Majestic Peru
Most trips will start off in the capital, Lima (British Airways offer direct flights from London). Stroll atmospheric streets flanked with ornate mansions, palaces and Spanish colonial churches, taking in Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral of Lima, the San Francisco Monastery and the central market. I recommend taking a stroll through Barranco to see the incredible street art. If you’re a seafood fan, you must try the ceviche whilst on the coast – we stopped by a great family run restaurant on the seafront in Chorillos.
The small seaside town of Paracas is the departure point for boat trips to Isla Ballestas, also known as the poor man’s Galapagos! We had a smooth ride out in a rib and were able to see many sea lions along with penguins and a variety of bird species. The guano that covers the rocks here is still harvested today for use in fertilisers!
A quick lunch stop at the oasis town of Huacachina did not disappoint and given the chance I’d have enjoyed spending a night or two here. There are lots of activities to partake in locally including sand boarding and dune buggies.
One of my highlights of this trip was the Nazca Lines. You really do need to take the 30min flight over the figures to appreciate how incredible they are, and how vast the area is. It’s certainly not for the faint heartened but it was a moment I’ll never forget.
The beautiful city of Arequipa is surrounded by volcanoes and the best place to take in this incredible vista is Yanahuara Viewpoint. Whilst in Arequipa we had a tour of the beautiful cathedral which takes centre stage in the main plaza, along with visiting the Santa Catalina Monastery and a variety of local museums. A rather harrowing tale is that of Juanita, an Inca girl sacrificed in the 1440’s. Opt for dinner in the square – try one that has a rooftop terrace.
On to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, and the altitude really starts to take a toll on the body. Sitting at 3820m above sea level one can feel the effects of reduced oxygen in the air. Hotels in the region often provide Coca Tea free of charge to guests as it helps combat the effects of altitude.
Lake Titicaca was breath taking, a visit to the Uros Islands – floating reed islands – was informative and it was interesting to learn about how the islands are constructed. They did feel like a bit of a tourist trap, but it was a fascinating part of the day, nonetheless. On to Taquile Island, for a short hike (a big effort at this altitude) and we were rewarded with stunning views across Lake Titicaca. It was fascinating watching the locals go about their daily business on this car-free island, where everything must be transported on their backs! It was like stepping back in time.
As we arrived into Cusco, I definitely felt we’d hit the tourist trail. Many travellers fly straight into Cusco from Lima but it’s worth noting that by flying straight to Cusco you do not give your body time to acclimatise to the altitude (for us, Cusco was a breeze as it’s over 400m lower than Lake Titicaca) nor do you get to visit the other amazing places mentioned above.
Despite the influx of tourists, Cusco was still a lovely city. Do take a walk up the backstreets, there are stunning viewpoints to be found and great little shops full of local handiworks. We visited the home of a local musician who also made instruments by hand. Whilst we sat in his cosy living room listening to him play, I felt as though I’d been transported back in time.
After a quick visit to the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, we embarked upon a beautiful drive through the Sacred Valley to the small town of Ollantaytambo. En-route we visited a local community and learnt about their local traditions and language, it was a great insight into their way of life, and they served us up a superb traditional Peruvian lunch. Whilst in Ollantaytambo, make sure to visit the Inca archaeological site, it offers incredible views across the valley. From Ollantaytambo we caught the train to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu.
Most tours include a morning visit to Machu Picchu, although you can hire a local guide if you do not have one pre-arranged. Due to increasing visitor numbers, stricter regulations were put into place at Machu Picchu last year, including specific ticket entry times and a maximum stay of 4hrs. As we had a free afternoon in Aguas Calientes we decided to purchase an extra ticket to Machu Picchu and take the bus up on our own – and I am so pleased that we did! There was hardly anybody else there and we were able to just take our time exploring. There is something truly out of this world about Machu Picchu, something that is very hard to put into words. It was simply mesmerising. Our experience the following morning was completely different as we’d been spoilt visiting outside of peak visiting hours. Whilst it was great to have a guide with us to explain the history of the site, I found it quite overwhelming just how many people were there.
One thing that struck me whilst in Peru was the strong family bonds – weekends are dedicated to family time - Granny’s Grandpa’s, parents and grandchildren were frequently seen out together as an extended family group, enjoying one another’s company. It certainly made me reflect upon how busy our life in the UK can be and whether we make enough effort to spend quality time with our wider family on a frequent basis.
Overall, an incredible trip that certainly did not disappoint. If you’re planning a visit try and see as much of this incredible country as you can, get off the beaten track and learn a little Spanish so you can interact with the locals. Some amazing places to visit that I didn’t get around to seeing on this trip include The Colca Canyon to see condors in the wild, the Rainbow Mountain and the Peruvian Amazon.
Peru can be enjoyed on a variety of budgets - there’s everything from hostels to luxurious 5*properties. Whilst in Cusco I visited the Belmond Hotel Monasterio, a former monastery and national monument dating from 1592 – it was simply beautiful, and I returned to spend a lovely evening with friends sipping Chilcano’s in front of the open fire. For an alternative way to travel, it’s also worth mentioning the Belmond Andean Explorer, South America’s first luxury sleeper train which travels between Cusco and Arequipa.
Don’t forget to try the Pisco Sours!