Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
likely to spend most of your time exploring the lush surroundings. Home cooked meals (S15 to S20) are available at
the restaurant. If you want to learn more about coffee, there are roasting workshops onsite.
The riverside campsite includes a shower, grill and adobe oven. It's located in Quellomayo, 25 minutes outside of
Santa María on the way to Santa Teresa. To get there, take a bus from Cuzco to Santa María and grab a taxi (S25 to
S50) from there or trek via an old Inca trail - the website has details.
SANTA TERESA
084 / POP 460 / ELEV 1900M
The makeshift feel of Santa Teresa persists even some years after the flooding that took
place in 2010, 1998 and a decade before. In its tiny center, most buildings are prefabric-
ated emergency-relief shells and, strangely, the most permanent construction is the puzz-
ling Plaza de Armas statue. Yet as more and more backpackers come seeking a cheaper
access point to Machu Picchu, services are slowly starting to grow. 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.
Sights & Activities
For information on hiking the alternate route to Machu Picchu,
Click here
.
Cola de Mono
( 79-2413, 959-743-060;
www.canopyperu.com
;
zipline US$60)
South America's
highest zipline is a must for thrill seekers. A total of 2500m of cables with six separate
sections whiz high above the spectacular scenery of the Sacsara Valley. Allow two hours.
The owners of Cola de Mono, river guides from way back, also run
rafting
on the spec-
tacular, and so far little-exploited, Santa Teresa river (
Click here
f
or more information)
and camping on their extensive grounds.
To get there, it's a pleasant 2km (half-hour) stroll east - just follow the road out of town
or take a taxi (S10).
ADVENTURE SPORTS
Llactapata
Offline map
You can hike to the hydroelectric station via Llactapata, a six-hour walk up and over a hill
on the well-marked Inca Trail, affording views of Machu Picchu and access to a half-
HIKING
