This content was created by Nate Buchanan. This content was uploaded by Nate Buchanan. This is a YouTube video titled "Horseback Riding Through the SACRED VALLEY!" created on June 3, 2017. It features Nate Buchanan and Kara Buchanan exploring the Sacred Valley of Peru with Quota Travel. They engage in activities like horseback riding and learning about local culture and history from their guide, Luis. The video captures their experiences and interactions with the local community and the unique aspects of the Peruvian Paso horses.
Chapters
Today we are in the small town of Urubamba, which is located in the Sacred Valley of Peru. And this morning, we're getting picked up by Quota Travel.
You may recognize the name Quota Travel because that's who we went on our Bolivian Salt Plots tour with. And we had so much fun. It's one of our favorite things we've done this year, which is why we're super excited to be working with them again in the Sacred Valley.
So we're going to be spending two days here in the Sacred Valley doing things like paddle boarding, horseback riding, eating delicious food, visiting a local community.
It's going to be a great two days and.
Everything. Move to Scrabble.
Much. Oh, thank you so much. Take care. And this fruit. Enjoy all the sacred.
Thank you so much.
So do you have any experience? Yeah, riding horses. When the Spaniards arrived into South America, they found different groups working together, supporting the Incan Empire. They forced different tribes living at different elevations, different valleys to be controlled just in one spot. That is the famous hacienda, where one specific piece of land was controlled by a Spanish people or person and then connected. We got different kind of farming lands. So the hacendado, the person in charge, the manager, was the owner of this piece.
We just drove about 30 minutes to this beautiful style home called a hacienda, where our horses are waiting for us. Our guide's name is Louis and our driver's name is Alfredo. And they're super nice.
So on our drive here, we learned something extremely interesting. We've now been in the Sacred Valley for a few days. I feel like we should have learned this a long time ago, but the Sacred Valley is not sacred because of the fertile land like we originally learned. And that was the Spanish version of the story. Sacred Valley was sacred to the Incas because the valley aligns with the Milky Way and the river runs from north to south, which is very unique in this region. And the Incas, they worship the sun and the moon and the stars. And so for the valley to be aligned with the Milky Way was extremely significant, and that's why it was originally the Sacred Valley.
Mainly these kind of horses will follow the leader. Why they got adapted to have a main leader in front. That is a tradition in the Andes in the past. We used to have a llama in front who used to be the, let's say the chief of the troop. It's the same procedure now with the horses. We need a specific horse in front, otherwise the rest of them gonna be a bit afraid or nervous. So always this guy Will be in front of us.
Ok.
How you doing, Kath? Good.
We're about to ride 2 hours and 14 kilometers.
So we are currently riding through a local community. It is a beautiful day. The sun is shining, which has been extremely rare for us since we've been here in Peru. All of the kids are coming outside and saying buenos dias to us. It's been really good.
Whoa. Nate and I tried to switch spots. The horses did not like that. They like their order ocd, little fellas. So we are riding Peruvian Paso horses, and they're very special. Their necks and their chest muscles are way bigger than our horses in America. And they've developed this super smooth gait, like the smoothest in the world. And it's because they used to go really long distances in the sand. So they have this weird, like, kind of walk. It looks like a dance and it is so smooth, especially when they start going really fast. You can really tell, and it looks awesome. This is like my favorite horse ride ever.
When they walk, it's literally like you would walk if you were walking through really thick mud and you had to pick your feet up really high. That's how they do all four of their legs, especially when they start moving quickly like they are now.
So we've just stopped outside the town of Lamai. This has been a really cool ride. Really different than any other horseback riding that we've done. Because normally when you're riding horses, you're, like, out in the wilderness, just riding through beautiful scenery. But on this ride, we're riding through these little dirt roads, through these little cities. We're getting to see how the local people live. It's been really different and really good. Now we're about to see Lamai from above.
Honestly don't remember with all my horses. Yeah, this one, Valentine, these are my reins.
We are heading back to the hacienda for lunch. If I can find my stir. Ready? Ready.
One of the really cool things about this horseback ride is how nice all the people have been that we've met. Everybody that we pass says buenos dias, or hola. We just feel very welcome. Luis says it's because it's Sunday and nobody's working, so everybody's in a good mood.
Hola.
We are almost at a full trot and it is so much smoother than horses that I'm used to riding.
Hopefully my butt won't be as sore as usual. Buenos dias.
Just like the dogs, they are checking. Where have you been? How was that?
Very good.
So good.
So smooth. Right yeah, relaxing.
Why doesn't everyone have these horses? We just got back from an awesome horse ride. The town was so cool, but anything that wasn't a road or a building was used for farming. It was crazy. And now we're about to have lunch with the local produce. So I'm super excited.
He's saying salute.
Salud.
Welcome.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Welcome to the heaven.
So this part of the hacienda is basically a pride private museum. Jose greeted us at the door with some pisco sours and explained that his grandfather is the one who built this place in the early 18th century. And he started collecting and buying all of these ancient artifacts from the Incas and the pre Incas. So he has this whole room that has pre Incan artifacts, artifacts from the Incans and then stuff from the Spanish. It's just so beautiful. Everywhere we go the birds are chirping and the sun is shining and there's a garden.
I feel like I'm at a wedding.
So after lunch we had an afternoon coffee in this beautiful garden overlooking these mountains. Our guide Lewis is so knowledgeable we just sat here and asked him all of our lingering questions we've had about the Incas and the Peruvian culture and it's just been so much fun. And now I think we're heading heading to our hotel for the night.
Oh, welcome to Suniloon again and enjoy it. Thank you so much. Thank you.
We just got settled into the hotel that Quota has booked for us for the next two nights. It's super nice. We have our very own what he called casita, which I think means little house. It's adorable and the property is beautiful. It's like a huge garden with tons of cool stuff.
There's a heated pool, a hot tub, a sauna that we can use for free. And we're here for two nights which I think this is the first time that we've been anywhere for two nights in like the past seven days. So I'm so happy not to have to pack up our stuff in the morning.
And there's a breakfast buffet.
It's going be to awesome. Also we have the afternoon basically completely free which is another thing that we haven't had in the past seven days. So like on tours it's really fun to go, go, go and see as much as possible. But we're really looking forward to just like a relaxing afternoon at this nice hotel.
And there's robes and there's slippers and possibly the biggest, fluffiest bed I've.
Enjoy your stay.
Pettol.
How nice.
Sam.
This place never ends. The gardens just keep on going. So pretty. Even the workout room is pretty. Today has been so great. And I can't imagine a better way to end it than the sauna and the hot tub.
Are you not gonna bend now? I didn't know I had to. Sorry.
