Margaret’s Travel Log 7: Puno to Cusco

Inca tradition has it that Manco Capac, the first of the Incas, rose from the waters of Lake Titicaca at Puno, under the orders of the Sun God, to start the Inca Empire, which would be centered in the neighboring region and city of Cuzco. As a consequence, an effective route of communication between the two cities was set up by the Incas more than 500 years ago. Our trip from Puno to Cusco retraced this route, which is part of a longer trail, popularly known as the ‘Royal Inca Trail’, that runs from Santiago in Chile to Guaca in Ecuador.

In the peak season (between May and October), tourist buses run between Puno and Cusco each day, stopping at intervals to take in significant sites. These stops extend the normal transit time for covering the 380 km route from six hours to about eight hours. Most of the road is paved and all of it is at altitudes of more than 3,000 metres.

An early start was required to reach the bus station and board the bus, which was similar to a standard inter-city bus (although lacking on-board toilet facilities). The first half of the route passed mainly through arid farmlands, sparsely dotted with mud-brick houses and the occasional village. Puno’s main airport at Juliaca (some 43 km from the city) was passed without a stop. This was surprising as the town is an important economic centre and boasts an agricultural research station and university. However, it was bypassed in favour of the market town of Pucara, which boasts an ancient ““ and celebrated ““ church.

I tried taking photographs from the bus as it whizzed along but, in many cases, shots were missed through a combination of the bus’s motion and the proximity of the subjects to the road. Setting high shutter speeds and ISO values and ensuring the lens aperture was at least f/11 provided only slight improvements in the number of sharp pictures I recorded, which is a pity as the scenery provided plenty of pictorial potential.

An example of a shot taken from the moving bus, showing the motion-blur caused by the proximity of the subject to the bus that even a fast shutter speed could not prevent.

A typical landscape from the area between Puno and Pucara, showing the mid-brick farmhouses, arid land and distant hills.

Our first stop at Pucara gave us a glimpse of a typical market town. Famed for its ceramics, Pucara also boasts a cultural museum (which was too dark and cramped to take pictures in) and an ancient church. Although photography was not forbidden inside the church (an unusual situation) it was also too dark to take pictures without a tripod. However, the exterior of the church, which faced onto the market square was quite impressive and the nearby streets gave an insight into the way the local people lived.

The front of the church at Pukara, an imposing building that dwarfs the square it faces.

Seen from a different angle, the Pukara church provides an interesting contrast with its surroundings. The majestic hills behind it are an imposing background contrast, while the sheep grazing in the yard nearby confirm the agricultural focus of the area.

A streetscape, photographed from the Pukara church steps.

Women gossiping on the edge of the village square at Pukara. Note the sloping walls on the building on the left, a defence against the earthquakes that are common throughout the Andes.

The second stop was at La Raya, the highest point on the journey and just over half the distance between Puno and Cusco. At 4,313 metres, the La Raya pass has a stunning background of snow-capped peaks. However, its foreground consists entirely of souvenir stalls which offer a wide range of what claim to be locally-produced goods (but are actually identical to those found almost everywhere we visited). Women with llamas offered to pose for photographs for a small fee, while others pressed bus passengers to buy hats, jumpers and weavings, most of them made from alpaca wool. It was a relief to board the bus again and be on our way.

Souvenir sellers greet bus passengers when the buses stop at La Raya, the highest point on the Puno-Cusco road.

Snow-capped peaks make an attractive background to the displays of colourful fabrics and knitted goods.

Lunch was taken in the town of Siguani, which was similar in many ways to Pucara and famed as the traditional home of writers and poets. We found no evidence of these activities. The only people in the streets were souvenir vendors and children coming home from school after the morning session. In rural Peru, schools operate in up to three sessions: morning, which runs from about 7.30 to 1.30 pm; afternoons, which run from about 2.00 to 6.00 pm and nights, which run from 6.30 to 9.30. Children who have to help in their parents’ workplaces are, therefore, considered to be catered for, although we were told that the poorest families are known to avoid sending their offspring to school.

Siguani’s architecture is typical of the towns on the high plateau, with broad streets, narrow footpaths and closely-packed, two-storey buildings.

From Siguani, the bus proceeded to San Pedro, where a scheduled stop was made at the village of Raqchi to visit the remains of the Inca Temple of Wiraqocha. This site also contained a ‘museum’ with a re-constructed traditional Peruvian kitchen, complete with a display of the various kinds of corn the country produces and a guinea-pig house. Guinea-pigs are a traditional foodstuff throughout the Andes and command high prices in restaurants in the major cities. We were to encounter them again when we explored Cusco in the following days.

A display of various types of corn in the traditional Andean kitchen reconstruction. Corn is a staple food throughout the region.

The traditional guinea-pig house in the kitchen.

The kitchen display was far too dimly lit for available light photography so I was forced to use flash for all shots I took. Shooting raw files gave me the flexibility to recreate the images with their natural colours and dynamic range.

The Temple of Wiraqocha is run as a tourist attraction, complete with souvenir vendors in traditional dress and an Inca chief who will pose for pictures for a small fee. The site itself is very impressive and occupies several hectares. Although the buildings are damaged, many parts remain intact and it was possible to obtain some excellent pictures. A quarter moon in the sky added a nice touch to many shots.

A native posing in the costume of an Inca chief. with the ruins of the Wiraqocha Temple in the background.

Part of the Wiraqocha Temple complex, showing the restored walls and towers of the original temple.

A quarter moon rides high above the horizon behind an avenue in the Wiraqocha Temple complex.

Farming is still carried out in traditional ways at Wiraqocha. This shot was taken with a 75-300mm lens at full zoom extension and shows two farm workers sorting plant materials.

The final stop was the town of Andahuaylillas, a short distance away, where we were to visit the locally famous church, which is known as ‘The Cusquenian Sistine Chapel’ because its interior walls and ceiling are covered with frescos painted by artists from the Cusco School of Art several centuries ago. Photography is forbidden in the church (which was also quite dimly lit).

The front of the celebrated church at Andahuaylillas, showing some of the murals that decorate the portal. Late afternoon light make it easier to take shots successfully.

The town square presented some interesting examples of local architecture, including houses with external murals, second-floor balconies and interesting doorways. Some examples are reproduced below. The gentle light of the late afternoon made it relatively easy to record details in these shots.

One of the buildings that face onto the village square at Andahuaylillas, showing the second floor balcony and exterior murals.

Another typical Andahuaylillas dwelling, most of it constructed from mud bricks.

A doorway facing onto the village square at Andahuaylillas.

It was quite dark by the time we reached Cucso and checked into our hotel. A morning of sight-seeing around the city has been scheduled for tomorrow, leaving the afternoon free to prepare for the early morning train trip to Machu Picchu on the following day.