The Trail to Machu Picchu: Wyra to Colpa

Wyra Lodge is situated in an area called Huayraccmachay. It is high in the Andes and not very densely populated (this is an incredible exaggeration as there are less than 50 people in the area). To say it is rather remote is not an exaggeration either. The vistas are beautiful. To arrive at Wyra Lodge, we covered about 8 miles with a climb of about 2500 feet and an equal decent. On arrival, most eased into the hot tub. I was still not 100%; so, I eased into bed. The next morning arrived with a somewhat lazy start; we had less ground to cover on our trip to the next lodge.

In the morning, we enjoyed a fine breakfast and prepared for our 6 mile day with an almost continuous drop of approximately 3400 feet. That sounded easy, and it wasn't nearly as strenuous as crossing the Salkantay Pass. As we prepared to depart, we found our cleaned hiking boots lined up and ready for our daily miles.

Before we were to depart Huayraccmachay, we were going to visit a somewhat prosperous farm. Two members of the farm family actually work at the lodge part time. One of the sons met us as we approached the farm house.

 

The morning was a little brisk and he was wrapped in a woven blanket that was serving as his defense against the cold.

The farm was a broad but uneven area between the valley's sides. There was a large pen of sheep, maybe 50 to 75, with a sprinkling of new born lambs. There were chickens roaming about, and on the perimeter of what appeared to be the farmer's land were a few patches of land in cultivation. These patches were not much more than an acre in size. We discovered later that corn and potatoes are the cultivated crops.

The crop rotation schemes are traditional, not from any book learning or government direction. The fertilizer is what comes from their own animals. The seeds used are from their own past harvests; I suspect that this is the paramount in heirloom seeds. It certainly is the ultimate in organic farming.

The farm house was constructed of stone and sported a galvanized metal roof. The floors were simply the earth with numerous cuy (guinea pigs) running freely through the entire house. They seemed to favor a warm hearth after a meal was prepared and the fire was extinguished. The doors and windows blocked the elements with either a heavy cloth curtain (maybe a blanket) or loosely fitting wooden boards. I have high hopes of giving more detail on the farm house interior and cultivation methods in a future posting.

While we were in the house or roaming the area around the house, the farm dog assumed the duty of guarding our backpacks. After an hour or so of discovery, we started our day's trek.

Our departure from Huayraccmachay, the farm, and the Wyra Lodge would take us from the high mountain valleys descending through increasingly verdant landscapes. Our path followed the Salkantay River. Although our path was high above the river, it was often in sight.

Our goal for this day was to arrive at the Colpa Lodge located on an open promontory at the confluence of three rivers. Arriving at the Lodge would coincide with our crossing of the Salkantay River.

Along the way we passed several small fields either under cultivation or laying fallow in anticipation of a future crop. The make shift fences are essential for keeping out cattle, sheep, horses and mules that roam, somewhat freely, in the high Andes.

After about 4 hours of trekking, we descended to the Salkantay River and climbed up the steep side of the bluff where we found our lodging for the night.

Colpa Lodge has a wonderful view, as did all of the lodges We had descended to 8,246 feet. It was time to jump into the hot tub to sooth our aching muscles. It was glorious.

For dinner, we were to enjoy a pachamanca. More on our pachamanca in my November 20, 2010 post entitled Pachamanca and Why I Know the Taste of Cuy.

For more images from this day's hike, click here.

Here are a couple of links if you are interested in this lodge to lodge trek: REI Adventures and Mountain Lodges of Peru.