Machu Picchu is one of those bucket-list activities people dream about. While most people visit on a day trip, you can also visit via the Inca Trail, a challenging multi-day hike through the jungles of Peru. In this guest post, my friend Gillian divulges the details of her trek while sharing some tips and suggestions to help you plan your trip to Machu Picchu. Hiking to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail in Peru remains the highlight of my year traveling. Looking out over the peaks of the Andes, and knowing that I hiked to get there filled me with joy and awe. I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I won’t lie, though — it took some work. A lot of work, in fact. But it was totally worth it. Sitting some 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level, Machu Picchu was an Inca citadel built in the 15th century. The citadel was built as a royal estate, though it was used for less than 100 years before being abandoned due to the arrival of the Spanish, who were set on conquest. It wasn’t until...
I waited far too long to visit Peru . I have no real good reason why I didn’t head there sooner than I did. The country had been on my “must visit” list for years, but there was always a reason I couldn’t go. “It’s the wrong season,” “I don’t want to go alone,” “It’s not a good time,” yada, yada, yada. I always had an excuse, when in reality, if I really had wanted to, I could have gone. But last November, I finally bit the bullet and went. It was now or never, I said to myself. Yes, it was offseason for hiking; yes, I still felt out of shape for trekking at altitude; and yes, it wasn’t as much time there as I wanted. But as I always say, there’s no perfect time to visit , only the time that’s perfect for you. And let me tell you: Peru lives up to all expectations. From the moment I landed, I knew Peru and I were about to start a lifelong love affair. There are just some places whose cosmic vibes match yours, like two perfectly interconnected locks. Ones that reach out to you and ...