PERU

Nearly twice the size of the state of Texas, Peru is best known for its deservedly-famous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, which I visited by bike, zip line, and raft this fall. Any country this size offers far more than one tourist site and Peru certainly doesn't disappoint.

Lesser-known and infrequently visited ruins like Choquequirao, offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy 15th century Inca architecture without the crowds. Cusco, where many of the main treks begin, also offers day trips to salt flats, rainbow-colored mountains, and former Inca agriculture labs. Check out my Top 5 Things to do in Cusco. Deserts in central Peru offer sand boarding and sand surfing around one of the only true desert oases in the world, Lake Huacachina. The cities of Iquitos (in the north) and Puerto Maldonado (in the south) offer excursions into the Amazon jungle to view monkeys, macaws, parrots, sea otters, and caimans (similar to alligators) close up. The capital city of Lima has grown into the world's gastronomy capital, boasting several of the world's top restaurants. In addition to phenomenal food and culinary tours, the city offers fine museums, bike tours, and spectacular ocean views while serving as a base for day trips to nearby cultural and archeological sites. And for an experience like no other, head near to the city of Puno on Lake Titicaca, where the Uros people live on floating reed islands and build their homes, boats, beds, and furniture out of reeds.

I had such a spectacular time in Peru and have had so much interest in the destination, that I am planning a group trip there in 2021. Contact me for more details!