A full day on the road from Puno to Cusco, complete with coca‑chocolate treats, roadside markets, a sunny lunch stop, the impressive Inca ruins at Raqchi, and a well‑earned Pisco Sour on arrival.
Leaving Puno.
After breakfast and the obligatory coca tea, we set off this morning for Cusco. It was going to be a long day on the coach. Our tour guide, Rosario, overslept and climbed aboard ten minutes late, greeted by a rousing cheer from the group, proof that even the most organised guides are human.
Mid‑morning, we stopped in a small village for a rest break. In the shop, I bought a packet of coca leaves covered in dark chocolate. They were delicious, and at only 80 pence, I immediately regretted not buying several more.
Throughout the day, we passed roadside markets where locals sold their crafts or posed for photos with llamas and sheep in exchange for a small donation from eager tourists. It was a colourful reminder of how tourism weaves itself into everyday life here.
We stopped for lunch at a small café set up inside what looked like a marquee tent. After eating, I stepped outside into the warm sun and found a comfortable patch of grass. The combination of good food, sunshine and soft ground nearly had me drifting off to sleep, but before long, we were back on the road.
Raqchi, The Temple of Wiracocha.
After lunch, we visited the Inca temple complex of Raqchi. Once again, I was amazed by what the Incas built so many centuries ago. If a complex like this were proposed today, it would never get finished, planning permission alone would take decades, and the “Not In My Back Yard” brigade would certainly object to any construction in such a beautiful landscape.
Arrival in Cusco.
We finally arrived in Cusco and checked into our hotel, where we were greeted with a Pisco Sour, a welcome drink after hours on the coach. I kept dinner simple: a sandwich and a beer in the hotel bar, before heading to my room for an early night.
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