The smoking rim of Masaya Volcano
Bit of a dramatic one this, taken at the summit of Masaya volcano in Nicaragua. That cloud isn’t a handy prop to set the mood, it’s actually smoke rising from the crater itself – the sky was a clear blue behind me.
Even without the spectral presence of the cross looming over the crater, the knowledge that you are standing right next to the gaping mouth of an active volcano does add a certain frisson to proceedings.
Despite being one of the country’s shortest volcanoes at a little over 630 metres, Masaya is also one of the most active. Back in 1993, a lava lake filled the base of the central caldera and it is still possible to glimpse the orange glow between the billowing clouds of smoke.
Occasional eruptions aside, Masaya’s history is also steeped in drama of a different kind. The Spanish, never shy of an evocative turn-of-phrase, believed it to be a place of evil and dubbed it “La Boca del Infierno”, or “The Mouth of Hell”.
They were responsible for erecting the first cross on the lip of the crater where the current one stands, to exorcise the Devil from the fiery depths below.
Indigenous people before them were a little more creative, dropping unfortunate virgin girls into the volcano to appease the evil spirits within.
Years later, this method also proved popular with President Somoza, who – according to my guide – used it less as a form of religious mollification and more as a convenient way of disposing of political nuisances.
With all this mythology it is easy to forget what Masaya actually is: an awesome natural phenomenon. Peering into the smoky depths is undeniably eerie, but also incredibly thrilling.
Some of the locals at least have made peace with the demonic volcano: arrive in the late afternoon and you can see pairs of small green parrots returning to their nests inside the caldera. Thousands of these tiny creatures, known as chocoyos, have made their home here, impervious to the noxious fumes and inhospitable terrain. And, it seems, the evil spirits.
Find out more about Pura Aventura’s holidays to Nicaragua
From the crusted wizened hands of the old lady in Cusco town to the newly spun red yarn jacket at Pisac market; from the poor flutist trying to earn some money at Sacsayhuaman ruins to the beauty of the imposing Lima sunset; from the exertion of climbing the steps on the Trail to the proud satisfaction at reaching the top of Dead Woman’s pass; from the gentle Alpaca’s feeding on grass to the austere rocks on the trail ridges; from the simple solitude of the rain forest orchid to the complex and mysterious culmination of the Trail that is Machu Picchu: these memories of the Inca Trail represent one of the very best experiences we have ever had and one that we cannot recommend more highly to anyone that reads this blog.
But, spectacular as it was, the scenery alone cannot make for a memorable holiday. To do this requires the highest level of support and organisation. On our holiday we were fortunate to have received the best. No, better than the best. Pura were sensational. From the clever and unique way they staggered the start of the Trail walk such that we enjoyed almost all of the walk without others around us, to the quality of the food, the comfort of the equipment and the excellence of the guides who in Pepe and Gaby were the best two tour guides we have ever had, Pura and their staff were great and we cannot thank them enough.
Ed: erm, gosh. Thank you Nigel. If a blog could blush….it would be a blog blush but that’s for another day. Wonderful images, thank you. Also the first good picture of Lima I’ve ever seen. Congratulations.
For anyone who hasn’t seen Nigel Payne’s previous post, this is an unedited guest posting from a Pura Aventura client who was on the Inca Trail in October 2009.
You can read more client opinions of Pura Aventura holidays or see our full range of holidays to Peru or read our holiday guide to Peru. You could even pick up the phone – 01273 676712.
This picture was taken early in the afternoon whilst hiking through the rainforest of the Inca Trail in late October 2009. The slightly diffused light permeating through the misty rain forest created an almost “fairy land” feel and was typical of the beautiful scenery we encountered throughout this fantastic walk.
The trail is Peru’s best known hike, being a mountainous jungle hike leading to the sacred Inca city of Machu Picchu. Our trek was covered in 4 days, and combined a stunning mix of Inca ruins, mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest and rich subtropical jungle.
To me this photo captures the essence of everything about the Trail: it displays an element of solitude and mystery whilst at the same time showing incredible majesty and beauty. It somehow manages to capture both the age of the trail and the culture of its former inhabitants but also teases you with the physical challenge that is over 5,000 steps.
Somehow it seems to just capture what the trail is all about.
Ed: Thank you to Nigel for this guest post and his beautiful photo. He becomes the first of hopefully many Pura Aventura customers to write about their own holiday experiences – uncut. Read more customer opinions and reviews of Pura Aventura.
In this case, Nigel was on our Inca Trail walking holiday
If you would like to read more about our holidays to Peru or our travel guide to Peru