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Total Time: Six Weeks
“The highlight of the trip? Getting to Machu Picchu at dawn on 18th May and cracking open the champagne. ‘Nuff said.” Paul Rowland, Inca Venture. With the language school phase in Cusco over we begin preparations for the expedition. Our plan is to travel from Machu Picchu in the Inca heartlands through the deserts, mountains and jungles of South America to Quito in Ecuador from where we fly a thousand kilometres offshore to the enchanted Galapagos Islands.
The Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu (Week 3) Salkantay (6,271m) is one of the highest mountains in the region and its snowy flanks gleam in the bright Andean sunshine. With such an inspiring landscape (and a good dose of adrenaline!) our hike up to the 4,600m pass is an enjoyable challenge (honestly!) Passing under Salkantay we'll come across remote mountain communities and witness the ecological biodiversity of this hidden corner of the Andes. Every journey is a cultural experience as well a physical challenge and
the Salkantay trek adds a unique ingredient to the mix - The Gods! Salkantay
is a sacred mountain and it's considered to be the "Guardian Spirit
of the Jungle" by the local people, who frequently make small offerings
to the "apus" or mountain spirits for a safe trip and good fortune.
Suitably blessed, we reach Machu Picchu (4,320m). The famous lost city
of the Incas is one of the most magical and mysterious places on Earth
and is situated on a jungle-cloaked granite ridge, that towers some 600m
above the Urubamba river roaring below. Built from precisely cut granite
blocks, this site is a most spectacular architectural achievement and
was recently proclaimed as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. We have
a full morning to explore and climb the adjacent peak of Huayna Picchu
for a condor's eye view of the citadel.
Huge mountains and deep canyons make the journey to Arequipa a rugged challenge. The "White City", as it's known, was built by the Spanish in the 16th and 17th Centuries and retains most of its original colonial splendour. We stop off for a day or two to visit the Santa Catalina monastery, Juanita "the ice-maiden" (a mummified girl found in a near-by glacier) and the city's gentle pace of life. There's time to relax, the coffee shops and ice-cream parlours on Arequipa's colonnaded plaza are probably the best places in South America to sit back and do some people-watching! Heading north, we reach the desert town of Nasca, home to the mysterious
Nasca Lines. A light aircraft takes us over the stony desert, from where
we have a perfect view of these strange parallel and geometrical figures,
and even designs such as a killer whale, a monkey, and a huge hummingbird.
The lines were etched on the Pampa sands by the Nasca people and it's
thought they were started in 400BC, continuing for another 1,000 years
but, as yet, no-one can agree what they were for! Some claim they formed
a huge astronomical calendar, others argue they are evidence that ancient
Peruvians could fly, while more creative theories suggest they were a
giant running track, or even evidence of an extraterrestrial landing!
It's probably best to make your own mind up after your visit. Arid desert, offshore bird colonies and a “City of Kings” (Week 5) Peru's coastal strip is an arid desert that reaches the Pacific coast as huge sand dunes. Our next stop is the fishing village of Paracas, from where we sail off-shore to the Ballestas Islands, one of the most important marine reserves in the world. You'll see millions of sea birds (wear a hat!), sea lion colonies, penguins and perhaps even dolphins. This is just a taster of things to come! Lima is the Capital of Peru and the "City of Kings" is a full of contradictions: dire poverty and conspicuous wealth are just a block apart. This sprawling city of eight million is over 500 years old and boasts a The Great Inca Road trek and surf beaches in northern Peru (week 6)
VentureCo have been supporting The Great Inca Road project since 2005.The
project aims to generate income from eco-tourism that will benefit the
local communities in these remote Andean areas. VentureCo are building
the infrastructure of a trekking program that follows the Inca footsteps
along the Inka Naani (which means "Great Inca Road" in the local
Quechua language) Ecuador and Spanish refresher course in Quito (half of week 7) Crossing the border from Peru to Ecuador is an experience in itself - the border is a chaotic scene of traders, money changers and travellers all trying to squeeze across the narrow bridge that connects the two countries. We make our way to the southern city of Cuenca in the highlands before entering Quito via the "Valley of the Volcanoes". In Quito we have a week to hone our language skills: see "Phase 1" for details. Highland market towns and white-water rafting in the Amazon (half of week 8) Ecuador has a large indigenous population of Andean Indians who retain the traditions and dress of their ancestors. We travel to the market town of Otavalo to visit the Saturday market. Trade here is conducted at a brisk pace, be prepared to bargain hard! You'll find that it's worth it though, Otavalo is famous worldwide for its range of fine weavings, carvings and leatherwork. For a complete change of environment we drop from the Andes to the Amazon
to explore the jungle by raft and on foot, accompanied by local guides.
Our river descent follows one of the main tributaries of the Amazon and
is a blend of serene beauty punctuated by the adrenalin pumping excitement
of navigating frothy rapids. Galapagos Project (weeks 9, 10 and 11) After two months travelling through South America, the Venture prepares to
leave the mainland and go west, a thousand kilometres west, to the enchanted
Galapagos Islands. Our flight departs from Quito and takes us to the Island
of San Cristobal where we join the Galapagos Project for the next three
weeks. Galapagos Islands Cruise (week 12) We are now far-removed from the rest of the world: Under equatorial skies the sea is an ever-inviting turquoise blue, the sandy beaches vary from white, to pink, black, and even green. The volcanic landscape is rugged and extraordinary. Wandering among blue-footed boobies, iguanas, waved albatross, Galapagos hawks, sea lions, flamingos, giant tortoises and countless other species, it is a naturalist's dream. There's plenty of time to swim, relax, explore the white beaches and snorkel amid underwater volcanic formations. Our eight-day voyage finishes back in Baltra where we prepare for the
flight back to Quito: mainland South America awaits your next move! “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at VentureCo, including the guys in country, for making it a fantastic trip. Hopefully I'll be able to do another one someday.” Stephen Fishbourne, Career Gap Venture.
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home
Our
expedition starts with a spectacular trek to a spectacular place; from
the picturesque village of Limatambo we join the four-day trek from the
Inca ruins known as Tarahuasi through deepest, darkest mountain jungle
to Machu Picchu.
Leaving
Cusco for the last time we cross the Altiplano (the "high plain")
heading to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Legend has it that the
Inca sun god's children rose from this mystical inland sea to found Cusco
and the Inca dynasty. Today it is the world's highest navigable lake and
we board boats to explore its islands. The Uros people still live on their
incredible floating islands where they retain much of their traditional
lifestyle, fishing, hunting birds and living off the lake's plants, most
important of which are the reeds they use for their boats, houses and
even the foundations of their islands. Staying on the lake we spend a
night living with the Aymara people on Amantani Island where the tranquillity
of life is perfect (no cars and no dogs are allowed!). The Aymara Peru's
oldest inhabitants.
The Cordillera Blanca in northern Peru contains the country's highest
mountains. 
Our
3 week Galapagos Project is an in depth experience of life on San Cristobal
island, now it's time for a change of scene. We take to the high seas
for eight days to explore the rest of the archipelago. Boarding our 16
berth boat in Baltra we set sail for the outlying islands, each with its
own unique species and each with its own story to tell. We sail with a
qualified naturalist guide who will help unravel the natural mysteries
of the islands.