Machu Picchu Travel: Our Personal Peru

Today is our travel day, giving us time to think. So much preparation has gone into this trip. I find half the fun of traveling is the research done beforehand. With all this reading and comparing of other tour companies came hundreds of questions that were answered promptly and professionally by phone and by e-mail with the staff of Adventure …

This morning we fly to Cusco and pass high over many snow capped glaciers, some razor edged. We are met at the airport by our guide Marco Palomino Tocre and the Cusco affiliates and our journey begins. First Marco makes sure we have bottled water for the ride, and when we don't he stops and picks us up two bottles and some candy.
Our ride was …

Today I woke up early to see the resident alpacas at the Pakaritampu. The gardens here are pretty and peaceful.
Our driver comes and we're off to see the Sacred Valley. On the way have glimpses of the glaciers we flew over on the way in, which Marco explains in Incan culture are believed to be the Apus, the sacred mountain dieties. The winding …

Well, today's the big day!
We start with an early morning breakfast, leave our duffel bags at the front desk, and make the very short walk to the train station with our carry-on bags. The train station is bustling but soon we're on the train and on our way. We watch the vegetation change from smaller, drier brush to taller, lush vegetation. We …

Today we got up early to see the sunrise. We stop at the entry gate to get the tickets Marco left there for re-entry and climb up to the guardhouse. Although there are a decent amount of people there, we get a great spot to take pictures. Soon we noticed on a lower plaza a pachamama ceremony was beginning. Apparently it is the second anniversary …

This morning we got up early to go on a birdwatching walk but were met with a flock of wild parakeets squawking overhead just outside our room as they landed in a coral tree to eat the flowers. And this was before the birdwatching! This place has so many different types of tanagers and hummingbirds it's amazing. After breakfast we took another …

This morning we hear the train running which means that the strike is over, so the next part of our journey begins. After an early morning breakfast farewell with our wild feathered friends we meet Marco and take the very short walk to the train station. Our luggage once again shows up at the station to meet us and we take the vistadome to …

Today we have a great breakfast at the Monasterio to the sounds of the Gregorian chants. Then we meet Marco and take a taxi up to Sacsayhuaman. It is still early so the site is pretty deserted. This site is huge,with its massive rocks in zigzag shapes on the horizon. Marco points out some very large carved stones with seven stones surrounding them …

Today is our last day. We have an afternoon flight to Cusco, so the Monasterio gave us a late checkout. We spend the early morning having breakfast in the coutyard under the sunshine and listening again to the Gregorian chants, and then strike up a conversation with another guest. It just so happens that this guest is a doctor from the US who just …