How to Book Your Trip to Machu Picchu:  Last Minute

How to Book Your Trip to Machu Picchu: Last Minute

Traveling last minute? It can be done. We do it all the time. Organizing last minute vacations to Machu Picchu any time of the year can be an adrenalin-pumping ride on waves of hotel rejections, limited train schedules and precision…

Can you Enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Without a Passport?

Can you Enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Without a Passport?

No matter what language you speak, hopefully you will understand that the answer to that question is.  No. Under no circumstance is anyone ever allowed to enter the Classic Inca Trail Hike without checking in with the original…

Trader Joe's Cookies big hit in Peruvian village

Trader Joe's Cookies big hit in Peruvian village

Before we departed to Peru for our big overland expedition into Manu Biosphere Reserve, I went to Trader Joe's where I saw my favorite seasonal cookies.  The "astounding" multi-flavor Joe-Joes.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  Cellophane …

Pubs and Bars: How to Tipple Toe Your Way Through Peru

Pubs and Bars: How to Tipple Toe Your Way Through Peru

Travelers seeking to explore the Andes Mountains through its food and culture will appreciate the range of alcoholic beverages available in Peru.  From indigenous Chicha beer to coastal wineries, Peru offers a variety of drinks…

Inca Trail's Best Kept Secret:  Availability!

Inca Trail's Best Kept Secret: Availability!

There's good news.  And even unprecedented news.  Permits for 2-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu are plentiful and available almost every day.  The reason for the availability is that the permits for 4-Day & 2-Day hikes have…

Machu Picchu and the Zika Virus:  what you need to know

Machu Picchu and the Zika Virus: what you need to know

For travelers seeking Zika-free destinations, it's important to stay up to date because information and locations keep changing.  Brazil was the first to land in the spotlight for Zika virus cases, but what's happening in other…

2016 Permits for 2-day Inca Trail Hike:  website not open to the Public

2016 Permits for 2-day Inca Trail Hike: website not open to the Public

The good news is that in 2016, the Peruvian government added 250 more permits for the 2-day Inca Trail hike.  Even when permits for 4 day Inca Trail have sold out, it may still be possible to get permits for the 2-day Inca Trail…

Peru is Not Launching a New Route to Machu Picchu

Peru is Not Launching a New Route to Machu Picchu

Beginning with the new year January 1, 2016, came the news that the Peruvian office of The National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP) was launching a new route for hikers to Machu Picchu.  It is called "Route 5."  And…

Perurail: what you need to know about train station changes

Perurail: what you need to know about train station changes

Every year from January 2 until April 30, all trains from Poroy station will depart from/arrive at the station in Ollantaytambo. There will be no train service to/from Poroy. Perurail will provide buses at Ollantaytambo to continue…

The least visited place in Peru: we can take you there Part 1

The least visited place in Peru: we can take you there Part 1

It's called Manu Biosphere Reserve.  It's part of the Amazon rainforest basin on the "other" side of the Andes Mountains in Peru.  It might as well be the dark side of the moon.  Inaccessability has been the key to survival of…