Hello friends and family!
After a long day and night of travel our team arrived in Cusco, Peru and got settled into the El Mercado, a fantastically beautiful hotel near the Plaza de Armas. We met for lunch and got to know each other over delicious local cuisine. Our group consists of 6 Trekkers, myself and our local guide Javier Bello. It was immediately clear that we all share a love of travel and adventure, everyone bringing great experiences to the table.
After some rest and our gear check we joined Javier at Incanto, a lively restaurant near the main plaza for another impressively delicious 3 course meal! As the sun set over the Spanish tiles and shone on the Inca stonework, the locals and travelers donned their alpaca sweaters, puffy jackets and wool hats. The city was alive with charm as we enjoyed a brisk walk back to the hotel.
Today was all about rest and acclimatization. Cusco resides at an impressive 11,150 ft. (3,400m) so we are taking it easy and holding off on the pisco sours for now! Tomorrow we will join a local Cusco expert for a walking tour of ‘the navel of the worlds’ local markets, cathedrals and historic architectural Inca sites. We will have cameras in hand and curiosity at heart.
We are all doing well and loving this incredible city, while looking forward to getting into the mountains and beginning the Salkantay Trek!
Stay tuned for more from the Peru team (yet to be named!).
Anna Zajicek
