June 23 – 24, 2019
We took an early afternoon flight to Cusco. When we entered the baggage claim area in Cusco we were greeted by Peruvian dancers and singers. And chocolate! Fun and a very nice touch.
We were met by our driver for our trip to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. I specifically planned to move immediately to a lower elevation since Jacob and Jack were trekking the Inca Trail and I wanted them to have a much time as possible to acclimate. At a lower elevation than Cusco it was a perfect place to start our trip.
We would return to Cusco after Machu Picchu.
The drive to the Sacred Valley took us past picturesque towns, archeological sites, snow-capped mountains and green hills. Our hotel for the next few days was Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado Urubamba. The location was secluded but easy to get to by public transportation. The grounds were beautifully landscaped and surrounded by mountains. The architecture was typical of the rustic towns in the valley. It was a perfect place to acclimate. We arrived late afternoon and the sun was already setting. We checked in and had our first Pisco Sour in the lobby bar, then went to dinner and to bed. Jack had some altitude sickness. He gave us a scare when he ran from the table and returned white as a ghost. He recovered quickly.