Peru
During our week-long stay in Peru, my friends and I once again opted to spend most of our time hiking up mountains and sleeping in tents. We spent a lazy three days lounging around Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan empire and later the seat of the Spanish colonization in the Americas. Then we set out for the four-day trek along the Inca Trail through the Sacred Valley to get to Machu Picchu. This trail was originally created by the Inca civilization over 500 years ago and as such allows trekkers to marvel at the various ancient remains along the way. Located in the Northern part of the Andes mountain range, the trail is known for tough climbs up steep stone steps, extremely high elevation--leading to altitude sickness for many travelers--and plenty of rain during the wet season. Regardless, the views of the cloud covered mountaintops an valleys and of course the final stop at Machu Picchu--"Lost City of the Incas"--built by the civilization around the year 1450 as a temple and a home for their emperor.