Peru and Ecuador [2026]

Sep 12

19 min read

2026 marks our 10-year anniversary and near to Nick's dad's retirement and we wanted t o celebrate both in bucket list destinations, so for our anniversary we hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu then met up with Nick's parents to visit the Galapagos Islands. From the high-altitude Andes all the way to island subtropics, we enjoyed it all!

What We Did

Pre-trip / Logistical Notes

Lima airport: Traffic was an absolute cf getting outta here. It was easy to find our airport shuttle, but it took about an hour to travel about two miles to the hotel. At the time it seemed construction-related, but we weren't sure if that was just how things look exiting the airport.
Lima airport taxi stand: Super easy! To avoid scams while hailing a taxi on your own use this. All you need to do is tell the person at the stand where you want to go and you'll pay by card on-the-spot. No additinal money is requested by the driver.
- Uber: Also, a sure way to avoid overpaying taxis. Works like a charm in Lima.
Acclimatization: Not to be taken lightly. We spent three days in Cusco before our Inca Trek and still noticed how out-of-breath we were on the uphill slog portions of our trek. We agree with the Internet: Drink water, take the extra time in Cusco to allow your body to somewhat normalize, drink water. That being said, expect some poor sleep the first and/or the second nights.
- Coca leaves: They help! Not a drug until "activated," so don't worry. You can chew them like the locals, or have in chocolate, tea, etc.
Cusco Tourist Ticket: Worth it. For a relatively small amount, you get access to a number of Inca sites in and around Cusco / The Sacred Valley. We bought ours here.
Quito subway: We really wanted to try this, since it sounded cheap and easy. Well, maybe if you have the subway card as a local. As an outsider, we would have had to go to the above-ground ticket booth, which we didn't exactly know where it was located. We were in a hurry and used Uber instead (again, worked as well as in Lima).
Galapagos extra bits: We did some research on visiting the Galapagos on our own, but clearly not enough lol. Below are things you will need / need to fill out before you land on the islands. This Reddit post is also a perfect summary that helped us feel better prepared.
- TCT ($20 as of 2026)
  - Not all of us received the TCT by email, so save as a pdf to be safe. If you don't, you can enter your details here to download your TCT.
- Sworn Declaration of Goods
- $200 for anyone over 12 years old (as of 2026). They prefer cash, but it looked like they were able to accept card (unreliable per online reviews).
Quito Galapagos airport lines: Best to get to the airport three hours early, even though it's a domestic flight from Quito. We had to "confirm" our TCTS in one line, then have our checked bags get scanned at another line (and receive a special red tag to confirm inspection), followed by the usual check-in and security lines. That said, the first two lines are not clearly labeled (especially the luggage check), so best to give yourself extra time to account for others checking in and to ask questions if needed.
Quito -> Galapagos flight: Just more of an FYI - most, if not all flights from Quito to any Galapagos island (and back) have a stopover in Guayaquil. So, that's why the travel is a bit longer than you might expect.
Galapagos taxis / trucks: They're everywhere. We honestly didn't have any trouble simply hailing one off the street. Short rides (e.g. San Cristobal airport to town) should be about $2 per vehicle (not per person). Longer rides, such as from the northern end of Santa Cruze to Puerto Ayora, the ride itself was around $30. But, if you tack on a stop at a tortoise reserve and / or lunch, you should expect the cost to be about $60 +/- $10.
- Baltra -> Puerto Ayora transportation: This link outlines the transport from Baltra to Puerto Ayora really well (Lobito bus, ferry, taxi). No need to book anything in advance.

Intra-Galapagos flight with Emetebe
Intra-Galapagos flight with Emetebe
Before boarding the ferry from Baltra to Santa Cruz

Intra-Galapagos flights: Much faster and more comfortable than a ferry. We met a couple on the Inca Trail who had taken one of the ferries and confirmed our suspicion: the ferries are ROUGH. They hand you a vomit bag as soon as you board, and the boat ride takes hours (vs. the 30 minute intra-island flight).
- We did encounter something we didn't expect with the flight. Even though we booked the 8 am flight (San Cristobal -> Baltra), we were bumped to the 9 am a few days before. Since we didn't have any firm plans for the day, it was a non-issue. So, advice here is to not have a schedule that could be affected by such a flight change.
- Overall, the flight was quick and super pleasant. It was the first "hopper" for all four of us, and we loved it.
Cities (Lima & Quito): In hindsight, we needed less time in them. A South American co-worker of mine confirmed, "We know not to spend time in the cities." So, we could have spent another day or two in the Galapagos and / or in nature on the mainland.
Water: Tap water is not safe to drink (unless your hotel has specially-filtered water). We were extra cautious after a snafu in Cuba, and didn't even use sink water to brush our teeth. We used a Grayl bottle filtration system which allowed us to filter tap water and had no gut issues all trip. Phew!
Money: While there were a lot of places that took card (with a ~10% extra charge), several places preferred cash (or only took cash), so plan accordingly. In Peru they prefer soles but will take USD, while in Ecuador they 100% use the USD as their currency. You generally always want cash on-hand.
Safety: We never felt "unsafe" anywhere in Peru or Ecuador. We were warned in Quito not to be out after dark (by our hotel and food tour guide), but we never had any issues. As our equator driver described it, they're usually just people looking for a bit of money for food or a fix. So, he recommended walking around with fifty cents to hand over if you need to be out at night. Says it works for him every time.

Cusco, Peru

Qorikancha: Inca Temple of the Sun that had worshippers from across the Tahuantinsuyo (four united regions in Quechua language) at the political center of Cusco. It was our first glimpse of the air-tight stonework of the ancient Quechua people, and how amazingly strong these structures are against Andean seismicity.
Taxidatum Day Trip: We opted to customize a day via this car service. It was great for what it was: A timely driver who takes you wherever you want for the day. So, don't expect a guide who provides explanations / insights on the sites. That said, it was exactly what we asked for. All of the sites we visited were covered by the Cusco Tourist Ticket:
- Pisac: Our first stop of the day, and we wished we'd have stayed longer. Our driver originally said "one hour," but we wanted way more time. We felt a bit rushed, and wished we'd have taken the time to hike to the intiwatana (think Inca sundial). But, we loved walking around the ancient mountain citadel, complete with alpaca, ceremonial fountains, and agricultural terraces.
- Pikillaqta: A VAST pre-Inca site! The Wari people built this one, which served as village / military outpost. The place is big with no shade, so be prepared with sunscreen and hats on a sunny day.
- Tipón: Here you can see impressive agricultural terraces at what was once a place for the Inca elite. This was a really peaceful one to hike up and down.

Festivity of the Saint Rose of Lima and Fiestas Patrias parades: We stumbled upon these while wandering Cusco. So many dance troupes in the St. Rose of Lima parade! It was a jubilant celebration that seemingly never ended. The Fiestas Patrias was a bit more on the serious side, but was still filled with colorful uniforms and handheld floats.
Sacsayhuaman: No joke, pronounced "saxy woman." We paid for a guide just past the entrance. It's not necessary, but we thought "Why not?" on this one (entrance is covered by the Cusco Tourist Ticket, but not the guide fee). Our guy walked through a pitch-black cave, down a natural slide, and up to the top of the site (where he serenaded by pan flute). He largely spoke of the importance of balance at this site built to worship the sun, as well as the the symbolism behind the Inca cross (connection of the under, middle, and upper worlds).

San Blas: Cute area filled with shops, coffee, chocolate. etc. Definitely worth a visit if you have time.
Machu Picchu (MP) Trek: Alpaca Expeditions (AE) - This operator is very much worth the money. They hire local guides they actually care about. And, THE FOOD. It was the best we ate all trip. We joked (amongst ourselves) about how funny it would be if they brought us a cake. Caramelo delivered. Like magic, a cake appeared on our last night, baked at high altitude. It blew our minds. Vegetarians and gluten-intolerant diets were accommodated. If you express a diet constraint, they will make it happen - We were so impressed.
- Side note: AE takes care of all MP permits, bus and train tickets, and hotel reservations during your trek.
- 4-Day Group Classic Trek: What we signed up for, but due to heavy rains, the first two days-worth of trail were heavily damage and therefore closed so we had an alternate route those days.
- Huchuy Qosqo Trek: The first half of our alternative to the 4-day Inca classic.
  - Day 1: The first day was TOUGH (>2,000' elevation gain overall). After having an early breakfast in a nearby village, you hike uphill for the first half of the day, which is a challenge due to the elevation if you aren't used to it. We picked up our MP pilgrimage stones to offer for when we finally reached the Sun Gate. Lunch was a geologically-beautiful site (with no shade), but the porters actually haul a camping toilet with them which was helpful here :P After passing alpaca / llama farms butted against inter-valley lakes (Coriccocha), we arrived at at our first campsite...above 14,000'! It was a chilly but beautiful night.
  - Day 2: The second day was much easier and predominantly downhill via Inca steps through beautiful canyons. We visited Huchuy Qosqo this day, which was described as a royal's house and is surrounded by Andes. It was a fun place to explore and imagine what it was like hundreds of years ago. Once at the "bottom" of our day's trek (Lamay), we took a bus to get an overview of how to make chicha (Inca corn beer) then to the campsite in Ollantaytambo. The site was a chicken farm (temporary campsite) which worked surprisingly well (even with the roosters, train horns, and flapping tents), and this was The Cake.
  - The trail looked something like this with camping at Ollantaytambo being the end of Day 2:

https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com/huchuy-qosqo-3d2n/#video_tmap_696

2-Day Group Inca Trek: The second half of our alternative to the 4-Day Inca classic.
- Day 3: We woke up super early on Day 3 to walk to the Ollantaytambo train station to get to the start of the 2-Day Inca trail. We took the Inca Rail to KM 104 where we got off for the official start of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The scary steps everyone mentions weren't so bad, they were more of alternating ramps and flats all the way to Wiñay Huayna, which had some of the most impressive terraces we saw all trip. It was tough climbing to the top of the ruins, but well worth it. We some llamas hanging about, as well as the famed Rainbow Temple. Shortly after Wiñay Huayna, we enjoyed lunch before hiking to the Intipunku (MP Sun Gate). At the Intipunku, we made our stone offerings to the Pachamama and the mountain deities, and expressed gratefulness for what we have. From here, we hiked to the Machu Picchu Circuit 1 (THE photo spot above MP), and bused down to Aguas Calientes for the night.
- Day 4: On the last day we toured Machu Picchu via Circuit 3, which is where you get to walk around the site itself. Machu Picchu is absolutely worth the hype. Even today such architecture this high up in the mountains would be impressive. It was once a pilgrimage for the ancient Quechua ("Inca") and continues to be the same for people around the world. Our guide provided us with lots of information while we took in the site, i.e.: Bingham rediscovered Inca sites including MP around 1911-1915 (though he did ask locals where to look). He also told us about other sites like Vilcabamba (last stand of Manco vs. the conquistadors). MP has several temples (Pachamama, Inti, Luna), but also had a king’s quarters, etc. Post-briefing and exploring, we were the only two from our group who opted to hike Huayna Picchu (the little mountain behind MP). This hike is grueling and costs extra, but we thought it was worth it (~1,000' elevation gain). An uphill stair-slog that took us about 30 minutes, but you get a bird's eye view of the condor shape of MP.
  - Bathrooms: There are NO bathrooms once you enter MP (including Huayna Picchu). We intentionally dehydrated a little just so we could make it through the day without having to exit and re-enter (there is a toilet just outside of the site for ~2 soles), so keep this in mind when you plan your trip.
  - Additional Note: Our guides were generally very knowledgeable as Peru does a great job of providing education opportunities for all people. However, there are some things we were told, such as the Quechua learned how to move large stones from the Egyptians, that are inaccurate, but overall they were great.
- MP bus: These lines can be LONG (both in Aguas Calientes and outside of MP). So, be prepared to wait anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour (even if you already have tickets, which we did thanks to AE).
- Inca Rail: While all tickets are handled by AE, we almost missed our train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. AE said goodbye in town and told us where to go for the train. However, if you book the 360 train experience, there is a different track that isn't obvious, and there was no communication on where to go. So, ask a couple of different train staff regarding where you should go to catch your train.
- The trail looked like this with a hotel stay in Aguas Calientes instead of camping:

https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com/inca-trail-with-hotel-2d1n/#video_tmap_403

We'd originally planned to visit Ollantaytambo instead of Pikillaqta and Tipón on our day trip from Cusco. However, our Inca Trek plan was altered due to rain-related trail damage and included a stop at Ollantaytambo. We incorrectly assumed that meant we'd see the ruins while we were there. So, be sure to check which sites you're actually seeing on your trek.

Huchuy Qosqo Trek Day 2
Machu Picchu
Huchuy Qosqo Trek Day 1
Guinea pigs at the shop in which we learned how the locals make chica
Wiñay Huayna
Machu Picchu
Line for Machu Picchu bus in Aguas Calientes
Huchuy Qosqo Trek Day 1
View of Machu Picchu and the bus road from the Sun Gate
:P
Beautiful waterfall along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Huchuy Qosqo Trek Day 1
View of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu
Huchuy Qosqo Trek Day 2
Hike out of Wiñay Huayna

Lima, Peru

Parque del Amor: Fun walkable park on the coast.
Day Tour: The in-laws stayed at the Miraflores Hilton, so we leaned on one of their offered tours to see a cross-section of lima.
- Municipal Market of San Isidro: We started here to get a sense of the variety of produce Peru is capable of growing. Spoiler, it's a lot. From tubers and bananas to passion fruit and several other foods we'd not heard of, we tried a variety here.
- Fisherman's Wharf: Walked around here to see all the fish for sale, as well as a panoramic view of the Lima cliffs.
- Restaurante Guargüero: Amazing ceviche overview / tutorial. They even accommodated Ash being vegetarian by making hers with mushrooms instead of fish. Overall, this place had great, fresh-tasting food!
- CHOCOMUSEO: One of many tourist spots to try chocolate.
- Government Palace of Peru (Pizarro): Really just walked by here but was interesting to see peak colonial architecture.
- Casa de Aliaga: Mansion still owned by the Aliaga family (part of initial Spanish conquering force). There has been notable damage from earthquake activity, but the woodwork and furniture are beautiful.
- Inka Palace: Touristy af, but entertaining. The lady giving us pisco samples really hammed it up, so we bought a little pisco. Wouldn't necessarily recommend this one :P
- Museo del Convento de San Francisco y Catacumbas: Super interesting. The vultures in antiquity would flock to the smell of bodies rotting in the catacombs under the church. While this burial in the catacombs is no longer in practice, the vultures have learned generationally to still sit upon the towers of the church. Inside the actual church were paintings by Ruben, one of which shows clear assimilation of religion through the last supper (cuy is the meal). We ended this stop by strolling the catacombs, which was both fascinating and haunting at the same time.
- Museo del Café Peruano: Top marks for this place. We were given a very good overview and then had geisha coffee via the Grandma’s Pot and the honey coffee by Mupeco Pot. Both coffees were fantastic.

Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo
Huaca Pucllana
Museo del Convento de San Francisco y Catacumbas

Huaca Pucllana: Get here early! The line really grew not long after we arrived. We got a really good overview of the Lima, Wari, and Ychsma cultures who inhabited the surrounding areas and used this site for rituals and burial.
Larco Museum: It might help to visit this one with a guide, but we learned quite a bit wandering here on our own. We were able to get a better appreciation for just how much gold and silver the ancient peoples would have had based on how much of these metals they used in jewelry, weaponry, etc. Also, there is a warehouse here of THOUSANDS of pieces of pottery that aren't "officially" on display. It's impressive. We were also really impressed with the Moche face vessels that were unique but prolific during their time.

Barranco: A fun bohemian coastal district that offers beautiful street art, artisanal markets, and great food options.
- Bridge of Sighs: Great vantage point to help give you an idea of where to start exploring in Barranco.
- Market and music: While there are likely a few, we wandered into a little market that had all kinds of wares for sale with pleasant live music playing in the background.
Sociedad Geológica del Peru: We don't necessarily make it a habit to visit geological societies when we travel, but this one went above and beyond to advertise an event they were hosting that weekend. Turns out it was a small gem and mineral sale, but it was still fun to check it out and try to ask geology questions in Spanish ;)

Quito, Ecuador

Cotopaxi Day Tour: This tour was a bit of a disappointment. We would have rather spent more time at the park or have had it be a shorter day.
- Chasky Kfe: Maybe the only "necessary" stop before Cotopaxi to get food / drink and use the restroom.
- Coca Tea: Stopped at a roadside stand to get coca tea.
- Cotopaxi Visitors Center: Small museum where our guide gave us an overview of the tallest volcanoes in the region, as well as a bit about the local wildlife (national bird: Andean condor).
- Laguna De Limpiopungo: A whirlwind (literally and figuratively) to get a few photos.
- Refugio Cotopaxi (Jose Rivas): From the Parking / Starting Point, this hike was a straight ~800' uphill hike. The refugio itself is at about 16,000', so it's not advised to do this hike if you are coming from near sea-level conditions with no acclimatization. It's a tough but worthwhile hike for closer views of the Cotopaxi glacier and the valley below. Plus, there's great hot chocolate to enjoy inside the refugio :)

Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi

Intiñan Equator Museum: Visiting the equator while in Ecuador was a must! We booked the day via this Viator listing, which was really just the transport and entry fee to the equator museum, but once inside we were set up with a great guide. Here we learned about native people, including but not limited to: blowguns, earlobe stretching, hut construction, and shrunken heads. Next we did some fun equator experiments: bowl swirl, egg balance (Ash succeeded!), arm strength (be careful with this one, a few of use found this one painful). After the museum, our driver took us to Rapidito Empanadas Chilenas, which were good but not the best empanadas we had during our trip.
Old Town Gastronomy Tour: We were told this is "Not a food tour," but you will get plenty to eat, so interpret that as you like. Overall, it was touristy but fun. Our guide was awesome and took great care of us. She even gave us "yapas" (extra bit) at the end, complete with well wishes and a bunch of Kichwa (north variant of Quechuan) words we won't remember XD
- Basílica del Voto Nacional: We only walked the outside of this one, but it was built in the late1800s and blessed by Pope John II. The church is adorned with all kinds of animals / gargoyles (iguanas, tortoises, big cats, etc.), and made of both volcanic stone and concrete. Fun fact, it is not technically finished in order to avoid taxes (seems to be a common theme around the world). The most pious leaders were buried in the church, while the less religious were buried just outside.
- Ñucanchi Shop: The most cringe touristy thing we did lol. This place is great, because it has all kinds of locally, handmade crafts, but our guide had us put on masks and dance around in the shop, which drew quite a crowd. That aside, it was a nice shop, and we learned a bit more about ancient customs around (hard) alcohol and dancing.
- Huma Chocolate and Coffee Experience: The best chocolate experience we had during the trip. We were given tastings of chocolate of different regions of Ecuador and were taught some of the proper adjectives for describing their unique tastes.
- Sanduche Meneses: Apparently an OG sandwich shop in Quito. The sandwiches were pretty good, cheap, and complete with the local soda drink, Colada Morada.
- Sauce Coffee centro histórico: Here we had coffee / tea, but we also tasted empanadas, tamales, and a banana / plantain dish. They were all delicious!
- Palacio Arzobispal: A beautiful palace-turned-restaurant center, complete with a central patio (apparently restaurant prices go up the higher you go up in the palace). Just off of the patio we tried Mistelas, which are an alcohol-filled candy.
- BENDITA WINGS AND BEER: We ended our tour here to try Canelazo, which is a warm alcoholic drink loved in Ecuador.

Plaza in front of the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco
Basílica del Voto Nacional
Independence Square

Hotel Boutique Cultura Manor: While the area is not the "safest" (hotel staff said to be in before dark, but we never encountered or saw any shady activity), this hotel is gorgeous. It's a mansion-turned-hotel with a library feel throughout the property.

San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador

MARTOURGAL Travel Agency And Dive Center: Great shop to rent snorkel gear for the day!
Muelle Tijeretas: We walked here from town and snorkeled on our own. We saw sea turtles, sea lions (with new born pups), schools of fish, iguanas, and sea stars. This was the perfect place for our open afternoon.

Kicker Rock Snorkel: SO GOOD. They set us up with wetsuits to help a bit with the cooler water, but it honestly wasn't bad (which says a lot, because Ash gets cold easily). We saw: Sea turtles, schools of colorful fish, sea lions, rays, sea stars, and even a butterfly that dipped into the water (our guide lost his mind over this one). The government is super conscious about how long people stay in the water, with conservation in mind (we appreciated this very much). They even provided us with snacks and a really nice lunch. Definitely recommend!
- Side note: We had originally booked with another company via Viator, but it was cancelled unexpectedly. After doing some research, we thought it was due to government regulations (exceeded maximum number of people for that particular day), but it turned out to be a glitch in the Viator system. That being said, our research revealed cancellations can happen, so have some backup options ready. Also, it looked like you could walk the streets of San Cristobal and find a place to take you out the next day if you were in a pinch.
- Blue Footed Boobies: Without our guide on this tour, we may have never seen these iconic birds. He recommended we go here before they "went to bed" at 5 pm. He was spot on, we saw two blue footed boobies and were able to "check" them off our list.

Santa Cruz, Galapagos, Ecuador

El Chato Ranch - Giant Tortoise Reserve: Primicias (right next door) is also a great option, we opted for El Chato funnily because the lava tubes were SMALLER. El Chato is one of the most well-visited tortoise ranches, so we gathered they're stricter with where you can walk on the property. We expected a lot of tortoises, but honestly there were more than we expected. They're everywhere! We learned you can't really tell how old they are quantitatively, but qualitatively-speaking the ones with rings on the shells are younger and the smooth-shelled fellas are older. We only saw the highland tortoises, as there are also lowland tortoises on the island). We finished by hiking through some lava tubes!

El Chato Ranch tortoises
El Chato Ranch double decker lava tube
El Chato Ranch tortoise

Charles Darwin Research Station: Not quite the museum we expected, but rather as the name suggests, an actual research center. We learned about the ongoing research project and their implications for the natural elements of the Galapagos islands (single-use plastics carrying invasive species, the damage done by a fly to the bird populations, etc.).
Galapagos Path: Another great snorkel rental shop!
Playa Mansa: Our second self-directed snorkel adventure. This one was quite the hike from Puerto Ayora (~2.5 miles), but was worth the early morning trip. We saw iguanas and sea lions at Tortuga Bay, but then saw sea turtles, puffer fish, sea cucumbers and some more colorful schools of fish (fan favorite were the blue and orange striped fish). We didn't have a lot of time and only swam until it got murky, but we still wonder if we'd gone to the wave break if we'd have gotten some better waters and maybe even some sharks!

Food