Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [231]
On the third Sunday in June, Raqchi is the site of a colorful fiesta with much traditional music and dancing.
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RAQCHI TO ABRA LA RAYA
About 25km past Raqchi is bustling Sicuani, a market town of 12,000 people, halfway from Cuzco to Puno. There’s no real reason to stop here except to break the journey. One economical place to stay is Hostal Samariy (084-35-2518; Centenario 138; s/d/tr without bathroom S10/20/30, s/d/tr S15/30/35), a block to the left of the bus terminal. Another is the trippy, kaleidoscopically colorful Hospedaje Terminal (084-25-3535; s/d S15/25) next door to the terminal, which has nice matrimonial rooms but horrible singles.
Twenty minutes past Sicuani – just before Abra la Raya, the high pass that marks the boundary between the Cuzco and Puno departments – are the Aguas Calientes de Marangani (admission S3; 24hrs). This complex of five fabulously hot thermal pools, linked by rustic bridges over unfenced, boiling tributaries, is quite a sight in itself. The added spectacle of locals washing themselves, their kids and their clothes in the pools makes this an excellent, accessible yet off-the-beaten-track experience.
You can count on local transport to hop between Cuzco, Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Sicuani and the baths from early morning until at least 3pm. For points of interest south of here, Click here.
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CUZCO TO THE JUNGLE
There are three overland routes from Cuzco to the jungle. The least-developed, cheapest and quickest goes northwest from Ollantaytambo over the Abra Málaga pass, to the secondary jungle around Quillabamba and into little-visited Ivochote and Pongo de Mainique beyond.
The other two routes are more popular but are rarely accessed by road. You can get to the area around Parque Nacional Manu through Paucartambo, Tres Cruces and Shintuya, or to Puerto Maldonado via Ocongate and Quince Mil. To get deep into these areas, most people go on organized tours which include light-plane flights in and out, or in some cases, 4WD road transport.
All of these roads are muddy, slow and dangerous. Think twice before deciding to travel overland, and don’t even contemplate it in the wettest months (January to April). An invaluable resource for independent travelers is the Peruvian Jungle Information Packet, sold by the South American Explorers Club (084-24-5484; www.saexplorers.org; Atocsaycuchi 670, Cuzco; 9:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat).
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CUZCO TO IVOCHOTE
Soon after Ollantaytambo, the road leaves the narrowing Sacred Valley and climbs steeply over the 4350m Abra Málaga. From here it’s a dizzying, scenic, mostly unpaved descent straight into Amazonia. Dusty Santa María has bus company offices and a couple of very basic hospedajes and restaurants. It marks the junction where you turn off for Santa Teresa and the backdoor route to Machu Picchu, or continue down to Quillabamba.
Santa Teresa
084 / pop 460 / elev 1900m
Santa Teresa is an unprepossessing town. Most buildings in its tiny center are emergency-relief prefabricated shells donated after the flood of 1998, which leveled the town. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the center (10 minutes at most), listened to chickens clucking in the Plaza de Armas, and marveled at the statue of the strangely ferocious man threatening some flowers, you’ve pretty much exhausted the entertainment possibilities of Santa Teresa. The real attractions are a few kilometers outside town – the Cocalmayo hot springs and the Cola de Mono zipline are both worth the time and effort required to get to them.
ORIENTATION & INFORMATION
There are no banks or ATMs in Santa Teresa – you must bring all the cash you need. Don’t count on being able to change dollars or find internet access,