Earlier in February, I escaped the heat of the Buenos Aires summer for an excursion to Cusco, Laguna Humantay (outside of Cusco), Lima and the Peruvian Amazon for a few weeks. Starting in Cusco, I explored the pre-Inka ruins of Tipon dating back to the 9th century, as well as Inka ruins from the 14th century.
This was followed by a nearly day-long hike to Laguna Humantay, a hike that takes you 4,200 meters (nearly 14,000 feet) above sea level. Half way up, we had the option to rent a burro, which I definitely took advantage of! The lagoon is one of the most beautiful sites I've been to in South America and the water is literally turquoise due to the minerals in the water.
Following Cusco, I headed north to the city of Iquitos (which is the largest city in the world accessible only by boat or plane), where I spent five days living in the middle of the Amazon river basin in a hut with electricity only from 6 to 10 pm. While there, I zip-lined, caught and ate piranhas, got to play with a few sloths and even a tarantula.
Returning to Lima, I explored the beautiful historical city center (Plaza de Armas) and toured the Franciscan church and its spooky catacombs, with over 24,000 human remains open to the public.
Click here for more photos from my latest adventure.
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