PERU

The 15th-century Inca citadel sits at 2,430 meters on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River, surrounded by cloud forest. It was never found by the Spanish conquistadors. The site was brought to international attention by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and has been the most visited archaeological site in South America ever since. Entry is now strictly ticketed and timed — book 3-6 months ahead, especially for sunrise slots. The train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes takes 3.5 hours and is the most comfortable approach. The hike up from Aguas Calientes takes 90 minutes and is worth the effort.

The valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu contains Pisac market, the Ollantaytambo fortress, and the Moray agricultural terraces — an Inca experimental farm that used circular terraces to create different microclimates for testing crop varieties. The valley floor sits at 2,800 meters and the altitude is more manageable than Cusco. Base yourself here for the first two days of acclimatization before ascending to Cusco.

Lima has quietly become one of the great food cities in the world. Central (currently ranked among the world's top five restaurants), Maido, Astrid y Gastón, and Isolina represent the full range — from avant-garde tasting menus to traditional Peruvian home cooking elevated to excellence. The ceviche here is the benchmark against which all other ceviche should be measured. The Miraflores and Barranco neighborhoods are where to stay, eat, and walk.

The Peruvian Amazon accessed from Iquitos — a city reachable only by boat or plane — is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. The lodges along the Napo River offer canopy walks, night hikes, and river expeditions that produce wildlife encounters unavailable anywhere else. Pink river dolphins are common. Giant otters less so, but present. The experience requires a minimum of three nights to justify the journey.