From Ruins to Retail Therapy: Our Final Days in Peru

After our highly ambitious “let’s casually hike into Machu Picchu like we’re in a Patagonia ad” day, the universe decided we had earned something radical: a slightly slower morning.

We started with a tour of the hotel grounds, which sounds innocent until you realize it includes a deep dive into orchids… and the surprising revelation that orchids have testicles. I did not see that coming. Nature is wild and apparently very confident. We also wandered through the tea facilities and, in a true overachiever moment, spotted the Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock, Peru’s national bird, and yes, that is in fact its real name. No one is giggling more than me.

Della, who had every right to remain horizontal for the rest of the week, rallied like a champ and joined us by lunchtime. We headed back into Machu Picchu with JJ, who gave us one of those tours that makes you feel both smarter and slightly ashamed of your public school education. We started at the top and worked our way down through the ruins, learning how the Incas actually lived and all the different ways they prayed.

It was stunning. Truly. One of those places that earns every ounce of its hype. That said, my watch insisted I climbed roughly 200 flights of stairs that day, which feels aggressive. I maintain at least half of that was just me making repeated, ill-advised trips from the hotel to secure coffee and then hauling it back uphill like a pilgrim with priorities.

That night we went to a restaurant called India Feliz, which can best be described as “Pirates of the Caribbean meets yard sale.” There was no clear theme, just a commitment to putting things on walls. But the food? Fantastic. Huge portions, lively energy, and exactly what we needed.

The next morning kicked off our travel day back to Cusco — train, bus, repeat. Before checking into the hotel, JJ gave us a city tour and explained how Cusco was once the center of the Inca universe. Casual.

Naturally, Della and I followed that with a very necessary mission to find a few more things we absolutely did not need but suddenly could not live without. It turned into a very fun night out, fueled by the confidence that comes from altitude and questionable decision-making.

Our final day felt like the grand finale it deserved to be. We headed to Tambo Mach’ay and hiked toward the Temple of the Moon, stopping at the trip’s highest elevation — 12,600 feet — where even breathing feels like a group project. Along the way, we learned about the tradition of gifting bulls to newlyweds, which they place on their rooftops as a symbol of partnership. Basically: teamwork, but make it decorative.

And then — because Peru does not do subtle — llamas joined us. Just casually escorted us down the trail like we had hired them (which we did). We arrived at what can only be described as a magical lunch setting, complete with local musicians serenading us while we tried to act like this was all very normal.

Before eating, we participated in another Despacho ceremony. I had done one earlier in the week, but this one felt different — partly because Connor translated, and partly because we kept our intentions to ourselves. Fewer tears this time, which I consider personal growth.

Then came yet another incredible Backroads feast, enjoyed while we watched a storm roll dramatically toward us… and then politely move along. Even the weather was on our side.

We wrapped things up at Saqsayhuamán, overlooking Cusco from what once was the historic capital of the Inca Empire. It felt like the perfect closing scene.

And truly, none of this would have been the same without Connor and Volker. They were the kind of guides who somehow manage to be wildly knowledgeable, endlessly patient, and genuinely fun to be around — which is no small feat when you’re herding a group of slightly oxygen-deprived travelers up and down mountains.

All in all, a trip that delivered beauty, history, laughter… and more steps than I’d like to discuss.