Everybody at the hotel went to sleep very early to be able to wake up before the sunset. We woke up at 5 AM but were already one of the last ones as we heard people leave for the hike while we were still packing up. For all the goal was to come back to Cabanacondetown which was a very steep 3-hour hike away and would be much more difficult to do in the sunshine.
For us, it was a purely physical challenge going one step at a time. What didn’t make the hike easier were lots of presents left behind by mules who were taking some people or their bags up. The third day in a row a dog joined us for a part of the hike. You could meet the same dog one day in a town and the other day somewhere in the middle of the hike 🐶.
We were relieved to reach the top. We went to get the shower and then look for transportation back to Arequipa. It has proven to be quite a challenge as well, as locals were pointing to different directions in where the buses were stopping. Eventually, we found a van with just enough space for us to get into. This time I was prepared with stronger medications which put me to sleep for most of the 4 hours of the trip. The van went through the canyon in high altitudes where we got in the rain and even a snowstorm.