Visiting the Uros Islands in Puno, Peru: Is it worth it?
The Uros islands are quite interesting, with their location near Puno, Peru in the waters of Lake Titicaca, the largest navigable lake in South America. But the islands' uniqueness goes far beyond its location in this iconic lake—they’re actually manmade and constructed from Totora reeds, a vegetation found throughout this part of South America. You can actually visit these islands—and the hundreds of residents who still inhabit them—while visiting the city of Puno. But what do these visits consist of—and is it worth it? My husband, Justin, and I recently visited the Uros islands in Peru and can tell you exactly what you’ll experience on the tour, as well as whether they’re worth a spot on your Peru itinerary.
20 Incredible Things to do in Cusco, Peru
If you’re headed to Peru, it’s likely that you’re going to hit one city—Cusco. This city once served as the capital of the Inca empire and now acts as the gateway to Machu Picchu, the iconic Inca ruins that have been named one of the Seven Wonders of the World. While most travelers base themselves in Cusco to visit Machu Picchu and the surrounding Sacred Valley, there’s tons to see and explore in this beautiful colonial city itself. So if you’re looking to dive in and experience this incredible city, here are 20 awesome things to do in Cusco.
Humantay Lake Hike: The Most Beautiful Day Hike Near Cusco
The Andes Mountains of Peru are known for their epic peaks, massive glaciers, and technicolor alpine lakes. The Humanity Lake hike, located about three and a half hours from the colonial city of Cusco, packs all of those features—and a LOT more—in one incredible day hike. But there’s actually lots of different ways that you can see and experience this trail. So here’s everything you need to know about the Humantay Lake hike, one of the most beautiful day hikes near Cusco.
Rainbow Mountain Hike: Everything You Need to Know
Rainbow Mountain (also called the “Mountain of Seven Colors” or “Vinicunca” in the native Quechua language), located in the Andes Mountains of Peru, truly lives up to its name, with colorful striations streaked across its slopes. Due to its otherworldly appearance, the Rainbow Mountain hike has quickly become one of the most popular day trips from the bustling colonial city of Cusco. But, due to its remote location, extremely high elevation, and the INSANE crowds that swarm the mountaintop, actually being able to enjoy your visit here isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Here’s everything you need to know about the Rainbow Mountain hike, from how to be safe on the trail to how to beat the massive crowds.
Laguna 69 Hike: Everything You Need to Know
Peru is known for its incredible hiking trails, but some areas, like the famed Andes Mountains around the city of Cusco, get all of the attention. But this is a HUGE oversight—the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, tucked away in northern Peru, boasts massive glaciers, more than 400 alpine lakes, and some of the tallest mountains in all of Peru. The Laguna 69 trail manages to combine ALL of those features (and SO much more natural beauty!) into one jawdropping day hike. So if you want to experience some of the best that the Andes Mountains have to offer, here’s everything you need to know about the Laguna 69 hike.
How Much the Inca Trail Cost Us (Every Penny We Spent!)
The Inca Trail, located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, is one of the most epic adventures that you can have in South America. This iconic trek takes you past dozens of ancient Inca ruins and some of the most breathtaking vistas of the Andes Mountains and culminates at Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. However, hiking the trail doesn’t come cheap—in fact, it’s the most expensive trek that my husband, Justin, and I have ever completed. If you’re wanting to plan this incredible trek for yourself, here’s exactly how much the Inca Trail cost us, from the hike itself to some of the smaller items we would have never thought about.
Packing List for the Inca Trail (The ULTIMATE Guide)
The Inca Trail may be the most iconic multi-day trek in all of South America, leading from the heart of the Sacred Valley of Peru to Machu Picchu, one of the best preserved cities of the Incan empire. It’s also a little bit unusual for a backpacking trip—most of your food, gear, and even some of your personal belongings are carried by porters along the trail. So what should you pack for this bucket list trail—and what can you leave at home? My husband, Justin, and I have done a TON of multi-day backpacking trips and recently applied all of that knowledge to packing for and tackling the Inca Trail. So, here's everything you need to include on your packing list for the Inca Trail to have the best time on this epic hike.
How to Get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, Peru
Machu Picchu is one of the best preserved Incan ruin sites on the planet AND is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! So, it’s no surprise that this is the most popular attraction in Peru, with a whopping 1.5 MILLION visitors per year. And, yet, it’s actually not straightforward to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, the city that serves as the main springboard for most people exploring the Sacred Valley and other Incan sites in the surrounding area. In fact, it actually generally involves at least three modes of transportation! Sounds confusing? It is! But we’ve broken down in this article exactly how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, so you can experience this Wonder of the World all for yourself.
Inca Trail: The ULTIMATE Hiking Guide
The Inca Trail is arguably the most iconic trail in all of South America. This trek, typically hiked over the course of four days, follows along the ancient steps of the Inca people in the Sacred Valley of Peru all the way to the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu, one of the best preserved ruin sites on the planet and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Along the way, you’ll pass dozens of Inca ruins sites—most of which only a handful of tourists get to see a day—and some of the most spectacular views of the Andes Mountains. To hike this iconic trek, though, you need to do a bit of leg work—both before and once you hit the trail! Here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail.
Review of Vertical Sky Suites in the Sacred Valley of Peru (Honest and Unbiased)
In the Sacred Valley of Peru, you’ll find one of the most unique hotels on the planet—Vertical Sky Suites (also called Vertical Sky Luxury Suites). The hotel consists of some very special accommodations—geodesic domes with spectacular open views of the sky and, perhaps more importantly, capsules made out of glass and wood that dangle off the side of a rugged cliff, some 2,000 feet above the valley floor below. And, to make these thrilling rooms even MORE adrenaline-inducing, you need to climb down a via ferrata (on the side of the aforementioned cliff!) to get into these capsules. Sound pretty wild? It definitely is! My husband, Justin, and I recently spent the night in one of these capsules (paying for it with our own hard-earned money!) and are reporting back to share everything—both the good and the bad—about the experience. So here’s our honest and unbiased review of Vertical Sky Suites, one of the most unique hotels in South America.