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Total time: Seven Weeks
“VentureCo’s unique blend of project work, adventure and local appreciation sets the standard for all traveller’s to aspire to.” MD 2006 With the project complete we return to Cusco and begin preparations for the expedition. Ahead of us is a whole continent to explore and with the spine of the Andes indicating the way, we strike out to the south.
The Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu (Week 6) Our expedition starts with a spectacular trek to a spectacular place; we travel out to the colonial village of Limatambo from where we start our first challenge; a four–day trek that starts at the Inca ruins at Tarahuasi and winds through deepest, darkest Peru to Machu Picchu. Salkantay (6,271m) is one of the highest mountains in the region and the snowy glaciers surrounding the summit 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 peak we’ll come across remote mountain communities and witness the variety of wildlife in 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, they frequently make small offerings to the “apus” or mountain spirits for a safe trip and good fortune. Suitably blessed, we finally reach Machu Picchu! The famous lost city of the Incas is one of the most magical and mysterious places on Earth. Situated on a ridge overlooking the Amazon jungle, above a meander of the roaring river below, the site is often 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 and to climb the peak of Huayna Picchu for a condor’s eye view of the Machu Picchu. Across the Altiplano to Lake Titicaca and into Bolivia (Week 7) Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake and we board reed-boats to explore this mythical inland sea. Legend has it the Inca sun god’s children rose from this lake to found Cusco and the Inca dynasty. We will see how the Uros people live on their floating islands where they retain a traditional lifestyle; fishing, hunting birds and living off the lakes 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 nation. Titicaca straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia, our bus/boat trip to La Paz follows the lake shore and crosses at the narrowest point on a creaky barge under the watchful eye of this land-locked country’s navy. La Paz is famous for its street markets and browsing through the stalls you’ll find everything from widgets to witchcraft – yes, witchcraft! If you’ve never been to a witchcraft market then La Paz is your chance. Potions for every ailment from the common cold to a faltering love life are on offer and the dried llama foetus on sale will provide eternal good luck when buried in the foundations of a new house! From the hustle and bustle of La Paz we hop onto a long distance bus and drive through the rugged Bolivian Andes to the colonial city of Potosi. The “Silver” city of Potosi and the Salt Flat crossing to Chile (Week 8)
To travel from Bolivia to Chile we have to cross the Uyuni Salt Flats. This is a three day jeep-journey that’s tough on vehicles and passengers alike. A high altitude track takes us into Bolivia's “empty quarter” where only vicuna (a kind of mini llama), flamingos and the curious vizcocha (a kind of over-sized guinea pig) can survive the harsh conditions. The landscape of volcanoes, green and red lagoons, stark desert and dazzling white salt flats are incomparable to any other part of the world. We overnight in isolated encampments where the night-time skies are studded with millions of twinkling stars that are made all the more stunning because there’s zero light pollution. Chile’s Atacama Desert and south to Santiago (Week 9) The arid zones of northern Chile contain the driest desert in the world. There is no record of rainfall falling during the last two thousand years! The Atacama desert supports little life: We travel through the desert to the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama where early Spanish explorers established a desert stopover for the “gentlemen adventurers” marching to open up the south of the continent. Today, San Pedro retains a tranquil colonial charm and is the centre for desert activities such as mountain biking, horse riding and even sand-boarding on the dunes. The nearby “Lunar Valley” is a remarkable site where salt deposits and wind erosion have carved a moonscape, and at sunset you see the most incredible colour change as the sun sinks to the west. From Chile’s desert in the north we now turn south and set our sights on Patagonia. This long thin country has an amazing geography that changes quickly with every day of travel – can you believe that on the hot sand dunes around San Pedro you’ll be planning a glacier walk over the continental ice cap! It’s a long haul from San Pedro to Santiago but the roads are good and the buses are comfortable; and a day or two in the capital will enable you to catch up with the outside world. We continue south by road to the Chilean Lake District, a beautiful region of forested hills, sparkling lakes and towering volcanoes which is like no other in South America. The small town of Pucon has become the adventure centre of Chile, trekking, mountain biking, volcano climbing, rafting and kayaking are some of the activities on offer. It’s also a great place to brush up on your Spanish language skills. Pucon and Spanish Language Refresher course (Week 10) See Phase 1 for more. In Patagonia (Week 11) An internal flight takes us to the southern extremes where we establish our Patagonian Base Camp in the small town on Puerto Natales. We have to stock up on provisions for a twelve-day expedition to the famous Torres del Paine National Park. The park is brimming with wildlife including Guanacos (another kind of llama), foxes, pumas and a fantastic array of birds including the majestic Giant Condor. We’ll be planning to complete the eight-day trek around the “Towers of Paine” which are a spectacular trio of sheer granite needles that soar almost 3,000 meters above the surrounding glaciers. During the southern summer Patagonia’s daylight hours are long; the sun rises at about 4.30am and the shroud of darkness waits until almost midnight. From dawn ‘til dusk there’s ample time to walk, talk, eat and find the perfect spot to admire the stunning mountain views: little wonder that this park is considered a trekker’s paradise.
The Torres del Paine massif exists as a result of dramatic glacial erosion and the ice cap that caused it still exists. Our trek takes us to the southern edge of the Patagonian ice fields, the largest non-polar ice-cap in the world. We’ll see the ice cap stretch off into the distance for 400km to the north. Equipped with crampons, ice axes and a local guide we venture onto the huge Grey’s Glacier to discover the knack of walking on ice. The Torres del Paine trek closes with a boat ride across Lago Pehoe and a bus ride to the regional capital of Punta Arenas. From here another bus/boat journey takes us across the Strait of Magellan to Tierra del Fuego. Our final destination is Ushuaia which is actually in Argentina and is billed as the southernmost city in the world, we have reached the point from which we can travel southbound no further. 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! Ushuaia is the perfect location for a spot of good food (look out for the famous Argentine steaks!) 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 host an annual reunion party every September to help you achieve this. The 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? Click a link below...
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Potosi is billed as the world’s highest city and after the walk from the bus station to the central plaza you’ll understand why: at 4,100 metres above sea level, your lungs struggle to get their regular supply of oxygen. Potosi is a city literally built on silver; in the 16th century the Spanish discovered the world’s largest ever silver deposits in “Cerro Rico” and within a few decades they had built a city to match anything in Europe for splendour and opulence. Whilst the silver was shipped across the Atlantic to fund an empire, an estimated 8 million slaves died extracting the metal. The silver has long since gone. However, the mines are still in use today, tin, zinc and small deposits of silver are still to be found. We can visit the mines to see how conditions remain unchanged from colonial days, an experience that creates a profound impression on all those who enter.
The Continental Ice Cap and Tierra del Fuego (Week 12)