By Mariana TschudiEveryone in Lima knows Canta Rana—some consider it the best cevichería in the city. The owners’ son has a spot in the main market called Canta Ranita where the ceviche is just as good, and even though it’s a stall, the place has tons more personality. I especially like their sudado [a fish dish made with lime and tomatoes]. Mercado el Capullo, Jr. Unión 147. Photo by David Nicolas Giraldo. This appeared in the July/August 2012 issue.
The legendary Pisac Marketplace on Sundays. Just a short taxi ride from Cusco, this place is filled with everything you can imagine. It is split into two areas, one being the art, textiles & souvenirs, and the other side being a food market where the locals bring their produce to sell/trade. There are vendors who serve boiled or fried corn with seasoning, which is excellent! Don't be surprised to see a cow head sitting next to a bowl full of fresh fish. You can easily walk away from this place with all of the gifts you would want to bring home for your loved ones. After visiting the market, check out the ruins of the old fortress & terraces which overlook the town.
In the San Blas district of Peru, was the restaurant Pachapapa. This was by far the best meal we had in Peru. It was nestled in a courtyard and all the dishes were prepared in an oven next to us. Quite spectacular. DELICIOUS!
We toured the site late in the afternoon, and our guide showed us the places to stand to watch the sunrise the next morning. It was amazing enough just to be there, but to watch as the sun burned through the mist to reveal the ruins was surreal. It was one of the highlights of my life. Peru is a wonderful country with beautiful people...I look forward to returning to experience more sites, sounds, tastes and smiles.
The steep streets of the San Blas district in Cusco, Peru. Almost like a maze, you could spend hours wandering, and always run into something interesting. Are we there yet?
With limited time, we had to forego hiking the Inca trail to get to Machu Picchu. The alternative? Taking the train down the Urubamba river valley. The ride from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, at the base of the mountain crowned by the ruined Inca citadel, has got to be one of the most scenic train trips anywhere. You start at a frosty 12,000 feet, dropping almost 6,000 feet by the time you arrive at the end of the line a few hours later, chugging past terraced farms and mountain fortresses. Bromeliads and orchids along this tributary of the Amazon let you know: you have arrived in the jungle. Perched above, at about 8000 feet, is Machu Picchu.
By Mariana TschudiAmorAmar is by far the chicest spot in the neighborhood. Part of the dining room is open-air, and an art gallery and a florist shop are on-site. The menu is half Peruvian classics and half fusion-y dishes. Their pisco sours with aji amarillo (yellow chile peppers) and milhojas puff pastries, layered with chocolate and lúcuma, a local fruit, are fantastic. Jr. García y García 175, 51/(0) 1619-9595, amoramar.com. Photo by David Nicolas Giraldo. This appeared in the July/August 2012 issue.
By Mariana TschudiSome of the best bands in Peru play at this dive bar. It also holds an annual film festival. This year, I’m applying to screen my short film about the Peruvian sea, Madre Mar [Mother Sea]. Avenida Bolognesi 307, 51/(0) 1247-1012, lanoche.com.pe. Photo by David Nicolas Giraldo. This appeared in the July/August 2012 issue.
While visiting Peru last year, my husband and I were lucky enough to be in Pisac for the weekly farmer's market held every Sunday. During the market, local Peruvians meet to buy and barter produce, bread, and other supplies they need for the week. The market also caters to tourists as well, offering handmade crafts, food, and drinks that are fun to try. I was struck by the variety of products for sale, probably the most surprising of which was this powdered dye. I loved the bright colors, which I thought perfectly summed up the color and liveliness of the Pisac market and Peru generally.
The Inn is located within the 274,690-hectare Tambopata National Reserve, one of the world’s most species-richbiodiverse natural protected areas and the meeting point of three distinct biomes: lowland tropical rainforest, cloudforest and humid tropical savannah and extensive palm swamps. The scene of numerous biodiversity world records —including the sighting of 620 bird species around the Inn — the reserve provides unrivalled opportunities to observe Amazonian wildlife up close and personal. Whether you are an experienced research scientist or simply want to experience tropical rainforest for the first time, the Explorer's Inn is the place for you. Visit us and wake to the roars of howler monkeys and the numerous melodies of the resident caciques that nest in the palms beside the bungalows. Spend the day walking jungle trails and paddling across oxbow lakes as tiny saddleback tamarin monkeys leap through the forest canopy, and precocious giant river otters fish for their breakfastand black caimans bask by the banks. Relax and watch the sun set over the swirling waters of the Tambopata River as brightly-colored macaws and oropendolas fly overhead on route to their roosting sites
While visiting the Colca Canyon in Peru, we stayed at a hotel that was at elevation 11,000 feet--and had an amazing hot springs. In the thin air, the view of the stars was amazing, especially as you floated in the warm waters of the hot springs late at night. This was the first time I was able to see the Milky Way in all its glory--and to be able to take a photograph of it. (This is a 30-second exposure.)
Orient-Express has turned an 18th-century convent into a hotel, preserving the courtyards and frescoes. Native experts designed bath products that use coca leaves and white sage from Lake Titicaca. From $595. 51/(0) 16-108-300. This appeared in the January/February 2013 issue.
Trek through the Andes to the 15th-century Incan ruins of Machu Picchu on the lesser-traveled Salkantay Trail. Four luxurious lodges—three with outdoor hot tubs at the foot of craggy peaks, the last in a lush avocado orchard—will serve as your accommodations. At the first, Salkantay Lodge, men from the Quero area give offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth) to ensure your safe passage. Along the 39-mile guided hike, you pass icefalls and glacial lakes, climb up mountain passes circled by Andean condors, and walk through coffee plantations and orchid-filled forests. Then, from the Incan archaeological site of Llactapata, you’ll spot mystical Machu Picchu in the distance. —Kelly Lack Mountain Lodges of Peru, (877) 491-5261. From $2,560 for a seven-day trip, including meals and lodging. This appeared in the July/August 2011 issue. Photo by Alex E. Priomos. See more hut-to-hut hikes.
...watching condors soaring on morning thermals over the Colca gorge, deeper than the Grand Canyon...one of the highlights of Peru. This area is becoming more visited, but it's still a bit off the beaten path--no airport or train station near here--you have to take a 4x4 or a bus from Arequipa, several hours away over the llama-strewn altiplano on a rough road, surrounded by snowcapped volcanoes and an almost lunar-landscape. At the highest point, you go over Patapampa pass, about 16,000 ft./4910 m. above sea-level--be careful if altitude sickness has been an issue for you...
When I decided to go to Peru, I knew there would be plenty of handicrafts to capture my attention. I even packed along a collapsible tote bag to lug my purchases back home in! In Lima, I stayed at a hotel in Miraflores. On my first venture out to the city, I hadn’t even walked a couple of blocks before I stumbled upon a huge open air native Peruvian arts and crafts market – the Miraflores Arts and Crafts market, the largest of its kind in Lima! Vendors, all dressed in native costume, had spread out their goods and wares all over the plaza area. On the periphery were vendors selling from stalls. Each of the stalls had a sign indicating where the vendor was from so it was good place to begin to learn about the crafts specialties of the various regions of Peru. I’m not good with rummaging through a thousand items to potentially find the one thing I like so I was just about to get ready to leave the market when I heard the sound of music starting up. I was in Lima on Peru’s Independence Day, which is a national holiday so the market was extra festive with music and dancers performing in the plaza. It was colorful and lively place to be! I quickly left the vendors behind, found a spot to sit down on to listen to the music and watch the world go by. If you’re not in walking distance to the market, you can easily get there by taxi.
By Mariana TschudiMari Solari is one of the foremost authorities on native folk art. She has the most amazing showroom. It’s part shop, part museum. If you’re lucky, she will show you some of her private collection. Jr. Cajamarca 212, 51/(0) 1477-4629. Photo by David Nicolas Giraldo. This appeared in the July/August 2012 issue.
One of my favorite places when I visited Peru in April was the famous Lake Titicaca in Puno. At 12,500 feet above sea level and nestled between Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. The lake has a fascinating history: Incan mythology cites it as the place from which the rest of the world emerged. On any trip to Peru a visit to Lake Titicaca is a must-do, and make sure to wake up early enough one morning to catch a beautiful sunrise over the lake.
Hiked the Lago 69 loop to the lake of the same name. It was a breathless hike with the high altitudes, but the views were worth it!
The coast of Lima city is so different from any I have seen. It is much more dramatic. And there are only rocks when you go out on the water, not sand. The main sport here is surfing. People actually go south or north for beaching. My favorite part has to be that the only way down to the beach is walking many many steps down from city level.
Cusco's Choco Museo did not disappoint. Although the aromas are a bit overwhelming upon entry, the place itself is simple and inviting. There is a kitchen in the back where you can pay to learn how to make your own chocolate treats. There is plenty to buy and a room of educational tidbits about chocolate's origins. We ended up buying out half the gift shop and then staying for the best mocha and hot (Mayan) chocolate. We couldn't find it anywhere else so naturally, we returned a few days later to enjoy another cup on the balcony overlooking the plaza. (If you don't want something heavy or containing dairy, I highly recommend trying their chocolate tea! Delicious.)
The end of another glorious day in the city of Cusco, Peru. The entire city is surrounded by mountains which come alive with light as the sun goes down.
The easy way to get up to the entrance of the citadel at Machu Picchu is to take a bus. It's can be a pretty scary ride with all the hairpin turns. So instead, hike up There are cut-troughs will help. It won't take more than an hour, and it will get you in shape for another great hike, Wayna Picchu. Wayna Picchu overlooks Machu Picchu. Its an advanced hike but so worth the effort! My recommendation for going to Machu Picchu is to stay in the area for three or four days, and stay at the incredible Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Eat great, sleep well, enjoy a fireplace in your suite and have a massage each day. That will ensure that you will enjoy the hikes and the natural beauty so much more.
By Mariana TschudiCasa Tupac is a center for artists. It offers residencies and provides studio space to people working in all different media. Every few weeks they host a screening or a party that’s open to the public. Two Peruvian visual artists I like a lot, Valeria Ghezzi and Jorge Cabieses, showed there recently. Calle Dos de Mayo 249, 51/(0) 1252-3152, tupac.org.pe. Photo by David Nicolas Giraldo. This appeared in the July/August 2012 issue.
A point break an hour north of Trujillo, Chicama produces some of the longest left-hand waves in the world. Surfers should book a room at the Chicama Surf Resort; a Zodiac service tows guests back after long rides. During Semana Santa (Holy Week, which begins in late March this year), the resort cosponsors Peru’s national surfing championship. From $130. 51/(0) 44-57-6206. Photo by Tony Arruza. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.
Mancora, a tiny fishing village in northern Peru near the border of Ecuador, is one of the most beautiful beach towns I've ever visited. Walk the beach and you pass fancy boutique hotels, old wooden fishing boats, vendors hawking coconut water and jewelery, and kite surfers gearing up to fly over the waves. At the end of the day, locals of all ages gather on the beach to play football (soccer).
Just about 15 minutes outside of the center of Trujillo - Peru's colonial town in the northwestern part of the country and third largest city - you'll find the quaint seaside town of Huanchaco. Here you will find many surfers teaching local kids and visitors how to ride the waves. If you're not into surfing, then take a spin on these unique, traditional totora reed boats. The fisherman who owes the boats will take you for a quick ride on the waves. Surprisingly, these boats do not tip over as the fisherman are used to the surf. Afterwards enjoy fresh ceviche at any of the many restaurants that line the beach.
This store is just a little ways off the main street of the San Blas arts district in Cusco, but definitely worth the diversion. Inside, funky, modern jewelry and handbags are mixed with neatly hung vintage dresses, shirts, and jackets. The walls are covered with artistically placed magazine pages that reflect the style of the wares for sale. It's one of those stores where you go in thinking "oh I could get a souvenir here" and end up buying one or more of the beautiful bobbles for yourself.
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