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Day
10 (September 3, 2025) Cusco
Before
This day we have an early flight to Cusco, at 8:00 AM. Arrival in the
Inca capital is scheduled for 9:10 AM, so after leaving our luggage at
the hotel, we can begin exploring Cusco for the rest of the day.
The spots marked on the map are:
0- Cooper Hotel Boutique
1- Church of the Society of Jesus
2- Cusco Cathedral
3- Twelve-Angled Stone
4- San Cristóbal Viewpoint
5- Sacsayhuaman
6- San Blas Market
7- Coricancha
8- San Pedro Market
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After
At 5:00 AM we are already waiting for the taxi to the airport. Upon
arrival, we find out that the Sky check-in desks won't open until 6:00
AM, so we take advantage of it to have breakfast. Once we are free of
our large baggage, we go through security and wait at the boarding gate.
The flight departs on time and gets us to Cusco in 40 minutes, where a
taxi is waiting to take us to the hotel. Along the way, we keep seeing
references to the area's Inca past.
We arrive at the hotel at 9:30 AM, too early for them to give us
a room. They have a counter with a wide variety of herbal teas for us
to use as we please. I make myself some munya tea, which is what the
taxi driver recommended for digestion. So far, we seem to be handling
the altitude sickness well, but it turns out there's another common
digestive problem related to altitude, for which the recommendation is
to avoid heavy meals on the first day. Eva chews some coca leaves.
After a while with the teas, they finally give us our room.
We were already aware of the altitude sickness, and the main
purpose of this day was to adapt. We leave around 1 PM for our light
lunch at a nearby modern restaurant: two bowls of "Grandma's soup" and
a trout causa for Eva, and a broad bean and mushroom cream soup for me,
for 210 soles. The "Grandma's soup" is very good and becomes fabulous
when we squeez the lime wedges they brought us.
 
Ever since she chewed coca leaves, Eva has felt high. But back
at the hotel after lunch, she wants to sleep. Another recommendation
for altitude sickness is to give in to your body's need for rest and
not resist it. So I leave Eva with her nap and head out to try to visit
the site furthest from the city center: Saqsayhuaman.
I know I have to go up and I want to see how I'm doing, so when
I come across a long staircase, I start climbing without much
hesitation. I'm aware that, because there's less oxygen in the air due
to the altitude, breathing as usual means I'm taking in less oxygen, so
I'm taking deep breaths to try and compensate. Even so, I have to stop
several times to catch my breath. In more demanding tasks like climbing
these stairs, the difference is very noticeable.
Since I'm in no hurry, I take breaks whenever my body tells me
to, and that's how I reach the San Cristobal viewpoint, which turns out
to be a large terrace overlooking the city of Cusco, located opposite a
church. The place is lively, with a group performing regional dances.
I'm continuing my ascent towards Saqsayhuaman but detour to follow
signs pointing to a colonial aqueduct 100 meters away. The path is
quite busy and the stone aqueduct is small.
 
When I arrive at the entrance to Saqsayhuaman they offer to save
me a long climb for 20 soles by taking me to the upper entrance, which
is at the same level as the Inca ruins, and I accept.
After paying the 70 soles entrance fee I begin to explore these great
ruins of Inca settlements, where the characteristic way of fitting
together the large rocks that form its dark walls stands out.
Saqsayhuaman is a great preview for Machu Picchu, full of
beautiful corners and with astonishing views of Cusco and the White
Christ, which happens to be nearby.
After the visit, I decide to take an Uber back to the hotel and
realize that, after about four hours, Eva is still sleeping. They let
me in with the master key, and I lay down on my bed to rest. When she
wakes up, it is clear she needed the rest because she still wants to
stay in bed. Me too, so we won't be going out again until tomorrow.
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