Search results for

The Inca Trail is perhaps the most famous trek in Peru. This is the road to Machu Picchu, an ancient route that leads from the Sacred Valley into the heart of the Andes. You must obtain a permit and hire an official guide in order to hike the Inca Trail proper. There are plenty of tour operators in Cusco that offer trips up to Machu Picchu, so you should definitely look at reviews before you choose. For better or for worse, the tours are all-inclusive. The local tour operators employ porters to carry your packs and set up a camp. A team of local chefs will prepare three meals a day, and many hikers come back raving about the delicious meals. Keep in mind that the trek can be tough, especially in the first few days. The trail is often narrow, and it flirts with formidable heights. The mountains in this part of the Andes can rise well over 13,000 feet, and many hikers find themselves suffering from altitude sickness. Make sure to take a few days (in Cusco or the Sacred Valley) to acclimatize before you begin the journey. Finally: make sure to plan ahead! The Peruvian government limits trail access to 500 people per day, including porters. This regulation protects the local ecosystem and the delicate ruins, and it ensures that the trail won’t be too crowded. However, it also means that permits for the peak summer season sell out months in advance. If you aren’t able to get a permit for the classic Inca Trail, never fear: there are various other trails that lead to Machu Picchu.

Go beyond Kerala’s typical sightseeing destinations with characterful stays, private meetings with artisans, and meals in local homes.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, journalist Sally Kohn travels to the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, to learn what it’s like to live and work there.

If you want a more back-to-nature romantic sleep, head off the main island of Providenciales and onto the less resort oriented Grand Turk and stay at the historic Grand Turk Inn. A charming bed-and-breakfast in a 150-plus year old Caribbean clapboard inn, it doesn’t allow children under the age of 16, and has an old fashioned allure, where time still feels like it moves slowly. In a prime Front Street location, it was originally build as the Methodist Manse, but today has been converted into a stately B&B with just five elegant, sunny suites and overlooks the beach and turquoise waters of the Columbus Landfall National Park. Despite the historic style of the inn, rooms are modern and have satellite TV and air-con, as well as full kitchens and West Indies colonial era furnishings made from rattan and bamboo. Don’t skip the huge rooftop sundeck facing the ocean and historic waterfront. The included breakfast is delivered to your room each morning based on your menu selection from the night before. There is also an on-site restaurant serving an Asian influenced menu. Also take a stroll down Front Street to explore more restaurants and listen to local artists playing nightly on the street.

On this Unpacked Mini, writer Lisa Abend investigates Sicily’s viral one-euro houses—and shares what really happens after you buy.

On this special live episode of Unpacked, Aislyn Greene talks with acclaimed L.A.-based architect Barbara Bestor about the buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes that define California.

On this episode of View From Afar: Live From ILTM, Nayara CEO and cofounder Leo Ghitis reveals how his resorts blend sustainability, social impact, and extraordinary natural beauty to create meaningful luxury for the next generation of travelers.

Read articles from this print issue of Afar Magazine.

Watch the recap of AFAR and the USTOA’s virtual panel discussion.

Kayak the Danish capital’s canals and take spectacular day trips to Dragør and North Zealand with this summer itinerary.

From lantern-lit walks to haunted escapes, enjoy Richmond’s spookiest attractions and fall festivities.

On this season finale of Unpacked: Travel to Listen, host Tim Chester visits Detroit’s Hitsville U.S.A. to find out why the music Berry Gordy built in 1959 still sounds like nothing else—and how Robin Terry is turning the Motown Museum into something even bigger.

Enjoy river adventures, mountaintops, and art walks in one of the cities that pioneered farm-to-fork dining with this four-day guide by Foundry Hotel General Manager Larry Crosby.

Eat your way through D.C. with a four-day itinerary of top restaurants, food museums, markets, and unique stops like a zoo and a cookbook shop.