Day 6: Cancha Cancha Village to Aguas Calientes
Itinerary
Explore Cancha Cancha, Trek 3 hours to Huaran Village @ 8,858 ft, Walk in Ollantaytambo, the only living in-tact Inca Village, Afternoon train to Aguas Calientes, Shuttle to Aguas Calientes, Check-In to Jaya Hotel, Hotel in Town
Total Trek Distance: 6 miles
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Journal Entry ~ Tina Charman
We awoke to the familiar sound of our trekking team delivering hot coffee and tea to our tents at 6:00 a.m., a welcome comfort on our final morning in the Andes. After enjoying our last breakfast on the mountain together, we packed our gear and shared a heartfelt moment of gratitude with our porters and horsemen, presenting each of them with a Beyond poncho as a small token of our gratitude for the care and support they had provided throughout our journey.
Our first stop of the day was a visit to a local Inca family’s home. We were warmly welcomed by the woman of the house and her young daughter, one of four children. Sitting inside their home offered a rare glimpse into daily life in the Inca mountain. We learned about local customs, including the traditions and observed the normalcy of raising guinea pigs inside the home, where they live freely under beds and around the family’s feet. It was a fascinating reminder of how differently people live around the world and a humbling opportunity to experience another culture firsthand.
During our visit, Melissa dressed in traditional Andean clothing, complete with a beautifully woven skirt, shawl, and signature hat. She wore it well! javi also showed us how to make rope by rilling dry grass together.
We also learned about the ancient practice of dehydrating potatoes beneath layers of dry grass. Javi explained that these preserved potatoes can last up to 50 years!
From the family’s home, we enjoyed walking the young daughter to school. Unfortunately, because of a local holiday, the school gates were closed and neither students nor teachers had arrived. While unexpected, the change in plans created another meaningful opportunity. The gifts we had brought for the schoolchildren were instead distributed to the children of our porters and horsemen. Their excitement and gratitude were contagious, and it was a joy to all of us to share in their excitement and appreciation.
We then completed the final stretch of our two-and-a-half-day journey through the Sacred Valley, officially concluding our trek across the Andes. at closing, we were able to share our appreciation with the porters and Horsemen through sharing a moment of gratitude from each of us. The grand finale was Alice doing her legendary cartwheel to conclude our visit and say goodbye!!
Tired but proud, we boarded a bus to Ollantaytambo, where we explored one of the last remaining living Inca villages and enjoyed a well-earned lunch (and pisco sours!) together.
During lunch, we experienced what felt like a huge miracle. Rebecca received the news that her missing passport had been found at a currency exchange in Cusco. The announcement was met with cheers, applause, and immense relief from the entire group. It was a sweet moment of praising Jesus, knowing that she would be able to travel home as originally planned.
From Ollantaytambo, we boarded the SkyDome train to Aguas Calientes, enjoying the changing scenery as we made our way toward the long-awaited destination of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel and reveled in the simple luxury of hot showers (and small towels for some), the first in several days.
That evening, we gathered for a relaxed and laughter-filled dinner. Alice shared that she had tracked the entire hike with the gold Belmont in her bag!
With a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call , we made the climb back to our rooms, ready for a good night’s sleep before the adventure of a lifetime: our visit to Machu Picchu. We all agreed Javi gets the award for the most tired!
-Tina