Days 1–3: Lima

We started our journey by flying on to Lima from Los Angeles on LATAM Airways on a simple in a single day flight.

Upon our arrival in Lima at 6:30 a.m., our pleasant English-speaking driver took us to Barranco, a vibrant neighborhood identified for its artwork.

We had an early check-in at Lodge B, a luxurious seaside boutique resort housed in a former colonial mansion. Vestiges of its earlier days embody tiled flooring, excessive ceilings, and transom home windows to seize the crosscurrent of ocean breezes. There’s a preferred restaurant and rooftop bar on the property, and the room charge covers a bountiful buffet breakfast. (It’s also possible to order à la carte dishes off a menu that highlights the native delicacies.) Whereas Lodge B is situated at a considerably busy intersection, the home windows are double-paned, and its intimate décor supplied a cushty respite for our brief two days within the metropolis.

Lima is a sprawling metropolis, and its western districts are situated alongside the shores of the Pacific Ocean. However in contrast to the Atlantic coast of South America, these waters are frigid and never a spot you’ll discover sunbaked revelers buzzing bossa nova hits and splashing within the surf. The town’s historic middle is the place you’ll discover the grand Seventeenth- and 18th-century colonial structure it’s well-known for: The Spanish conquistadores—who ravaged many of the nation, destroying centuries-old cultures and forcefully changing Indigenous folks to Catholicism—created grand European-style squares and church buildings that rival these discovered of their homeland. There are two grand plazas right here—one that permits protests and rallies (Plaza San Martín) and one other that doesn’t (Plaza Mayor). Plaza Mayor was closed to vacationers on the time of our go to.

Two of the world’s finest eating places are situated in Lima. However in the event you’re constrained by price range or lack the lead time to safe a reservation at Central or Maido (each extraordinary), there are various lesser-known spots that spotlight what makes Peruvian delicacies so particular. Within the elegant Miraflores district, there’s a restaurant referred to as La Mar that serves native seafood and specialty cocktails with distinctive Peruvian fruit juices.

Days 3–7: Iquitos

After a stunning two days exploring Lima, we flew as much as Iquitos, a distant port city on the shores of the Amazon. Iquitos is reachable from Lima solely by boat or aircraft, as there are only a few roads within the jungle. There’s a paved roadway that connects Iquitos to Nauta, one other small river city on the shores of the Amazon. The journey from Iquitos to Nauta by automotive is 2 hours, versus a three-day boat experience because of the winding nature of the river.

I acquired a style of essentially the most coveted jungle fruits bought within the markets: aguaje (from native palm bushes), camu camu (which incorporates extra vitamin C than an orange), and maracuya (a spicy ardour fruit).

Our house on the Amazon was the gorgeous Aqua Nera, a riverboat constructed to glide alongside the dashing river and discover its extra serene “blackwater” rivers, the smaller branches of river that derive their title from the decaying leaves of vegetation that leach tannins into the water. Regardless of the title, the water may be very clear. In response to our information, the alkaline nature of the water makes it good for the pores and skin and retains you trying youthful and contemporary.

There are various species alongside the shoreline, together with elusive pink river dolphins and not-so-elusive faculties of fish. It took a while to know that the river isn’t a lethal soup of toxic creatures; upon our arrival, you couldn’t have gotten me to leap in for all of the camu camu on the earth. However after being educated over the subsequent few days, all of us loved a refreshing splash. (I admit this was earlier than our nature hike on dry land, the place I noticed some tiny toxic frogs and a tarantula as huge as a grapefruit.)

Aqua Nera has 20 visitor suites. A wonderful primary gathering house on the highest deck has floor-to-ceiling home windows, a completely stocked bar, and an outside deck with a swimming pool and chaise longues. There’s a mini screening room and a sport room with a billiard desk. The eating room is intimate and chic—breakfast is a each day buffet, whereas lunches and dinners are served family-style at your desk. That is the place we first skilled an area delicacy referred to as paiche: an infinite river fish with a fragile texture and a wealthy, buttery style.

All of the facilities aboard Aqua Nera, together with the bedding, are luxurious. The employees is accommodating, pleasant, and heat. After 4 nights on the ship, the company start to really feel like a household, and there was a goodbye celebration on our final night that felt like the top of summer season camp. I couldn’t think about a extra intimate and particular journey. We left Aqua Nera feeling educated, energized, and enlightened.

On the morning of our departure, the vans took us to a manatee rehabilitation reserve on our approach again up the street towards Iquitos airport. Manatees at one level thrived within the river and ate the plentiful water lettuce that accumulates on the tops of the bogs, serving to hold the pure atmosphere in stability. However sadly, resulting from overfishing and poaching, these mild creatures are in danger.

Days 7–10: Sacred Valley

From Iquitos, we flew again to Lima after which boarded one other flight to Cuzco, the previous capital metropolis of the Incan Empire. It takes a little bit of time to get used to the altitude, however most lodges have oxygen out there for many who would possibly want an additional enhance. Our itinerary had us solely passing by means of Cuzco, as we had plans to spend a number of days within the Sacred Valley, a fertile farmland within the Andean highlands that encompasses a number of essential Incan websites, together with Pisac and Ollantaytambo.

Our house right here was Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, a sprawling property with particular person casitas overlooking the spectacular mountain vary and the valley ground under. Inkaterra is a resort chain in Peru dedicated to sustainability—we stayed at a number of of its lodges throughout this leg of the journey. I notably loved the wood-burning range in my casita and the personal outside terrace for sipping coca tea within the morning and stargazing at night time. Coca leaves have historically been brewed there to assist with altitude adjustment. Some folks suggest squishing the leaves collectively and letting them dissolve in your mouth to get a extra fast impact, however I didn’t discover that crucial.

Quickly we discovered ourselves on the entrance of Moray, an Incan archaeological website on a excessive plateau near the spectacular salt mines of Maras. We took lengthy a stroll alongside the terraced round depressions as soon as used to develop crops. It was a welcome respite after the bike experience—I’d needed to cease a number of occasions whereas using uphill (keep in mind the altitude!)—and I used the chance to breathe within the crisp mountain air and catch my breath. (Placing the macho in Machu, I do know.)

We have been actually prepared for our three-hour, eight-course lunch at Mil, a culinary expertise conceived by husband and spouse Virgilio Martínez and Pía León of Central fame. The couple makes use of elements sourced from native environment, and it’s a panoramic culinary journey. The meals was phenomenal, and the presentation equally so. We elected to have the alcohol pairing, which actually elevated the meal, with Peruvian liquors and drinks distilled and fermented in-house. The choreography of the meal was spectacular, and we left lunch near 4 p.m. Suffice to say, nobody ate dinner that night, and I used to be greater than content material to relaxation within the room and get an excellent night time’s sleep.

Our subsequent day within the Sacred Valley started with a kayak exploration on the placid waters of Waypo Lake. Apart from the geese, we have been the one ones out that morning exploring its mirrorlike floor. Following our kayak experience, we drove to a gorgeous grove beside the Urubamba River, the place we met a shaman, José, who helped information us in an providing to Pachamama (Mom Earth within the Quechuan dialect).

For our ritual that day, José ready various choices to Pachamama, together with sweet, savory meals, liquor, artificial cash, and different treats that have been wrapped in a small material and buried within the floor. We recited a blessing and made needs. Afterward we had our futures learn within the coca leaves. Fortunate for us, all of us acquired a studying with the promise of excellent well being and prosperity. I requested Ramiro if the shaman all the time supplied excellent news from the coca leaves. He stated not all the time, however that the shaman gives knowledge to assist soften the blow.

Quickly we have been toasting Pachamama and our shaman whereas consuming a picnic of contemporary greens and roast rooster, chased down with a chilly Cusqueña beer.

The spotlight of our journey to the Sacred Valley and our start line for Machu Picchu was our go to to Ollantaytambo, a village identified for its ruins encompassing an enormous stone fortress. As soon as the royal property for the Incan emperor Pachacuti, it’s a marvel of Incan stone engineering.

On the town, there’s a prepare station that connects you to Aguas Calientes, the city (and vacationer hub) on the entry level to Machu Picchu. We had dinner at El Albergue, an inn and restaurant proper off the tracks. On the prepare to Aguas Calientes, which hugs the Urubamba River, we watched the panorama change from drier mountainous terrain right into a verdant jungle. The views are spectacular—attempt to go whereas the solar continues to be up.

Days 10–11: Machu Picchu

It’s a good suggestion to spend the night time in Aguas Calientes earlier than trekking or driving as much as the citadel within the morning. Inkaterra has a stunning resort right here: Constructed on a former tea and low plantation, it’s made up of 83 whitewashed adobe casitas nestled within the cloud forest. My junior suite had a wood-burning hearth and a small deck overlooking the dashing Vilcanota River, which feeds into the Urubamba under. I sipped pisco sours fireplace on the bar as we met with our information Rodrigo to plan for the subsequent day’s tour to Machu Picchu.

There are a number of methods to succeed in the doorway level to Machu Picchu. The well-traveled Inca Path, which begins at kilometer 82 (midway between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes), features a four-day trek by means of mountainous terrain, with elevation reaching 13,000 toes. We selected to take the quicker route by using one of many ticketed passenger vans up the steep mountain street (though I perceive why the previous possibility is perhaps in your bucket checklist).

Days 11–14: Cuzco (and again to Lima)

We quickly boarded the Belmond Hiram Bingham, a luxurious prepare that will get you to Cuzco. Count on a welcome drink on the station, Nineteen Twenties-style automobiles with snug cubicles, elegant meals (poached paiche with camu camu!), ever-present pisco sours, and stay music.

Our trusted driver Victor picked us up from our cease in Cuzco and took us to the Inkaterra La Casona resort for our final two nights in Peru.

Whereas in Cuzco, a metropolis included on the UNESCO World Heritage Record, we noticed extra Incan websites. Cuzco was the seat of energy for that mighty civilization. Spectacular remnants embody Sacsayhuaman, a citadel within the northern outskirts of the town (additionally constructed by the very industrious Emperor Pachacuti), and Qorikancha, arguably essentially the most vital temple within the empire. I might by no means develop uninterested in trekking by means of all these ruins.

Cuzco additionally has unimaginable artisans and retailers—naturally, I left with a hand-loomed poncho constituted of child (possibly?) alpaca. Whichever it’s, I used to be grateful for it on the chilly experience to the airport early the subsequent morning.

We spent our final day in Peru again in Lima, touring vintage retailers and meals markets, having fun with native delicacies like lucuma ice cream. Lucuma is a delicate-flavored fruit that tastes virtually like butterscotch. It’s additionally a superb automobile for sugar and cream.

Our dinner that night was at Maido. Chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumara, who was born in Lima and studied in Japan, is a grasp of Nikkei meals: Peruvian elements ready with Japanese strategies. Whether or not you go for the tasting menu or order à la carte, you’ll have essentially the most unimaginable feast. We lingered on the desk sipping digestive muña (mint) tea and buying and selling tales concerning the journey.

You would go to Peru for the meals alone—it’s that good. You would go to simply to see Incan websites and hidden citadels. You would go to solely to swim within the Amazon among the many pink dolphins or trek the Andean highlands cloaked in mushy alpaca.

And in the event you’re very fortunate, you would possibly spot an elusive anaconda, checking off a tourist-in-Peru bucket-list merchandise for you, because it slithers down the shoreline. I didn’t—and I wouldn’t change a factor.