Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [187]
Other Activities
The via ferrata – ‘Iron Way’ in Italian – is a series of ladders, holds and bridges built into a sheer rockface. First developed in the Italian Alps in WWII, it’s a great way for reasonably fit people with no previous experience to experience rock climbing. The Sacred Valley Via Ferrata (984-11-2732; www.naturavive.com; per person S150), located amid stunning scenery in the Sacred Valley, was constructed and operated by rock-climbing and high-mountain professionals. It features a 300m vertical ascent, a heart-hammering hanging bridge 200m above the valley floor, and a 100m rappel. Active, adrenaline-pumping fun. The price includes pickup and drop-off in Cuzco or Urubamba, rock climbing and lunch.
Action Valley (24-0835; www.actionvalley.com; 9am-5pm Sun-Fri) is an adventure park with paintball (US$20), a 300m-long zipline ride (US$15), a giant tower swing (US$20), a 122m bungee jump (US$64) and a bungee slingshot (US$64) at the ready. The park is 11km outside Cuzco on the road to Poroy (taxi S12 or Pachacutec combi S0.60 each way). It’s closed between January 15 and February 15.
Cusco Planetarium (www.planetariumcusco.com; per person around S30) is a nifty way to learn more about the Inca worldview. It was the only culture in the world to define constellations of darkness as well as light, and studied astronomy seriously: some of Cuzco’s main streets are designed to align with the stars at certain times of year. Recommended before you go on a trek – you’ll feel clever pointing out the Black Llama to your fellow hikers. Reservations essential; price varies with group size, and includes pickup and drop-off.
US-licensed tandem pilot Richard offers a unique ‘condor’s view of the Andes’ via half-day trips over the Sacred Valley with Cloudwalker Paragliding (984-93-7333; cloudwp@gmail.com; US$80).
Globos de los Andes (23-2352; www.globosperu.com) runs hot-air ballooning trips over the Sacred Valley, which can be combined with 4WD tours.
For some pampering or a post-trekking splurge, a blossoming number of spas offer massage services, including the highly professional Siluet Sauna & Spa (23-1504; Quera 253; 10am-10pm) and the luxurious Samana Spa (23-3721; www.samana-spa.com; Tecsecocha 536; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat). Beware of cheap massages touted in the street; there are reports of massages getting much more, er, intimate than expected.
There is growing interest in shamanic ceremonies and the psychedelic properties of the San Pedro and ayahuasca plants. These are extremely powerful drugs and can be highly toxic in the wrong hands. While it is hard not to be skeptical about a store-bought spiritual experience, a ‘guided ceremony’ is a lot safer than scarfing down a powerful narcotic by yourself. The following providers of this service have been recommended:
Lesley Myburgh (24-1168; Hostal Casa de la Gringa, cnr Tandapata & P’asñapakana)
Shaman Shop (26-4089; www.shamanshopcusco.com; Triunfo 393)
Victor Peralta (984-69-1748; vipesoterismo@peru.com)
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WALKING TOUR
Start with a leisurely 360-degree survey of your surroundings from the middle of the Plaza de Armas (1; Click here). Two imposing churches, three charming colonnades – including one that extends across a trafficked street – an elaborate fountain, and a gracefully laid-out square add up to one of the most beautiful (and most photographed) public spaces in South America.
Stroll past more colonnades up pedestrian-only Calle del Medio and head southwest across Plaza Regocijo (2). On your left you’ll see a beautiful building (3), once a hotel and now a tourist precinct that’s home to fancy restaurants and hoity-toity clothing stores.
Head up Calle Garcilaso, named for the beloved chronicler of the Incas and conquistadores, Garcilaso de la Vega, whose childhood home on the corner now houses the Museo Histórico Regional (4; Click here). Most of the buildings in this street are colonial