The Inca Trail is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is without a doubt one of the world’s greatest hikes and it was at the top of my bucket list for over a decade before I went. If you’re planning a trip to South America or Peru, chances are the Inca Trail is the one thing you’re …
The classic 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the world’s great hikes. It is the same route that the ancient Inca rulers used for reaching the sacred Citadel and New World Wonder. Along the way, there are half a dozen other major ruins, plus countless more smaller ones. Today, the 4-day trail …
The Ollantaytambo Ruins (Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site) in Peru’s Sacred Valley is second in importance only to Machu Picchu itself. These prominent ruins overlooking Ollantaytambo townsite were the site of the only major Inca defeat of Spanish forces. Today, they are also one of the most accessible ruins around Cusco because you can walk to them …
Alishan is one of Taiwan’s most popular attractions, along with Sun Moon Lake and Taroko Gorge. It is famous for its sunrises over seas of clouds, cherry blossoms, misty forests, and high mountain teas. However, getting to Alishan, and getting around the park once you get there, IS COMPLICATED! So it’s something you should plan …
One of my biggest surprises when visiting the Sacred Valley in Peru was the exceptionally high quality of the food. Again and again, I enjoyed high-end restaurant food and presentation, but for surprisingly low prices. Ollantaytambo, my favorite town in the Sacred Valley, is home to only a few thousand people. It is most famous …
June is the end of spring and beginning of summer in Taiwan. Temperatures and humidity soar to levels that you will may love or hate, depending on the person. Periods of intense sunlight are balanced with higher than average rainfall, often in the form of late afternoon downpours. The event of the month in June …
Ollantaytambo is my favorite town in Peru’s Sacred Valley, and I’m not alone. So many visitors rush through Ollantaytambo on their way to Machu Picchu, or as a part of a Sacred Valley day tour like this one, and wish they had budgeted more time for it. Personally, I fell in love with Ollantaytambo from …
People often associate Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, with Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca site. Many visitors fly into Cusco, rush to see Machu Picchu, and then fly out. But did you know that the Cusco region has nearly 100 other major archaeological sites, and countless other smaller ones? In this article, I’m going …
Summer in Taiwan is a season that I deeply loathe yet still look forward to every year when living in Taiwan. The summer weather in Taiwan is at its most extreme, with crushing heat, humidity, and a sprinkling of typhoons that wreak death and destruction on the island nation. Yet enduring a summer in Taiwan, …
Pisac was special for me. It is the first place I visited not just in Peru but in all of South America! After flying in directly to Cusco via Lima, I spent the first four days of my trip acclimatizing in laid-back Pisac, which is 427 m (1401 ft) meters lower than Cusco. One of …
