The Andes' (and perhaps of South America's) most compelling country, thanks to attractions including bustling capital Lima with its colonial core; remnants of ancient civilizations like the Nazca lines, Machu Picchu, and temples of Cuzco; and the eco-lodges of the Peruvian Amazon.
Hiking in the Peruvian Andes
Jorge Arciniega Everyone's heard of Machu Picchu, of course, and this magical spot does indeed live up to the hype. And most visitors take a train here from Cuzco, but for real adventure, find a guide or join a group to get there the old-fashioned way nature intended - on foot, with a four- to five-day trek through ancient sites and mountainside communities of weavers and farmers. The best known route is the 26-mile Inca Trail, consisting of three overlapping routes and much of it following…
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A unique Lima B&B I just reviewed:
http://www.hotel-scoop.com/second-home-peru-a-museum-a-view-an-unfo...
7 SIGHTS OF LIMA - THE PERUVIAN CAPITAL AND ITS SPANISH COLONIAL AR...
(The photos published on this post are of Lourdes Chuquipiondo, editor of placeok.com and they are published with her consent)
CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE LIMA IN 7 GREAT PHOTOS WITH OUR FRIEND LOURDE...
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HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA EXPLORAR LIMA EN 7 FOTOS MARAVILLOSAS CON NUEST...
There are, lots of lots of agencies, and more if we talk about tours machu picchu , it´s terrible!... but like said one of the other members, cuzco is not only machu picchu, Cuzco is more, its museums, the inca trail and other turistic atractions and what is more, its people and food... I think we should not focus only in "machu picchu"....we should open our eyes and see all the picture...i´m sure there are lots of thing we are loosing.
Peru - Top Travel Destination of 2013? We think so, but we're admittedly biased. Click on the link to check out this list of reasons why Peru should be on everyone's 2013 bucket list... and tell us if you agree! :-)
You've heard of Machu Picchu - but what about Huayna Picchu? One man's tale of climbing it - and in Hugo Boss loafers, no less - is our top blog post of the week. Check it out!
Hi everybody! Just back from my lovely Salkantay trek. We traveled with Llama Path (a company we at Kuoda Travel often work with when guests are interested in a bit of trekking), a quite professional and helpful group. Our guide was just fabulous - a font of historical, natural and political facts - and our cooks (so so talented with nothing more than a camping stove) and horsemen were awe-inspiring.
We had elected to do a private four-day trek due to our overall travel schedule (the regular trek is five days) and so we began our first day at four in the morning in a small van, climbing the slightly alarming switchbacks of the Peruvian highlands. When we arrived at the trail head, wet snow was falling. We slurped some hot chocolate with oatmeal and then set out.
The landscape was just stunning. Steep peaks - high grassy terrain. Remote homes and sheep pastures. An overall sense of how hard life is at high altitude. We puffed along as the snow fell harder and harder and listened to the sound of avalanches in the distance. I must say that making it to the top of the Salkantay pass (around 15,000 ft. above sea level) was one of the physically hardest things I have ever done, but the sense of accomplishment was incredible.
The Incas and local people today consider snow-covered peaks sacred spirits - Apus. So they leave offerings of piled stones in the pass and on the surrounding heights. Even through driving winds of snow and ice, we were struck by the natural holiness of the place.
Our descent into warmer climes on that first day was amazing. It was like coming upon a lost world as snow gave way to green grass, rushing rivers and strange rock formations, with steep mountains hemming it all in. The lower we went, the closer we came to cloud jungle. In the distance, mist hugged the mountains and drifted past orchids.
Our first night was spent in the high mountain-side pastures of a farming family. Having camped since I was a child, I must say there is nothing quite so luxurious as having someone set up your tent, cook you dinner and then pack you up in the morning. All you have to do is walk. There is a twinge of guilt, of course, but then your lungs scream in the altitude and you simply feel incredibly grateful.
The second day was spent descending into jungle. We saw coffee plants, orchids, begonias... We stoppd in small villages, where the children walk miles over mountains to attend school... We even crossed a hanging bridge, swaying our way over a rushing river and saluting Indiana Jones as we crossed.
On our last day we could have climbed to a hill-top Inca site, but persistant rain, mud and aching knees led the group to press on toward Machu Picchu. We traced the railroad tracks and the Urubamba River through the jungle valley at the base of the Inca site.
In one glorious moment, rising above the heavy tree cover, we saw Huayna Picchu. And, high above, outlined against the sky, distinct stone buildings. This was just incredible and gave us the energy to press on to Aguas Calientes.
The third night we stayed in a hotel in town, where we reveled in hot showers and pizza and rested comfortably for our final day in Machu Picchu.
Our guide took us by bus to the high citadel and then guided us through the city. As we emerged in the mountains to look out across Machu Picchu, I understood why it has come to be seen as such a magical or mystical place. The surrounding mountains are so steep as to seem insurmountable. The clouds roll through just below the city and the whole effect is that you are floating in some sort of high, hidden Shangri-La. Pictures, truly, can not do it justice.
While the location itself is amazing, the Inca stonework and the evidence of intense, obsessive planning are just as awe-inspiring. The Inca empire lasted only about 300 years, but so much was accomplished in that time. I highly recommend Conquest of the Incas, Cradle of Gold, or Last Days of the Incas for those of you interested in the history.
Anyway, this was definitely an experience of a lifetime. The guide took care of all of our transportation and admission tickets and offered us wonderful perspective on the many varied sites we took in. The organization was professional and the nature and landscapes were incredibly awe-inspiring. The first day was the most physically challenging (definitely get fit before you go) but the remainder of the days involved descent and walking on relatively flat terrain, so not that bad.
If you would like to see photos (of Salkantay and the rest of my recent travels) you can check out my Facebook album. I look forward to hearing about all of your adventures as well!
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