Peru Trip and Christmas Break

These past few months have been very busy, I first wanted to do a re-cap of the multiple trips I took in November and December. In November I turned 25 and decided to take a two week celebration trip to Peru to explore the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Peru was absolutely amazing. Besides gasping for air like a suddenly weighed 500 pounds, altitude is no joke, it was an amazing experience! The first part of the trip we explored the Sacred Valley and got to see a bit of local culture. We then set off on the Inca Trial hike. We spent four days on the Inca Trail, camping in tents along the way, then two days exploring Machu Picchu. I am so glad I decided to do the Inca Trail, you see so many more sites than going by train. I am also so happy I choose to do it that way because it meant the first time I saw Machu Picchu was at the Sun Gate, which gives you a wide sweeping view of the entire site and surrounding mountains. It was a magnificent end to the Inca Trail and beginning to exploring Machu Picchu. Below are a few of the pictures from the trip.

Jungle Birthday Cake. 25!

Flying from Lima to Cusco

The salt mines in the Sacred Valley

At the top of the first pass; 4215 meters

Very early morning wake up to see Salcantay

Salcantay is the highest peak at 6,271 meters of the Willkapampa mountain range which is part of the Peruvian Andes. One of the reasons I chose to do the five day Inca Trail hike instead of the four day was to be able to see this peak (weather permitting, it the photo it is slightly hidden by cloud cover).

One of the many Inca sites along the Trail. 

Arriving at Machu Picchu 

At the top of Mount WaynaPicchu; 2,667m

Inca stairs

Machu Picchu Mountain

I also went back to the United States for a week to spend Christmas with family. It was bittersweet due to how short the visit was and how long I will have to wait until I see them again, but my projects in my community were calling. I have been extremely busy as several projects I have are taking up speed, which is what I will devote the next post to!  

New Year's Eve walk on the beach