a boat on dry land.
You can’t use the toilets or cook properly because water is limited and the drain runs under the boat via a small hose.
At the end of November, we will head for Germany, where we plan to stay until 20 January 2025.
