Detours Gay Travel Blog

Peru: Stone Pathways and Sacred Valleys

• Detours
• Oct 7, 2024

Step into History

Imagine a stone pathway laid beneath your feet that was built hundreds of years ago (maybe even thousands)! 

If stones could talk I wonder what they would say? 

Would they describe the hands of the workers who laid them before you?

Perhaps they tell the story of where the stones came from — maybe a quarry 100s of kilometers away. 

Traveling in Peru is like walking into history. 

I’ll bet if you throw a stone in any direction you’ll hit an ancient site or artifact (so be careful throwing stones). 

I mean, Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World for a reason. 

Take it from me; you’ll feel truly humbled by the majesty of these ruins. 

And you’ll probably be left scratching your head trying to figure out how the heck the ancient Incas built these megalithic structures. (Because they weren’t very large people).

(If you don’t know what megalithic means, it’s just a fancy word for ancient large stones forming some sort of structure.)

If you’re a bright-eyed, bushy tail Peru virgin, or seasoned in the rich culture and savory cuisine, Peru always has something new to offer you.

From the bustling capital city of Lima, to the traditional stone streets of Ollantaytambo (try saying that three times fast), and the ancient fortress of Cusco, to the jaw-dropping ruins of Machu Picchu — this is a trip you won’t want to miss!

Cusco

Cusco is nestled in the Peruvian Andes, a mountain range that stretches across South America. 

It feels imperative to mention that this ancient city is located 3,300 meters or 11,152 feet above sea level! 

These ancient mountains — known as Apu’s to the locals — are some of the tallest mountains in the world (apart from Asia). 

Lima, our destination city, is located at sea-level. 

That means we are traveling from 0 to 11,000 feet into the Andes to meet the mighty Apu’s living in the clouds. 

Before we continue, I want to mention altitude sickness. 

(What kind of trip leader would I be if I didn’t give you fair warning?!) 

So, what is altitude sickness? 

It’s basically our body adapting to the lack of oxygen in places at a high altitude (like Cusco). 

You might feel a tight constriction in your lungs; like after every three breaths, you lose one. 

You could feel nauseous, fatigued, lose your appetite, and have headaches. 

But don’t worry, our three nights in Cusco come after our visit to the lower altitudes of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

This is intentionally done to help you better acclimatize to Cusco’s altitude. 

Just because we’re flexible and laid-back, doesn’t mean that we don’t plan ahead. 😉

If you do experience altitude sickness (which is unlikely), symptoms disappear after two or three days. 

You could take a page out of the local Quechua (local Indigenous of the Peruvian Andes) book and buy coca leaves or coca leaf tea. 

Coca leaf is said to be the best way to treat altitude sickness. 

Locals have chewed it for a long time, so maybe they’re onto something? 🤔

So now that you’ve been prepped for altitude sickness, let’s talk about the city. 

Cusco was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 and was the capital of the Inca Empire in the 13th century.

The word Cusco comes from a Quechua word meaning “navel” or “center.” 

The city is lined with narrow cobblestone streets which will make you wonder how this grand city was built so deep in the mountains. 

Rich red soils covered the mountains like a blanket, and lines etched into the mountainside look like scratch marks left behind by a giant Puma (also known as a Mountain Lion).

Cusco is a jumping off point into the Sacred Valley which is where we will spend most of our time. 

And let me tell you, visiting the Sacred Valley is an unforgettable experience.

I may even go far enough to say that the magic of these mountains has the power to transform you. You may leave Peru forever changed. 👀

You can feel the history on the wind. 

You can hear the stories from long ago preserved in the heart of the mountains. 

You’ll understand why this place is so sacred to the people who have lived here since time immemorial. 

Red clay roofs speckle the Cusco skyline, but remember to look closely at the buildings, especially the bases. 

You’ll likely see Spanish architecture built upon the foundations of much older stonemasons' handiwork. 

Take the Cathedral of Cusco for example. Some of the stones were taken from the nearby Inca fortress of Saksaywaman (also known as “Sexy-woman”) to build the cathedral.

Yucay

Before we get too cozy in Cusco, let’s check out Yucay, a small pueblo (town in Spanish) in the Sacred Valley. 

The Sacred Valley is a valley nestled in a seemingly never-ending mountain range. 

It’s said that the Sacred Valley formed the heart of the Incan Empire.

Here we like to leave space for structured spontaneity, or in other words, the opportunity to explore.

We will visit the ancient salt flats of Maras (where you can buy salt!) and the archaeological site of Moray. 

Maras

The Salt Mines of Maras are located 50 km north east of Cusco. And I can almost guarantee that you’ve never had a unique experience quite like this before. 

Countless stark-white, terraced squares cascade down the rich, dark red mountainside. 

The terraces are filled by underground water that flows down the ravine, which is said to come from a Salineras spring.

The water evaporates from the heat of the sun, leaving behind salt crystals to be harvested. 

The salt from the salt flats of Maras may just be the most unique you’ve ever tasted!

Moray

It’s no secret that the Inca were exceptional gardeners. 

You might even hear stories about the Inca putting silver into the soil to refract the moonlight to improve crop yield. 🤯

Whether or not that’s true is yet to be determined, but the archaeological ruins of Moray are certainly an agricultural feat. 

You may have seen photos of large circular terraces that descend 150 meters from the highest terrace to the lowest.

And did I mention that the circles are seemingly perfectly round!? 

It’s widely believed that the Moray ruins were a farming technique developed by the Incas.

Anthropologist John Earls made this theory in 1975 when he noticed that the temperature difference from the top to the bottom of the terraces ranged 12 degrees Celsius.

Gardens or not, these circular structures will leave your head spinning.

Ollantaytambo

Let’s sound this one out together because it’s a mouthful: Oh-yahn-tai-tahm-boh. 

Don’t worry too much if you don't get it right — humility is needed when learning new words.  

I can guarantee that as the syllables roll around in your mouth, they will emerge as something else entirely. 🤭 (Such is learning a new language.)

Ollantaytambo is a diverse destination in the Sacred Valley (and one of my personal favorites!) 

Imagine unique cliff-side ruins overlooking a pueblo. 

And when I say pueblo, I mean it. 

This humble little town seems to have lived under the protection of these ancient ruins forever. 

Ollantaytambo was said to be the administrative center of the Inca empire and its architecture is unique in comparison to other ruins — Machu Picchu included.

One spot to highlight is The Fortress, also known as the Temple of the Sun.

Six megalithic structures (remember that word from the beginning?) are carved and assembled together in a way that can only be described as “other worldly.” 👽

Machu Picchu

Last but certainly not least is… Machu Picchu — one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

It is one of the most famous ruins in Peru, and possibly the world!

(Although, the Pyramids of Giza are a top contender.)

Part of the mystery of Machu Picchu is that it was lost to the outside world for many centuries. 

This diverse destination was “discovered” by Hiram Bingham in 1911. 

And by “discovered” I mean locals led him to the ruins of Machu Picchu, but that’s a story for another day. 

Located at the tip top of a mountain under the near constant cover of clouds; it’s an architectural feat that leaves your mouth hanging open.

The best part? 

Our gay group travel crew will be guided through the mystical ruins by our favorite local Peruvian guide who was born and raised in the area. 

Lucky for us, they're an expert on all things Machu Picchu! 

The name Machu Picchu translates to “old mountain” in the Quechua language. 

The reason behind why Machu Picchu was built is often debated, but I’ll leave that for our expert guide to tell. 

Just remember to bring your rain jacket and passport.

(Once, I forgot to bring my passport and had to go back down the mountain to get it. 🫠)

Ready for an adventure?

By joining one of our gay tours, you’ll meet like-minded people while exploring somewhere new.

And Peru is no exception. It’s one of those “bucket list” places.

If it’s not on your bucket list yet, it should be!

Apart from the geography and culture, the Peruvian people are friendly and warm. 

They always want to know “where you’re going” (or donde vas in Spanish) and how they can help get you there. 

Some people might say this is because they like to gossip, or chismoso in Spanish, but I think it comes from a genuine desire to be helpful. 

Peruvians are proud of their culture, and for good reason. 

You’re literally walking in history! 

Peru will leave an imprint on your memory that stays with you until your final days. (And maybe even after that!)