The fourth day of the Huayhuash Circuit brings a welcome reprieve, trading the previous day’s lung-busting climbs for a short, scenic wander through rolling valleys. Departing Huayhuash camp, the trail ascends gently to Portachuelo de Huayhuash (4,770m), a windy pass with incredible views of Trap[...]
The third day of the Huayhuash Circuit is a showstopper, delivering some of the most iconic views of the entire trek. Departing Laguna Carhuacocha, the trail follows the lakeshore before climbing steeply onto a glacier moraine for a glimpse of Laguna Gangrajanca. From there, the classic route ascen[...]
Our second day on the Huayhuash Circuit features even more incredible alpine scenery, wild textured landscapes, and navigational confusion than our first day. It's a relatively short distance from the base of Jirishanca to our next planned camp, this time at an official site on the shores of Laguna[...]
The first day of the Huayhuash Circuit starts out with a bang, delivering dramatic alpine scenery and a satisfying climb right out of Quartelhuain to the first high pass of the trek, Cacananpunta (4,690m). From the pass, it’s possible to follow the standard valley route, but the recommended ruta[...]
Widely considered to be one of Peru's most stunning glacier lakes, Laguna Parón in Parque Nacional Huascarán is easily accessible as a day trip from Huaraz— photos of an impossibly blue lake framed by towering peaks of the Cordillera Blanca were all the encouragement I needed to cram yet anothe[...]
Walking beneath the 6,384m snow-capped peak of Ausangate, it’s absolutely impossible not to be swept up in the mysticism and magic of the Peruvian Andes. Couple the jaw-dropping and life-altering scenery of the Ausangate Circuit with a visit to Vinicunca, the surreal Rainbow Mountain newly emerge[...]
After an incredibly scenic day along the Ausangate Circuit yesterday, we are linking up to Vinicunca today for a spectacular sunrise at Rainbow Mountain. The added benefit of beating the crowds travelling from Cusco is certainly not lost on us, but what really sets the experience aside is the insan[...]
The Ausangate Circuit, a 70km trek around a towering peak of the same name, is easily accessible from Cusco yet remains delightfully undiscovered by the masses. Cramming in every possible trek to our itinerary, though, means that we really only have time for an abridged version of this incredible t[...]
Nestled high in the Peruvian Andes and shrouded in thick fog, Machu Picchu is one of the world's most enigmatic archaeological sites, continuing to reveal new secrets even a century after its "discovery" by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. This impeccably preserved Incan citadel, which amazingl[...]
As mysterious as it is breathtaking, Machu Picchu is quite possibly the best preserved Incan archaeological site in all of South America, but certainly the most beloved, drawing millions of eager travellers from around the world to its remote location in the Peruvian Andes. There are a number of wa[...]
An increasingly popular but still far less crowded alternative to the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek traverses high mountain passes and stunning alpine scenery to reach the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu. The trek takes its name from Salkantay Mountain, which rises an impressive 6,271m and absolu[...]
It's not just the beauty of the Peruvian Andes, the majesty of Mexico's volcanoes, or the grandeur of the French Alps that will take your breath away— it's also the altitude. Characterised by headaches, shortness of breath, and general fatigue, altitude sickness is the last thing you want to e[...]
The grand finale to what has been an absolutely incredible trek beneath towering snow-capped peaks and through vibrant cloud forest, today is the day we finally get to see Machu Picchu (or, in my case, see Machu Picchu again!). Anticipation is thick in the air for all of us, and the sight of the wi[...]
Our third day on the Salkantay Trek brings a totally new kind of scenery, the alpine peaks of the previous days giving way to lush green jungle, colourful wildflowers, and fleeting glimpses of Machu Picchu as we near Aguas Calientes. It's a long day in terms of kilometres, but an altogether undeman[...]
The second day of our Salkantay Trek takes us right to the base of the incredible, hulking Apu Salkantay, a snow-capped, jagged peak worthy of all the effort it's taken to get here and then some. It's a pretty long day on the trail at 22km, but the scenery is all we need to keep moving forward— a[...]
The Salkantay Trek, offering hikers the opportunity to walk beneath the region's highest peak and enjoy some truly spectacular alpine scenery along the way to Machu Picchu, has been gaining popularity in recent years as an awesome alternative to the expensive and often crowded Inca Trail. After hik[...]
Altitude sickness might not be something you've had to contend with on many previous trips, but it's pretty much part and parcel of any adventure through Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, or Peru. In fact, many of South America's premier tourist destinations, like Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and La Paz,[...]
Are the buses in Peru safe? How do I buy tickets?? Where can I even go?!? For first-time visitors to Peru, it can be a bit daunting to figure out how you're going to get around the country on a bus and actually see all of the places you've been dreaming about— but is a hop-on/hop-off bus ser[...]
About 90 minutes north of Cusco in the shadow of the Peruvian Andes, the lush Urubamba Valley once formed the heart of the Incan empire and was an important agricultural area supplying food for the surrounding regions. Now, this approximately 100km-long valley is home to some of Peru's most impress[...]
Machu Picchu is far and away the most spectacular and well-known of Peru’s ancient ruins, but it’s certainly not the only architectural legacy left behind by the Incas. Within walking distance of Cusco city, a number of impressive and often lesser-known sites provide equally remarkable insights[...]