Quirky Traveller's Tales

The Inca Trail in Peru is one of the world’s most spectacular walks. Share one hiker’s experience to the heady heights of Machu Picchu and back …

My breath was shallow in my chest.  The air up here in the Andes was thin, but the view was what was really taking my breath away.  There, ahead of me, my first glimpse of the Lost City of the Incas.  It had been my dream to hike the world famous Inca Trail, to this mysterious city of Machu Picchu, and now, there it was.

This was my birthday present to me.  When I turned 35, I wanted to cross something big off my life’s list.  So, David (my partner) and I saved up and splurged on this incredible hike.  On our 10-day adventure, there were some sore feet, some incredible moments, and a magical feeling of utter joy.

After a night in a beautiful guesthouse in Lima, our first stop; Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire.  Declared a World Heritage Site in 1983, the Inca believed Cuzco was the bellybutton of the world, the centre of their Universe. We spent a few days here to acclimatize to the high altitude before our hike began, staying at the Aranwa Cusco Hotel, a pretty 16^th century Spanish townhouse.

Cuzco is stunning.  The best part was our beginner hike to the Incan ruins at Sacsayhuaman, where the Incan people lived a thousand years ago, and where view of the city and the valley ate up the first of my camera’s memory cards.

The next day, we began our hike up the world famous Inca Trail in style.  We met up with our porters, carried the camping equipment and supplies, and then together we made our way along the banks of the rushing Urubamba River.  At night, we set up at Llactapata, where we poked around some more ruins after the cook served an incredible dinner.  (I mentioned to David that he doesn’t cook like that when we camp back home, but he didn’t seem to hear me.)

From there, it was up to the Cusichaca Valley, through a cloud forest and out into an incredible mountain field of emerald grass.

The hike was challenging, but not unmanageable.  The hardest day with the last day, and I appreciated the work that David and I had done hiking on weekends to get ready for the trip.  My favourite night was definitely the last night before arriving at Machu Picchu.  I was giddy with excitement, and the majesty of our campsite at the ruins at Phuyupatamarca was picture perfect. The Inca name means “the place above the clouds”, and when the sun set behind the mountain peaks, I wanted to keep the moment forever.

The whole train ride back to Cuzco, David and I were buzzing.  Laughing and telling stories with our group, and so excited that we still had two days together in Cuzco to re-acclimatize again, and to enjoy more time together with our new friends in this fabulous city.

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South America has a rich variety of landscapes and the Amazon region of Peru is one of the most beautiful. American travel writer Julie Falconer shares her impressions of this fascinating area.

Peruvian Amazon rei.com

When most people think of Peru, they imagine themselves climbing the ruins of Machu Picchu or visiting the famous Sacred Valley. But there is more the country than the Inca sites, and the less obvious places are well worth exploring. One such location is the Peruvian Amazon.  Located in the northeast of the country, the Peruvian Amazon is often overlooked in favour of more on-the-beaten-path parts of Peru. But its diversity of plant and animal life, its beautiful natural landscapes, and its variety of adventure travel opportunities make it a perfect place to visit.

I arrived in the region on a flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado. From there I took a motorized canoe down the Madre de Dios River. An hour later I was settling in to my lodge in Tambopata, the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica. My cabana was situated right in front of the water and I was able to see wild agoutis and capybaras running to and fro on the riverbank.

Further afield, I went on excursions to lakes and islands where I spotted brown capuchin monkeys, spider monkeys, caimans (Amazonian crocodiles) and egrets. On night hikes I spotted tarantulas, night monkeys, frogs, and crabs, and during a day hike I almost ran smack into a giant wasp nest!  The breadth of animal life in the region was like nothing I had ever seen on my travels, and the ease of spotting so many species was a very pleasant surprise.

It wasn’t just the fauna in the Amazon that I loved, though. The flora and the scenery were beautiful as well.  The abundance of plant life was also an attraction. From tall trees that formed the rainforest canopy to bright flowers and ferns that grew closer to the forest floor, Tambopata was bursting with life.  Every morning I woke up early to go on an excursion, and my reward was a stunning sunrise that turned the sky pink, yellow, purple, and orange. They were breathtaking, and made the early alarm worth it.

After three days of exploring the Peruvian Amazon, it was time for me to move on. Yes, I did visit Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. I went to Lima. I travelled to Cuzco and Puno. But no other place in Peru surprised me like the rainforest did, and I was glad to have deviated from the obvious places for part of my trip. You will too if you decide to visit …

Originally from San Francisco, Julie Falconer is a London-based travel writer and consultant. You can visit her blog for more travel stories and photos and Follow her on Twitter @aladyinlondon