Dubé - Machu Picchu: with Lima, Cuzco & the Inca Trail

colonial architecture in Lima

Leave the giddy heights of Cusco behind and head to the Sacred Valley, which the Inca considered paradise for its fertile earth. This charming valley has a great range of lodging, restaurants, and adventure sports, making it an ideal base for acclimatizing. The temples, fortresses, and terracing of Pisac and Ollantaytambo are second only to Machu Picchu in terms of beauty. Dont miss the concentric circles of Moray and the shimmering spectacle of the salt mines of Salineras.

Follow the rushing Ro Urubamba down toward the cloud forests that surround the Incas most fabled achievement: Machu Picchu. The famous lost city is a stunning example of a citadel built in perfect harmony with nature. Stay overnight nearby before and after your visit to maximize your time or, even better, hike the Salcantay route, the Inca Jungle Trail, or the original Inca Trail, a paved stone path that culminates in a birds-eye view of the ruins.

After visiting the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, travelers are acclimatized to Cuscos high altitude. They are also primed for Cuscos complex culture, which remains today an antagonistic mixture of Inca and Spanish cultures. The Spanish erected more than a dozen baroque churches atop flawless Inca walls. Cusco must-visits are the artisan barrio of San Blas, the Inca sun temple Coricancha, and the fortress of Sacsayhuamn overlooking the city.

the massive stone walls of Sacsayhuamn

Due to the influx of tourists, Peru is implementing new measures to visit Machu Picchu in order to ensure sustainability. These include establishing two entry windows (6am-noon and noon-5:30pm), predetermined paths for tourists to walk on while in the sanctuary, and time limits at specific spots in the ruins; these measures have already been implemented. Changes still to come include the construction of a new visitor and orientation center. Consult with travel agencies before your visit for the latest changes.

Keep an eye out for new routes into Machu Picchu. In 2017, the government announced plans to open two new routes, including one that will pass through the recently cleared ruins of Inkaraqay.

Peru Travel Blog (www.fertur-travel.com/blog), associated with the tour company Fertur Peru, is a good resource with updated information on visiting Machu Picchu and other sites.

Stopover in Lima

Once avoided by travelers because of its gray weather and grimy downtown, Lima is making a roaring comeback. On the Plaza de Armas (or Plaza Mayor), upscale restaurants and cafs now neighbor the countrys most important colonial catedral and the presidential and archbishops palaces. The outlying districts of San Isidro and Miraflores