Postcard from Peru

Visiting the Seven Wonders of the World has always been on on my bucket-list. I’m on wonder #2 from the new list and only one from the ancient list. Firstly, I have to express my love and gratitude to my friends who was up for this venturesome trip as we journeyed the Land of the Incas to indulge in this country’s deep-rooted history and culture.

Surrounded by ancient Incan ruins and colonial architecture, this place is a living museum. Beyond its history, the villages throughout Peru are thriving communities in which we had the opportunity to experience firsthand. We’re already planning our trip back because we weren’t able to visit Huachacina, the Amazon, or explore Lima a little more.

Let’s cover the basics then dive into the deep end about this trip!

Weather

The climate in Peru is exceptionally diverse. There are various altitudes depending on the region. The lowlands have hot weather with rainfall distributed throughout the year. The mountainous region (Andes) have dry winters and rainy summers. Winter season is May to September which is the driest part of the year. Summer is December to March which is also rainy season. April through October is considered the peak touristy time for travel.

Tips to Avoid Altitude Sickness in Cusco:

• Take a few days at the start of your trip to acclimatize to the altitude before attempting any treks or strenuous activity.
  

• Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated prior to and throughout your trip is crucial to avoiding unpleasant altitude sickness symptoms.
  

• Avoid drugs and alcohol. This includes sleeping tablets and tranquilizers as these can all worse your symptoms.

• Drink coca tea! Almost every hotel in Cusco and the Sacred Valley offers fresh coca tea to guests and for a good reason too. Coca tea is completely safe to drink and a cup or two each day can ease altitude symptoms. Just remember coca is a mild stimulant so don’t go over the top and drink cup loads. 2-3 cups for the first few days will be just fine.

• Take it easy for the first few days and your body will thank you later. This is the best advice that I can provide.

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Transportation

Throughout the country you can globetrot via the city bus, airplane, private transportation, taxis and even Uber in the larger cities like Lima.

The transit system in Peru is the most reliable and easiest method of public transportation. In this case, we opted to navigate via plane and a private driver.

Essentials

Whether you’re traveling by bus, car, or feet (hiking), it is important to pack minimally but significantly.

• Poncho/Rain Jacket

• Versatile layers of clothing

• Warm Pajamas

• Swimwear

• Comfortable hiking boots and/or sneakers

• Crossbody Bag or backpack

• Hat/Warm Beanie

• Tissue paper

• Phone and portable charger

• Sunglasses

• Gloves/Mittens

• Insect Repellent

• Sunscreen SPF 15-30

• Thermal Water Bottle

• Coco Leaves or Coco Candy

• Chlorophyll drops

• Oxygen Pump (Can be purchased there)

• Cash (USD & Soles/Peruvian Currency)

  • A reasonable budget in Peru would be between $20-$50 USD a day. Things in Peru are not very expensive so with this budget one should be able to eat anything, stay in a nice dwelling, go on a few tours, and go out for drinks from time to time.

• Small trash bags…

  • The Peruvian people are environmentally conscious and aim to preserve the beauty of the place to the max. As visitors, it’s most enriching to leave nothing but your footprints. Be prepared to carry your trash with you and dispose of it properly after each tour.
    

Food

Food is inexpensive in Peru if you dine as a local. You know what they say: “When in Rome…” but I refuse to eat a guinea pig!

Honestly, I wasn’t too thrilled with the food in our hotel or nearby spots. We were located more on the country-side, rather than the big city/coastal area whereas seafood isn’t as available. Therefore, only trout ceviche was mainly served and I was NOT eating that lol. I tried a burger but I subconsciously felt like it was alpaca meat so I quickly lost my appetite and didn’t eat the rest. Chicken is a delicacy there and was very tasty. We fell in love with Jack’s Cafe which was traditional American food and ate there almost everyday for breakfast and dinner.

Another reason for me to return is so that I can experience the exquisite food in Lima.

Spirituality

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I’m big on learning the profound ways of connecting to the natural environment. Not to conform, but to enhance my knowledge.

Prior to the Conquistadors reign, the Incan Empire practiced an ancient belief. The spiritual importance of the Condor, Puma, and Snake can be found on various buildings and sculptures throughout Peru. The Inca’s believed that these animals represented three levels; the heavens, the earth, and the underworld.

In these modern times, most Peruvians are now Roman Catholic while others follow multiple Christian faiths that have been blended together over time due its multi-layered civilizations. Similar to other Spaniard conquered countries, the people of Peru also celebrate Dia de Muertos in November.

I personally identify more with the conventional ways of the Inca people. I was able to give an offering while in Machu Picchu and Apukunaq Tianan. The tour guide was astonished at what I already knew about this tradition.

Can We Skip to the Good Part…

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Peru, please book at least 8 to 10 days so that you can have rest in between your days of adventure. This was more of a fast paced trip so we were always on go waking up 4 or 5 am every morning to start a new quest.

Day 1: The Calm Before the Storm

It wouldn’t be an ordinary trip if I didn’t almost miss my flight per usual. Thank God the departure was delayed for two hours. After a comfortable flight, I arrived in Lima late at night, so I didn't get to see much of the city. We literally landed, checked in a hotel for two hours to freshen up and headed back to the airport to leave for Cusco. There were a few mishaps and miscommunication issues, but we don’t talk about the bad things we just persevere and make a way.

Of course I was the one who felt E V E R Y symptom first. I loaded up on medication ASAP because I wasn’t missing anything. Rest was well needed in order to prepare for the next round of Squid Games lol.

Day 2: Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley is home to some of Peru's most iconic archaeological sites. We spent the whole day exploring these amazing sites and learning about the Inca civilization. I was also able to visit some of the local markets and try some traditional Peruvian dishes like the corn.

The Sacred Valley in Peru is a popular destination due to the preservation of its ancestral cultures and its impressive natural scenery. For centuries, the Sacred Valley has served as an important connecting route between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Carved by over 60 miles of the Urubamba River, the isolated indigenous towns, archaeological sites, ancient ruins, and colonial influences dotting the valley have encouraged the curiosity of millions of travelers.

The Sacred Valley of Peru can be experienced in a myriad of ways as we studied how Women Weavers keep the Quechua tradition afloat.

Other Highlights:

✨Urubamba is the largest town in the valley

✨Terrace landscape for sustainable agriculture

✨Maras Salt Mines which have been in use since Inca times

✨Llama’s and Alpaca’s are important to the Incan Empire for many resources (food, wool, transporting etc.)

The network of majestic colorful markets, and ancient sites make for an all-encompassing visit to feel the true essence of the valley.

Day 3: Machu Picchu

The highlight of my trip was definitely Machu Picchu. This ancient citadel is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for a reason. The views are absolutely breathtaking and the history is fascinating. I spent a full day exploring Machu Picchu and still could have stayed longer.

The easiest way to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu is to take the train to Aguas Calientes. There are three train companies to choose from: Inca Rail, Peru Rail, and the Belmond Hiram Bingham train. It's a quiet scenic route that takes about 2.5 - 3 hours each direction. Along the way, you’ll sightsee the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley, with striking canyons on each side.

Machu Picchu is believed to have been built by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth ruler of the Inca. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru, they found Machu Picchu largely intact. A 1568 document mentions "Picchu," which seems to have been an ancient title for emperor of The Incas at some point before then- but there aren't any other references!

Machu Picchu has a number of structures that would have enhanced the spiritual significance of the site. For instance, the “Temple of the Sun,” has an elliptical design similar to a sun temple found at the Inca capital of Cusco. It is located near where the Inca emperor is believed to have resided at Machu Picchu. A rock inside the temple could have served as an altar. During the June solstice the rising sun shines directly into one of the temple’s windows, and this indicates an alignment between the window, rock and solstice sun.

More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru and should definitely be at the top of your list!

Day 4: Rainbow Mountain

Listen!!! Rainbow Mountain makes Machu feel like a walk in the park. IT IS INTENSE! No one can ever pay me to do that hike again. ONE AND DONE. I promise, the most fit and athletic person will struggle due to the altitude of almost 16,200 ft. high!

Rainbow Mountain is about 5 miles round-trip to trek but it's pretty steep in parts. The first 15-20 minutes, we rode a horse which preserves some of your energy. The other 45 minutes to a hour requires walking. Everyone making their way back down the mountain was encouraging us by saying things like: "you can do it!" or “almost there!” It was definitely a team effort. It was also suggested that you take five steps, then pause for a mini break or you will get extremely tired faster than usual.

This is where the oxygen can, snacks, chlorophyll water, and cocoa candy plays a major role. Having a few Ricola candies stored in my bag also saved me! EXHAUSTED, DRAINED, DEHYDRATED, & HYPERVENTILATED… but I made it and it was so rewarding. The views at the top were breathtaking—literally! It was so cold that my lips began turning blue and my breath turned into vapor as soon as it left my mouth.

After spending some time at the top taking photos; and don’t forget your passport stamp (1 soles), I hiked back down and as mentioned before, Peru has very diverse climate. There was a mini windstorm, pieces of hail dropping, then sunshine again, as I made my way back to the horse. The rest of the day was spent walking around Cusco’s Main Square and getting reacclimatized to the altitude.

Day 5: A Light Day!

Slight hiking but a ton of fun. The educational escapade was compelling as we toured two semi-popular sites.

Apukunaq Tianan also known as the Abode of the Gods is located in a town called Huayna Corcor, Cusco. The ideal place to visit with your family and friends or solo traveling.

The giant contemporary sculptures throughout Apukunaq Tianan portrays mythological Incan Gods carved within the stone mountainside. The Abode of Gods depicts a collection of sculptures, water, cosmos, deities, runa (mankind), among others.

You will find many stone sculptures that portray Incan Gods.

• Puma

• Three-dimensional door

• Apu Guardian

• Viewpoint

Once you get to the top, you could observe the wonderful Cusco, its astonishing mountains, and clear sky. The perfect combination to reflect on life or how everything is in its right place.

Apukunaq Tianan is a family owned business aimed at offering quality services to promote the responsible use of natural and cultural resources, and to focus on operations that improve the quality of life for local populations, strengthening their social, environmental, cultural and economic development.

Visit the Cielo Punku Viewpoint also know as the Giant Hand located in the district of Huaro, Cusco. This tourist attraction is sometimes referred to The Door to Heaven. As you walk towards the monumental hand sculpture, there are stunning views across the valley with distant volcanic mountains under the cloud filled skies.

Tours in Peru are very cheap! Just don’t forget to tip the guides for their services.

Weary but Grateful

After traveling for hours, we finally landed back in Lima. We were departing home but was leaving with a new adventure and sense of cultural appreciation for the Peruvian people.

Peru was an amazing experience. If you ever have a chance to visit, be sure to go for at least a full week or two. It's a place you'll never forget. With stunning natural landscaped views, sensational cuisine, and spectacular traditions, it is hard not to include Peru on every traveler’s ultimate bucket list!

Thanks for reading! 🫶🏾