Hike downhill through the cloud forest

This is a breath-taking (no pun intended) early morning vista from our trail at 11,000 ft.











My trusty horse (which thankfully I didn't need once we got over the mountain pass.)












After the strenuous, lung-bursting uphill hike yesterday, we began a long downhill picking our way over steep terrain and treacherously loose rocks. The hike started out in the brisk morning air with blue skies and vistas of clouds like moats around the steeple mountain peaks.


We continued down for 3000 ft. in altitude passing through a cloud forest.













Our trail follwed the Salkantay River far below us in the valley. It was mesmerizing to hear the white water song.






In the cloud forest we saw many blooming orchids in vivid reds, yellows, and blues. We could hear the parrots and at one point saw a group of neon green parakeets flying in a large flock below. As we descended through the cloud forest, the vegetation grew more colorful and lush. Most of these flowers are parasites subsisting off of the trees.




In the middle of the day we stopped at a covered shelter where we were swarmed by dozens of hens and roosters (obviously wanting some variation to their usual diet).


In the evening we enjoyed a Peruvian barbecue featuring the national delicacy.....GUINEA PIG. Even though they assured me that this tastes just like chicken, I opted for the pork instead.

In the evening, David's talk was about the Incas. They built on top of canyons and their most important city was Machu Picchu. The Incas united the conquered tribes by enforcing a common language (Ketchua). They were 18,000 strong and were a very healthy and fit people (which they would need to be to live in this rugged terrain.)