I have been to Peru three times now and just love this fascinating country. And what an incredible experience the Inca Trail is – made up of steep trails, “paved” with flat stones by the Incas 500 years ago! This area is rich with fascinating history. At one time, the Inca Empire had a longer road network than the Roman Empire.
With each step up the Inca Trail, the stresses of our every day lives fall further away until we just get lost in the rhythm of our steps and breath and we begin to fully enjoy the sights and smells of our surroundings. This is my kind of travel.
I will never forget our first night in a fantastic site with just another couple beside our group. We were right across a small river from a wonderful Inca Ruin. It was just amazing to explore the ruins on our own in the beautiful evening light without any crowds, while watching the full moon rise over the ancient village. Peru can make these kinds of life-long memories.
On our trip, we had wonderful guides, porters and cooks. They set up our tents and camps every day, spoiled us with tasty local specialties and carried the heavy gear. It was good to know that the porters have a weight limit that is strictly enforced! But these individuals never ceased to amaze us as they passed us on the trail, wearing simple sandals and carrying the goods in bags flung over their back, while we trekked along more slowly in our high tech gear.
The terrain changed all the time. First, we followed a river, with tiny settlements and fields on both sides that were worked in the ancient ways, with foot plow and cows.
As we got higher up in the valley, the landscape turned into cloud forest with colorful orchids. It was just breathtaking.
Over the mountain passes, above the tree line and at 14,000 feet, we finally encountered some llamas. Clouds were swirling around us, coming up from below. Above us, some condors were circling. It was very mystical.
In the late afternoon, we were approaching Machu Picchu. It doesn’t matter how many pictures you have seen of this amazing ancient city, in real life it is even more impressive than you can imagine. It remains a mystery how the rocks were fitted so perfectly that we cannot even squeeze a razor blade between them still. Machu Picchu is visited by thousands of people every day, but I was still able to find quiet corners and squares where I could sit in the sun, watch chinchillas play and reflect on our amazing hike without seeing another soul.
As an extra perk, the food in Peru is outstanding and very cheap. We tasted Cuy (Guiney Pig) and Alpaca, local specialties.
One morning, our guide was all excited because he just found butterfly larvae that morning at the market (they don’t always have them). He browned them with corn in some olive oil. The corn does not really taste like much, but their crunch masks the mushy consistency of the worm. Not everyone would want to sample them, but I found the flavor a bit nutty and surprisingly good!
One of my favorite meals was at Indio Feliz, a Peruvian/French Restaurant in Aguas Calientes. Their melon/avocado appetizer and fresh trout with mango is just incredible! Trust me, you don’t want to miss Peru. FBN
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