Peru

Peru ranks as one of my favorite vacations ever.  I made the voyage in my younger days, when I simply purchased a plane ticket, packed my backpack and set off for adventure.  We were able to fly American Airlines from LA to Dallas to Lima to Cusco.  Cusco is at such a high elevation in the Andes, it is recommended to spend a few days to acclimate before hiking the Inca Trail.  We explored Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley as well as braving a float trip on the Urubamba River.  With a guide, two porters and a small group of 8, we hiked the Inca Trail for 4 days to reach the highlight of our trip, Machu Picchu.  After our hiking adventure, it was time to fly to Iquitos, then travel by boat up the Amazon River and its tributaries to spend a few relaxing days completely disconnected from the outside world at an isolated jungle lodge.  This was one of the most rustic trips I took, but experiencing Machu Picchu from spots only accessible by hiking made it the trip of a lifetime.