No trip to Peru is complete without a visit to Machu Picchu, the magnificent, but once-forgotten, Inca city. But since it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, you can probably guess you won’t be alone when you visit the site. Therefore, it pays to plan your visit in advance so [...]

As the Urubamba River thunders violently below, a majestic, serene, and almost haunting image emerges from the dense early morning mist. It is one of the most recognized and revered structures in the world – one of the 7 New Wonders of the World, in fact. Its unrelenting lure pulls thousands of visitors from around [...]

If you’re planning a trip to Peru anytime in the near future, you’re almost certainly stopping for a visit to Machu Picchu, the famed Inca city recently crowned one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. But there is much more to discover about Inca culture, architecture, and infrastructure than a mere visit to [...]

It was absolutely some of the most breath-taking scenery I had ever experienced. For nearly four hours, we traversed this beautiful region passing first through bustling, rural villages, then on through high altitude mountains before passing through endless rolling countryside as the setting sun intensified its already golden hue. Peru’s Altiplano, or high plains, spreads [...]

Our time in Cusco was coming to a close, and we prepared to head to our next stop, which would take us one step closer to Machu Picchu: the village of Ollantaytambo. Although we could have taken the Peru Rail, a tourist-focused train that takes visitors to Aguas Calientes, just shy of Machu Picchu, we [...]

The glass windows. The muffled, but obnoxiously loud voice of the guide echoing over the speaker. The pampered tourists complaining over the slightest discomfort. The large horse fly that seems just as frustrated to be stuck on the bus as you are as he desperately launches himself face-first into a closed window. The bright-colored buses [...]

Just hours after arriving in Cusco, we received our first solicitation. No, no, it wasn’t for drugs … it wasn’t even for sex. Instead, it was for something a bit more benign, but equally ubiquitous … “Pisco sour, Pisco sour! Eat here — I’ll give you free Pisco Sour!” Intrigued, but unconvinced, we walked [...]

Because there is so much to do and see in Cusco, it is tempting to plan a very full itinerary. Be careful, though, not to pack your schedule too full as the altitude will definitely slow you down if you have not allowed ample time to acclimatize (we recommend at least three days). Although many [...]

Its cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, community plazas, myriad museums, bustling local markets, Andean culture, and close proximity to spectacular Inca ruins make Cusco a must-see for any visitor to Peru. In fact, the city is known as Peru’s tourism capital for the throngs of visitors who flock to the region from around the world every [...]