Lima was mainly a stopover for us to connect between Iquitos and Cuzco. We were running short of time and had to quickly see Machu Picchu as our time to enter Chile was running out. We were even contemplating dropping…
A few hours in Arequipa, Peru
We only had a few hours in Arequipa, Peru. We arrived via overnight bus from Cuzco and had a flight later in the morning to Santiago, Chile. Our friend Cat from England was kind enough to let us tag along…
Inca Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu
For the unplanned visitor to Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail is often not the best way to go. The Inca trail gets booked months in advance, is closed in February and is very expensive (at least $500 per person and…
Cuzco and Machu Picchu…assorted thoughts and pictures
After two months of backpacking in South America, some of it through really off tun-touristy areas, we finally reached Cuzco and the first thing we noticed were the number of tourists/travelers/backpackers. The semi cama seats on the Cruz Del Sur…
Our Peru Itinerary
Our peru itinerary on google maps. The golden stars are all day trips/side trips/treks. It shows our border crossings. From Arequipa, Peru we flew to Santiago, Chile.
Why you should see the Kuelap ruins in Peru (Kuelap vs Machu Picchu)
In 2011, a million people visited Machu Picchu (MP). That is quite a lot of tourists! And justifiably so… Machu Picchu is old, enigmatic, located amidst immense natural beauty and Cuzco is a really charming base to visiting tourists. It…
Iquitos: Back to Land
When we arrived at Iquitos, I was tired and ready for a few days on land. We had spent way too much time on the river and I was craving decent vegetarian food that wasn’t made of plantains and wanted to just…
Lagunas – where time stands still
We finally made it Iquitos, 12 days after we left Chachapoyas. I felt like we had lost a sense of time and left all that we knew far far behind. Being in the Amazonas makes you feel very isolated, even…
Amazon Jungle: Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, Lagunas, Peru
There are many ways to experience the Amazon jungle in South America. Before we started our travels, the Amazon was one of the top things we wanted to see. When I mention Amazon throughout this blog, I usually refer to…
Chachapoyas to Yurimaguas – The Amazon experience begins
Chachapoyas to Pedro Ruiz We were really excited to experience the Amazon basin and decided to do it in the Pacaya Samiria Reserve near Lagunas, Peru. Its on the way to Iquitos and is an immense national reserve that doesn’t…