On my last trip to Cusco (December 2016) I wanted to do a one day trek through the sacred valley. Some that did not involve buying the tourist ticket (because I was not going to stay more days to visit all the sites it includes) and that I could do on my own. Thanks to the blog Compass of the Azar I found the route of the Inca road that connects Chinchero with the archaeological complex Huchuy Qosqo. A route that transversally crosses the sacred valley and that I never imagined would take me to such desolate places in the Sacred Valley

So I decided to do the trekking in the reverse direction:

Lamay – Huchuy Qosqo – Chinchero

Lamay – Huchuy Qosqo

Lamay is a small town in the Sacred Valley in the province of Calca in Cusco. Here I arrive around 8:30 am, and I have my breakfast at emollient positions. A rich, nutritious and super economic quinoa with apple and bread with avocado. To not buy water bottles again I filled the ones I had, one with tea and the other with quinoa, bread and cheese, a couple of oranges, kiwicha bars and chancay. Ready to walk!.

Following the road indicated by the sign indicating the track to Huchuy Qosqo, I crossed the Urubamba river and followed a dirt road, then cut my way following some white arrows. The hill climb began, walk at a constant pace, only stops for photos. The sun was overwhelming as well as a beautiful view of the valley. I just came across a lady and her donkeys that happened to me in a matter of seconds.

When it seemed that it reached the top of the mountain, the road becomes steeper and there I suffered. It was very slow but without stopping, because if I stopped it would be more difficult to recover the rhythm. Until I got to Huchuy Qosqo.

Time: 2 hours of walking

Distance: 4.2 kms of pure rise

Unevenness of 729 meters. I started at 2932 meters above sea level in Lamay and reached 3661 meters above sea level entrance to Huchuy Qosqo.