The Inca Trail so far has been an incredible and wonderful experience (see other blog posts below). On day 4, we woke up very early this morning!! After a quick breakfast and a quick stop at the washrooms, we were off on our last leg of the trek to Machu Picchu! During the hike up to the Intipunku archaeological site (also known as the Gateway of the Sun – Inti means “sun” in Quechua, the original Inca language) we were able to take a break and watch the sun rise over the mountains. The pinks, oranges and yellows were like nothing I’d seen before. Once we reached Intipunku, the weather was perfect to get tons of great photos of Machu Picchu from above. But our journey didn’t stop here: once we were done taking photos we began the last 30 minutes of the hike to Machu Picchu. The group decided we would like to see the Inca Bridge since we had opted out of climbing Huayna Picchu. The bridge was about a 10 minute walk through jungle-like landscapes on the very edge of the mountain. The bridge was built by the Incas and then later, one section destroyed to deter the conquistadors from following them.







Given its immense reputation, the size of Mendoza is in fact quite small. There are about two or three streets for going out and one main plaza with a fair on the weekends. But never fear, there is much to do in the territory of wine. Indeed, though the city of Mendoza has its limitations, the surrounding vineyards of the Campo provided endless means of enjoyment and relaxation.
The lack of “quality” beaches is regularly identified by locals and tourists as one of the few absences in Argentina’s otherwise rich and diverse physical geography. While many porteños migrate to the coastal zones of Buenos Aires Province (Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Miramar etc.) during the exceptionally warm summer months of January and February, the majority concede that beaches in the coastal zones of Uruguay and Brazil are far superior. However, if you look hard enough there are a number of spectacular beaches and coves to be found inland, alongside the lakes of northern Patagonia. These don’t necessarily subscribe to the traditional beach resort model but do offer unique locations to lap up the sun and take a dip in the crystal clear waters which flow from the surrounding mountains of the Andes.


Recent comments