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Total time: Five Weeks
“We passed through jungles, wetlands, vibrant cities, mountains, deserts, volcanoes, lakes, busy market villages… I could go on forever! ... I saw and learnt about things I never dreamt could actually exist.” Lydia Stevens, 2005
Inca Venture Expedition
After finishing the project phase at the end of week 4, the team regroups in Quito and descend from the high Andes to the depths of the Amazon jungle. We’ll tackle the rapids of the Napo River for an exhilarating day of white-water rafting, steering through the worst of the rapids, you’ll need to paddle hard and hang on tight! We stop off along the way to explore the banks of this tributary to the Amazon. Climbing back to the Andes we visit the mountain spa town of Banos where hot springs will ease aching muscles. Heading west to the coast, our next stop is Peru where the coastal desert spills into the Pacific to create some of the world’s longest beaches. If you haven’t tried surfing yet this is your chance! Peru is famous for the world’s longest wave and a session with a local instructor will soon get you up and away.
A short journey takes back into the mountains to Huaraz, the start point for The Great Inca Road Project in the Cordillera Blanca
The Inka Naani Trek and Lima (Weeks 8) Having completed our second project, The Great Inca Road restoration, our first wilderness trek is along The Great Inca Road itself. The Cordillera Blanca is a spectacular region of snow-capped mountains, huge glaciers and turquoise lakes and this 5-day trek takes us deep into the heart of this mountain kingdom. We hire local guides, mules and llamas to carry our equipment and food, allowing us to be entirely self-sufficient; camping in this wilderness, with its awesome mountains as our backdrop, is a unique experience.
Ballestas Islands, Nasca Lines and Arequipa (Week 9) After recharging our batteries in Lima we hit the Pan-American Highway which heads through the desert towards the south of Peru. Our first stop is the fishing village of Paracas which is the launch pad for our off-shore boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. Dubbed the "poor man's Galapagos" these islands are 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. Continuing south we reach the desert town of Nazca, home to the mysterious Nazca Lines. Clambering into a light aircraft we fly high 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 huge humming bird. These lines were etched on the Pampa sands by the Nasca people. It is thought they were started in 400BC and continued to be made for another 1,000 years. 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! The Highway turns south-east and climbs to the colonial city of Arequipa
which was built by the Spanish in the C16th and C17th. and retains most
of its original colonial splendour. We stop off for a day or two to visit
the Santa Catalina monastery and Juanita "the ice-maiden". There's
also 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!
Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and Cusco (Week 10) Climbing back into the high Andes we travel to the Colca Canyon, a remote and wild place where condors soar over 3,000 metre cliffs. Watching these huge birds gliding through the air is a totally absorbing experience! If you're feeling up to it you can walk to the bottom of the canyon where the raging Colca River continues to carve deeper into the earth's crust. Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake and the southern-most
point of our expedition. We board boats to explore this mythical inland
sea where legend tells us is where the Inca sun god's children rose from
to found Cusco and the Inca dynasty. We will see how the Uros people live
on their floating islands where they retain some 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
the very foundations of their islands. Staying on the lake we spend a
night living with the Aymara people on Amantani Island. The tranquillity
of life on the islands (no cars and no dogs are strict rules!) allows
us a chance to gain a true insight into the way of life of Peru's oldest
people. Leaving Lake Titicaca we strike north to Cusco for our 1 week Spanish refresher course. See Phase 1 for more.
The Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu (Week 12) Fully acclimatised and rested after a week in Cusco, we drive out to the village of Limatambo from where we start our final challenge; a four–day trek that starts at the Inca ruins at Tarahuasi and winds through deepest, darkest Peru to Machu Picchu. Like the “Inka Naani” trek this is an entirely self-supported trek. Building on the skills we have developed during our 6 weeks of expedition, the trek is achievable by anybody with a reasonable level of fitness. Salkantay (6,271m) is one of the highest mountains in the region and its snowy slopes gleam in the intense 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 beneath Salkantay peak we’ll discover remote mountain communities and witness the 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 inhabitants, they frequently make small offerings to the “apus” or mountain spirits, for a safe trip and good fortune. Suitably blessed, we finally arrive at Machu Picchu! The famous lost city of the Incas is one of the most magical and mysterious places on Earth. Situated on the spine of a jungle-cloaked granite peak towering 600 meters above an entrenched meander of the roaring river below, the site is frequently shrouded in misty clouds, pierced by the powerful equatorial sun. Constructed from precisely-sculptured granite blocks the site may well be the finest architectural achievement of the new world. We have a full morning to explore the site and climb the peak of Huayna Picchu for a condor’s eye view of the ruined citadel. The Venture is now drawing to a close and after 12 weeks of learning, working and travelling with your team a grande finale is required! Cusco is the perfect location for a spot of good food and a dash of late night revelling. Afterwards Life can seem very tame when you return home from a place like South America. It’s important to retain contact with your fellow Venturers to help put your travel experiences into context. VentureCo help with this process by hosting an annual reunion party every September. This event is open to all Venturers, past and present and is an important date in the social calendar! Where else do VentureCo operate in South America?
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An Expedition through Ecuador and Peru
We finish the week by tracking along the coast to Huanchaco where we look over the massive mud-walled city of Chan Chan which pre-dates the Incas by several hundred years. Huanchaco has a surf beach too and for good measure some of the best sea-food on the coast.