A prophet once said ‘Don’t tell me what a man says, don’t tell me what a man knows. Tell me where he’s traveled?’ I wonder about that, do we get smarter, more enlightenment as we travel? Does travel bring wisdom? I think there is probably no better place to find out than Peru. ~ Anthony Bourdain

Eden For Your World travel advisor Kim Diaz had been dreaming of the perfect way to celebrate her husband’s birthday. A trip to experience a bucket list destination for her whole family was the winning idea… so the whole family set off to see Machu Pichu and beyond! Their quick Spring Break ’18 getaway will be one they’ll never forget. Read about it below, in excerpts from her travel diary.

Day 1:  Lima – After an all night flight and a brief nap we ventured off to the Museo Larco which is a beautiful, must see, museum with 5000 years of Peruvian history housed in a magnificent 18th century vice-royalty mansion. The gardens alone are worth a visit and we highly recommend making reservations at the restaurant on site.  Not only is the atmosphere perfect, the food was equally matched. A walk around the Miraflores coastline was the end to a perfect first day.

Day 2: Our tour guide picked us up for a full day tour of Lima Highlights. We walked through the Barranca neighborhood enjoying the wall murals and hipster bohemian vibe, then we headed to the Matte Museum, we ended the day with a delicious dinner (we tried Cuy…a Peruvian favorite!) overlooking ruins at Huaca Pullana.

Day 3: After a short flight we landed in Cusco where we were greeted by locals offering cacao leaves to aid in adjusting to the altitude. Once outside the airport it’s hard to tell what is taking your breath away-the altitude or the back drop of beautiful kelly green mountains as far as you can see with the locals adorned in vibrant colored clothing. We wound through the mountains to the Sacred Valley, stopping at a picturesque spot which allowed us to feed the llamas and alpacas alfalfa while we enjoyed a delicious boxed lunch. Meandering through a local marketplace in Pisac and a short hike to the ruins was the end to a perfect day. We arrived at our hotel the Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba at dusk which left all of us oohing and aahing. Tucked in the Sacred Valley it is a little piece of heaven. Fires going throughout the hotel including our individual rooms, a refreshing Pisco Sour on a silver tray waiting upon arrival, and the entire staff there to fulfill any request, made this entire experience EdenFYW!

Day 4:  A hike at Ollantaytamba, Incan ruins, found us viewing breathtaking scenery for another day. You can never get enough. Our guide warned us (as we were huffing and puffing) this was good practice for Macchu Picchu. Uh oh! A short drive away were the salt ponds of Maras. Hungry for lunch we arrived at non-descript door on small cobble stoned street in a little town called Mooray.  Once the door opened, we were greeted by the owner of the home and his wife and welcomed into a beautiful oasis. Gardens of fruits, vegetables and herbs surrounded the home that looked out to another perfect view. Inside, they served us a 3 course organic lunch with true Peruvian hospitality. A unique one-of-a-kind experience.

Day 5 and 6: Belmond’s Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu….enough said! Definitely EdenFYW!

Day 7 and 8: Cusco

A city filled with history and charm.  Churches, ruins, restaurants and a wonderful mix of new and old. We stayed at the Palacio del Inka a Luxury Collection Hotel. Service was again, top notch and the breakfast buffet was one of the best we’ve ever had. A unique historic property that we highly recommend! Saqsaywaman Ruins were the highlight of the day and we stopped to purchase handmade Peruvian dolls to bring home to our nieces.

Day 9: Upon waiting for our flight to head back to Los Angeles my whole family agreed that this was one of our favorite vacations. The sights-spectacular, the people-friendly, the food-delicious, the activities -unique! A must  on everyone’s bucket list.

Peru…A magical destination, for one and all! ~ Kim Diaz