A short plane ride from Lima will take you back in time to Cusco, surrounded by cobblestone streets and old world buildings. The Belmond Hotel Monasterio, an old monastary transformed into a luxury hotel, was the perfect setting surrounded by gardens and plenty of cocoa leaf tea to help adjust to the altitude (which was well over 11,000 feet).
Well before the sun rose, we were up and waiting for our car service to drive us 2 hrs to the Ollanytambo train station (Cusco station trains do not run to Ollanytambo during the rainy season). Our hotel even packed us breakfast to go and we headed for an adventure of a lifetime.
Upon arriving in Ollanytambo, we headed to Inca Rail for another 2 hr ride. Just a short walk from the train station in Aguas Calientes, we walked through the market to the main street where we met buses to take us to Machu Picchu. Another 30 minute ride and we finally arrived. With passports in hand, we walked through the gates, hired a tour guide onsite and started our ancient Inca adventure, including a 2 hour grueling hike up Wayna Picchu. After a morning of hiking, we headed back into the city for lunch, hopped back on the train to Ollaytambo, where our driver was waiting to take us back to our Cusco retreat.
Our last day in Cusco was spent relaxing and packing up to head home. With a late afternoon flight, we arrived in Lima, had a few hours at the airport to grab dinner, and took the red eye back home.
