LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk | Epic Journey Women's Trek to Machu Picchu by: Anne Brewer W hen people hear what my job is, they often respond by saying "sure but what's your REAL job," emphasis on the word 'real' or they react with "you actually get paid for that?" The next question that follows the disbelief of realizing someone could possibly earn a living doing what they love is, "how did you get a job like that?" What is my job you wonder? I am a NYS Licensed Guide in the Adirondacks as well as a guide for an all women's adventure travel service, Adventures in Good Company, which offers a variety of adventure based trips throughout the world. One particular trend in the Adventure Travel business is the growth of companies who offer women-only trips. Traveling and adventuring as a group of women is growing in popularity because it offers women a chance to travel with other like-minded women who share the same passion for adventure and want to be active while they vacation. For the past two years in October I have guided a group of women adventurers to Peru. Our itinerary has us flying in to the city of Cusco, which is in the southeastern part of Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage site in 1983. Today it receives almost two million visitors a year. Cusco is also the gateway for visitors to Machu Picchu. There are several ways to approach Machu Picchu, some of which involve hiking the famous Inca Trail with a guide service and taking the train to Aguas Calientes. Another way, as we did, is to hire Mountain Lodges of Peru (MLP). Independent trekking on the Inca Trail without an official guide has been prohibited since 2001. You must go as part of an organized group arranged by an officially sanctioned tour agency. We have decided to hike via a less traveled route that will take us through the Salkantay Range. MLP is the only company who leads lodge to lodge trips along this particular route. Adventures in Good Company chose to work with MLP because of their stellar reputation for providing a safe, educational, comfortable trek. In addition, they prepare and serve some of Peru's best known dishes, and are commited to the on-going socioeconomic development of the the region by employing local natives in their day to day operations. Several times throughout the trek we were able to meet the local people, which enriched our visit in ways other tourists are not able to experience. Our first two days were spent getting used Horses and mules are used to transport supplies between the lodges to the altitude, as Cusco sits at 11,021 feet. Our MLP guide, Silver, took us on a city tour which included visits to the Qorikancha or Sun Temple. This is said to be one of the most interesting architectural structures in the city; it was enlarged in 1438 by Pachacuti who built Machu Picchu. Today it is the Santo Domingo Convent and Church. I always find it fascinating when the Peruvians talk about the history and how far it dates back in comparison to the United States. Next stop was to the walled complex known as Sacsayhuaman or Saksaq Waman or, as our group of 12 women 40 LOCALadk Magazine Spring 2013

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