Breadcrumbs Guide

A trail of crumbs to follow around the world

My Travel Gear Favorites + A Giveaway!

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My Ten Travel Gear Favorites

Update: The winner of the $25 Amazon gift card is Esha! Congratulations Esha and thanks everyone for participating! I loved hearing your favorite travel products and I think I might be adding a few to my own list. Happy shopping! I love to travel, and I love to shop. When these two activities combine, I get pretty excited about it. So I decided to compile a list of my favorite travel gadgets and gear for your Black Friday shopping sprees and holiday wish lists. But I also want to hear your favorite travel products to give me some inspiration. If you participate, you just might win a $25 Amazon gift card! … [keep reading...]

Inca Trail: Day 1

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Inca Trail Day 1 Campsite Mountain Sunset

My alarm went off at 4:30am. I was immediately wide awake. In just a few hours I would be starting the 4 day trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I felt a flash of nerves rush over me as I tried to steel myself for getting out from the warm heavy blankets into the frigid Andean morning chill. I was ecstatic and nervous. I had camped, and I had hiked dozens of times, but I had never done a multi-day trek before. Would I be able to do it? What if I can't make it over Dead Woman's Pass? What if I get sick and have to turn back? These thoughts rushed through my mind as I got myself ready, but I pushed them away. This is going to be incredible. I smiled, and stuffed my camera in my pack. … [keep reading...]

20 Essential Tips for Cusco and the Sacred Valley

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Might want to pass on the pizza/hamburguesa van. You'll be safe with some alpaca saltada doused in high-proof pisco and set on fire though!

Travel can be stressful and rewarding. It can bring out the best and the worst in people. But a well-prepared traveler armed with an arsenal of field-tested tips can be sure to have the trip of a lifetime. If you're planning a trip to Cusco and the Sacred Valley, just follow these tips, and I promise you'll have fewer Grumpy Cat moments. … [keep reading...]

Choose Your Own Adventure in the Sacred Valley

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Sacred Valley Pisac Market girls walking with baby llamas

I don't like tours. I hate having to scramble to the front of a crowded tour group just to see something for a couple seconds, only to be pulled away to the next point of interest and have to wrestle my way through again. I don't like looking out over an incredible view just to be called back to a bus and whisked to the next site. People say they want to make sure they see "everything" when they travel. Who wouldn't? In the Sacred Valley there are countless tours that will take you to just about every top sight on Trip Advisor, but that is exactly the problem. By seeing everything, you'll have seen very little. These tours let you check every site off your list, but you end the day … [keep reading...]

Finding the Essence of Cusco

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Wandering Cusco Sights

Cusco is truly a unique place, but if you spend all your time running between the must-see sights, you just might miss it. By exploring the cobbled streets, relaxing in the plazas, and peering over the rooftops, Garren and I learned so much about how Cusco's people and their history. Not a day went by without a celebration, parade, or festival of some kind filling the plazas of Cusco. Church bells would ring, people would shout, dogs would bark, and horns would honk in a steady stream of activity and sound. … [keep reading...]

Peruvian Cooking and Bartending Class Goes Up in Flames

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Cusco Cooking Class Pisco Wall

I always try to find an activity that is a bit unique and off the traditional tourist trail when I travel. While doing some research on Cusco, I came across the perfect thing: A Peruvian cooking class from the chef of Marcelo Batata and Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse, two of the top-rated restaurants in Cusco! I was slightly nervous, since I have a history of setting things on fire during cooking classes, but little did I know, I would be intentionally setting my dinner alight this time! … [keep reading...]

Sacsayhuaman: Sounds Like Sexy Woman

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Sacsayhuaman Zig Zag Walls

Sacsayhuaman (roughly pronounced "sexy woman" in your worst Latin American accent), is an ancient Inca fortress that sits high up on a plateau overlooking the city of Cusco and is the site of one of the bloodiest battles between the Inca and the Spanish conquistadors. Much of the Inca fort was demolished by the Spaniards during their control of Cusco, but what remains is still incredibly impressive. Visit Sacsayhuaman early in the morning for the best light and fewer crowds. The Boleto Turistico - Your Ticket to Sacsayhuaman Admission to Sacsayhuaman and many other Cusco and the Sacred Valley sites is included in the Boleto Turistico (adults S/.130, $42; students under 26 with ISIC … [keep reading...]

Best View in Cusco: Hostal Wara Wara

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plaza de armas from hostal wara wara patio - the best view in cusco

There is a little known tip that I like to use when choosing a place to stay: If it is on a hill, it probably has an awesome view. Hostal Wara Wara in Cusco, Peru, is no exception. Garren and I stayed at this charming, family-run hostel, and I'm happy to report that Hostal Wara Wara features the perfect combination of location, atmosphere and price. The best part? It's home to the best view in Cusco. The hill might deter some tourists, but for us it served as Inca Trail training and helped us acclimate to the altitude before our trek. Hostal Wara Wara, located 3 steep blocks up the hill from Plaza de Armas, is small and cozy, with an inviting lounge and patio that looks out over the … [keep reading...]