An Insider Look at Peru
Yampu Operations Manager, Jessica Veliko, returned last month from a trip to Peru, the country that inspired Yampu Tours’ beginning. She returned with more than just incredible pictures, stories, and chocolates- she came back with exclusive insider tips and must-sees for adventurers looking to travel to Peru.
The trip began with an overnight flight to Lima with a connection to Cusco with the rest of the day to rest from a long journey. From there on out, Jess dove right in to some of the best tours, check out what she had to say:
Lodging:
Palacio del Inka, a luxury collection sure stands up to its name. It also gets an honorable mention for being there for me after 30 hours of travel! Between the beautiful wood moldings, comfortable beds, 24 hour gym access all the way to the friendly and helpful staff. Above is a picture of my room when I first walked in. It had two rooms guys, two! You can count them.
Tours:
Saqsaywaman fortress: It was beautiful. Limestone walls, supposedly shaped with a Puma in mind. I also walked through a tunnel which was super cool! Incas must have been tiny though. Some think there’s a tunnel that goes from the fortress all the way down into Cusco city, which would make sense. The fortress was created to defend against the Spaniards. After walking the fortress, you can go horseback riding through the foot hills of Cusco. Looking at the fortress I’d just seen from the hills above: perfection. I cannot begin to describe how amazing this experience was.
Q’enqo ruins: This is mainly where llama sacrifices were held. Notice the exact, straight and flat surfaces they were able to create.
Because my trip was so action-packed, on my last day I only had time for a half day city tour of Lima. I so wish I had more time in this beautiful, historic city and I didn’t want to leave! There is just so much to see and do–who knew there was a penguin colony an hour drive from Miraflores? There are even archeological sites within the city, which I just think is so cool. If you are headed to Peru, I would definitely plan to spend more time in Lima because of all there is to see.
Dining:
On some full day tours, you get to enjoy lunch while you’re out and about! One day, exploring ruins, we ate lunch in a valley overlooking Cusco city. Absolutely beautiful. I don’t always take pictures of my food but when I do, it’s a luxury picnic!
Activities:
Another amazing site is the Salineras, or salt mines in Maras, where you can buy delicious salt to bring home with you! In Moray I got to see the incredible agricultural laboratory, built like an amphitheater by the Incas to experiment with plant adaptation. The built-in irrigation system and water reservoirs are truly impressive! Much like Machu Picchu, Moray leaves you in awe of how advanced the Incas were.
Take an early morning luxury train ride to the charming town of Aguas Calientes. From there, you can take a bus to Machu Picchu. There is so much to say about Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World that I won’t begin to describe. I will say this: the Incas, although an illiterate society were some of the most brilliant mathematicians we may ever know. They sliced through rocks with precision at high altitudes, with nothing but simple tools and water.
It’s amazing to see that some rocks are precisely cut and stacked and others look thrown together. The interesting part is that the ones that are precise are original Inca, while the jagged misshapen ones are from the restoration in the 80s. Hiking Machu Picchu is beautiful, albeit cloudy. It took me about 1 hour and 40 minutes to climb up the steps, and half that time to come down.
All in all, Peru was the trip of a lifetime. There are so many beautiful sites, delicious bites, amazing traditions, and generous people!
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