Credit: Héctor de Pereda https://goo.gl/6tvaML
The scenic Sacred Valley or Urubumba Valley, dubbed as “Vilcamayo” by the locals, is a verdant valley found in the Peruvian Andes. It extends from the fortresses of Pisac to Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba River or “Sacred River.” It is quite close to world-renowned landmarks Machu Picchu and the Inca capital of Cusco. This Valley of Yucay, as it was once called, holds a historical significance lying in the heartland of the Inca Empire. It also holds agricultural value being irrigated by a number of rivers emanating from the Snowy Mountains, the reason why it is endowed with verdant greenery.
If there is one better way to get the most out of the spectacular panoramas of the valley, it is by soaking in the experience of living at an altitude where you can stand witness to all of these. Impossible? Not quite.
The Natura Vive Skylodge
George East shares this news via Bored Panda’s Terrifying See-Through Sleeping Capsules Hang 400 Feet Above Peru’s Sacred Valley.
“Thrill-seeking travelers can now stay in Skylodge, a trio of transparent pods placed 400 feet (122m) above the ground on a cliff-face in the Peruvian Andes.
… the three 24 x 8 meter capsules, made from polycarbonate and aluminium, are operated by Peruvian tour company Natura Viva and overlook the spectacular Sacred Valley…
The price you’ll have to pay to stay in one of these incredibly unique capsules, is having to climb a 400-foot steel ladder embedded in the almost sheer-cliff face to get to one of these unique hotels. If you don’t fancy that, you can also hike or use a zip-wire. Oh, and the other price you’ll have to pay is approximately $300 USD.”
The Features of the Skylodge Pod
The glass pod where the adventurers can sleep, instead of a traditional hotel, is also featured in Awesome Inventions’ Sleep in a Glass Pod 400 Feet Off the Ground at This Awesome Hotel
“ … the Natura Vive Skylodge (is) … The hotel … is a far cry from your average Hilton or country bed and breakfast. It can be found 400 feet up a cliff face, and can be accessed either by an “iron road” or via a hiking trail with ziplines. Once you get there, you stay in a glass pod on the side of the cliff, offering you some of the best views of any hotel ever. Each pod can sleep up to eight people and also features a bathroom and dining area. This certainly isn’t appropriate lodging for the faint-hearted, but would be an unforgettable experience.
The pictures in the two posts, and the video offer readers ideas about what to expect should they decide to go on with this unique adventure. The iron road is a series of metal steps that will help the adventurers get to their capsule/pod. The alternative is to hike on a trail before shifting to the ziplines.
The pod measuring 24 feet X 8 feet high X 8 feet wide will be the hotel room of eight people for the number of days they are booked. It is fitted with the basic comforts to survive in that isolated elevation – bedroom, bathroom, and dining area, as well as solar- powered lights, six windows and four ventilation ducts.
If you have enough courage to ascend and survive the dizzying altitudes, the pods really are a unique opportunity to experience the Sacred Valley in a unique way. The climb and the height are the best ways to get a view of the spectacular scene “without growing a pair of wings.”
