From the Andes to the Blog

It’s two weeks since I wrapped up an incredible, eight-day deep dive into Peru. Our family adventure swept across Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco. It was an absolute whirlwind, but the only drama came from debating which pisco was best. I saved all the notes—from climbing ancient sites to cocktail research—just for this moment.

This is the ultimate look back, focusing not just on the history, but on the key logistical tips you need to plan an itinerary where complexity is the price of admission. Get ready for a deep dive into ancient civilizations, mountain life, and the secret to the best Pisco Sour.

Day 1 & 2: Lima – Old, New, Beautiful, and a Little Dirty 😉

Lima is not only the most used strategic entry point to the country, it’s also a perfect training ground for getting used to our guide, stretching our legs and ensuring we maximized our single day there with high-impact, private tours. The city itself was a captivating blend of old and new, beautiful and a little bit dirty 😉.

Colonial History & Cathedral Mosaics

We began by exploring the heart of the city, focusing particularly on the Plaza de Armas. This is where a private guide becomes non-negotiable; they manage the crowds and streamline the information so you can simply soak in the history.

What to prioritize:

The Wooden Balconies (Balcones): We saw beautiful historic homes featuring the famous enclosed wooden balconies, a unique architectural feature of colonial Lima. The insider knowledge here is that they’re protected from the weather by animal fat coatings and Lima’s unique climate of only mist and humidity.

The Cathedral Logistical Marvel: We saw the Lima Cathedral, built on the site of a former Inca home. It’s a true display of Spanish craftsmanship and religious fervor, featuring elaborate mosaics depicting the life of Lima’s patron saints. The insider scoop? While it looks like solid stone, much of the main structure is actually wood, strategically constructed to withstand the frequent earthquakes.

The Treasures of the Larco Museum

Our trip then pivoted to earlier history at the Larco Museum, a stunning collection of artifacts housed in an 18th-century mansion built over the ruins of a 7th-century pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum’s collection of around 45,000 pieces offers a detailed look at 4,000 years of Peruvian history. The exhibits are famous for their remarkable gold jewelry, featuring intricate filigree work and detailed masks from various pre-Inca cultures.

Don’t miss the most debated collection, the erotic pottery. Rather than being pornography, these pieces were often used for fertility rituals or depicted daily life and religious rites related to sexuality, death, and regeneration. It’s always fun to see a museum with a niche collection; it sets your special trip apart from the same sights everyone else sees.

Day 3: The Sacred Valley & The Llama Life

This is the single most crucial logistical play for any Peru itinerary: don’t go directly to Cusco!

A short flight from Lima took us straight to Cusco, where our pre-arranged transport immediately transferred us to settle in Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. This is the acclimatization shortcut you need.

Travel Tip: Acclimatization is Key

• Sacred Valley Elevation: Sits around 9,400 feet.
• Cusco Elevation: A lung-busting 11,152 feet.
  
  Starting in the Sacred Valley gives your body a critical day or two to adjust at a lower altitude, effectively mitigating the risk of serious altitude sickness later in the week. I have to admit, even living in the mountains, I felt a little headachy that first day. I am very serious: this strategic start is non-negotiable for a seamless, high-value trip.

We spent time at Manos de la Comunidad, where we met the four famous camel-like Andean animals: Llamas, guanacos, alpacas, and vicuñas. The Llamas were definitely not “drama llamas”—look how cute they are!

Inca Fun Fact: Alpaca wool isn’t just super cozy; it’s naturally waterproof, a vital feature for mountain life!

Shopping Tip: Buy Direct from the Weavers
If you plan to buy alpaca goods, I highly recommend buying directly from a local weaver like those at Manos. Many market vendors sell synthetic blends, but a local weaver guarantees authenticity. Also, be aware that because these items are hand-woven, even items labeled the same size will have variations! I had to try on multiple “small” sweaters until I found the perfect fit.

Day 4: Scaling the Heights of Inca Engineering

Every day in the Sacred Valley is leg day! We focused on two extraordinary sites, which provided a masterclass in the challenge of mountain construction—a world dominated by terraces and, you guessed it, endless stairs.

Ollantaytambo: The Quarry Challenge

We started with the arduous climb up the massive fortress of Ollantaytambo. This site is a marvel of ancient logistics, with immense stones transported miles away from the Cachicata Quarry.

The Architectural Insight: The unfinished sections reveal fascinating details about the construction methods. The key difference in this stonework is immediately apparent: Inca stonework is characterized by its perfectly cut, massive stones that fit together without mortar. The rougher, less refined pre-Inca stonework is sometimes seen supporting the foundations. This illustrates how architectural precision evolved in the Andes. This distinction is the sort of detail that elevates a visit from a simple tour to a strategic history lesson.

Maras: Saltwater in the Mountains

In the afternoon we visited the terraced Maras salt pans. This is an exercise in sustainable, complex local enterprise.

Here, salt is harvested from a natural, subterranean saltwater spring. The water flows into thousands of shallow pools, evaporates under the intense sun, and leaves behind the salt, which is then scraped up and sold. Crucially, all the pans are owned and harvested by local families, operating in a cooperative fashion, which ensures the community is able to export and profit directly.

Transportation Tips: You don’t want the approach to this UNESCO wonder to be a stressful, crowded ordeal. We opted for the smooth, high-end experience:

1. The Train: We traveled via the Vistadome train to the base. This is the comfort-and-views choice—skip the cramped alternatives for a relaxing journey.
2. The Final Climb: We then took a bus up to the entrance.

The Mystery of the Lost City

While most people know the name, the original purpose of Machu Picchu is still debated among archaeologists. Was it a royal retreat for the Emperor Pachacuti? A sacred religious site? A last refuge during the Spanish conquest? The only thing certain is its incredible isolation and preservation.

During our private tour, we learned about the site’s alignment with astronomical events. The site features key spiritual structures that highlight its importance in observing celestial events: the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) which is the end of the Inca Trail, and the famous Intihuatana Stone. The stone, whose name translates to “hitching post of the Sun,” is strategically aligned to mark the solstices and equinoxes, connecting the spiritual rituals of the Incas to the rhythms of the cosmos.

Inca Trail Trivia: The famous 4-day hike is only a tiny segment of the massive Inca road system, which spanned over 25,000 miles, connecting Quito to Santiago and beyond! The feeling of looking down on the entire complex from the Sun Gate is unmatched.

Day 6: Cuzco – Empires Clashing and Local Flavors

After the high-light experience of Machu Picchu, we descended to the imperial city of Cusco. Here, the dramatic intersection of Inca and Spanish empires is literally etched in stone.

Korikancha: The Logistical Win of Ancient Architecture

Our first stop was Korikancha (The Temple of the Sun)—or what the Spanish left of it. When they conquered the city, they stripped the gold and built the Church of Santo Domingo directly on the foundation.

The Seismic Engineering Triumph (Inca vs. Spanish)
The Inca foundation is a masterclass in seismic engineering. The massive stones were cut with such precision they fit together without mortar, allowing the walls to move and shift during an earthquake before settling back into place. Features like trapezoidal doorways and inward-leaning walls enhanced this “seismic isolation.” When major earthquakes hit, the Spanish church built on top was damaged, but the Inca structure stood firm. Incas 1 - Colonial Overlay 0.

Local Experience: San Pedro Market & Quinoa

Since a little rain kept us from other planned ruins (always have a backup plan!), we pivoted indoors to the vibrant chaos of the San Pedro Market. If you visit, make sure to try the local bread and cheese—they are fantastic. However, a travel rule of thumb is to stick to wrapped or freshly cooked items unless you have a local guide.

The market is also the perfect place to appreciate quinoa, a super-food staple of the Andes. You’ll see it in countless colors and forms, reminding you that this tiny grain is used for everything from breakfast porridge to stews. And of course, there’s tons of souvenirs. My favorite purchase? A tiny alpaca wool llama and a guinea pig toy for my two Park City kittens (they have expensive taste, naturally)! Unfortunately the guinea pig was quickly a causality of kitten battle after returning home.

Day 7 & Final Thoughts: Smooth Rides & Essential Research

Our final day was dedicated to two of my favorite pursuits: horses and cocktails. Because after seven days of excellent history, you’ve earned a celebratory drink!

The Elegant Peruvian Paso & Ancient Worship

I never miss a chance to ride (in fact, I have a goal of riding on all continents — do they have horses in Antarctica? Still TBD!), especially in a country known for the Peruvian Paso breed. This horse has a unique fourth gait, the paso llano (even step), which is incredibly smooth and much faster than a normal walk. It’s the equestrian version of first-class travel—you simply float above the terrain.

Our ride included a fascinating detour to the Temple of the Moon and several surrounding cave systems. These areas are still used by people who worship the Inca gods today, and we saw lots of little nooks where offerings of coca leaves and other items were left. This was a deeply personal, exclusive cultural moment that you won’t find on a basic group tour.

Bar KM0 and my very important Pisco Sour Research

No trip to Peru is complete without investigating the Pisco Sour scene. We started our research at Bar KM 0, which supposedly sits at the start of the original Inca Trail. Now we can say we did both the start and finish!

Pisco Sour History & Recipe: The Pisco Sour, Peru’s national drink, was created in Lima in the early 1920s by an American bartender named Victor Morris. It is a variant of the classic sour cocktail (like a gin sour, one of my personal favorites!), substituting the base liquor for Pisco, a Peruvian grape brandy.

The Expert Technique: Combine Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a shaker without ice and shake vigorously (dry shake). Add ice and shake again until chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with the bitters. Cheers to another successful and highly educational journey!