Peru Vibes

Right to left: Katelynn, Rosemary, your's truly

Day 14. It has been 14 days since my poop has been regular or since looking at a salad didn't make my stomach turn over. Peru left me dirty, that's for sure, and not in a good way. Maybe it can be considered payback for leaving the small country in general. That being said, my sudden traveler's diarrhea sure did make leaving a lot more palatable than it usually is for me at the end of a vacation. Now, poop-talk aside, Peru was a one of a kind experience. In fact, I can confidently say it has officially made my "top-ten countries I've visited" list. The beauty of the hikes we took in contrast to the big cities we visited... Peru is one for the books. From fine-dining to small, hole-in-the-wall places, there is something for everyone there. Not to mention it is affordable. You may not have the budget to eat at one of the many Michelin star restaurants or ride one of the most luxurious trains to Machu Picchu, but I can attest that your time spent in Peru will still not go to waste. Balling on a budget is what I (and my friends) do best after all.  

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With Peru, I almost don't know where to start. Should I begin with one of the most epic hikes I've ever endured? The bustling city of Lima we landed in? Or should I tell you about the lazy days spent on the coastal waterfront? ​There's almost too much to explain, and we barely touched the surface of what Peru has to offer travelers. It truly is one of those places that can suck you in, which is why many of the backpacker's we ran into hadn't left yet. As much good as there is to say about Peru, there are also negative sides just like with any country you visit. Luckily for you, however, I have experienced a majority of those setbacks and are happy to share my experiences. So, if you're up for a bit of reading, I'll tell a few tales about Peru - a place even Emperor Cuzco would be proud of these days.

Our Route

So, I want to start with explaining how we decided to tackle Peru in 3 weeks (and when I say "we," I really mean Rosemary because she basically put this all together). Rosemary and I left January first at a whopping 05:10 in the morning - leaving us with a 02:00 am wakeup call. Fortunately for us, my dad was up for the challenge of driving us to the airport on that glorious New Year's day and we weren't stuck attempting to either drive ourselves or find an Uber. Now, that being said, we planned our trip January 1-23rd, giving us ample time to explore Peru. I will say, though, if the Inca trail or Machu Picchu are on your radar, January is probably not the best time to go. While we lucked out with the weather, January is considered their rainy season, which can impede on many of the hikes. Trails do close in February for preservation as well, so be aware of that when planning. 

Our officially non-official itinerary was Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, Huacachina, Paracas, and then back to Lima. The loop of a lifetime! To dive into more details about that, we ended up flying to Lima from the US and staying about 2 nights. Then we flew into Cusco, giving ourselves about 3 days to acclimate to the altitude. Cusco sits about 11,000 feet above sea level. For some reference, Denver sits at 5,280 feet above sea level. Long story short, it's fucking high. If suffocating slowly is your cup of tea, go to Cusco. Navigating the country from Cusco on out was always done by bus. There are minimal options for public transit, but buses are always plentiful and available. However, they are time consuming. While Peru looks small on the map, each city was an entire day's, or even night's, travel. It took about ten hours to get from Cusco to Arequipa, and another lovely 13 hours from Arequipa to Huacachina. The lesson learned here is to plan a lot of travel time. ​

Brief Hiking Overviews

While out there, hiking is an absolute MUST in my book. I must say, though, the hikes here are pretty intense and definitely listed high on the difficulty level, especially adding in the altitude. If you are an absolute rockstar planner, then try to book the Inca trail. Apparently it is very cool and worth it. If you lack in the planning department, like your's truly, the Salkantay trail is for you. I have never done the Inca trail, but Salkantay did not disappoint. It was satisfyingly difficult and, of course, ended with Machu Picchu. Rosemary, Katelynn and I opted for the 3-day hike because of the price, but we all wish we splurged for the 4-day or 5-day option. There is just so much to see and experience on that hike, cutting it short doesn't do it justice. The Salkantay trail, though, is by far the coolest hike I've done. On the three day option, day one and two are the Salkantay trail and day three you hike up the Inca trail to Machu Picchu. Make sure, and this is a MUST, that you have an early entry to Machu Picchu. 06:00 am is the best time because you get there before the massive crowds do. It is an early wakeup call, but by the end of three days you will be used to waking up before sunrise. 

Aside from Salkantay and Machu Picchu, we made sure to tackle a few other note-worthy hikes. There are many Incan and pre-Incan ruins you can walk around or hike around while exploring the city of Cusco. One specific one you can do is on the way to "White Jesus." You can hike up to "White Jesus" without paying, but if you want to see and walk around the ruins you have to pay to get into the park. You can group your ticket to include other sites, museums, or attractions, though, which is a big money saver. Outside of Cusco you will find Sacred Valley, which consists of eight different Incan Ruins. We were able to visit four of them, which was an all day event. The best way to do this is to ask around with different taxi drivers. I know this sounds a bit chaotic, but we ended up finding a guy that simply drove us to each site for 120 Soles in total. While there, you can explore the ruins or the town that they are in. You don't get a tour guide, but you do get to hike around some really cool history for an entire day. 

Moving away from all Cusco has to offer, Colca Canyon is a popular hike outside of Arequipa. With this trek, you hike down into a canyon, stay one night at an oasis, and then hike out the next day. During that small tour you also have the chance to see some gorgeous llamas and alpacas - because what is Peru without alpacas? We ended up booking this hike through our hostel, but most of these hikes follow the same route, meaning you'll be stopping at some overlooks prior to hiking down and staying around the same place we did no matter who you book through. This is also possible to do by yourself. There are a plentiful supply of hostels and the bottom and top of the Canyon. The hike itself is also very strait forward and found on the AllTrails app. However, comparing prices, it actually saves you money to go with a guide. Either way, do what you think is best for you! I will warn you, hiking out of this canyon is about 3-hours of an intense uphill. Be ready to SWEAT!

My Overall Peru Review

Overall, Peru has my vote of confidence. I feel as though there are so many things to do that pique anybody and everybody's interest. There is history, architecture, outdoor adventures, and much more. I'll give this a 7/10 on the "should I visit this country" chart. 
Downsides: you have to buy water or filter it out of the tap; long travel times between cities; mostly spanish-speaking population (which isn't really THAT much of a downside...); cash oriented in many cities 
Upside: cheap; beautiful; easy to navigate once there; city things to do AND nature-oriented things to do; friendly people; multiple hostel/hotel options for the varieties of travelers; good mixture of nightlife or relaxed night vibes
I would absolutely suggest you go to Peru, even if it is just for a small amount of time. I will post more about the specific areas I went to in the coming days/weeks, but for now this is my overall on the country itself. 

Look out for more from me! And remember to keep in mind, keep in touch, and keep being your adventurous self.