AMA Insider Fall 2018/ Under 55 | Page 48

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solo t r a v e l machu picchu

peru

Lake TiTicaca
Travel with a group and AMA Travel host Crystal Pajunen for a safe visit to this rugged paradise
You ’ ll CheCk off more than a few bucket-list items in Peru , touring with your AMA Travel host and other adventurous solo travellers . During boat rides , flights and drives through the lush landscape , you ’ ll have plenty to talk about with your fellow trekkers .
Before heading to the mountains , take a boat ride across Paracas Bay to the Ballestas Islands , home to thousands of migratory birds . Try to spot the Paracas Candelabra , a giant symbol etched into a rock face that helped guide early seafarers . In the air ,
a flight over the ancient Nazca Lines reveals gigantic plant and animal figures carved into the desert .
Back on terra firma , spend some time in Cuzco , once the seat of the Incan empire . At Coricancha temple , learn how and why the Inca worshipped their sun god . At the Awana Kancha llama and alpaca farm , watch as raw wool is transformed into Peru ’ s iconic blankets and sweaters .
A solo trip shouldn ’ t be all history and hiking , though . It ’ s also about R & R and time for yourself . So kick back with a pisco sour on a full-day cruise on Lake Titicaca . Stop at the floating islands of Uros and Taquile to visit a local home in Luquina Chico for a firsthand glimpse of modern Peruvianlife . You ’ ll learn how to cook
traditional dishes like rocoto relleno — spicy stuffed peppers — and visit wineries to quench your thirst .
Of course , no trip to Peru is complete without seeing Machu Picchu . Your AMA Travel host will help navigate through busy crowds to reach your private guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site . For more adventurous types , your host can also arrange a daylong 15-kilometre hike on the Inca Trail . From this elevated vantage point , you gaze down upon the ruins , no doubt tired and sweaty but grinning from ear to ear .
machu picchu : diegograndi / istock ; lake titicaca : hadynyah / istock
48 Fall 2018 AMA InsIder