A few years ago Matt and I both turned 50.  We thought we should go somewhere different and special to celebrate this (rather shocking) joint milestone.  After mulling a few ideas around, Matt mentioned that he would love to see Machu Picchu.  And so the idea for a long trip to Peru was born.

I have to admit to being a bit dubious at first.  Of course I had seen the stunning pictures of Machu Picchu on TV documentaries.  In particular I remembered the wonderful “Around the World in 80 Treasures” presented by Dan Cruickshank (if you are interested in spectacular locations and missed this series it is worth seeking it out).  But I wasn’t sure how accessible it would be.

I had heard about the Inca Trail, which is undoubtedly an amazing experience.  But it involves prebooking with a guide ages in advance, several days hard walking at very high altitude, and camping out in sub-zero temperatures.  Great if you are young and fit and that way inclined, but not for us.

A bit of research soon showed that Machu Picchu is easily reached by train, and that there are some very special hotels in the area.  I started reading about other places to visit, things to see, and places to stay.  Sites in the Sacred Valley,  the Colca Canyon, the Andes, Lake Titicaca……  And of course I was soon bursting with enthusiasm and in full travel planning mode.

Itinerary

After many hours of online research, we settled on the following itinerary:

Flight to Lima (2 nights)

Flight to Cusco and transfer to a hotel in the Sacred Valley (5 nights)

Train from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu (3 nights)

Train back to Cusco (3 nights)

Coach excursion from Cusco to Puno (Lake Titicaca – 2 nights)

Bus from Puno to Arequipa (3 nights)

Transfer from Arequipa to hotel in the Colca Canyon (3 nights)

Transfer back to Arequipa (1 night)

Flight from Arequipa to Lima (2 nights)

Flight home.

I am now writing about each of the destinations we visited on our tour, and compiling a ‘Practicalities’ page.  So please do keep checking back on the site for, hopefully regular, updates.

Peru was a totally different experience to anywhere else we have visited.  Levels of comfort varied from the most luxurious hotels we have ever stayed in to being squashed in local buses so tight that we could hardly breathe.

We were frequently advised by hotel staff to stick to guided tours or taxis, but sometimes we just preferred to explore on our own.  We got off the beaten track and walked on very dusty tracks at very high altitude.  We found that the local people were incredibly hard-working, friendly and invariably helpful.  We would never advise anyone to disregard safety advice, but we never felt threatened or uncomfortable in any way.

We will remember our tour around Peru with great fondness, and feel extremely privileged to have visited such remarkable places.

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