Day two brings the actual trekking part of our jungle trek, all ten hours of it. We start walking at 7:30am, following the river along a narrow path which clings to the steep hillside. At points we actually have to grab onto rocks and vines as the path crumbles at our feet down to the river below.
After a couple of hours the path turns away from the river and up into the hills. Its only 10:00 but the sun is already very very hot. Luckily there is the odd waterfall to cool off in. We pass fields of coffee and coca plants and the homes of the families which farm them. We stop at almost every home (they're spaced around half an hour away from each other) to buy cold drinks and bananas whilst Abi tells us about local culture and produce and bit about Incan history.
It turns out that the Incas weren't a race, but a ruling class who conquered large the Mapuche people who were living the areas that are now Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Each major city had just one Inca and the role wasn't hereditary, only the strongest and most intelligent got the job. The Incas ruled for 100 years until the Spanish conquistadors invaded in 1533. The last Inca, Inca Manco retreated to the city of Vilcabama, where he ruled for thirty or so years, sometimes raiding the Spanish or inciting revolts, before he was executed and the Spanish took over complete control of the Mapuche people.
Finally, after three hours of uphill we turn a bend on the path and are faced with a rocky outcrop and the highest point of the trek. From here there are views all the way along the valley from Santa Maria, where we started this morning, to todays destination - the hot springs at Santa Teresa and Machu Picchu way in the distance.
As we descend the path gets narrow again until we reach the river, where we have a long lunch and half an hour lazing around in hammocks. I'm just dozing off when I hear Abi yell 'Vamos chicos!' and she tips me out of my hammock.The remainder of our trek is along the river where we stop to swim in a little tributary (with clearer water than the main river), cross a swing bridge and edge our way along more washed out paths half way up cliffs.
Ten hours after we left, but actually only after seven hours walking - considering all the stops - I spot the 'cable car' which will take us across the river to the long awaited hot springs. To get on the cable car we scramble up rocks and onto a little wooden platform which is then pulled over the river by a man on the other side.
There are three hot pools of varying temperatures and a mixture of trekkers and locals lounging in them. The sun is just going down turning the surrounding mountians golden. We all agree that, instead of walking, we will catch the bus to Santa Teresa - giving us an extra hour soaking our aching muscles.
After a couple of hours the path turns away from the river and up into the hills. Its only 10:00 but the sun is already very very hot. Luckily there is the odd waterfall to cool off in. We pass fields of coffee and coca plants and the homes of the families which farm them. We stop at almost every home (they're spaced around half an hour away from each other) to buy cold drinks and bananas whilst Abi tells us about local culture and produce and bit about Incan history.
Above: Local produce - coffee and coca beans.
Above: Guinea pigs in the kitchen of a farm house
It turns out that the Incas weren't a race, but a ruling class who conquered large the Mapuche people who were living the areas that are now Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Each major city had just one Inca and the role wasn't hereditary, only the strongest and most intelligent got the job. The Incas ruled for 100 years until the Spanish conquistadors invaded in 1533. The last Inca, Inca Manco retreated to the city of Vilcabama, where he ruled for thirty or so years, sometimes raiding the Spanish or inciting revolts, before he was executed and the Spanish took over complete control of the Mapuche people.
Above: Alex and me wearing traditional Incan face paint
Finally, after three hours of uphill we turn a bend on the path and are faced with a rocky outcrop and the highest point of the trek. From here there are views all the way along the valley from Santa Maria, where we started this morning, to todays destination - the hot springs at Santa Teresa and Machu Picchu way in the distance.
Ten hours after we left, but actually only after seven hours walking - considering all the stops - I spot the 'cable car' which will take us across the river to the long awaited hot springs. To get on the cable car we scramble up rocks and onto a little wooden platform which is then pulled over the river by a man on the other side.
There are three hot pools of varying temperatures and a mixture of trekkers and locals lounging in them. The sun is just going down turning the surrounding mountians golden. We all agree that, instead of walking, we will catch the bus to Santa Teresa - giving us an extra hour soaking our aching muscles.
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