A trip to Peru in March 2024.

A wonderful week-long trip to Peru during spring break in March. On March 9th, I flew from Hartford to Atlanta and transferred to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, where I stayed overnight. On March 10th, I flew to Lima, the capital of Peru, and then to Cusco in the evening. I checked into the Wyndham Hotel and met with the owner of the travel agency. I paid $500 for two people and learned about the general itinerary. On March 11th, at around 6:40 am, a car picked us up from the hotel lobby to start the Sacred Valley day tour. We visited the Chinchero traditional textile market, Moray archaeological terraces, Maras salt mines, and Ollantaytambo Sanctuary. After lunch, we skipped the Pisac Sanctuary and took a train directly to the foot of Machu Picchu Mountain. In the evening, the Machu Picchu day tour group contacted us at the hotel and explained the itinerary for the next day. On March 12th, at 7:00 am, we gathered in the plaza and queued for the 8:00 am bus that took us to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. We spent about half a day exploring the entire Machu Picchu city. At noon, we took the bus back down the mountain and had lunch. After lunch, we took the train back to Ollantaytambo and then a car back to Cusco. By the time we checked into the hotel, it was already dusk. On March 13th, I visited the Twelve-Angled Stone, the Temple of the Sun, and the Plaza de Armas in the morning. All of these sites are located near the Wyndham Hotel, making them easy to visit. At noon, I took a plane to Lima. After taking the airport bus to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, I visited the Plaza del Amor, the Bridge of Sighs in Barranco, and the Graffiti Wall. On March 14th, I took a DiDi to Plaza San Martín, which is very close to the Plaza de Armas. On the way to the Plaza de Armas, there were many people in yellow vests offering currency exchange. Their exchange rates were much higher than the bank's, so I exchanged a small amount. I felt like I had lost a lot of money because I had exchanged currency at the bank beforehand. At 12:00 pm, I witnessed the changing of the guard ceremony at the Government Palace. Near the Government Palace, there were people holding signs offering sightseeing tours by bus. We each paid 20 soles to participate in this city tour. It was worth seeing and covered the main attractions in the city center. In the evening, I went to the Fountain Park to admire the fountain plaza, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. On March 15th, I took an early morning flight. After retrieving our luggage from the hotel, we took a DiDi to the airport. DiDi International is very convenient and affordable, but you need to pay in cash, so be sure to have soles on hand. The drivers were all very friendly. Some spoke English, while others only spoke Spanish. However, I was able to understand some things through body language. In conclusion, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Lima in Peru are all worth visiting.