The World Through Our Lens
Reveille at Sandoval Lake Lodge in the Tambopata National Reserve in Peru was very early with a pre-dawn wake-up call at 5:30 a.m. Bob and I were told that the early start to the day enables guests to get out on the lake, observe the sunrise, soak up the solitude of the early-morning hours and hopefully spot some wildlife, most notably the Giant Otters. Read more
There are few places on this planet where you can truly get close to nature. One of those places is Sandoval Lake in the Tambopata National Reserve in the Amazon Basin, in Peru.
Over a quick breakfast in Agua Calientes, Bob and I debated whether or not to actually tackle climbing up Huayna Picchu Mountain, which sits overlooking Machu Picchu. The hiking trail up this mountain follows another ancient Inca path with an ascent up steep stony pathways, through tunnels, and along sheer cliff edges that offer no protection for hikers. We both decided that it would be an exhilarating and challenging trek, but I was unsure if I would have the courage. I have to tell you that I am very afraid of heights. Read more
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Bob and I managed to get aboard the first bus of the day from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu. The 20-minute bus ride up the switchbacks of the dirt road had us clinging to our seats whenever we rounded the sharp corners. The other option is to hike up to the mountain, but it is supposed to be a pretty long and very tough climb. We preferred to use that time to explore the ruins at the top. Read more
When it was finally time to set foot on the Inca Trail, we were guided by an authorized trail guide and accompanied by two other hikers, guides in training. Our adventure would be a one-day hike along the time-worn Inca Trail, headed for Machu Picchu. Our excitement was palpable.
After a night of heavy rains, Bob and I departed Puno aboard PeruRail’s Andean Explorer headed through the Andes Mountains for Cusco. Our early-morning departure soon left behind the very wet world of the village of Puno. Read more
It was an earlier start to the day as we made our way to the Arequipa airport to catch a flight across the Andes Mountains to Puno on Lake Titicaca in Peru. On our drive to the airport we had a chance to see the beautiful, conical, snow-capped volcano known as El Misti. Read more
Bright sunshine greeted us when Bob and I awoke in Arequipa, Peru at 6:30 a.m. It is amazing how a little sunlight can change the face of a place. When we emerged from our hotel with a city map in hand, the cobbled streets and high walls seemed less daunting than when we arrived in the dark the night before. Read more
Our destination heading south from Nazca on the Pan American Highway in Peru was the city of Arequipa. At 556 kilometers from Nazca, we figured the drive should take us about 6 hours and put us in Arequipa well before dark. The day’s drive, however, sure proved that calculation to be wrong.
In the harsh climate high in the mountain meadows of the National Reserve of Pampas Galeras in Peru lives the rarely seen vicuña. In 1974, the vicuña was declared an endangered species; at that time, only 6,000 of these animals were left alive in Peru. Today, there are about 350,000, and although it is actually considered very hard to catch a glimpse of vicuña in the wild, we managed to sight them in Peru. Read more
