Inca Trail - Sun Gate

Surfacing from the cloud forest of the Runkuraqay Pass, the trail commences its descent towards the ruins of Sayacmarca with sweeping views of the Pumahuanca Mountain.

Continue on to Phuyupatamarca, one of the most intact Inca ruins, and stop to enjoy the snow-capped view of Mt Salcantay. At 6,200m, Mt Salcantay is the tallest mountain in the region. It's Quecha name translates as wild, uncivilized, savage and as such is often referred to as Savage Mountain. The summit of Mt Salcantay was first conquered in 1952 by a French-American expedition. No easy feat since the "climb involves 1,800m of vertical gain, on glacier, snow, ice, and some rock."

Trek onwards to Intipata and Winay Wayna, both known for their agricultural terraces and their convex shape of the terrain, to finally reach the Sun Gate for a breathtaking aerial view of Machu Picchu. Once a fortress, the Sun Gate was the main entrance to Machu Picchu and most likely guarded by imperial guards. Given the strict controls over entries, it is believed that only royalty and select guests were permitted to visit.

Inca Trail - Runkuraqay Pass

The Inca Trail is part of a much larger road network. At the height of its power, the Inca Empire stretched 4,023km from modern day Ecuador to Argentina. The Inca road system was one of the most advanced transportation structures of its time, linking together 40,000km of roadway. The road system provided for quick and reliable logistical support, civilian and military communication, personnel movement on official duty and control over the Empire by dispatching troops when necessary. Following the Spanish conquest in the 1500s much of the network was abandoned and destroyed. In order to preserve the history and restore parts of the network the Inca Road System, officially known as Andean Road System, entered the UNESCO register in 2014.

Much of the Inca Trail is the original construction. Imagine that with every step you take someone laid the roadway beneath your feet some 500 years ago.

The ascent to Dead Woman's Pass is both dreaded and revered. It is the most rigorous climb reaching heights of 4,215m in a such a high altitude environment where the oxygen level is low making breathing shallower and the effort needed to move forwards greater. In the same breath overcoming the difficulty and strenuousness of the climb is also the most rewarding moment.

Following a steep descent into the valley of the pass comes a second ascent to Runkuraqay Pass. On the way are the ruins of a tampu, which was an administrative and military structure used for supplies, lodgings and depositories of quipu-based accounting records.

Quipu was a record keeping system of different knots tied in ropes attached to a longer cord. It was used in lieu of writing since the Incas did not have an alphabet based writing system.

The tampu was served by conscripted individuals from nearby communities, as part of the mit'a labor system. Mit'a was mandatory public service used as the labor force to build roads, bridges, terraces and fortifications.

Inca Trail - Ollantaytambo

Welcome to the town of Ollantaytambo, where you will begin your mountainous journey to Machu Picchu. Surrounded by mountains, Ollantaytambo is located at the end of the famous Sacred Valley of the Incas. Conquered and razed by Emperor Pachacuti in the mid-15th century, the area was incorporated into his personal estate. Pachacuti rebuilt the town and constructed an extensive set of agricultural terraces that were farmed by yanacunas (servants of the nobility). Up on the hill overlooking Ollantaytambo are the ruins of Pinkuylluna storehouses. Thought to have been built during Pachacuti’s reign, the structures were used to store the grain produced from the surrounding terraces. Building the storehouses high was both practical and strategic. The high altitude preserved the food due to cooler conditions and high wind, whilst the location protected the food stores in case of an attack. The starting location is near the Ollantaytambo train station known as Km82. Crossing the Urubamba River the trail follows alongside the river before it commences a steep climb to the lost city of Llactapata. Re-discovered in 2003 using infrared aerial photography, Llactapata sits at the top of a steep slope amongst a small chain of ravines. Archaeological studies concluded that Llactapata was an important rest stop and roadside shrine on the journey to Machu Picchu.

Stand with Ukraine - Hryshko National Botanical Garden

Hryshko National Botanical Garden was established in 1936 and contains 13,000 species of flora from all over the world. It was named after botanist Mykola Hryshko. Within its grounds are the Vydubychi Monastery and Trinity Monastery of St Jonas.

The garden is divided into separate zones, representing flora from different regions such as the Ukrainian Carpathians (mountains), the Plains of Ukraine, the Caucasus (between Black and Caspian Seas), Altai and Western Siberia and Asia. It has more than 350 species of orchids and the greenhouse cares for rare tropical and subtropical plants.

Garden designs may include parterre (an ornamental garden with paths between the beds), decorative succulents, woody plants or flower beds filled with roses, irises, chrysanthemums, tulips, and lilies to name a few.

The tropical and subtropical collection may include bromeliads, azaleas, camellia, cacti, palm, and ornamental deciduous plants.

The highlight of the garden is in May, during the lilac’s blooming season. It has a heady sweet fragrance and blooms in delightful shades of lilac, light purple, and lavender.

Stand with Ukraine - Museum of Folk Architecture

  Pyrohiv is a small village south of Kyiv and home to the open-air Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine, the largest outdoor museum in Europe. It was founded in 1969 and holds a collection of more than 300 buildings dating back to the Middle Ages that were sourced from all over Ukraine and rebuilt onsite to illustrate Ukraine’s rural history.

At the centre of the museum are the wooden windmills scattered on the grounds, surrounded by wooden single-story houses and a number of churches. The museum is separated into two sections each representing a specific Ukrainian region. The oldest church, known as Naddnipryanska, was built in 1742.

Over 40,000 vintage household items are held by the museum such as costumes, embroidery, carpets, ceramics, metal crafts, woodwork, glassware, artworks, and musical instruments. Traditionally dressed artisans and volunteers demonstrate the use of daily items and during different folk holidays, the museum conducts theatrical performances and festivals.

Stand with Ukraine - Holosiivskyi National Nature Park

Green spaces are dotted all over Kyiv, giving its people ample opportunity to escape to nature close to home. Holosiivskyi National Nature Park is one such space located in the hills outside the city centre.

First mentioned in the early 16th century, the park encompasses approximately 11,000 hectares of forest and swamps. With a flora collection of more than 650 species of vascular plants (i.e. ferns), 118 species of moss and 60 species of fungi, the highlight of the park is the age-old oaks scattered throughout with some as much as 500 years old. Delicate flora such as the small pasque flower, Siberian iris and martagon lily bring a dash of colour to the verdant landscape.

Its fauna collection is also quite diverse with 100 species of birds, 44 species of mammals and several species of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Elks, foxes, hares, and deer make the park their home along with more rare species of snake, otter, stoat (small weasel) and the old-world swallowtail butterfly.

Stand with Ukraine - Mamayeva Sloboda

Tucked in a park amongst high rise residences is the open-air Cossack village known as Mamayeva Sloboda. Made up of wooden houses, a church and other buildings, the village depicts rural life.

The park often hosts dances and festivals and the traditionally dressed guides tell stories of the buildings and the Cossacks’ way of life. Cooks of traditional dishes, weavers and blacksmiths demonstrate their specialty, whilst others may re-enact Cossack fighting techniques.

Rural and folk traditions are an important part of Ukrainian culture. It is a way to carve their own distinctiveness from the many similarities they share with their neighbours. They are evident through their folk costumes, traditional dances and songs, hearty dishes and especially their exquisite embroideries.

Ukraine’s embroidery history is more than 2,000 years old; appearing in folk dress, embroidered shirts known as vyshyvanka, weddings, and other celebrations. Each design, the colour used, and type of stitch applied reflects the region it originated from.

Traditional belief is that a person wearing a vyshyvanka will be protected from all harm. That is because the ornaments embroidered on the shirt are like a coded pattern, where some may bring prosperity and others protection or luck. A disorganised set of patterns may bring distress or change of one’s fate.

The designs are characterised by their region. For instance, flowers and plants prevail in the south and east of Ukraine. They symbolise purity, renewal, and family prosperity. Whereas geometric patterns are reflected in the west of Ukraine symbolising the beauty of nature, fertility, and well-being. Used less often are animal patterns and although not depicted on clothes, they are found on embroidered towels. A wedding towel, for example, may have doves or roosters, facing each other as ornaments.

Celebrated in May, the International Day of Vyshyvanka, is a holiday aiming to preserve “the original folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered Ukrainian clothes” and at the same time celebrate the Ukrainian people’s spirit of unity, patriotism, identity, culture, and tradition.