Articles from this Category
May 7, 2018
Chinchero Peru was the first Inca site on our schedule in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Eager to get to my “real” bucket list destination, Machu Picchu, I wasn’t expecting much at the Moray archaeological site. After driving 19 miles from Cusco with AdventureSmith Explorations, I got out of our transport van and strolled […]
May 5, 2018
Costa Rica is known for its pretty beaches. But you can also find pristine waterfalls, myriad geysers, natural swimming holes, bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, rejuvenating thermal hot springs, hiking, horseback riding, orchids, bird-watching, a canopy zip line, white-water rafting, and a quarter-mile waterslide — a visit to Hacienda Guachipelin in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is anything […]
April 16, 2018
How hard could it be? I’d already tried tandem skydiving and hang gliding. I had my first inkling of trouble when paragliding Lima came as we leaped off the Miraflores cliff in Lima, Peru. But instead of taking flight, we started to descend. This was the first of several white-knuckle episodes in the Miraflores sky. […]
April 12, 2018
I moved from New England to South Carolina a few years ago to escape the snow. Like many other parts of the country, it was an unseasonably cold winter, even in the South. So when we got that half-inch of snow in February, I jumped in my car and headed even further south, for a […]
April 11, 2018
About a one hour drive from Cusco, Pisac is the city used as the starting point to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The better-known Inca ruins at Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo are spectacular, for sure. But Pisac itself is one of the most colorful and diverse cities in Peru. And with far fewer tourists. […]
April 9, 2018
Many people fly into Lima solely as a stop-over for getting to more sought-after destinations in Peru, like Machu Picchu or the Amazon. But with a history predating Colonial occupation, Lima itself is worthy of spending an extra day or two. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Lima is the third-largest city in the Americas and the […]
March 26, 2018
Dating back to the 15th century, Ollantaytambo was established as the royal estate of Inca Emperor Pachacuti and is one of the best-preserved Inca sites and example of Inca urban planning. History The Inca emperor Pachacuti conquered and ruled this part of the Sacred Valley, including Ollantaytambo. He built a fortress, agricultural terraces, an irrigation […]
March 19, 2018
On my recent trip to Peru, I was determined to try cuy (guinea pig), a local delicacy. But not just anywhere. I wanted the best, so I went to Pachapapa – considered one of the finest restaurants in Cusco. Location: Pachapapa is in the artsy San Blas neighborhood, directly in front of the San Blas […]
February 27, 2018
The magnificent Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is nestled high in the rugged Andes Mountains. When people think of traveling there, the famous Inca Trail comes to mind. The Inca Trail is a multi-day trek through mountain passes at elevations up to 14,500 feet. Sure, the scenery is beautiful and some operators even provide porters […]
February 20, 2018
The year was 1985. I was in my 20’s, and my sense of wanderlust had already firmly taken hold, particularly when it came to exploring ancient civilizations. I’d had a blast traveling throughout Mexico and Central America, visiting and climbing (yes, you could do that back in the day) Mayan and Aztec pyramids and ruins. […]