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Trip, Tour & Travel Reviews
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Land of the Llamas
Chiclayo, Trujillo, Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu,
Peru, 2001
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This Reviewer:
Name: Denis Larsen
Citizen: US citizen
Age: 62 years old
Background/Education: Industrial Designer/Graphic Artist with very limited background in archaeology,
First trip to Peru (also see the AmazinAmazon)
Review Written: November 2001 |
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| Machu Picchu |
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| Chan Chan Ruins, Trujillo |
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| The Lord of Sipan Tomb |
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| Franz at the Pyramid of the Moon, Trujillo |
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| Reed boats at Huanchaco |
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| Teena learning how to paddle |
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The school band greets us at the
Sr. Sipan School |
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| Donna Southworth and schoolgirl dancing at the Sipan School |
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| Denis, Miles and Rick dancing at the Sipan School. |
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Teena, Nancy, Rick, Cynthia and Carole
(l-r) at the lookout at the Tucume ruins |
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| Andes Mountains, north of Cusco |
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| Beautiful fabrics everywhere |
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| Spinning yarn and weaving in the street |
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| Men work the foot looms |
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| Even children as young as six help out by knitting caps to be sold in the family shop |
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| Lisbeth telling us what to expect at the house in the background... |
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| ...Guinea pigs on the floor... |
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| ...and grandparents skulls on the mantle. |
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| Our inn in Yucay |
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| Cusco courtyard |
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| Llamas are brought out for the tourists to photograph |
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Elderhostel Program:
Ancient Civilizations of Peru
September 2001
North Coast, Lima and Cusco area
Peru, South America
Summary:
The opportunity to see Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the world! And the opportunity to find out that the people of Peru before the Incas built just as impressively as did the Incas, that their civilizations were very advanced and that the Incas were just a 100 year flash-in-the-pan, beginning just before the Spaniards showed up in the New World. There were 19 of us plus our tour leader and watchdog...Victor Colunga. In addition we had local guides in each city. Elderhostel programs are limited to people aged 55 and over. Younger persons may join the trips as companions to qualified adults.
Cost: US
$3042 all inclusive from Newark, NJ, USA. Does not include single supplement.
Duration:
13 nights
Extensions Available:
A wide variety of extensions are available depending upon your interests. Extensions include various jungle tours (both Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado areas), Nazca area tours to view the lines, Lake Titicaca and the Peruvian highlands plus excursions into Bolivia, Equador and Brazil. I took an Amazon jungle extension (Iquitos area) with Explorama Lodges .
Activity:
Archaeology focus with a bit of more modern history. Walking is necessary to see much of what we came to see. Most walking is on paths and does not require special hiking boots or other equipment. The ascents and slopes were sometimes too much for a few of the group. The first part of the trip is at sea level but the last part is at high altitudes, a few places over 11,000 feet above sea level. We visited a school, various markets, museums, active archaeology sites, city tours, a horse show, a dance theater, a fishing village.
Accommodations:
Lima: modern, high-rise Hilton in the Mira Flores district
Chiclayo: modern high-rise hotel across from a park
Trujillo: Charming, modern low-rise on the main square
Yucay (Sacred Valley): Charming, old hacienda-style inn in the countryside.
Agua Calientes (Machu Picchu): Charming cottages set in the rainforest, short walk to town.
Cusco: Quirky hotel one block from main square.
Food:
All the meals at the various hotels were excellent. Most of them were buffets and a wide range of tastes was easily satisfied. The buffet meal we had at Machu Picchu was excellent as well; however, the meals that we were served in "typical, authentic, local" restaurants left me a little disappointed.
Transportation:
All airport transfers were very easy...well-organized. Airport check-ins were super...we didn't do a thing. Our local guide checked us and our baggage in through special group desks while we relaxed on the bus. All we had to do was clear the fiscal control (to make sure the proper taxes were both paid and collected on our plane tickets) and then to clear security. All of the baggage handling was wonderful...usually our bags were in our rooms before we were done checking in. At check-out, we just left our bags outside our rooms an hour before our hotel departure. We never had to carry our bags.
Guides:
Victor was like a mother hen with us. He watched out for us and for our safety sometimes more than we wanted. He took his job very seriously and after the Sept. 11 attacks, he took it even more seriously. He had two very difficult tasks: keeping us safe and making us feel safe. He did both jobs with great dignity and grace.
The local guides were very good for the most part. Only one of the guides presented any real language problem and that was more with an accent rather than a lack of command of English. Their knowledge of local history and points of interest was very comprehensive. They were all very friendly and helpful.
All local representatives of in-country travel agencies were terrific! They also took very, very good care of us.
What was included:
All airport transfers including baggage.
All airport check-ins and baggage checks.
All ground transportation including train to and from Machu Picchu.
Accommodations
Food & bottled water
All admission fees
All guided tours, walks and excursions.
What was NOT included:
Soda, beer or extra bottled water
Laundry service (available for a modest fee usually with one-day service).
Tips for special services
Where we went:
Lima:
Museo de la Nación
Meseo Rafael Larco Herrera
San Francisco Church and Monastery
Chiclayo:
Bruning Museum
Tucume Ruins and Museum
Sipan
Witches Market
Senior de Sipan School
Trujillo:
Paijan Horse Show
Huaca Arco Iris
Cassinelli Collection
Temples of the Moon and of the Sun
Huanchaco and reed boats (caballitos de totora)
University Museum
Sacred Valley:
Yucay
Ollantaytambo Fortress and village tour
Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu
Cusco:
Pisac Market
Cathedral
Main Square
Koricancha
Sacsayhuamán (SexyWoman)
various local markets
Centro Qosqo of Native Art for Music and Dances
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Participants:
All participants except one were over 55. The range was from early 50's to almost 80.
Best thing(s) about the experience:
The people I met. As in other Elderhostel programs that I have been involved in (either as instructor or as student/participant),
I discovered a group of stimulating, interesting, vital people...all of whom I am happy to call friends.
The excitement of seeing my first sherd (my Spell Check Program wants to spell this word "shards". However, on a dig in Belize with a large group of archaeologists, they ALL pronounced and spelled the word "sherds"...so that's the way it is!) lying on the ground at the Tucume ruins (Chiclayo)...and then my amazement at seeing literally thousands of sherds lying right on the surface. Finding sherds at every site that we visited. It became a joke after a while...I'd be listening to the guide and happen to look at the ground...and there was a sherd! And then another and another and another. At the Tucume ruins our local guide said that it was OK to take the sherds since they were out of context and of no value to the archaeologists.
Viewing an incredible private pottery collection ( the Cassinelli collection) located underneath a Mobil gasoline station in the center of Trujillo.
Worst thing(s) about the experience:
Being approached on the top of the Temple of the Moon (Trujillo) early in the morning of September 11th by a young man who asked in Spanish where we were from. When I responded that we were from the United States, he told us an incredible story. I told our group that I must be not be understanding him because his story made no sense. When we got back to the entrance we saw live video on CNN (Spanish edition) that confirmed the young man's story, but still made no sense. Up until Sept. 11, I journaled every day. I even journaled on the evening on Sept. 11. However, I have not a single entry or note after that.
Briskly walking up a few flights of stairs in Cusco and them being out of breath! Almost all of us forgot at one time or another just high we were.
Most memorable incidents:
See previous paragraph about the Temple of the Moon.
The young boy (perhaps 8 or 10 years old) dressed in traditional highland costume who, as our bus departed Machu Picchu for the hair-pinned curved ride down the steep mountain, stood like a sentinel on a rock and called out "Gooooood-byyyyyyyye". And then our amazement as seeing him again (and hearing him again sound out: "Gooooood-byyyyyyyye") just after our slow turn at the first hairpin curve. And our anticipation at seeing again after the next curve...would he be able to run down the steep steps going from top to bottom of the slope fast enough to intercept our bus? Yes! he did it! And again sang out with another "Gooooood-byyyyyyyye". And he kept doing this all the way to the bottom of the gorge where he ran in front of the bus across a small bridge and then boarded the bus to solicit tips for his performance and for paid photo-ops. We found out later that every bus has a boy who adopts it and runs down the mountain calling out to it. There young boys probably make more money for the family from tourist tips than their parents do working at full time jobs.
Seeing the skulls of the owners grandparents on the mantle of a small house in Ollantaytambo. And then seeing the herd(?) of guinea pigs that freely milled around on the floor of the same house (guinea pigs are traditional festive main-courses in the highlands...often served roasted whole with the heads and claws intact). I'm an adventurous eater, but I'm glad that the opportunity to try guinea pig passed me by.
The market place at Pisac...a combination tourist market, local flea market and farmers market. Wonderful artifacts and weavings that I did not see elsewhere. Would have liked at least a half day here.
Being welcomed by a drum and bugle corps during our visit to a school near Sipan (Chiclayo). Chairs for us were set up for our visit in a classroom. There was no electricity in the classroom nor entire school. The school principal welcomed us in Spanish. All students who were not participating (plus a number of teachers, parents and children too young to be going to school) sat on benches behind us while other groups of students in costumes first held a Tucume/Inca pageant and then performed different regional dances (again in appropriate costumes). The drum and bugle corps saluted us again on our way out...and then the kids broke discipline and crowded around us like we were rock stars!
Trying to understand how the early people of Peru were able to work stone with such precision...especially when the stones weighed thousands of pounds. It's hard to use the "cut and fit" method when you can't easily attempt to fit the pieces together. Especially impressive was the stone work at Sacsayhuamán (SexyWoman) a site on a hilltop overlooking Cusco.
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Value for the Money:
Very Good: My cost, including round-trip air from Newark was about US$234 per day, all inclusive.
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Recommendation:
Not for the armchair traveler. Lots of walking and climbing up and down steep slopes. But lots of creature comforts...nice hotels, good food, comfortable transportation! And great company. A sense of adventure, a sense of humor, and sturdy walking shoes are necessary requirements!
A wonderful experience for me and one that I will not forget. If you have interest in the Inca, Peru and/or archaeology, this is for you!
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Would I go again?
Yes! In a minute!
However, I'd do more advance reading than I did for this trip. And maybe try to get in better shape by walking extensively before the trip. |
You can review/rate this trip.
Send me your review of this trip so that our readers can compare how people of different ages, abilities, interests, etc. differ in their experiences and observations.
Write me at drlarsen@aol.com and I'll add your review of this trip
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| Our Elderhostel group at Machu Picchu |
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| View looking down from Machu Picchu |
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| Tightly fitted stones at Sacsayhuamán, near Cusco |
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Who were the participants
on our Peru Elderhostel Tour?
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| © 2001-2006 OKIDD! All rights reserved |
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