CUSO Challenge Days 2 & 3 - Acclimatization

Due to limited internet service at the hotel I was unable to post the 2 days before the trek. Here is a synopsis.

Day 2: A short walk

We walked the old Inca trail that started in Cusco's main square, passed through the Sacred Valley and carried on to the Amazon jungle. We started a few kilometers from the main square and walked into town. 

But first we had to make a stop at a lama/alpaca farm and textile market! Having spent a wad at the textile market in the Sacred Valley, I focused on the animals and not the textiles.

The scenery along the trail was lovely, rural, with bits of Inca ruins sprinkled here and there. It was all downhill, so it was harder on the knees than the lungs. I found the pace excruciatingly slow. Not only was the pace slow, but there were also long stops for one reason or another. 

I find this kind of walking exhausting. I understand it was done this way to help those who had only just arrived to acclimatize to the altitude (Cusco is at around 3400 meters). I guess the time Faith and I spent in the Sacred Valley and in Cusco before the Challenge made a difference!

We got back to the hotel around 2:00 and all I wanted to do was rest, which I did. I also spent some time sorting and organizing in preparation for the trek itself. We were provided with a duffle bag in which we were to pack all the things we'd need on the trail. The remainder would be left behind and stored at the hotel. 

Day 3: A visit to a CUSO project

We drove to a small mountain village a 2-hour drive from Cusco where CUSO has been working with a group of women on an ecotourism project.  

This group of 9 women (only 7 were able to join us) have opened their homes for tourists to come and experience their traditional way of life. 

They also process alpaca yarn, dye the yarn using natural colours from plants and insects, and create a range of alpaca textiles to sell. 

They gave us a quick presentation of each of these steps. We didn't have time for more because we had taken too much time in conversation with them and had lingered too long over the traditional lunch they provided for us. 

It was a very interesting and inspiring day. This is what made the CUSO Challenge stand out from all the other treks available. The funds raised through this Challenge help support these women to develop their skills and knowledge about a range of things from safety and security within the house, to running a business.