Nicole’s Peruvian Adventure with OWR Travel
In this blog, Nicole shares her 12-Day journey to Peru. After years of dreaming about exploring the ancient Inca ruins, she finally took the plunge and booked onto our OWR Peru trip. Join her as she recounts her adventure, from the vibrant streets of Lima to the breathtaking heights of Machu Picchu.
Nicole’s OWR Peruvian Adventure
I have been fortunate enough to have traveled a lot and have mostly planned my own trips.
I wanted to go to Peru for years but every time I started researching I would get to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu hike, get overwhelmed by the permits, train tickets and logistics of getting there and back, give up, and put Peru on the back burner again.
I did this for years until I found Other Way Round’s group trip to Peru.
I knew immediately it would be the perfect way to explore Peru without the hassle of planning all the little details.
“I WAS SCEPTICAL AS TO WHETHER I WOULD ENJOY TRAVELING FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS WITH COMPLETE STRANGERS BUT IT TURNS OUT, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT”
Another great perk of this particular trip is the group travel.
I was sceptical as to whether I would enjoy traveling for nearly two weeks with complete strangers but it turns out, I absolutely love it.
We had nine people in our group from three different countries. It was so fun to meet and get to know them.
Traveling with the group also reminds me a bit of when I was in college and just had people around to hang out with all the time. I think it’s much more fun to experience everything with people and there is a camaraderie that is built surprisingly quickly.
It really doesn’t take long before you feel like you’ve known the people in your group much longer than you have.
In the end, the memories are amazing and you leave with new friends.
I’m still in touch with most of my group!
“WE HAD A WONDERFUL GUIDE WITH US TO HELP WITH ANYTHING WE NEEDED”
In addition to everything already being taken care of from the time we touched down in Lima to when we were dropped back off at the airport for departure, we had a wonderful guide with us to help with anything we needed.
Our guide, Manny, made our trip in Peru wonderful. He was so kind and had a great sense of humor.
He was always there to help translate, ask for advice or recommendations and explain anything we had questions about. He kept us educated and safe at altitude on the Inca Trail and was truly just a joy to be around.
As for Peru itself, our trip started in Lima.
We stayed in a nice neighborhood that was easily walkable with the coast, parks, restaurants and shops nearby.
The activities in the city really showcased life in Peru. We got to visit a market to buy ingredients for a cooking class where we learned to make ceviche and a Pisco sour.
We also biked through different neighborhoods to see more of the city while also getting to try more traditional Peruvian foods.
Next, we took a short flight to Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon Rainforest where we got to explore by land and by boat.
After exploring the rainforest and getting to see all sorts of wildlife we went to a cocoa farm where we got to participate in making chocolate from the actual cacao seeds.
The hotel in the jungle was also incredible and a wonderful place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a bit.
After our time in the jungle, we took another flight to Cusco and drove out to the Sacred Valley.
The Valley was a completely different landscape where we got to explore multiple Incan ruins, salt flats and, most importantly, began to acclimatize to the altitude because the next day we headed out to begin our Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu.
The hike was my favorite part of this trip. I still get chills when I think of the moment that I walked through the Sun Gate and got to see Machu Picchu for the first time.
The next day we went back to tour and explore the actual ruins where Manny gave us a deep dive into its history.
Seeing Machu Picchu had been on my bucket list for a long time so getting to experience this with the group was very special.
We had a great balance of planned activities and free time to explore as we wanted.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye.
We had our farewell dinner together and then set off back to the airport at our own departure times the next morning.
“AN OUTSTANDING PLACE THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VISIT”
Peru was an extraordinary country with incredible people, breathtaking views and wonderful experiences.
The food in Peru is also the best I’ve had in all my travels.
It truly is an outstanding place that I would encourage everyone to visit.
I also loved having the itinerary set and everything taken care of beforehand. Having the planning taken care of really allows you as the traveler to relax and take in everything Peru has to offer.
If you liked Nicole’s story and Peru is calling to you, check out our 12-day Peru itinerary.