Postcard from. Machu Picchu

Jenny Coxall, relays her adventures en route to Machu Picchu, courtesy of Tour Operators Cox & Kings.

Met the rest of the group (all fellow travel agents) at Heathrow - flew via Schiphol to Bonaire (in the Netherlands Antilles), then on to Lima, where we spent the night. No time for sightseeing, though - a night's sleep and we were off again. (This is what happens when you pack a 17-day tour into ten nights!) For the record, Lima - the City of Kings - is located on the banks of the Rio Rimac. The Andes are to the east - the Pacific is to the west. And the architecture is quite splendid.

An early start - this time flying to Arequipa. Thankfully, this former Incan town is just an hour or so from Lima, so we managed a full day's exploring. I took the afternoon tour: visited the 16th century Santa Catalina Convent (fought off the urge to join - Cox and Kings wouldn't run to the required 1,000-pesos dowry), and the Plaza de Armas (which has beautifully laid out gardens, with palm trees and a fountain).

Began the day with a five-hour drive across unpaved roads. Lots of stuff to see along the way, though: a volcano, various Andean villages... Just one stop - for 'mate de coca'. That's Coca Tea, to you and me. It's good for the digestion, the heart, breathing... all that ails you, really. Had lunch in Chivay, then on to the Colca Canyon - an area of outstanding scenic beauty with a rather special backdrop: the smoking Sabancaya (sounds like a Brazilian folk band, doesn't it - but it's not: it's an active volcano). Then on to Condors Cross - where the condors were, today, conspicuous by their absence.

Spent last night in the Colca Lodge. Very cosy room, excellent restaurant; slept like a log, and even got a lay-in: an 8:00 am start - luxury! Today's trip - across the high plains of the Andes - culminated in our arrival at Puno, on the western shores of Lake Titicaca. At this point my room-mate started to suffer: altitude sickness. By the time you reach Machu Picchu, there's 40% less oxygen in the air. Thankfully, on this tour, the ascent is gradual, so there were few 'casualties'. (Interestingly the locals suffer reverse altitude sickness - getting ill when they descend to sea level.)

Reluctantly left my 'roomy' in the hands of the hotel medic, and took the full-day excursion. Visited the floating islands on Lake Titicaca, which comprise a series of reed structures built on, well, reeds (compressed totora reeds to be precise - hence. they float). The islands are inhabited by the Uros Indians who derive their meagre livings from fishing (from reed boats - naturally!) and raising domestic fowl. I was told that they never leave their lake home. Which left me wondering how they came by those solar panels...

Got the train to Cuzco. But not just any train: this was the Orient Express. Oh, yes: ten hours, through the Andes, on the best-known engine ever. Food: superb. Views: unreal. Despite depleted energy reserves (too many nights with too little sleep), I resisted the opportunity to doze in 'first class' - there was simply too much to see. Cuzco, if you were wondering, was the capital of the Inca Empire. Despite the best efforts of the Spanish conquistadors - who attempted to 'reinvent' the city in their preferred style - there are Inca walls, arches and doorways on almost every street corner.

Enjoyed the full day Cuzco tour, which takes in the Indian Market at Pisac (scarves and shawls on every stall); the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo; and the Inca site of Sexywoman (at least, that's what we thought the guide said - turns out it's actually spelt Sacsayhuamán). Our arrival coincided with a parade - not in our honour, sadly. Over-nighted at another terrific hotel: Posada del Inca. I was hoping to try the local delicacy - guinea pig - but no one else seemed keen.

Another train journey; this time a 'narrow-gauge' through the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu - an incredible 8,200m up in the air. End of the line, 90 minutes later, and time to start walking. Thankfully, it was an easy stroll - this tour is not aimed at the super-fit. Normal people can do it too. My first reaction: wow! Situated in the middle of a semi-tropical jungle, the city is almost painfully beautiful. It consists of more than 200 buildings - including baths, temples, altars and houses - connected by seemingly endless stairways, carved from solid rock.

Spent last night at the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. It's built in the typical Andean style, set next to the Vilcanota River, and surrounded by the most incredible orchid gardens. It has a panoramic restaurant, café, bar, boutique, and a swimming pool that is fed by the mountain spring. It's also very handy for the local bus, which we took up to the ruins, early in the morning. There, we enjoyed a little extracurricular exploration, before hiking up to the Huayna Picchu Peak, which offers an absolutely amazing view of the site.

Departed Cuzco by plane to Lima - flight took less than an hour, meaning plenty of time for the full tour. Visited: the Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Columbian archaeological site (first inhabited in the 5th century); the San Francisco monastery (17th century); and the Plaza Mayor, which is home to the Government Palace and the Cathedral (which in turn houses the Religious Art Museum). Caught a fabulous view of the Pacific on the way to our 'farewell lunch' at the Hacienda Marnacona (one of the country's finest horse ranches). And from there to the airport - and home. Has it really been ten days?

Sixteen hours in the air - but it's been worth every minute. And the nice thing is: this is the first time we've had to touch our luggage in days. On this tour, everything is taken care of - meaning your bags are invariably waiting for you in your room, when you arrive. It's all part of the service - all included in the price. This, for me, sums up the whole Cox & Kings experience: the flights, connections, excursions, accommodation, meals. everything slots together seamlessly. Would I recommend it? You bet. though I'd have been grateful for the extra seven days that our paying guests enjoy!

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