Off The Beaten Trail In Peru

Compared to magazine writers, filmmakers have it easy. (Yes, I realize how biased that probably sounds. But let me explain.)

In order to properly capture a region’s essence, writers have to suffer. We slave away in front of our keyboards, desperately clamouring for the right combination of words to describe not just what a place looks like, but how it feels—its vibe, its milieu, its ineffable je ne sais quoi. (To wit: I scoured the thesaurus for 20 minutes before settling on “milieu.”)

Filmmakers, on the other hand, know no such struggles. In order to inform the audience they’re in Paris, Rome, New York or Sydney, all they need to do is drop in a quick establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower, Coliseum, Statue of Liberty or Opera House, respectively. Landmarks of this calibre are so famously unmistakable, that they come to not just identify a place, but emblematize it.

For more than a century now, Machu Picchu has been an icon. Since Hiram Bingham’s first fateful trip to the Incan site in 1911 – and especially after the publishing of his 1948 memoir The Lost City of the Inca, which propelled his journey into the popular conscience – Machu Picchu has been Peru’s most trafficked attraction.

At its peak, Machu Picchu attracted more than one million tourists each year. Even with restrictions encouraged by UNESCO and imposed by the Peruvian government, upwards of 900,000 still visit annually, taking the Hiram Bingham Train from Cusco to stare at the sun gate, or hike the nearby (and nearly as famous) Inca Trail. And to be fair, Machu Picchu’s appeal is obvious – I don’t think I’ve ever had an experience as transcendent as seeing it at sundown, after all the tourists had cleared out (working for B&R has its perks).

But I sometimes pity those who hop a flight out of the country as soon as they’ve checked the spectacle off of their bucket list. I’ve spent a decade globetrotting for both work and pleasure, and I’ve found few countries that boast as wide a breadth of natural wonders, or as rich a reservoir of cultural heritage. That so few people take the time to savour all that Peru has to offer is one of travel’s greatest travesties—and one that I'm determined to correct.

With all due respect to The Lost City, I think it’s high time that people found out about Peru’s myriad other unforgettable adventures. There are enough off-the-grid, little known and overlooked experiences here to fill an entire magazine, but I think my editor would kill me if I took up that much space. (Editor’s Note: That’s true.) So in the interest of brevity, here are five of my absolute favourite parts of Peru that most people never get to experience.

The aptly named Sacred Valley is a visually stunning, incredibly rich playground for adventure. Some of the best hiking trails in the world intersect the valley, passing through ancient ruins, agricultural enclaves and sweeping valleys, all of them lined by the Andes mountains. Here you can truly disconnect and commune with the natural world; hiking through the valley feels like stepping back into a simpler, more peaceful era. The few people you encounter along the way are locals who live off the land, the way their ancestors have for generations. On one hike, our group passed by a local woman who kindly offered us fresh, hot potatoes from her huatia (a sort of underground earth oven, shaped like a pyramid).

But the Sacred Valley isn't solely for serenity—adrenaline junkies will find plenty of adventures, too.

Mountain bikers flock to this part of Peru, but those who prefer four wheels to two can take it all in on ATVs, while those who prefer four legs to four wheels can ride horseback on gorgeous Peruvian Paso horses. Want to get on the water?

Kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and white water rafting are all on offer here. And if you're looking for a little elevation, you can rock-climb up a mountainside and zip-line back down, or paraglide above to explore it from the perspective of the Incan gods.

As if the city itself weren’t enough of a draw, Arequipa also provides a gateway to the stunning Colca Canyon, whose terraced valleys are even less trafficked than those in the Sacred Valley, despite the fact that some points of Colca reach greater depths than the Grand Canyon. Both the hiking and the horseback riding here is incredible, offering postcard-perfect views at every turn, and adventure junkies will love the river rafting.

Few people realize that the best archaeology experience in Peru has nothing to do with Machu Picchu.

Best known as the home of Peru's traditional marinera dance, Trujillo is a coastal town in northwestern Peru that not only boasts beautiful and colourful colonial architecture but acts as a gateway to pre-Incan archaeological sites that bring ancient history to life.

Nearby marvels include the Huaca de la Luna ("the moon temple"), one of the most important spiritual sites for the Moche culture, who populated the area from 100 to 700 AD, and El Brujo, the temples of which are adorned with polychrome reliefs depicting wars, gods and an ancient way of life.

But the best part is what—or maybe I should say who—isn't there. Because so many people forego Trujillo, savvy travellers are treated to a raw and relatively tourist-free experience that puts them directly in touch with ancient history—sometimes literally, in fact. With so few tourists, there’s little need for ropes and barriers, meaning there's nothing stopping you from reaching out to literally touch ancient history.

Often overlooked or skipped by those flocking to Machu Picchu and Cusco, Lima is arguably the culinary capital of the world right now, boasting three coveted spots on the list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Lima's restaurant scene has garnered a ton of attention from the press, but few editorials (and, thankfully, not many tourists) seem to appreciate just how cool the rest of the city is. Perched on the coast of the Pacific, the city offers sea, surf, sand and some incredible ocean views.

Further inland, Lima's myriad unique neighbourhoods make it the perfect place to meander on foot. In posh Miraflores, upscale shops, stunning sea views and great restaurants are complemented by huacas, the pre-Incan ruins scattered throughout the neighbourhood that add a bit of culture to all that class. In boho-chic Barranco, boutique shops and local artists dot a unique and colourful neighbourhood just begging to be snapped for social media. And in the city centre, fabulous architecture denotes the legacy of the conquistadors who once reigned over the city—be sure to check out Aliaga House, where consecutive generations of the Aliaga family have lived since the land was first granted to Jerónimo de Aliaga in 1535!