Amanda

“I travelled from Lima down the coast to Nazca/Colca Canyon/Arequipa then to Cusco and the Sacred Valley. I did the Lares trek and loved it.

The landscape along the coast was not what I expected. I am used the coastal towns of the Indian Ocean, lush with greenery, swelteringly hot and teeming with mosquitos, but instead I was greeted with the arid Nazca desert. The variety of shapes that have been etched into the red soil is staggering; my favourite was The Astronaut.

The ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo are some of the most beautiful I have seen. The stones used to construct all the structures and terraces are immaculately carved. It was nice to be able to experience some ruins as the Lares trek only has one site right at the end.

I loved the street art in Lima and the food throughout the country. The landscapes we hiked through on the Lares trek were breathtaking, and Machu Picchu did not disappoint at all”.