Beaumont Hospital Foundation Walk to Peru

Thirty-eight weary but happy walkers arrived back from Peru to Ireland after competing their challenge in aid of the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

For the first four nights the group was based around the holiday resort of Miraflores in Lima from where some of the walks were completed.

However the highlight of the challenge had to be when the group travelled to Cusco some 3,400 metres (11,152 Ft) above sea level in the Andes to visit and walk at Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

The first day in Cusco was spent acclimatising to the Andes and taking a walking tour of the archaeological capital of the Americas.

The second morning brought the group to the Holy City of Machu Picchu (The lost City of the Incas), which never discovered by the Spaniards and only found in 1911 by the American Hiram Bingham. The walk during the visit to the ruins at Machu Picchu was very severe due to the many steps, but to every member of the party well worth the effort to see one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.

The third morning the group entered the Sacred Valley of the Incas visiting the remarkable fortress of Ollantayambo to view the extraordinary Temple of the Sun.

On the group’s return to Lima the two final walks took place around the beautiful beach resort of Punta Hermosa (45 minutes from Lima). The walks were along the Pacific Ocean and took in some stunning sea views. After the stress of the walks the entire group enjoyed some “time out” with swimming and lunch at the beachfront.

On the final night the group to-gether with some of our Peruvian friends enjoyed a remarkable dinner and show in the La Dama Juana Restaurant in Lima, which brought to an end one of the most enjoyable and successful Beaumont Hospital Foundation’s Walking Challenge’s.

Every member of the group enjoyed their experience to Peru and most are already looking forward to the 2007 Challenge to the Malaysian island of Langkawi the “Hawaii of the East” from the 14th – 25th March 2007.