Even if you've no intention of doing any serious
hiking , there's a good deal of walking involved
in checking out many of the most enjoyable
Peruvian attractions. Climbing from Cusco up to
the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, for example, or
wandering around at Machu Picchu, involves more
than an average Sunday afternoon stroll. Bearing
in mind the rugged terrain throughout Peru, the
absolute minimum footwear is a strong pair of
running shoes. Much better is a pair of hiking
boots with good ankle support.
Hiking - whether in the desert, mountains or
jungle - can be an enormously rewarding
experience, but you should go properly equipped
and bear in mind a few of the potential hazards
. Never stray too far without food and water,
something warm and something waterproof to wear.
The weather is renowned for its dramatic
changeability, especially in the mountains ,
where there is always the additional danger of
soroche (altitude sickness). In the jungle the
biggest danger is getting lost. If this happens,
the best thing to do is follow a water course
down to the main stream, and stick to this until
you reach a settlement or get picked up by a
passing canoe. If you get caught out in the
forest at night, build a leafy shelter and make
a fire or try sleeping in a tree.
In the mountains it's often a good idea to hire
a pack animal to carry your gear. Llamas can
only carry about 25-30kg and move slowly, a
burro (donkey) carries around 80kg, and a mule -
the most common and best pack animal - will
shift 150kg with relative ease. Mules can be
hired from upwards of $5 a day, and they
normally come with an arriero, a muleteer who'll
double as a guide. It is also possible to hire
mules or horses for riding but this costs a
little more. With a guide and beast of burden
it's quite simple to reach even the most remote
valleys, ruins and mountain passes, travelling
in much the same way as Pizarro and his men over
four hundred years ago.
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