Andean Discovery – April 2019

Andean Discovery – April 2019 (Quito, Ecuador; Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Cusco, Peru; Sacred Valley, Peru; Lima, Peru)

Through more than 50 years of travel, we had never taken a guided tour. Often, we do not even make hotel reservations, so this was a first for us. We both speak Spanish (Rosemary far better than I), so we could have managed with our usual approach. Due to the number of locations visited and the fact that our work limited the time available for making foreign travel arrangements, we decided to book most of this tour through Andean Discovery.

We liked most about the trip, of course, the sites that we visited, as they were truly spectacular. However, our ability to enjoy them was enhanced considerably by the quality of the Andean tour guides. Our initial concerns about the overall cost were dissipated entirely over the course of the trip, and our enjoyment of the entire tour exceeded not just our expectations but our wildest hopes.

Although we flew to Quito two days before the official tour began and landed after midnight (not our choice, but due to a flight delay), our first guide met us at the airport and escorted us to our hotel. She anticipated all our questions and possible concerns. She answered the few remaining questions that we had very quickly and in a manner that was easily understandable and alleviated any worries we might have had. Consequently, before the tour began, we were confident about being in good hands and knowing what to expect. The same was true of every stop throughout the trip – a guide escorted us, whether it was only from the airport to the hotel or for five days of sight-seeing.

There were about 100 passengers on the Galapagos Legend, so we were divided into seven groups of about 12-14, and we stayed together as a group for all land activities. Groups were boarded into dinghies on a rotating basis so, although we were the last group out on the first afternoon, we eventually were the first group out on day 4, and everyone was treated fairly. Our guide, Paul, was, to use a term that is perhaps over-used, incredible.  He was highly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna on each island, had a great sense of humor, knew how to manage the pace of a group that included several older passengers like us, and added immensely to our enjoyment of each island visited. Based on conversations with other guests, we believe the other groups’ guides were just as good.

In Cusco, what can we say about Jessica Huaman?  We absolutely adored her and feel so lucky to have had her as our private guide throughout the Sacred Valley. She is bright and perky, very knowledgeable about the history of Peru and the Incas, very efficient, and – just add whatever superlatives you want to insert here – she was terrific to spend five days with.

There was one aspect of this part of the tour that did not meet our expectations – it far exceeded them – we were amazed that, although there were several of us from the group on the ship in the Galapagos who also did the Sacred Valley tour, each couple had our private car, guide, and driver! We saw many other tour groups from other companies with perhaps 12-20 passengers in a bus and a single tour guide for the entire group. Andean Discovery was brilliant in their realization that, particularly for the trip’s cost, their guests deserved individual attention, which is precisely what we got.  If we wanted to spend an extra 20 minutes somewhere to take pictures, we did so without holding up anyone else in the group. If we saw what we wanted and were ready to move on to the next spot, we were able to do so without waiting for a dozen more people also to be ready. That meant that Jessica’s full attention was devoted to us, and this made the trip infinitely more enjoyable and allowed us to listen to everything she had to say since she was talking just to us. Since we enjoyed socializing with the other four people from our Galapagos group, Jessica coordinated with the other two guides so that we could all meet at the same restaurants for lunch (and sometimes dinner). 

Lodging was perfect for each location.  The airport hotels were nothing special but were clean and convenient. The cabin on the ship was a decent size and, since the ship was so small, every cabin was just a few steps away from the main stairway. Our favorite hotel by far was the Tierra Viva Lodge in the Sacred Valley – beautiful views of the Andes, alpaca grazing in the yard outside our room (no need for lawnmowers), beautiful rooms with wood beams, and an excellent restaurant – not to mention the charming Inca lady who sold her crafts in the courtyard and was always ready with a smile. Perhaps surprisingly, the beds in all the hotels were very comfortable.

The activities can be divided into the two distinct parts of our trip – those in the Galapagos and those in the Sacred Valley of Peru.  Activities in the Galapagos were, quite naturally, centered around the flora and fauna of the islands, but there were some activities on-board to help fill the day if one had the energy to do them all.

A separate location was visited every morning and afternoon, with each island or cove having its unique wildlife compared with the previous one. With a couple of exceptions, each island visit began with a dinghy ride from the ship to a wet landing onshore – sliding over the top of the dinghy into a few inches of water (of course, the same was required when getting back in, which was occasionally a bit more complicated – there were, however, always enough crew members present to help those of us who needed a little extra help).

Based on the location, we typically hiked for between 90 and 120 minutes, and the indigenous plants and animals were pointed out by the guide when they were not obvious, like hundreds of land iguanas spread out on the rocks. Our guide took into account the abilities of each member of the group, so this hike was just that and not a forced march. If we needed to stop for a rest, we stopped, and nobody seemed to object to the occasional brief straggler. There was so much to see and photograph that we were all able to enjoy what each island had to offer.

Activities in the Sacred Valley centered around the history or ruins of the Incas who lived there. Each day brought us to one or two new archeological sites, each quite distinct from those before. Jessica shared her knowledge of the history of these people and pointed out features of the ruins that helped us understand a little more each day about the Incas and their culture.  This education, of course, culminated in the last full day at Machu Picchu. The previous afternoon we took a ride in the glass-domed train along the river to Aguas Calientes, just outside Machu Picchu. The scenery was beautiful along the river and through the Andes.

In Machu Picchu, we hiked along the trails through as much of the site as our bodies would tolerate.  Since we are in our 70s, this was not as much territory as younger people covered, but it was as much as we wanted and more than sufficient to get a full taste of the site. One of the younger couples in our cruise group hiked for two days to get to Machu Picchu, so their experience was individualized, somewhat different from ours, but equally enjoyable from their perspective. We did the return train ride that evening and visited some lesser but interesting ruins on our last day before returning to Lima.

Overall, the food in Peru was delicious.  We had eaten at a Peruvian restaurant in Phoenix, but we did not realize how many good dishes there are in Peru, including the fusion of traditional Peruvian dishes with Asian spices.  Of particular note, the first afternoon in the Sacred Valley, we were driving through a town when the driver turned off onto a side street that seemed to be going nowhere. He stopped at what appeared to be a pleasant enough building where we were to have lunch – the restaurant Tawa. The inside was lovely, as was the charming flower-filled courtyard, but we were not prepared for what turned out to be one of the best meals we have ever had, anywhere. The chicha morada drink, ubiquitous in Peru, was especially good here. The first course, ceviche or shrimp and trout, was as good as we have ever had. My main course was trout, fresh from the nearby mountain stream, with a delicious sauce. My wife had grilled alpaca, also done to perfection. A dessert of sorbet and small pastries completed a wonderful meal – a great way to start the trip through the Sacred Valley. Although none of the other meals quite reached this standard of excellence, they were all very good.

The most surprising occurrence was a special meal and ceremony hosted by local Quechua. We were greeted by several of them in festive costumes, playing music and giving us garlands of flowers to welcome us. We then participated in their pre-meal ceremony, honoring all the mountains and thanking them for their abundance. The meal was then prepared in an open fire pit, covered with stones, cloth, and leaves to retain the heat (not unlike a New England clam bake or a Hawaiian luau). When the meal was ready, we sat down to an excellent salad, potatoes, corn, roast chicken, roast guinea pig (not unlike rabbit), Lima beans, and dessert, plus, of course, chicha morada.

In Ollantaytambo, before the train ride to Machu Picchu, the local school was holding a dance festival in the main square.  The young children were dressed in traditional costumes, and the dance groups were organized by age, beginning with the 3-5-year-olds. This activity alone made the entire trip worthwhile, as one of the photos I was able to get captured the sweetness and innocence of one of the young girls.

Although Lima was not part of the tour, we did spend five days there and enjoyed the city as a fitting end to a beautiful trip. Among the highlights were the changing of the guard at the Plaza de Armas, the wonderful Larco Herrera archeological museum (with an excellent lunch at their restaurant), walking through the catacombs of the Church of San Francisco, and a lovely dinner at l’Eau Vive, a French restaurant operated by Carmelite nuns – after the meal, several of the nuns came out and sang Ave Maria.

Of special note, not just for seniors.

Plumbing: Since we were generally in major cities, the plumbing facilities are up to US standards. This also is true of the Galapagos Legend, the train to Aguas Calientes, airports, hotels, and restaurants. There are, however, no facilities on any of the Galapagos islands themselves, and it is not permitted to sneak off into the woods, so plan accordingly. If anyone has an “emergency,” the entire group must return to the ship.

Mobility issues: Virtually everywhere can be managed if you use a cane.  Even Machu Picchu can be enjoyed, with some limitations, if you use a walker, but not a wheelchair. A dinghy transports you to all Galapagos sites, and all but two have wet landings, as described above. The two dry landings use steps to get into and out of the dinghy and onto the pier.

Medicine: It is better to bring a generous supply of all prescription medications, although you should be able to get refills at major city pharmacies. If you take medicine that requires refrigeration, be sure to bring it with you, as you can always get ice to put in hour cool packs. (Someone on our trip did not bring his insulin since he was worried about this, and he had problems because of that decision). Many prescription medicines cause skin sensitivity, so be sure to use sunscreen, whether or not you are taking any such medication.

Respiratory/Cardiovascular Issues: Please get a doctor’s advice for this. Although much of the trip is at altitude, we did not have any difficulty breathing, basically because we took our time and did not over-exert ourselves (aside from controlled hypertension, neither of us has any serious CV conditions). Even if going up a lot of steps, stop as often as needed – there will probably be a great view.

Larco Herrera Archeological Museum: There is a separate room containing extensive erotic ceramics. They do not have this kind of pottery mixed with other pottery throughout the museum, so feel free to bring children and just don’t enter the “Erotica” wing.