15th November 2024
Supporter takes a hike across the Andes
Joanne’s expedition to Machu Picchu raised over £2600 for Nottinghamshire Hospice, in memory of the care we provided for her mum, Maureen.
When we last spoke to Joanne, she was getting ready for a trek to Machu Picchu, raising money for Nottinghamshire Hospice after we cared for her mum. We caught up with her recently to hear all about her amazing adventure!
The challenge!
Joanne explained that her trek was quite the challenge!
She said, “When I embarked on this trek, I was told that the very long days would be relatively easy, very slow walking with it being at altitude. However, they couldn’t have been more wrong! The pace every day was very fast to get from one campsite to the next before darkness even though we were woken up around 4.30 am with coffee or Cacao tea (which helps with altitude sickness). Breakfast was eaten with our 14-person group of various ages (me being the oldest by quite a few years, which showed the further we got into the trek) in a tent together which the sherpas made for us. Our breakfast was porridge, omelette, and fruit, but none of us had much appetite.”
River deep – Mountain high
Throughout her trek, there were many things to do, sights to see and so much information to learn about Peru’s culture and history.
Joanne shared with us, “The Salkantay trail is the one used by the Incas to the ancient site of Machu Picchu. We covered around 47 miles (75km) of very steep mountains.
“We started our first steep trek on day one to the snow-capped mountain where we saw the Milky Way, which looked amazing. A sight I will never forget! It dropped to around -5°C through the night, so we were eager to get to lower ground over the next two days.
“As we trekked, our wonderful guide gave us so much information about the life and history of Peru and the Incas, and all about the habitat around us and how people in the remote area have survived for centuries. We passed through harsh, mountainous areas down to the Amazon, passing waterfalls, with butterflies floating around our feet.”
“On day three of hiking, I had blisters and after six hours I was offered one of the horses to ride on for a rest. It was amazing, the scenery was breath-taking, and I really did feel like I was in an American western!
“When we arrived at our campsite for that night, we were taken around a coffee plantation owned by the campsite, we picked, prepared, and roasted our own coffee. Most of the group then went to a natural spring for the afternoon but I forgot my costume!
“Another wonderful meal was made by the sherpas with a huge cake to say goodbye as, that evening, we were staying in a hotel at the town below Machu Picchu. Luxury!”
The day of visiting Machu Picchu finally arrived!
Joanne said, “We had another 5.30am start on the last day to ascend to the magnificent wonder of the world – Machu Picchu – where our guide explained everything about how the city was built at the top of a 2,500m-high mountain. The sun was rising, and the crowds hadn’t arrived, it was remarkable!
“We all had a final dinner together where the group tried alpaca burgers and the national dish of guinea pig!
“It truly was a remarkable experience!”
There and back again
After her trek, Joanne had some time in Peru to explore. “I stayed on for 4 more days where I explored the 14th century city of Cusco. It was wonderful to see their culture with festivals in the day and night.
“Then, I went to Rainbow Mountain, which was another great experience. I went up on horseback to enjoy the views as when you are trekking you do tend to look at the ground a lot!”
When asked about whether she would recommend completing a challenge like this, Joanne said, “I would truly recommend this hike to everyone! There are easier trails up to Machu Picchu if needed. There is also a train if you really don’t like walking.”
Thank you to Joanne and all her sponsors
Joanne raised an incredible £2,632.43 for Nottinghamshire Hospice!
She said, “All my friends and family’s messages supported me immensely on the way and it has left me feeling overwhelmed with all the support.”
Thank you, Joanne, for taking on this challenge of a lifetime for Nottinghamshire Hospice!
If you’d like to take on an adventure challenge like Joanne, we’ve partnered with Charity Challenges so you can explore the far corners of Earth all while raising vital funds for your local Hospice. Head over to our Challenges page to see how you can help us