// Trip Reports  

Report name	Westholme School
Date submitted	Sep-06

After safely checking our baggage in with Iberia at Heathrow the team were eventually on their way after over a years planning and hard work.
After a delay in Madrid we arrived in Lima at 2045 to be met by a cheerful guide called Robert and driven to the Hotel Ebajaderos in Miraflores.
Our expedition was packed with all the highlights we could squeeze into 30 days with six mains sections.

Initially we headed from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, after a short flight over stunning scenery we arrived in the steamy town and after a short repacking session were on our way to the Ecoamazona Lodge and the comfort of our cabins. Over the next few days we had a fantastic time exploring the jungle with our guide who pointed out the many animals of the area including different types of monkey, otters, macaws, ibis, rainbow boa constrictor, piranha, caiman and sloth. With the added luxury of a swimming pool at the lodge and great food this was a fantastic start to our expedition.

After a short flight back to Cusco we started our acclimatisation phase with a day white water rafting in the Sacred Valley and visits to Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Our local guide Lalo explained with great enthusiasm the secrets of the ancient Peruvians giving us a great insight to the area in which we would be trekking for the following week.

The mountain of Ausangate made a stunning backdrop to our trek for the girls to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. The girls rose to the challenge, faced the high passes with determination and were rewarded with outstanding views. Temperatures soared during the day and dropped drastically at sunset with chilly nights reaching -12. With everyone feeling well acclimatised the girls enjoyed playing football most evenings with the support team as well as learning to speak a little Quechuan.

Our next section gave us a couple of days to relax and enjoy the famous sights of Machu Picchu before heading to the remote village of Sayafalla to work and live with local families.

After a long journey over the altiplano we arrived in Sayafalla to be enthusiastically greeted by our host families. The project phases of any expedition are often the most memorable for all and this was no exception. The girls nervously took to their new accommodation with their hosts, some sharing a bedroom with guinea pigs!
We ate some weird and wonderful food and helped prepare a sheep for the clay oven for our meal on the final day, as biology students the girls were very hands on! During their time in the village the girls worked alongside our host families in the fields planting potatoes, they also fished and walked out to guard the sheep whilst they graze and spent time with the school children.
The altitude of 3800m and the regular football matches meant everyone maintained a good level of fitness which was going to be essential for our main challenge of climbing El Misti 5800m.

After a night to relax in Hotel Carlos V in Cusco we flew to Arequipa to prepare for our climb the following day. El Misti can be seen as you land in Arequipa and the sight made real the challenge that lay over the next two days. We climbed up to base camp at 4700m and after a great meal retired in preparation for a very early start the following day. A bleary eyed team emerged into the main tent at 0230 but after a good breakfast and plenty of fluids set off for the summit at 0315.
With a good rhythm of walking, resting and drinking lots we made steady progress and after 7hrs six of the eight girls reached the summit. The views from the top were stunning of the fumaroles, the salt plains glistening in the distance and the snow capped peak of Chanchani. After tears, photos and many laughs we descended to base camp for drinks and snacks before further descent to our awaiting bus to Arequipa.
After a well earned rest in Arequipa we started the final, more relaxing section of our expedition.

We drove to Chivay and spent an afternoon in the hot springs resting tired muscles. Driving towards Colca Canyon we were treated to a fantastic air show by the condors some as close as 5 metres from our heads. As we descended in to the gorge we could see the oasis camp we were heading towards and the opportunity to sunbath and relax in the pool.

Our short flight from Arequipa to Lima was the first leg of our homeward journey to the UK.
After a comfortable night in Casa Andina in Miraflores and sunny morning for a city tour of Lima we were back at the airport on our way to England.
Thanks to the staff of Westholme School and our local staff in Peru.