After a long but worthwhile excursion to Rainbow Mountain I turned around first thing next morning for a touristic bus adventure across southern Peru. Cab picked us up from the hotel at oh-six-hundred and took us to the bus terminal shared by Peru Hop, Bolivia Hop, and Inka Express.
We were on the Inka Express. Their website goes into more detail on the route. Some might quibble with their descriptions:
Not sure all of the stops were either 'joyas' or 'ocultas'. And I don't know I'd go all the way to 'delicious' with the buffet lunch. The guide was very good, I'll give them that. But I'll cover all of this below.
Between Cusco and Puno the route includes the following stops:
Here is the fun illustration of the route on the Inka Express website.
And this is how it looks in Google Maps, which shows about 7 hours worth of bus ride. Which means our time on bus to time at touristic stops ratio was about 1.75:1.
I was comforted to see that our bus driver had a good luck pair of toritos riding with us.
We got some of the story about the church. No pictures of videos allowed, so all I got were one of the facade and another facing out toward the plaza in front.
Then a couple more scenery / vibe shots. At every stop along this route there were places trying to convince you to try Coatl coffee. No thanks.
Two hours into the day and one stop checked off the list. Back on the bus for about 90 minutes until we pull in to Racqhi. Upon arrival there is a modest entrance right off the shoulder of the main route with convenient bus parking.
Then you stroll for a bit until you get to the main attraction. Of all the stops during the day this one was by far the most interesting and worthwhile. Snapped a handful of shots.
And then we had some free time to browse the artesanía and souvenirs before continuing onward.
My colleague and I did pick up a few small clay dishes from one of the women set up in the plaza, so we did our part of contributing economically to the community.
About an hour down the line from Racqhi we stopped for our delicious buffet lunch. Here's my plate:
To be fair, there were certainly other items available in the buffet. But by my calculations we had another 5+ hours on a bus. Bathroom facilities on the bus and at the subsequent stops were of dubious quality and comfort. So rather than roll the dice about how anything might detonate in my stomach, I played it safe.
75 minutes later we rolled up to the scenic viewpoint of Abra La Raya. Judging by the other buses around us this did not seem to be a 'joya oculta'. But it was nice scenery. If I had not spent the previous day hiking through hours of beautiful terrain leading to / from Rainbow Mountain I might have been more excited by this. Snapped the obligatory pics and re-boarded the bus.
90 minutes later we rolled into Pucará. I had high hopes for Pucará. During my day of sightseeing and craftiness I had learned about the torito de Pucará and even painted my own (he's now occupying a place of honor in my living room). I had visions of Pucará being this charming town full of quality artisans, akin to the Pueblos Mágicos that we have here in México. Nope. Pretty dead in the main plaza. And we were there at 245pm on a Saturday. Yikes. Couple of small tables set up by the most optimistic of souvenir vendors. That's it. No one else in town except us and our bus.
We got a little tour of the museum. My highlight was the torito poster.
Then got an ice cream at this convenience store.
Then we left. Two hours later we completed the journey, arriving safely at the Puno bus terminal.
Area surrounding the bus terminal is modest. Not really a place to hang out in. I did get a decent bag of the Peruvian popcorn, though, on our way out of town a couple days later.
I also had the good fortune of running into this malcriada posted up at the sanitario público inside the bus station.
Cost of using the bathroom was $/0.50. That's $0.14 USD. Cash only. There are zero ATMs along the route we followed on the bus. I had no cash. Thought she might have the grace to permit me to pass. Nope. She said 'eres rico, hay que pagar'. Que generosa señora. Que la karma te pague lo que mereces. Felt good to actually throw that at her en español in the moment. Not sure how many gringos she encounters who can deal it right back to her. And yes, I know it is wise to carry cash everywhere, all the time. But when you're running long days back to back and paying out cash tips left, right, and center, sometimes you find yourself cashless and hopeful that your fellow human might show a bit of benevolence. Not in this woman's character apparently. (For the record, bought the ice cream in Pucará with a credit card.) Fortunately my situation wasn't urgent and in 20 minutes I'd be at our accommodations.
So, what's the verdict on the 11-hour touristic bus from Cusco to Puno? Eh, I guess it can work. Really don't love the 6:30 departure time, but not sure what the alternatives are. Wouldn't want to drive it. Can't really fly between Cusco and Puno. I think the best alternative is private car service with one or two stops. Probably Racqhi, Abra La Raya, and a meal. Not sure the Peruvian Sistine Chapel or Pucará are worth the stopping time.
My last full day in Cusco was spent experiencing the long, full-day excursion out to Rainbow Mountain. One of the big things people wrestle with is whether 'it's worth it', because it is a FULL day. The ratio of time-in-van to time-on-mountain is heavy. My day started with a hotel pick up at 745am. I got back around 630pm. So 10 hours and 45 minutes total, with about 6 of those spent in the van. Another 3.25 hours actually hiking the site. And about 1-1.25 hours of pit stops at the restaurant where had a late lunch on the way back to Cusco. Also factoring into my personal calculus of "is it worth it?" were the facts that I only had 3 nights in Cusco and the day after my hike I'd be hopping onto a 11-hour 'touristic bus' ride heading to Puno, which would depart Cusco at 630am. So, my heavy day of visiting Rainbow Mountain was tightly squeezed into a generally heavy itinerary. So what was my verdict? Scroll on to find out ...
The ride out breaks down into 3 parts:
* Traffic leaving Cusco on route 3S
* The ride on 3S between the Cusco outskirts and the access road to the mountain
* The ~1 hour ride on that windy, undulating dirt road that finally leads to the trail head
The first part is a drag, but there is no avoiding it.
My guide made the most of it, though. The towns you pass through -- Saylla, Tipón, and Oropesa -- each have their respective points of distinct culinary pride. Saylla is famous for its chiconerias. If you're looking for Cuy, then it's Tipón and its cuyerias. And Oropesa is known as the bread capital for its 'chuta' bread. So I got that orientation as we passed through those towns one after the other in quick succession. And the payoff was stopping at Panificadora Yapita for a loaf.
Enjoyed a few bites as we continued along.
Once out of the heavy traffic I settled in for the bulk of the drive, which is ~2 hours before you reach the unpaved access road. Snapped a few scenery pics.
For the first stretch of the unpaved road you're in a village / community type setting, passing by homes, shepherds, a school, etc.
Then it's a good hour of winding, moutainous scenery. I have dozens of pictures, but will share a couple representative shots and a video to provide a sense of what you're traveling through.
Eventually you reach the destination and the local officials grant entry to the parking. Pay for your entradas and you're ready to embark on the hike.
Gorgeous scenery right off the bat.
But before I get more into what I saw / did along the way, let's level set with some key facts about the Rainbow Mountain trail according to Gemini.
I'm not sure where that peak altitude of 5200m is. The signage I saw at the very top indicated we were at 5035m. Pretty high either way. I have been living at ~2300 for the past 12 years, so I was hopeful that my body wouldn't be too shocked. 2300m is higher than zero, but still a long way from 4300 - 5000m. So I wasn't sure how I'd react. If you want to experience the scenery of the hike but aren't sure if you will be up for the 'hiking' part of the hike there are some local who can escort you with a ride on their horses.
When I heard about this potential assistance pre-hike I expected it might be cheesy. Like ride-a-sad-pony-at-the-local-fair kind of thing. But when I saw it in action it wasn't bad at all. My guide said during high season maybe 70% of people use the horses. I'd guess it was more like 5-10% the day we were there. Slow day for the locals, who I think earn $/80 - $/90 soles per rider.
So, having not had an immediate heart attack or any other respiratory breakdown when I got out of the van, I decided to try it on my own two legs. Plus the broom handle 'walking stick' I was offered as an aid.
Looking at the time stamps on my pictures, it was just under 2 hours from buying my entrance tickets to snapping a picture at the very top. The hike advances in stages. Extended sections of flat / flattish terrain that alternate with shorter 'gain' sections where the incline picks up a good amount.
You naturally pace yourself, catch your breath, take some pictures, regroup, continue. Repeat the cycle. And as you go you might bump into a couple shepherding their llamas along the trail.
There are some savvy locals positioned further along the trail, waiting for those who realize they overestimated their ability / desire to do it solo.
Some of these final slopes I definitely took my time and stopped every 20m. But I was never close to calling for the horse. Plus, they can only get you so far. The very last stages are vertical stairs where you either do it on your own or you don't do it.
Looking back at what you've done provides some perspective on the climb.
But there is still some work to do.
Snagged a video for perspective. Can hear the labored breathing.
Now the views really start to kick in.
When you reach the first 'peak' you find some enterprising locals ready to sell you souvenirs, snacks, and hot drinks. We got a hot chocolate, but I think it was on the way down.
I say 'way down' because there is still more 'up' to deal with.
Honestly, that last part was not as difficult as it looks. It might be partly due to adrenaline. It's largely thanks to the stairs they have carved into the trail. Either way, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And of course the views keep getting better.
Not sure what came over me, but I felt compelled to capture the moment with the altitude sign (5035 msnm, aka 5035 meters sobre nivel de mar, aka, pretty high above sea level). Just wish my guide went for the landscape view.
I can also say that whatever the elevation difference is between 'first peak' and 'ultimate peak' is, you feel it in the form of wind and temperature. Crisp up there.
With the moment propertly appreciated, it was time to head back down.
Walk back was nice. Skies cleared a bit. And we had the trail largely to ourselves. Guess others try to head out super early for some reason. I was okay with our timing. And grateful that the shifting weather provided a different perspective on the scenery.
Unlike Huayna Picchu, this is a lot easier on the way back. A mostly gentle downhill walk. When we got to the van we saw that the staff had packed up early for the day, which means the public restrooms there were not available. Fortunately my guides knew of picturesque alternative on the road back to civilization.
On the drive back to Cusco we stopped at Meson Andino, which might well be the one and only restaurant along that stretch of route 3S. Nice setting.
Enjoyed my chicken soup. Regretted the 'pork belly' that the server recommended. Should have gone with the lomo saltado, which is what both the guide and driver ordered. In retrospect that was an obvious tell.
Post hike, post late lunch it was time for a hard snooze on the ride back to Cusco.
So, was it 'worth it'?
What I would say is that I am glad I did it. Definitely felt a sense of accomplishment. And the scenery is gorgeous. Now, my experience was private. Had the van to myself. Was able to walk the trail at my pace. Don't think I'd want to be part of a group experience in a full van, dealing with the varying pace of others on the trail. But that's my personality. Different strokes for different folks.
Later that night back in Cusco I congratulated myself with a light dinner of soup, 'caprese' salad, and a local IPA at Piedra y Sal.
