When I was planning my hike to Choquequirao, it occurred to me that the two ruins were only about 60 air kilometers apart. The prospect of hiking off the tourist Salkantay route to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu, and the fact that I would probably only be in the area once, finally convinced me to visit both ruins.
Suddenly it starts to snow. It is not the first time that day that the weather suddenly changes. A few hours before, light hail has already fallen from the sky. I am just sitting at the foot of my last pass before my camp for today and meditating.
Cusco is beautiful at first sight. Already when entering with the Collectivo, I noticed the many colonial buildings. My hostel is located directly in the city center, not far from the Plaza de Armas, the central square. But to get here I first had to go on an odyssey hunting for my stored things.
Two years ago I decided not to earn more money, but to spend my saved money to discover the world. A year ago, I put this idea into action. Since then, I’ve had countless adventures, visited seven countries on two continents, and walked over 4,000 kilometers.
Here, in addition to my experiences on the trails Alpamayo, Santa Cruz, Huayhuash and Olleros/Chavin also share some technical information independent of my personal impressions. During my time in Huaraz, I met few solo hikers on the trails. But if you already have hiking experience, it should be possible without problems to travel without a guide or in a group.
