The itinerary on paper seemed almost too good to be true. Living through it felt just the same with jam-packed, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, incredible culinary moments, many one-night stays in unbelievably beautiful properties, and a private luxury Amazon River cruise charter to slow it down and top it off. Since we visited Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Iquitos and Lima, we could write about this trip for ages so instead, here’s the highlight reel of our nine days together! Our friends at Peru Eco Expeditions truly outdid themselves every step of the way. I have yet to travel to Peru without the guidance of Sara and Daniel, and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Inca Trail Trek

This one is all about the 8.5 mile journey, the company, and the steps to Wiñay Wayna – the very same steps that the Incan people built and climbed over 500 years ago leading to the sacred and royal retreat of Machu Picchu. It’s incredible to imagine the dedication of multiple generations carrying, carving, and creating the Pueblo that still stands so strong all these years later. This bite-sized portion of the four-day trail was beautiful, challenging, and humbling. If you’re as lucky or perfectly timed as we were, you’ll be rewarded a view of this world wonder sans tourists. Machu Picchu in all her glory glistening in golden hour, speckled only with a few llamas. Safe to say, my new favorite view in Peru!

Belmond properties

We had the absolute pleasure of staying in three of the Belmond properties throughout our time in Peru. The first half of our trip moved pretty quickly (okay.. one night stays) because we wanted to see and do so much from Cusco to Lima and everything in between. Each of the Belmond properties we stayed at had a familiar sense of home with incredible staff, luxury touches, incredibly cozy bedding and mesmerizing architecture. The continuity of calling Belmond home really made the short but sweet stays feel connected.

Hanging Gardens Soiree

This special night commemorated our final night in Cusco before heading to Iquitos and into the Peruvian Amazon. We walked the candle-lined red carpet into the sacred Incan Temple of the Sun. After a traditional Incan blessing and cocktail hour, we sat for dinner at the most beautiful table straight out of a fairytale wedding book. With fresh greenery woven around golden flowers hanging above our heads, a string quartet serenaded us during our 7-course gourmet dinner. After dessert, we were blessed with a full-blown theatre performance bringing storytelling to life with dancing, fire, handcrafted costumes and so much more. I want to shoutout (time and time again) Sara from Peru Eco Expeditions who created this special event that absolutely blew us away with every single detail.

Delfin II

You might be wondering – what does a day on the Amazon river look like? Once the sun rises, it’s all aboard the morning skiff safari to wake up with the jungle, followed by breakfast and lounging around as the crew keeps us moving. After a gourmet lunch, we reconvene for activities on the river (kayaking, piranha fishing, jungle hikes, learning about wildlife, etc.). It’s hard to beat watching the sunset from a yoga mat or with a sundowner in hand. Followed by dinner, we’d kick off our night safaris seeking the nocturnal nightlife, self-started T-Swift dance parties fueled by our favorite bartender, and then sink into our cozy beds. Repeat.

The cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting the unbeatable beauty of the Marañon river and it’s wildlife – hello pink dolphins! There was so much happening below deck and behind the scenes that made everyday cruising, meals, and activities so smooth. Every crew member was essential and oh so lovely, and we could not get enough of the limitles(s) knowledge from the naturalists aboard. In the cruising family, the lineup goes Delfin I, Delfin II, and Delfin III. We found our medium-sized ship of the three to be our perfect fit for the group. However, I think I’ll need to try them all in this lifetime 🙂

Astrid y Gastón

We had so many note-worthy culinary moments on this trip, but If you know anything about world-renowned fine dining, you’ve certainly heard of Lima-based restaurant Astrid y Gastón. Upon opening in 1994, Chef Gastón Acurio and Pastry Chef Astrid Gutsche combined their skills and birthed the restaurant that would go on to earn three Michelin stars and be ranked #1 in Inaugural Latin America’s 50 best restaurants in 2013. Gastón Acurio has been called the godfather of Peruvian cuisine and credited with introducing it to the world beyond South America. Each thoughtful course is plated to perfection with flavor bombs that may change your tastebuds forever. Of course in true LimitLes fashion, we had a welcome show, private dining room, and danced some of the courses off with good company. In short, it lives up to and deserves all of the hype!

Every incredibly kind participant, staff member, crew, tour guide, naturalist, chef, waiter, human, and animal we encountered was an integral part of these memories. Thank you, LimitLes Peru, for blowing our minds and hearts wide open AGAIN to the beauty of movement, travel, and connection!