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Ecuador: trekking Paseo del Condor

02 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by nubiaNomad in Travel

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Ecuador, hiking, trekking

fogEcuador is a country that never fails to disappoint in terms of nature. Quito itself is stunning, from which ever way you look you are reminded that of lush greenery and snow-capped mountains. Although my stays were mostly limited to Quito there are plenty of day trip trekking and hiking options. I’m grateful for friends who share this passion and have taken me to on breath-taking hikes and treks within short drives outside of Quito. We took this trek out for a friend’s birthday.

moss

On this most recent day hike, we set out early morning while a thick layer of fog blanketed the valleys on the trek named Paseo del Condor. Sadly we did not see any Condors on our trek but the scenery of seeing the thick curtain of fog lift and the view of golden valleys can not be put in words.

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trekking Paseo del Condor
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The afternoon trek was difficult at times as we traversed at altitudes well above 3000 m but became manageable overtime. We took the opportunity to lay on the soft (albeit wet) golden grass for a bit of a rest and to refuel on energy.  It was a great celebration with friends and undisturbed scenery.

A great way to ring in a new year for this friend.

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Peru: mad dash to Manchu Picchu

23 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by nubiaNomad in Travel

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hiking, Manchu Picchu, Peru, tour guides, travel, trekking

I realize that the heading on this post does not do these amazing locations justice. With limited time and realizing that I had to tone down my adventures due to knee injury from a few years back, unfortunately I could not handle the intensity of the full Inka Trail trek or it’s more wilder version, the Jungle Trail. Having resigned myself to this decision, I did not want to feel fully defeated and I could not accept seeing Manchu Picchu from the relative comfort of train and bus. This is one place in particular,where I felt that I had to earn my entry.

view from a look out point on trail up to Manchu Picchu
view from a look out point on trail up to Manchu Picchu
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trek to Aguas Calliente
trek to Aguas Calliente

I for one am a fan of solo travel and in instances like these it was relatively easy to find trek mates who wanted to go at my pace. I met another solo female traveler who stopped by the language school for 2 weeks as she traversed South America. She too having suffered serious injuries in the past that left her hip/knees in bad shape, could not take on intense hikes but did not want a “free ride” to Manchu Picchu. So that settled it, having found a trekking partner, we set  out to find the best means of getting some moderate trekking, while realizing the limitations of our bodies.

With tour agencies and touts aplenty around Cuzco, it was a headache to sift through and find a decent agency that won’t over charge and provide basic services. The takeaway from this research was to find out hidden costs, what packages actually include (transport, lodging, meals, if so, how many meals, and equipment rentals). Thankfully, my trek-mate Alli did most of the legwork and haggled for a great deal.

We headed off on an early morning bus from Cuzco to Hidroelectrica. From there were trekked to the town of Aguas Calliente. This short trek was a breeze and at this point, I was feeling confident that the remainder of the trip will not be as bad. I didn’t realize what was in store. After a few hours of rest we eagerly got up at 4:15 and walked out-of-town to cross the bridge and begin the hike up to Manchu Picchu. Our adrenaline rush was quickly squashed when we realized the gates to cross the bridge and enter the national park do not open until 5. So we moped around, half asleep disappointed that we can’t just get on with our trek.  Finally on the trail, I quickly realized how out of shape I was. Despite being reasonably fit, and using a bicycle as my primary mode of transportation, I was quickly humbled by the steep, uneven steps and high altitude of the trail. I nearly puked, despite having no food in my system.

Despite the arduous climb, after reaching the top, the walk around Manchu Picchu was well worth it. It was well worth it to make it up to Manchu Picchu before sun rise, to witness as the veil of fog lifted to reveal spectacular views of the ancient empire. After a one hour guided tour that gave a bit of insight on the historic site we ventured on our own. I realized that if I were Peruvian, I would be annoyed and disappointed by the portrayal of these historic ruins. Much of the credit is given to Yale Professor for “discovering” the site. Little mention is noted that an 11-year-old boy guided him to this location, so clearly many people in the area knew of its existence.

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As the hoards of buses started to arrive, the site quickly became crowded. From there we decided to hike up to Mount Manchu Picchu towards the Sungate, which is the trail that is used by most trekkers on the traditional Inca Trail to enter the ancient city. It was nice to escape the crowds and the view was spectacular. The views were overwhelmingly beautiful and I was left in awe of the mite needed to erect this ancient city in such an isolated and difficult terrain. The climb back down to Aguas caliente was equally difficult, given the late afternoon heat.

bottom line, despite the express trek… the trip was still simply spectacular.

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Bariloche

16 Saturday Feb 2008

Posted by nubiaNomad in Travel

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Argentina, Bariloche, hiking, trekking

Yesterday I took the time to hike and trek a bit closer to Bariloche. I took the bus out to Puerto Pañelo on the edge of Lago Huapi. From there I walked until I found the trails to the Bosque Arrayanes. That was by far the best trek yet. This trail was absolutely beautiful with outlooks onto Lago Moreno Oeste. I walked the entire trail and then continued onwards along the paved road until the edge of Lago Escondido. Honestly I can´t get over these lakes and my camera doesn’t do them any justice. They are usually a shade of brilliant blue-turquoise. All of them are glacier-fed.

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After stopping for a bit, I continued onto Bahia Lopez. I could have taken the bus from there but it was such a nice day, I kept on walking until the colony of Colonia Suiza. There Swiss immigrants first settled in the region. That is probably why most of Bariloche and surrounding villages/towns retain this Swiss log cabin feel with that very distinct architecture. Also why Bariloche is so famous for its chocolate.

At one of the outlook point I ran into an Argentinan couple and got to talking to them. We parted ways and I kept walking. I ran into them later on up ahead at a little snack shack near Arryo Lopez. Ended up sitting down and chatting with them for ages about politics, culture. We exchanged info and hopefully try to stay in touch.

In total I probably walked about 15 miles. I was sooo exhasuted by the end and just wanted to find a bus. Some of the hiles were brutal. Luckily I caught the last bus back from Colonia Suiza to Bariloche and there I went to visit a friend who I encountered on the ride from Mendoza. She was staying at another hostel.

I came back to my hostel to find an Asado (bbq) in full swing. Spend a great evening chatting with other travellers and eating roasted corn on a cob (wasnt really interested in the meat).

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Hippies Rejoice

16 Saturday Feb 2008

Posted by nubiaNomad in Travel

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Argentina, El Bolsòn, Lago Puelo, trekking

So a few days ago I headed down south to the hippie colony of El Bolsón When people talked about it, I really thought they were exaggerating but there was no exaggeration on their part. Its original inhabitants made it an ecological municipality. I went on one of the days where the market was in full swing. All stalls were selling handmade crafts or foods (breads, jams, etc). By mid-afternoon, I had grown tired of the market and the flood of people coming into town.

Attempts to make it to Bosque Tallado to hike the Cerro Piltriquitrón failed. I couldn’t find suitable transport to the base and heavy rain the previous night and morning would have made the trails very muddy and slippery.

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Instead I took the collectivo an hour outside of El Bolsón to the Parque Nacional Lago Puelo. Trekked through the trails and finally stopped by one of the outlook points, ate my packed lunch and took a nap near the beach before heading back. This lake is simply amazing. Sadly I didn’t take enough photos to show but at you get closer to the Chilean border, the lake’s color changes (probably because of the sediments). But there is a clear and distinct line that seems to divide the lake.

After a full day of trekking and exploring this hippie colony, I headed back to Bariloche for the night exhausted as ever. I wanted to crash but instead I ended up chilling for a little while with others in the hostel and then went to bed.

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