Welcome to Hacienda Urubamba After a strenuous morning trek up Machu Picchu Montaña and a day exploring the famous ruins, I was ready for an evening of relaxation. A 45-minute drive from Ollantaytambo lies Hacienda Urubamba, the newest addition to Inkaterra hotels, at the end of a long dirt road, tucked into the foot of the towering mountains of the Sacred Valley. The view of the property from the road alone is impressive: a large hacienda-style building with bright lights streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the night. But it is the view from inside that is truly amazing. No matter where you are in the building you have a view of the valley, whether it is a mountaintop view from the courtyard or the expanse of green farmland stretching out into the distance as you sit in a cozy armchair in the lounge. The decor is tasteful and authentic, with colorful Andean textiles adorning the sofas and chairs in the lounge and bar area. The restaurant includes a fireplace and boasts the same panoramic views as the lounge. The menu included their take on traditional dishes and many of the ingredients are sourced directly from their farm, or chacra. Depending on the season, different dishes will be added or taken from the menu according to the seasonal fruits, vegetables and spices grown in the garden. All the choices on the menu looked fantastic which made it difficult for me to decide. I chose the pastel de choclo con cuy (corn pie layered with guinea pig ragu) as my entrada (starter) and the smoked paiche with baby carrots and eggplant puree in an Andean mint sauce as the main course. For dessert, I had the chocolate mousse with lúcuma. All three choices were delicious. Breakfast is available starting from 5am
Welcome to Hacienda Urubamba After a strenuous morning trek up Machu Picchu Montaña and a day exploring the famous ruins, I was ready for an evening of relaxation. A 45-minute drive from Ollantaytambo lies Hacienda Urubamba, the newest addition to Inkaterra hotels, at the end of a long dirt road,…
A few months ago, while visiting Cusco, I had the opportunity to go horseback riding at Hacienda Huayoccari, a lovely, traditional hacienda owned by the gracious and charismatic Lambarri family and located in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Horse riding in the Sacred Valley is one of the many top adventure activities in the area, alongside biking, hiking, kayaking, standup paddle boarding and more and a great way to soak up the natural scenery - one of the highlights of the Sacred Valley. Paso Horse Riding Sacred Valley Riding the elegant and distinguished breed of Peruvian Paso Horse is wonderful experience and a fantastic way to take in the inspiring and often times dramatic scenery of the Sacred Valley. The Paso Horse is ideal for beginners. Hacienda Huayoccari Horseriding I took a taxi from the hotel in Urubamba where I was staying, Tambo del Inka, to Huayoccari, a quaint and rural town about 20 minutes away. When I arrived at the hacienda, one of the owners, Jose Ignacio Lambarri, greeted me cheerfully and together we drove a few minutes to an open field where the Lambarri family typically hosts traditional Peruvian Paso Horse shows for those with a particular interest in this fine and distinguished breed. Peruvian Paso Horses Here, I met the chalan who entered wearing all white, as is traditional. Chalans are the people in charge of caring for and training the horses and accompanying all guests during their horsebacking riding excursions. After sharing a few words with the chalan, he introduced me to Gustavo, a mature, chestnut-colored Peruvian Paso Horse who would be my companion for the morning. The Paso Horse is known for a distinguished, stable, smooth ride as it naturally has a four-beat lateral gait, the paso llano, as opposed to the more common diagonal
A few months ago, while visiting Cusco, I had the opportunity to go horseback riding at Hacienda Huayoccari, a lovely, traditional hacienda owned by the gracious and charismatic Lambarri family and located in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Horse riding in the Sacred Valley is one of the many…
The much talked about United Nations Climate Change Conference 2014 begins next week in Lima. In anticipation of this important 12-day event, our friends from Amazonas Explorer, a member of One Percent for the Planet, will be working with local communities in the Sacred Valley on a reforestation project that aims to plant 50,000 Queuña trees in one single day. Projects such as this one are nothing new to the team at Amazonas Explorer. Over the last eight years they have been collaborating with the Peruvian non-profit ECOAN (The Association of Andean Ecosystems) to plant nearly 250,000 native trees in the Lares watershed area of the Andes.CEO Paul Cripps says their goal is to plant a remarkable one million trees by 2020. On November 29th, the 50,000 trees will be planted in Yanacocha, an hour from the village of Patacancha in the Ollantaytambo district of Cusco’s Sacred Valley. Amazonas Explorer has funded the planting of the first 20,000 trees. In order to plant 30,000 more, they raised money through donations; each tree costs only three soles, or one US dollar, to plant. 500 Quechua-speaking locals from the Huilloc, Rumira Sodormayo and Patacancha villages will help to plant the trees. Everyone that helps with the project, from children to the elderly, will be treated to a communal dinner, in addition to receiving a day’s salary for their hard work. Forests used to be abundant in the Andes. Now, as a result of increasing deforestation, Queuñas and other similar species have almost disappeared. Native species have also been sidelined by imported trees that grow much more rapidly, most notably the Eucalyptus which has become commonplace in the Sacred Valley. The importance of restoring native forests to the area cannot be overstated. Queuñas grow in high altitudes and have a lifespan of about
The much talked about United Nations Climate Change Conference 2014 begins next week in Lima. In anticipation of this important 12-day event, our friends from Amazonas Explorer, a member of One Percent for the Planet, will be working with local communities in the Sacred Valley on a reforestation project that…
During my last visit to Cusco, I had the chance to try out a new, rigorous one-day trek in the Sacred Valley, the Patabamba Huchuy Qosqo Trek, which takes you to the fascinating archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo, reachable only foot. The total trek is about 12-14km, which is about 7-9hrs of hiking time. The Patabamba Huchuy Qosqo trek is challenging but offers adventure and a glimpse into the world of the Andes: you experience altitude, witness the drastically changing landscapes and vegetation, encounter wild camelids and charming villages and locals along the way. And of course, you get the chance to explore the unique archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo, which few people who visit Cusco get the chance to see. One-day Trek to Huchuy Qosqo My guide picked me up from my hotel in Cusco at 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday, and we rode to a tiny town in the mountains called Patabamba, where we would begin. We had a hand-drawn map to guide us, created by the director of the Aracari treks in Cusco, who had chosen the route. From Patabamba we would begin ascending to the Huchuy Qosqo pass at 4,300m (14,100ft) and then hike down to the archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo before descending to the town of Lamay in the Urubamba Valley. View all our Peru treks Llamas and Alpacas After an hour and a half or so of driving plus a stop for some pictures of the stunning views, we got out of the car to begin our trek. We were at about 3,900m (12,800ft) as we started hiking. At that altitude, there was little vegetation except for small, sparse bushes. We encountered a pack of llamas and alpacas roaming along the mountain, grazing. They reluctantly fled as we neared them, and I
During my last visit to Cusco, I had the chance to try out a new, rigorous one-day trek in the Sacred Valley, the Patabamba Huchuy Qosqo Trek, which takes you to the fascinating archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo, reachable only foot. The total trek is about 12-14km, which is about 7-9hrs…
During a recent trip to Cusco, I saw two lines of children walking along, laughing and chattering with their teachers as I rode into the Sol y Luna Lodge & Spa, where I’d be spending my first night in the Sacred Valley during an Aracari inspection trip. I asked why there were children there and learned that they were going to the Colegio Sol y Luna, located on the same property as the hotel. Colegio Sol y Luna opened in 2010 through the Sol y Luna Association, which was founded by creators, Franz and Petit. Since that first class, the school has grown and now has 140 students, coming from various towns in the Urubamba Valley and the surrounding Andean towns and ranging from age 3 in initial to age 12 in the first year of secondary education. In the next year, Sol y Luna expects at least 20 more students and will continue to develop the secondary education as their students age into each new level. Some students who live in remote parts of the Andes and can only arrive to the school by walking are able to stay at the “Niños de Jesús” boarding home from Monday to Friday. There, they receive care and alimentation while they are at the school for the week away from their homes. There are about twenty teachers at the school, and all have been trained at universities in Lima and are highly qualified for their positions. The curriculum at Sol y Luna, though it complies with the requirements of the Peruvian Ministry of Education, focuses on developing the self-esteem of its students, as well as encouraging them to read for fun. The students take classes in the arts and humanities, sciences and math and also spend ten hours a week learning English. During various
During a recent trip to Cusco, I saw two lines of children walking along, laughing and chattering with their teachers as I rode into the Sol y Luna Lodge & Spa, where I’d be spending my first night in the Sacred Valley during an Aracari inspection trip. I asked why there were…