TRICIA STEVENS
PERSPECTIVES
PERU
This South American country is home to over 5,000 archaeological sites, including one of the most famous sites, Machu Picchu. It is an adventure-lovers paradise offering incredible trekking, climbing, biking, paragliding, camping, and surfing to name a few.
ABSOLUTE MUSTS
Machu Picchu
The #1 reason for heading to Peru is very likely to set your sights on one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, Machu Picchu. Built in 1450 (at the height of the Inca Empire) and abandoned in 1572, this wonder was not re-discovered until the American explorer, Hiram Bingham III came across it in 1911. The city was created using stone, cut to fit together tightly without the use of mortar. The stone walls remain tightly stacked to this day. Plan to hike the Inca Trail which can be done in four or five days. This ancient road, winds around the stunning mountains, ending at Machu Picchu.
Sacred Valley
The sacred and breathtaking land of the Incas is surrounded by jagged mountains and lush green hills. It is believed that the Incas decided to settle in this area partially because of it’s proximity to Cusco and the fact that it was at a lower elevation making it warmer than other locations (making it an ideal place for agriculture). Popular sites in the valley include the Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo,
Nazca Lines
These baffling lines still have the world (and experts) scratching their heads trying to make sense of these mysterious markings and there are still no answers. To view the shapes of these lines, you will need to head to the skies and take a flight to get a birds-eye view of these phenomenal wonders.
Cusco
Wander the beautiful, cobblestone streets of this charming city and admire its Inca and Spanish architecture. Located at an altitude of 11,152 feet above sea level, the high altitude will create some challenges as you will find yourself out of breath regardless of how physically fit you may be. Cusco translates to ‘center of the earth’ in Quechua (the Inca language).
Drink a Pisco Sour
This popular Peruvian alcoholic beverage is delicious! Pisco is the base liquor and the sour refers to the freshly squeezed lime juice. A simple syrup, ice, egg white, and bitters are also added and shaken.
Colca Canyon (Canyon Del Colca)
Surrounded by the Andes Mountains, Colca Canyon is 100km from end to end and more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Stop by the ‘Cruz del Condor’ view point (3,900 feet below the rim) for close up views of the Andean Condor flying overhead. These birds can live up to 60-70 years and have a wingspan of 7-9 feet. The bird is a symbol of longevity and is referred to as the ‘Eternity Bird’ by many. The area is also home to several ruins from the pre-Incan and Incan days.
The Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a large, deep, freshwater lake in the Andes on the border of Bolivia and Peru and home to these floating reed islands. The islands are made from totora reeds. New layers of reeds are added to the top as the lower layers begin to rot over time.
Huacachina
Located 4 hours south of Lima, lies a tiny oasis town called Huacachina. It can be found amongst the sand dunes and is the only natural desert oasis in South America. Popular for dune buggy rides and sandboarding, this dreamy destination deserves a few days on the itinerary to fully enjoy the adventure and laid-back vibes that it offers.
