Peru has been a bucket list item for us for years! I’ll admit what first got me excited was the ideas of llamas everywhere I turn, but turns out the people and places are what really made Peru a top destination for us. We were lucky enough to be able to spend two amazing weeks delving into almost all that Peru has to offer for our Honeymoon this past August.

Couple of helpful things to know about our trip and Peru:

Because this was our Honeymoon we decided to splurge a little on our accommodations (with that being said your buck can really go a long way here! We still did not break the bank when it came to bookings). Also driving in Peru is a dangerous endeavor for those of us who are used to paved roads and street lights at night. Typically we rent cars/use public transportation when we travel for flexibility but in this case we used drivers/taxi services to get us from place to place. They were all wonderful and not as expensive as you may think!

The People

I think it goes without saying that people can really make or break your experience when travelling. In Peru’s case the local people really made the experience all the better. South American Tours (through Red Letter Travel) really had the hook ups when it came to amazing, knowledgeable guides. We had the opportunity to get to know two local Peruvians quite well: Kol and Juan Carlos. Kol was our go to man throughout the Sacred Valley and Cusco. He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Incan history, after growing up in Urubamba, right in the heart of the Sacred Valley. By the end of our time together, after exchanging many stories and life experiences with each other, we were sad to say our goodbyes and truly could say we made a lifelong friend in Peru.

Touring the Salt Mines of Maras in the Sacred Valley

Juan Carlos, part of the Enigma Adventure Tour Team, was our Inca Trail hero! He guided us through our trek on the 500-year old Inca Trail. We spent 4 full days getting in-depth Juan Carlos time which was priceless. By the end of our time together we had shared sweat, pain, and some altitude sickness scares (from Nathan) mixed in with even more laughs, inside jokes, and side adventures. He had our backs (literally!) the whole time and kept us going through the treacherous uphills and steep downhills with a healthy mix of fog, mist, and chill in the air. His laugh was infectious and Nathan and I loved listening to him and our porters converse in the evenings with his laugher filling the quiet wilderness. Again, saying our goodbyes to Juan Carlos in Aguas Calientes was no easy task, but we know that he will also always be a friend that we can reconnect with when we make it back to Peru.

Aside from Kol and Juan Carlos, we came across many other great people on our journey. Almost every time we sat down at a restaurant or took a dip in the hot springs of Aguas Calientes, we talked with others about their reasons for visiting Peru and we all agreed that this is a country worth celebrating because of the kind-hearted locals. To all those we connected with and those we wish we could have, thank you for making our time in Peru special and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Juan Carlos and I after crossing through the Sun Gate

Peruvian cities are another, underrated, aspect of Peru's highlights. Typically, when we think of Peru we think of “Macchu Picchu”, which, don’t get us wrong, is obviously amazing, but the urban areas of Peru are worth exploring as well. We were able to get a taste of three Peruvian cities: Lima, Cusco, and Areiquipa.

So when I say a taste of the cities, I quite literally mean it when it comes to our time in Lima. Based on the way our travel plans worked out, we only had a couple hours to enjoy the capital city! But in true Tay/Nate fashion we took full advantage of our limited time to get a glimpse of the city. We had to leave for the airport around 10:30am so we got ourselves out of bed and to breakfast by 8am (after getting to the hotel at 1am!) to make sure to leave some time to explore the neighborhood, Barranco, we were staying in.

What to say about Cusco, really it's a city of dreams with its beautiful colors and world renowned plaza! Unfortunately, I came down with a bit of traveler’s sickness after the Inca Trail so I did not get to see as much as the city as i would have liked (but Nathan loved it). The parts I did see, including the vibrant main plaza, made me fall in love with this beloved area of Peru. Be warned, the altitude here is no joke. Luckily we had acclimated by this point in the trip but other tourists we interacted with were struggling with the altitude sickness. We would definitely recommend experiencing the Sacred Valley before making your Cusco, it was a life saver for sure!

So Arequipa took us by surprise! After the focus of our trip being on ancient Incan culture, it was a huge shift to be exposed to the Spanish-colonial city of Arequipa. This city is a beauty, full of European-feeling streets and a lively nightlife. We were glad we tacked this stop on later in the planning of our Peruvian adventure. A big highlight for us was visiting the Monasterio De Santa Catalina, a 1500s-built convent. Not only was the history of convent fascinating but the bright blues and reds that filled the small city streets made it pop. There were even great views of the three volcanoes of Arequipa (Misti, Mount Chachani and Pichu Pichu) from the top of the building.

View of one of Arequipa’s surrounding volcanoes, Misty