While the legs and lungs burned calories on our Salkantay trek, the eyes got their share of workout too, taking in the vast vistas of the Andes Cordillera (mountain range). From the snow-capped peaks to the mists in the jungle, from the basic camps to the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu, the landscape changed constantly. The bonds of friendship tested and cemented. It topped everything – the pure air, and the scale of the beauty around us.
A valley of contrasts
The easier part of the ride
One hand on the reins, the other on the shutter
The majestic Apu Salkantay
Heart-in-the-mouth moments
The trek leading up to the Salkantay pass
Definitely the high point of my trip
The last of the snow caps before entering the jungle
Ecosystem on a rock
The camp mirage (ours was hours away, in Chaullay ‘village’)
The stream that became Urubamba
The expression of the shoes said it all. Lucmabamba camp
Coffee, anyone?
When the guide was away, we had our moments of play
From trail to track. Hidroelectric to Aguas Calientes.
Sky, mountain, river, track, gravel.
The finish line: A distant view of the Machu Picchu ‘backside’
Machu Picchu, a name randomly assigned to the site, that stuck.
Because I was there. Before sunrise.
The reimagined roof
Our fearless ‘Inca’ leader: Amoroso
The power of El Sol
Stone walls and blue skies
Windows XV
The part that was visible from down below, when we looked up
Saving the best for last: The magical moment when we all stopped to worship the sun emerging through the mountains
A Busy Life of Leisure 
Beautiful photos..looks like an awesome trek..thank you for sharing!
LikeLike
Thanks Sara. This was Ijen x 5!
LikeLike