Hiking the Incan Ruins in Cusco

Posted on by
The Yank without a Chain in a doorway at Sacsayhuaman, an Incan fort that overlooks Cusco

The Yank without a Chain in a doorway at Sacsayhuaman, an Incan fort that overlooks Cusco

Although Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley are the most famous Incan ruins, there are some highly accessible and impressive ruins just outside the center of Cusco. Although many tourists book a bus tour to visit the ruins for about 4-5 hours, it’s possible to hike them. It’s best to wait until you’ve acclimated for at least a day before attempting the hike, and allow for at least 7 hours, assuming you want time to see the ruins and perhaps get a guided tour on the ground.

Continue reading →

Pre-Incan Ruins around Trujillo: Chan Chan, Huaca de la Luna, and El Brujo

Posted on by
The Yank without a Chain at Chan Chan

The Yank without a Chain in the middle of the road at Chan Chan

I headed north to Trujillo from Lima specifically to visit the pre-Incan ruins surrounding the city. Dating from AD 1470 (Chan Chan) to around AD 500 (Huaca de la Luna and El Brujo), the ruins are remnants of the Chimu and Moche tribes. Each of the sites has an accompanying museum which explores the culture and traditions of the respective tribe and the museums of Huaca de la Luna and El Brujo contain impressive pottery that look like they easily could have been removed from the kiln last week!

Continue reading →