After sweating it out in the Peruvian Amazon, discovering the charms of the Sacred Valley and hiking my way to Machu Picchu (read about that part of my trip here), my Peruvian adventure continued.
There are a number of ways of getting from Cusco to Lake Titicaca, but nothing can be more special than crossing the high Altiplano and taking in the changing landscape from the windows of the gleaming carriages of the Belmond Andean Explorer, which channels the glamour of 1920s train travel so well.
At the station in Cusco I, and my fellow guests, were sent on our way by local musicians and dancers.
Hopping on board with smiles as wide as a Cheshire cat, we were welcomed with glasses of Champagne as we took our seats in the piano bar for a brief introduction by the train manager, Christopher. Inevitably we all got chatting, as we tried to find out a bit more about each other. There was the odd single person like myself, but most passengers were couples either on honeymoon or celebrating a milestone anniversary.
Then one by one we were shown to our cabins. Weaving through the carriages I was told that each one is named after the captivating flora and fauna found along the route. Mine, Yareta, is a slow growing flowering plant that thrives in the cold grassland areas of the Andes. I had opted for a twin cabin, which was set up with banquettes during the day. There are also cabins with traditional bunks as well as suites with double beds. Each cabin comes with bijou en-suite bathrooms complete with showers.
After lunch we disembarked for a tour around La Raqchi, which is a one-of-a-kind Incan archaeological site where the towering stone and mud remains of the Temple of Wiracocha take centre stage.
Back on board I sat peacefully in my cabin watching the moving scenes outside as the white snow-capped mountains slipped by and we approached La Raya, the highest point on my journey at nearly 5,500m.
That night I negotiated my way back through the moving carriages to the piano bar to enjoy a Pisco Sour to the strains of the pianist. This was followed by a delicious dinner of local produce accompanied by wines of the region. Afterwards it was off to the observation carriage for a night cap and to keep the saxophonist company, whilst most of my fellow passengers went to bed…..well it was 9:00pm!
When I arrived back to my cabin, one of the banquettes had been made up into a bed with crisp white linen. That night I slept well to the lull of the moving train, which was a first for me. Waking up the next morning the train was at Puno Station and the sun was just rising over Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake.
After breakfast I sadly disembarked from what was truly a memorable journey. But there were more adventures ahead as I got whisked off to the wonderful Titilaka Hotel which, in my view, is the only place to stay on the lake.
A stay at Titilaka Hotel is all about experiencing the authentic side to the lake. Taking a bike out, I cycled along the shore line through tranquil lakeside villages and fertile fields past local ladies in traditional dress.
I went out on a boat bound for the floating Uros Islands which, in a desire to remain isolated from the mainland, were built by the Uru people out of totora reeds to create the amazing floating land masses. Dressed in vibrant pinks, oranges and blues, the Uru community welcomed me on to their island as I learnt about their history and customs.
Next we sailed over to the tranquil island of Taquile. Here the 2,200 inhabitants (the Taquelinos) are famed for their colourful handcrafted textile practices, which have been handed down through the generations, and are so prized, they are protected by UNESCO. But another interesting fact I learnt, is that it is only the men of the island who knit!
After such a busy two and a half weeks, I was in need of a rest. I had heard about the hip surf town of Mancora and so I hopped on a flight to Peru’s northern coast.
As my taxi pulled off the main road on to a sandy lane, we passed prettily coloured adobe buildings with straw roofs, whilst motorised rickshaws sped past. We eventually pulled up outside a wooden door which opened up into my very pretty 9 bedroom hide away, Kichic, which was built by the owner out of love and a desire to create a retreat for the soul, which it certainly delivered on for me.
My suite had the most wonderful view over the garden, across the pool and out to sea.
Each morning I would start the day with a stroll along the palm fringed beach, which stretched as far as the eye could see, followed by some yoga, before collapsing on a sun lounger either by the pool or on the beach, with maybe a swim to cool off. In the evening, as the sunset, I indulged in a massage before enjoying some delicious vegetarian feasts and amazing seafood.
It turns out that I wasn’t actually in Mancora, which was about 10 minutes away by rickshaw. Mancora is where you head to if you want to do some serious surfing and, to be fair, it was a rather pleasant place with a buzzy yet laid back vibe and a mixture of chilled-out surfers and Peruvian jet setters. But my stretch of the beach was much prettier and quieter.
I was really pleasantly surprised with what I found up at Mancora and my few days at Kichic were certainly the antidote I needed to my full on Peruvian adventure.
I travelled to Peru in November, just before the rains started. But the weather is good from May, with July and August being an ideal time to travel, which makes Peru a great place for a family adventure during the summer school holidays. If you would like more information on a trip to Peru, then please do get in touch.
{All images: Lesley-Ann}