Peru: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Unusual choices for a honeymoon?
Guest Post by Shannon Kircher
When people ask where my husband and I honeymooned after our recent nuptials, the response is almost universally the same: “Peru?” This is accompanied by raised eyebrows and a general curiosity about what helped us decide on a South American adventure in lieu of a more traditional post-wedding escape.
Let me start by saying that my now-husband and I live in the Caribbean, on the beachy island of Anguilla, where we’ve built a home and tied the knot in front of friends and family. Knowing that we’d return to white sands and turquoise waters, we didn’t need to escape to another island somewhere around the world. We wanted adventure; something entirely different. We wanted an experience that we could perhaps enjoy more easily with youth on our side and a destination that neither of us had visited. My husband and I are both huge travelers with a few stints living abroad under our belts. We have an ever-growing travel bucket list that’s a mile long and sprinkled with untouched far-flung locales. Peru topped both of our lists so we planned out two weeks on what was quite possibly one of
Part two of Shannon's Peruvian honeymoon adventure on TravelBoldly.
Lima
Getting a taste of Lima's European architecture |
than the Incan-infused Peru that can be found in places like Cusco and the Sacred Valley. We had seen the major ‘must-see’ sights in a day and spent the rest of our time in the city wandering on foot, and focusing on our consumption of ceviche and pisco sours across Lima. We dined at places like Panchita, Chez Wong, Maido, and a standout restaurant called Central where we were given a behind-the-scenes tour of their operation. We were a bit surprised – and dare I say, disappointed? – to note that Lima’s bar scene is nearly non-existent. I love cafes and bars for people watching and a chance to chat up locals. We met up with friends living in Lima who explained that the bar/pub scene that is a staple of many major international cities doesn’t really exist in Peru. Still, we didn’t leave hungry. Or thirsty.
Our mission in Lima was accomplished and we were ready to jet off to Cusco for a richer taste of Peru.
Cusco
Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru |
experiencing intense altitude sickness on day two (the verdict is still out on whether or not the pisco tasting the night before played a hand in that). After a hearty dose of oxygen, lots of water and a great deal of rest, he was almost 100% by the time we arrived at our next destination, Machu Picchu. A bit of advice for anyone that’s sensitive to altitude: try the soroche tablets to keep your head on straight and enjoy your time in the city. As we discovered, the onset isn’t generally immediate.
From Cusco, we continued onto Machu Picchu, where altitude sickness dissipated and we continued our newlywed adventures in Peru. Stay tuned to read about our awe-inspiring time in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and excursions on the Amazon River.
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The King of the Incas. Inti Raymi / The Festival of the Sun at Sacsayhuamán in Cusco, Peru
Peru: Machu Picchu, Iquitos and the Amazon River. Unusual choices for a honeymoon?
Peru: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Unusual choices for a honeymoon?
Inca Princess - Cusco, Peru
Trekking Andes Mountains - Urubamba River Valley, Peru
Me and My Llama - Peru
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Trekking to Machu Picchu - Peru
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More post on Peru here on Travel Boldly
After Slow Travel in Tanzania - We Went Poco y Poco in Peru. You are never too old to travel.
The King of the Incas. Inti Raymi / The Festival of the Sun at Sacsayhuamán in Cusco, Peru
Peru: Machu Picchu, Iquitos and the Amazon River. Unusual choices for a honeymoon?
Peru: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Unusual choices for a honeymoon?
Inca Princess - Cusco, Peru
Trekking Andes Mountains - Urubamba River Valley, Peru
Me and My Llama - Peru
Happy Guy - Wedding Guest in Urubamaba, Peru
Trekking to Machu Picchu - Peru
Inti Raymi Fireworks Celebration - Urabamba, Peru