It’s time for our annual dispatch from Peru, and this year’s adventure began with a dramatic start. Just as we landed, news broke that Peru’s sitting president had been impeached and removed from office, with the constitutional successor stepping in.
Now, before the headlines sound the alarm, it’s worth noting that this is actually the seventh president in six years. So, when my amazing group turned to me with raised eyebrows, I simply smiled and said, “Welcome to Peru!” Life carried on as usual, and unless you’re following local politics closely, you’d never know anything had happened.
From there, we made our way to the Sacred Valley, staying well hydrated to adjust to the altitude and preparing for our visit to the iconic Machu Picchu. If you are wondering why we tackled this so early in the trip, stay tuned for Part II and you’ll understand why.
Despite one traveler arriving late due to missed connections (and experiencing our signature WGS® service in action), we headed to the ruins as planned. A morning train took us to Aguas Calientes, followed by our private bus up the mountain, bypassing the usual two-hour line in true #bigfivin style.
Back in the Sacred Valley and onward to Cusco, we had a little surprise planned: an evening of cocktails and dinner at my favorite resto-bar in old town. It’s a hidden gem I discovered during the pandemic, now home to one of the top mixologists in Peru. While many of Peru’s culinary legends got their start in small, off-the-radar kitchens, it’s the cocktails here, and their unforgettable names, that truly set this place apart.
Check out this video to kick off our journey, and don’t miss Part II, where we venture so far off the beaten path, we became some of the very first visitors.
