Machu Picchu is the first thing that comes to the mind when you hear the word Peru. Tanavi wanted to see this natural wonder, so this is the destination she chose to celebrate her birthday this year. But Machu Picchu is not the only thing in Peru. It is a place rich in natural beauty, culture and traditions, Incan history, and mouth-watering food. We visited Peru at the end of September. We prefer to visit places when it is not peak tourist season. Besides being cheaper to travel that way, you have the area all to yourself with no other tourists competing to take selfies! Yes, there are downsides to off-season travel, mostly being imperfect weather. But nothing a rain jacket or winter coat cannot handle! If you prefer traveling during peak seasons, it is June through August for Peru.
It is not a country that you can rent a car and drive because the streets are narrow and the driving is rough like in India. Hence, we had to rely on someone else to book our trips for us. We are wary about taking tours because we do not get to experience the place as well as we would like with a big group of people. However, we were pleasantly surprised when our tours had small groups, and the agents were able to work with us to form a personalized itinerary. We used https://exploorperu.com/ to make all our bookings. The guides were very knowledgeable and did not rush us through any of the attractions.
Visiting Peru makes you realize how humans can live in harmony with nature. When you see these hard-working people all your problems seem meager. It is heartwarming to see how content people are with the very little they have. It is one of the most beautiful countries we have visited for sure!
Things to do:
Visit the Ruins
Cusco and the nearby places have many ruins built during the Incan era. It is a great way to witness these great engineering and agricultural marvels that the Incans built without technology. These ruins leave you in awe and admiration of human hard work and perseveration. It makes me wonder if the technology is actually helping us or ruining us! These ruins were built with natural catastrophes in mind and made to last way beyond the Incan times. There is so much to learn for modern-day engineers, architects and even farmers from these ruins and the Incan way of life. There are many smaller ruins around Cusco besides the ones mentioned below. If you have the time do explore them.
1. Sacsayhuamán
The architecture of these ruins is unique. The walls of these ruins are made of huge blocks of stone placed so close to each other that not even a paper can fit through. This fortress is said to be one of the most massive structures built by the Incas. This ruin covers a couple of miles, but the main ruin is behind the statue of Cristo Blanco. If you complete the trail and walk to the top of the ruins, you get a beautiful view of Cusco city and Christo Blanco. I would highly recommend going to these ruins during sunset or sunrise to see this beautiful sight!
2. Moray
The moray ruins are an agricultural marvel of the Incan times. Take a sky view of the terraces, and you will see that they are shaped in the form of the male and female reproductive parts. The Incans considered this a symbol of fertility. The perfectly circular shaped terraces seem almost too perfect to be built by any humans. These ruins were used as an agricultural laboratory during the Inca period. The descending orientation of the terraces provided different temperatures for growing various crops. The soil was usually brought from nearby regions and varied on each terrace based on the kind of product they were trying to grow. Working water channels and steps to access each terrace is another example of how the Incas were thinking way beyond their time. Peru has over 4,000 varieties of potatoes grown in the Andes region of Peru, more than anywhere else in the World.
3. Ollantaytambo Ruins
The moment you reach this site, it feels like entering an old Incan village with a magnificent structure with over 200 steps staring at you. This was the first climb we did on our Peru trip. The lack of oxygen will hit you here as you climb the never-ending steps! But keep pushing yourself because as you get higher, the view gets prettier. The Ollantaytambo fortress has a lot of historical significance. Built originally for farming and agriculture, this place was also used for religious purposes. As you climb about midway, there is the Temple of the Sun. As you keep walking, you will see old storehouses built by the Incas on the adjoining hill. You will also see a human face carved on the mountain which is believed to be the face of the deity who was the creator of all, across the valley. Based on the way the rays of Sun shone on this face, the Incans could tell when the summer and winter equinox took place.
4. Pisac
When at the Pisac ruins, you will notice that the entire mountain is carved into terraces. Pisac is a bird found in and around this area. These ruins are shaped like a bird and can be seen through the bird’s eye view (pun intended). Spend some time walking around this place admiring what is left of the Inca settlements, water channels that still work, the sun temple, alters, wells and also, a cemetery in the adjoining hill.
5. Tambomachay
This well-preserved ruin is a great way to explore the intricate ways in which the Incans designed their baths. You will see the water still flowing through the channels, and the stonework is worth admiring. It is a peaceful walk to and around these ruins.
6. Puka Pukara
Puka Pukara is a fort with some massive walls, staircases and a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape overlooking the Cusco valley. This fort was believed to be the military base of the Incan empire. There are a few tourists here, so it perfect for some beautiful photos. The backdrop of the mountains is breathtaking and serene.
7. Qenqo
This ruin is unique in its architecture from the rest of the Inca ruins. It seems to have been built from a single monolithic block. It has many cave-like structures you can walk through. As you walk through the caves, you will notice slabs of rock. They used to perform mummification on these slabs.
Definitely see Machu Picchu, duh!
You have to see it with your own eyes to believe why Machu Picchu is one of the natural wonders of the world! Machu Picchu is a fantastic ruin no doubt, but the journey to get to this place is an adventure in itself. There are two ways to access these ruins: the first is the 4-day Inca trail hike and the second one is taking the Peru rail to Aguas Calientes. If you love hiking, we highly recommend the Inca trail. I have had friends who have completed this trail, and they say it is tough but yet worth it in the end. I am afraid of heights, so I took the easy way out and took the Peru rail to the town close to Machu Picchu. The vista dome train is an experience in itself. We took the train from Ollantaytambo. The train ride takes you through sights of flowing rivers, snow-capped mountains, small valleys, fields, and local animals. The onboard staff is entertaining and there is an automated system teaching you about the local culture and customs.
Regardless of which way to decide to take to see Machu Picchu, make sure you book your tickets to Machu Picchu in advance. The Peru government has significantly cut down the number of tourists that can visit the site each day and you will not get tickets if you try to find them once you get there. Book the tickets at least three months in advance to be safe. Make sure you also book the train tickets before hand because they fill up fast. Once you get to the town, you will have to go and buy your bus tickets to Machu Picchu immediately. I highly recommend taking a night train into the city and purchasing the tickets for the next day. That way you will avoid the long lines of people waiting to buy tickets early in the morning. Also, you will get to take an early bus to Machu Picchu and avoid the tourist rush and truly enjoy the beauty and quiet of the place. The weather also will be cold and will not tire you as quickly while you hike. To give you an idea, we went to the ruins around 5 am and when we got out by 10:30 am the place was packed with tourists with hardly any room to walk.
The bus ride to Machu Picchu is also an adventure. If you have driven through the ghats in India, this is something similar but with way more hairpin bends and narrower roads. Once you reach the top, make sure you use the restrooms, because once you are inside, you cannot come out of the ruins. Once you get inside the ruins, there are a couple of trails that you can do to explore the site. There is a map at the entrance. Take a picture of it and enjoy exploring the site at your own pace. You can also take a guided tour but we opted against it so that we wouldn’t be rushed. While up here do not miss the llamas and take a selfie with one of them! They are people friendly. If you want the bird’s eye view of the ruins, you can hike the Huayna Picchu trail. It is one of the toughest trails around the area. Lastly, I would recommend finding a quiet place, away from the crowd and just admiring the beautiful human engineering and architectural marvel ahead of you. This place has very positive energy and will change the way you see what humans are capable of while being one with nature in a truly positive way.
Walk Through the Streets of Cusco
1. Visit Christo Blanco- Christo Blanco in Cusco is like the Christ the Redeemer of Brazil. Well, much smaller and of course without as many people! The statue of Christo Blanco is situated above the city of Cusco with an array of mountains on one side and the city view on the other! Sacsayhuamán ruins are located just behind Christo Blanco.
2. Streets of Cusco- Cusco city is said to be in the shape of a puma. It is one of the most historic towns in the World. It has beautiful pebbled streets with houses on either side. The homes have colorful doors and windows and provide a beautiful view of the city. There are many hidden restaurants as you walk through these streets. It is a safe place and feel free to roam any time of the day or night.
3. Plaza de Armas- If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a parade or two or may witness a local art market. Plaza de Armas is always buzzing with live music, people and restaurants begging you to taste their food. It is a great place to relax amidst the chapels surrounding you or to admire the fountain in the center of the square. There is something for everyone here.
Take a Picture and Get Up Close With the Animals
1. The living museum of Ande- This is a small place but a very nice stop on the way from Cusco to Pisac. If you want to experience the animals up close, this is the place to be. They have different kinds of llamas and alpacas. You can learn about the different breeds and also feed the animals. Watch out for spitting llamas! There is a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs. There is also a free demonstration of the weaving process of wool. There are very few options to get to this place, so we recommend getting a shared taxi and asking them to wait to take you back. Decide on a price beforehand!
2. There are Andean ladies with their llamas, goats, and alpacas at all the major attractions. Snap a good picture with the animals.
3. Take a selfie with a llama! A must on a visit to Peru.
Walk Through the Salt Pans
These salt ponds were one of the unique things I have seen. In the middle of nowhere is a mountain where there are ponds of different shades of white and pink sticking out. A stream of natural hot salt spring feeds these ponds. It is said that a large salt block underground got mixed with a flow of water because of tectonic activities that resulted in the source for these great salt pans. Don’t forget to taste the salty water just before you enter the pans. These salt pans were created and operational since the Incan period. They collect salt water in small pans on the hillside. And once the pan fills up, they let the water evaporate and collect the salt. They produce different varieties of gourmet salt which is either used for consumption or in other industries. It is one of the most expensive salts sold in the world.
Hike the Rainbow Mountain
I had done a lot of research for this particular hike. There is the favorite rainbow mountain hike which besides being very crowded is at a very high elevation making it a strenuous hike. The weather also changes drastically, and there is no guarantee that even if you complete the trek, you will be able to see the mountain. So we decided to hike the less known alternate rainbow mountain. The mountain is less crowded, surrounded by wild llamas and alpacas that are grazing the slopes and is breathtakingly beautiful! When we initially arrived here, the weather was cloudy, and we could not see much of the colors. But as we hiked up higher, the colors began to emerge as did the sun. It is not a strenuous hike, but the high altitude can get you sick and gasping for air for sure.
Climb a Mountain to See Humantay Lake
The hike to Humantay Lake is by far one of the most challenging hikes we have done. You will have to hike up a steep mountain on unpaved paths, gasping and stopping for air every 10 minutes, and walking on some narrow trails at the edge of the mountain. But when you overcome that fear of heights and push through to make it to the top, you are rewarded with the sight of a peaceful lake at the bottom of glaciers. There are no words that can describe the emotions you feel when you get up here. You feel proud for having climbed an impossible mountain, you realize that your body can endeavor more than you think it is capable of, you realize how small you are in this universe when you stare at the great glaciers surrounding you and finally, you feel peace that is hard to experience in our busy day to day life. There is a feeling of closeness to something more significant when you make it to this hard to reach the lake. I would highly recommend beginning your climb as early in the morning as possible to avoid the crowds and truly experience the beauty of this place.
Learn How They Make Their Wool
The art of making wool is unique here. They still follow the age-old traditions when they extract wool from llamas, sheep or alpacas. They first sheer the animals, they use a tool that resembles a top to spin the wool and make yarn, the yarn is then washed using a plant source and then it is dyed using different natural coloring sources. The colored yarn is then turned into beautiful sweaters, blankets, shawls, caps, etc. There are many places where they demonstrate this process. One such place is in the Chinchero District.
Visit Puno
Puno is out of the way from Cusco. However, the floating islands are worth taking the trip. The floating islands are a bunch of islands made with a grass that grows in Lake Titicaca. This group of people did not want to surrender to the Incas and ran away from the mainland and built themselves a home on the lake. They used grass from the lake to make boats, houses and the land itself. It is a time and painstaking process to keep the island afloat. New layers of grass have to be added periodically to ensure the island does not sink. They use the stalks of the grass for food and medicine, sell their handmade artifacts to tourists, and fish from the lake, and local duck eggs serve as protein sources. Their houses are small but well equipped with modern technology, mostly harvested from the sun. A trip to Titicaca is a great way to experience this lifestyle and also take a tour on the grass boats.
Another attraction in Puno is the island of knitting men, the Taquile island. Taquile is a beautiful isolated island where people still live traditionally and practice ancient methods of agriculture. It is a self-sufficient island, away from the mainland. The most exciting aspect of this island is that the men here have to knit! They have to knit an intricate design to prove their worth for marriage. The women grow their hair since childhood. Once they are of marriageable age and their wedding is fixed, they cut their hair and knit a back support band for their husband with their hair. The way that the men wear their hats also tells about his relationship status. There are no police on this island, and the local communities have their own rules that the locals have to follow. Another exciting thing about this island is that every restaurant has the same menu at the same price every day. They do this to avoid competition and promote fairness. You can see Bolivia from this island, and it is a great place to enjoy a fresh lunch overlooking the country.
Visit the Local Markets
Peruvian markets are colorful and vibrant. They gave me a Goan market feel with areas designated to clothing, accessories, vegetable and fruit stands, juice stands, areas to sell bread, areas for selling grains, meat stands and then, of course, the food court. I was transported home immediately with the hustle and bustle of the market. Another thing that is similar to Goan markets is bargaining!! Now, I did not grow up in India, so I am not at all good at the art of negotiation. It was very amusing to watch for me. On the other hand, I have a very Goan wife who was able to effortlessly convince the local vendors to sell her stuff for 1/4th of the price they were asking. The Peruvian markets are a great place to shop for souvenirs, woolen clothing, accessories, and anything and everything you can imagine.
1. Mercado San Blas- This small market is what the locals call the San Blas Market. It is a very vibrant market with a lot of food, fruits, vegetables, and juices. You have to experience eating food prepared by the locals here. This is an excellent place for breakfast.
2. Pisac Market- After you see the Pisac ruins, do not forget to stop by the Pisac market. Silver is cheap in Peru. The Peruvian silversmiths use a lot of natural stones with healing properties to make their jewelry. Experience how they make this intricate jewelry first hand at this market.
3. San Pedro Market- This is one of the largest markets we visited while in Cusco. In the heart of the city, this market has everything you need under one roof.
4. Other local markets- As you walk around the city, you will see small alleys that open into markets that have handmade sweaters, blankets, artifacts, souvenirs and more. Just stroll around and enjoy the varied colors and goods that these markets have to offer.
Explore the Food of Peru
Peru has emerged to be the World’s leading culinary destination and rightly so! If one looks at Peruvian soil and harsh weather conditions, it is hard to believe that anything can grow here, especially without the help of modern technology. However, this is the secret to their mouthwatering food. The locals still follow the Incan terrace farming practices till date. Fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested from the land using natural manure and age-old traditions. In my short time in Peru, I have seen people work in their fields in hot and cold weather, seen them herd their llamas for more than 15 miles one way to collect manure for the fields and then transform these simple ingredients into a delicious, hearty meal.
A true food lover needs to experience Peruvian food to truly understand that our land can be self-sustaining with a little creativity and maybe we need to rethink our modern world practices of agriculture. No matter where we went, be it a fancy restaurant or a local ceviche joint in the market, the food was beautifully presented. Peruvians understand that you eat with your eyes first! Food is cheap, and portions are plentiful! A few things that you have to try while in Peru are:
1. Empanadas- most Peruvians start their day with this fantastic meat or vegetable filled pastry.
2. Quinoa- Quinoa was one of the primary protein sources during the Incan times. There are many meals that Peruvians make using this simple ingredient. While in Peru do not miss out on the Quinoa soup.
3. Trout- If you are by the lake or sea, make sure you try the local trout. It melts in your mouth good and is as fresh as it gets.
4. Ceviche- A local favorite and rightly so, ceviche is fresh raw fish marinated in “tiger’s milk,” a blend of lemon juice, spices and milk. It is a must try!
5. Cuy- If you are an adventurous eater, try the cuy or guinea pig. It tastes just like deep fried crispy chicken skin!
6. Alpaca- Another unique meet to try is Alpaca. Alpacas do not serve many purposes to the locals, unlike the llamas. The Alpacas are used for their wool, while the llamas can be used to transport goods besides for their wool. Hence, alpacas serve as a source of protein.
7. Chicha Morada- Corn is another staple food of the people here. You will see different varieties of corn which you may not find elsewhere. My favorite corn preparation was chicha morada, a drink made with purple corn. It is a perfect cooler on a hot day.
8. Pisco Sour- You cannot miss out on the Pisco Sour, a favorite cocktail! Make sure you control how many you have. The high elevation and low oxygen levels will give you a buzz before you know it.
9. Hit the juice stands- Peru has many varieties of fresh fruits to offer. A great way to taste them is to hit the local market and find the juice stands. You can pick whatever fruits you want in your juice or milkshake.
10. Try the Pan Chuta- This translates to large bread. It is a sweet bread usually eaten at breakfast.
A few of our favorite restaurants were:
-Limbus Resto Bar: Highly recommend the ceviche here! Great view of Cusco, especially at night.
– Apu Veronica Restaurant: A small locally owned place with amazing 5-star restaurant quality food in Ollantaytambo.
– Ceviche: Located in Plaza de Armas, in my opinion, this is the best restaurant in Cusco to get seafood.
– Chullpi: Do not miss this restaurant is at Aguas Calientes. I am surprised this place does not have a Michelin star because the food and presentation are that quality!
– Valeria restaurant: This restaurant in Puno has terrific food and drinks. We tried the Cuy at this restaurant. A lot of restaurants serve the guinea pig whole which makes it hard to eat. But here, they agree to cut it for you, so it is a little more edible!
– Nuna Raymi Restaurant: I loved this restaurant because it is an organic restaurant near Plaza de Armas where they source all their produce locally and grow most of it. They have a small garden as you enter the restaurant and the servers are kind enough to introduce you to all the local ingredients. That being said, you will find local food here, and it was by far the best food we have ever eaten! Do try the domestic duck here.
A Few Tips Before You Visit
– The main thing to keep in mind while visiting this part of Peru is the elevation. Since we planned to see Incan ruins on this trip, our center of travel was Cusco. Cusco is at the height of around 3,400 m. This could cause altitude sickness if you are not used to high elevations. The easiest way to avoid this and the most recommended option by the locals is to chew on coca leaves or have coca tea. They are readily available at the local stores. Make sure you have enough to last you the entire trip. If you cannot handle chewing on the leaves, carry a flask of hot water with coca leaves in them. They also sell coca candy to make it a little more palatable.
– Wear layered clothing. The temperature changes drastically in this region and can go from hot to cold almost immediately.
– Have good hiking shoes on! You are walking all day long, and you need good shoes to get you through the rough terrains. The central city has uneven streets, and you need good shoes to enjoy the walks!
– Do not indulge in overeating. The food is delicious and it is easy to get carried away. However, control your portions and do not drink a lot of alcohol to prevent altitude sickness. Make sure you stay hydrated.
– Bargain, a lot! Be it taxis or the market, make sure you bargain to get the best price. Ask your local guides how much taxis usually cost so that they do not rip you!
I hope you had fun reading through the blog as I had fun experiencing it and sharing it with you. Definitely use the pointers above as you plan your trip to Peru and do let us know your feedback. Peru is simply ‘Inca’dible!!