We’ve officially landed in Peru — ¡nuestro primer país en Sudamérica! That’s right, it’s our first time on this vibrant continent, and what better way to kick things off than… not leaving the hotel?
Yep. We had a 24-hour layover in Lima, and the plan (loosely, very loosely) was to explore the city. But after realizing that getting to Miraflores would be nearly 2 hours one way from our hotel near the airport, we collectively voted for "Team Poolside" over "Team Traffic Jam." The kids were thrilled — four hours in the pool living their absolute best lives. Joey and I hit the gym and took the opportunity to book our Cusco adventures. We had Machu Picchu locked in, but… that was about it. Better late than never?
Next Stop: Cusco (a.k.a. Puma City!)
After the world's most efficient travel planning session, we landed in Cusco, where we’ll be based for a week, plus two extra days in Aguas Calientes for our Machu Picchu visit. But first — altitude check! Cusco sits at 3,399 meters above sea level (that’s 11,150 feet for the metrically challenged), so we wisely planned a chill day upon arrival. Our bodies were like, “Why is the air so thin?” but overall, we were fine — just mildly less hungry, which, in our case, is practically a medical emergency.
We wandered the Old Town, explored bustling markets, and even climbed to a viewpoint, just to make sure our lungs were fully aware of the elevation.
Walking Tours & Puma Trivia
Day two was all about learning. We joined a walking tour to soak in the history of Cusco — once the capital of the Inca Empire and (fun fact!) designed in the shape of a puma. The puma, symbolizing power, courage, and the world of the living, was a central figure in Inca beliefs.
We wrapped up the day with a hike (more like a wheeze) to Saqsaywaman — pronounced suspiciously like “Sexy Woman” if you’re not careful. The site is jaw-dropping: 120-ton stones perfectly fit together like Inca Jenga, with no mortar. We were impressed… and also out of breath. It’s only a 300-meter climb, but at 3,701 meters altitude, that’s basically Mount Everest Lite.
Alpacas, Partridges & 3-Elephant Stones
Day three brought us to the Sacred Valley, and let me tell you, it lived up to the name. Our tour kicked off at an alpaca farm, where the kids learned all about Peru’s four camelids:
Llamas – the banana-eared giants
Alpacas – the fluffballs
Vicuñas – the luxury wool divas
Guanacos – the elusive ones that never show up when you want a photo
Bonus discovery: kids in Peru can work at 14, so now Emma is plotting her future career feeding alpacas.
Next stop: Pisac, where the Inca ruins may (or may not) resemble a partridge — fitting, since “Pisaca” means just that in Quechua. The cliffs are peppered with thousands of tombs, and the whole site once served as an agricultural hub and military outpost. Basically: Inca multitasking at its best.
Finally, we visited Ollantaytambo, where the stones are so massive that they had to be hauled 6 kilometers from another mountain — across a river — and some of them weigh as much as three elephants. Let that sink in. THREE. ELEPHANTS. And no, we still don’t know how they did it. Sadly, the Temple of the Sun was never completed thanks to the arrival of the Spanish, who had a knack for interrupting centuries-old architectural projects.
Back to the Sacred Valley – Round Two (Because One Day Just Wasn’t Enough)
Apparently, one day in the Sacred Valley isn’t enough when you're surrounded by Inca magic and jaw-dropping landscapes. So, we booked ourselves a second day — and with that came another early wake-up call. Joey’s body did not sign up for this. Let’s just say his internal clock prefers vacation mode, not 6 a.m. Inca-time.
First stop: Chinchero, also known as the Rainbow Town. It's where Inca stonework meets Spanish colonial charm, and somehow, it works beautifully. The town sits high in the mountains and offers beautiful views.
Next up: the Maras Salt Mines (or Salineras de Maras if you're feeling fancy). Picture more than 3,000 little salt pools clinging to a hillside — it’s like Mother Nature opened her own artisanal salt spa. The salt here has been harvested the same way for centuries (pre-Inca time), family-run and all. We were this close to trying to buy a pool... but turns out they don’t sell them like timeshares. Too bad.
Our last stop was Moray, one of the coolest (and roundest) places we’ve ever seen. These giant circular terraces look like crop-themed crop circles. The Incas used them as agricultural labs — each level has its own microclimate, with up to a 15°C difference between top and bottom. Basically, ancient Incan science fair meets farming genius.
By this point, the kids were completely done. We’re talking peak grumpiness. No more ruins. No more car rides. No more “fun facts,” please. We took the hint — back to Cusco for some well-deserved rest (yes, we gave them all the snacks we had to survive).
So far, we’ve survived the altitude, mastered the camelid family tree, and avoided Lima traffic. Coming soon: the big one — Machu Picchu! Stay tuned for tales of ancient wonders, epic train rides, and possibly someone (me) pretending not to be winded after chasing Emma up a mountain.
¡Hasta luego!
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