Heads up—this is a long post, so you might want to grab a cup of tea and some snacks before diving in!
After an incredible day at Machu Picchu, we returned to Machupicchu village (also known as Aguas Caliente) feeling utterly exhausted and starving. We were so hungry that it almost felt like we were in a daze.
Luckily, the restaurant at the Inkaterra was ready with a mouth-watering lunch, so we settled in, enjoyed some pisco sours, and indulged in a spa session before catching our train back to Cusco.
Since our journey was in the evening, we only had about an hour to admire the stunning mountains and countryside before darkness set in. I put my camera away, and the four of us relaxed, playing card games and enjoying more pisco sours until we arrived back in Poroy via the Vistadome train. We headed straight to our beautiful hotel, the Inkaterra La Casona, right in the heart of Cusco.
The Inkaterra felt like a serene oasis in the bustling city, with a lovely private courtyard in the middle. The building used to be an old Spanish structure, and the tranquility made you quickly forget about the lively city outside.
The rooms were amazing! We stayed in suites, which felt like a reward after our morning hike up Huayna Picchu. I was a big fan of the décor, but what I looked forward to the most was the huge bath that promised to soothe my aching muscles. Before that, though, it was dinner time.
Since we arrived late, none of us wanted to venture out, so we decided to have dinner at the hotel. We made it just in time before the kitchen closed, enjoying an elaborate avocado and prawn salad with a hearty stew (I can’t quite remember what kind, but it was delicious).
Normally, I’d be all in for dessert, but my tiredness prevailed. I took what was left of our wine and headed to my much-needed bath, followed by an incredibly restful sleep.
The next morning, I felt refreshed and in great spirits! I quickly devoured breakfast at The Inkaterra—highly recommend it, especially the pancakes! I was so hungry I ordered two breakfasts: pancakes and eggs benedict. Then, I took my time exploring the hotel in the morning light.
Initially, we had no specific plans for the day, originally intending to explore more of Cusco. But since we’d already seen a lot, we decided, over more pisco sours, to hire a driver and visit some nearby Inca sites.
A short drive from the city center brought us to Tambomach’ay, a spot that used to be a sort of vacation haven for the Incas. Although we had just visited the iconic Machu Picchu, I was still awestruck by these ancient ruins. The craftsmanship from so many years ago was truly impressive.
Next to Tambomach’ay is Puka Pukara, the military ruins. It’s curious that a holiday spot is next to military ruins, something I probably should have asked about at the time.
After Puka Pukara, we went to Q’enqo, another fascinating site in the Sacred Valley. Q’enqo was once used for sacrifices and mummification, and there are monoliths still standing. Plus, you get an amazing view of Cusco from there.
Our next stops were Cristo Blanco and the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage site of Saksaywaman. Interestingly, our driver dropped us off in the valley between the two, meaning we had to hike uphill to see the Cristo Blanco statue. No one mentioned how challenging it is to walk uphill at high altitude! Fortunately, adorable alpacas and llamas provided a welcome distraction on the climb up. There’s a fee to cuddle them, but it seemed worth it—no ticks to report!
At the top, the Cristo Blanco statue offered an astounding view of Cusco and the surrounding mountains, definitely the best spot for city views, so bring your camera!
Saksaywaman (which sounds amusingly like “sexy woman”) is an impressive citadel that was the historic capital of the Inca Empire, perfectly fitting its UNESCO status. What stood out the most was how precisely the stones were cut and fitted together without any mortar—a handy trick modern masonry could learn from.
Some sections of Saksaywaman are over 1,000 years old and, like so many Inca sites, it’s amazing to reflect on the history and cultural significance of these places. We got so wrapped up in exploring these incredible sites that we realized we’d skipped lunch only when our stomachs rumbled fiercely. We quickly headed back to Cusco for dinner and packed for another exciting adventure in Peru. Stay tuned for more on that!
