Cusco to Andahuaylas

The start of Part 5 of this photo series is also the beginning of a new chapter: it’s when the road trip began. Starting on November 16th and ending on December 1st, this trip spanned 5000 miles, four countries, and 16500 feet of elevation. I’m not going to spoil the specifics of what we saw (you’ll have to keep reading!), but you’ll want to stay tuned for photos of some of the most other-worldly scenery on Earth. Eventually.

Machu Picchu (Day 2)

Waynapicchu is the famous spire-like mountain behind the site of the Machu Picchu ruins. It is not the only mountain to climb in the area, but it is the most recognizable. It is the peak located behind the cover photo on Part 3, and has also been in nearly every famous photo taken from the monument.

Machu Picchu (Day 1)

After an entirely too short period in Cusco, it was time to move onto the main attraction of this part of the trip: Machu Picchu. The only way to reach the ruins (in a way that does not involve a multi-day hike) is by train to the town of Aguas Calientes, which takes about three hours. The train ride is very scenic, staying in the high plains between Cusco and Ollantaytambo before descending into the Rio Vilcanota valley via a series of switchbacks. It follows the river from 12000 feet almost halfway back to sea level before reaching its final destination. 

Cusco

It seems like during every long trip I take, there’s a city I fall in love with. In Patagonia, it was Puerto Natales, which became an extremely scenic home away from home. On this trip, it was Cusco for reasons which should become clear.

Lima

It finally happened!

About three years ago, shortly after finishing a photography trip to Patagonia, I was asked a question. My friend Jake traveled with me on that trip, and it’s in his nature to always look forward to the next big adventure, even if it will take years to get there. His question was simple: “hey, what if we go to Bolivia?”

That question started three years of planning, three years of saving most pennies, three years of pooling resources. I bought a new camera for this trip, and it was a partial motivator for finding a new day job (which was overdue for other reasons). The first mention of Bolivia in my e-mail was in February 2013. The trip accidentally became a major life milestone. We finally made it a reality.