Peru
Our winter welcome to Bolivia wasn't exactly warm. For Americans, the visa requirements are extensive. In addition to paying $160 each in unblemished, unfolded US currency, we were required to provide passport-style photos, evidence of yellow fever vaccinations, financial documents proving access to $10,000, confirmed reservations for our entire stay, and tickets out of the country.
I entered Peru via Bolivia – on a boat from Lake Titicaca and then a bus across the border. Peru marked my 40th country visited. At an altitude of 4,000+ meters, I was riding high and proud of traveling through 40 countries as a solo female traveler. I felt like an old pro, until the altitude really did get to me.
Travel in 2025 is about seeking out experiences that go beyond the ordinary. As many traditional hotspots grapple with overtourism, a growing number of travelers are looking for destinations that are quieter, more meaningful, and less traveled. From emerging hotspots to hidden treasures, these destinations promise unique adventures. Here’s a closer look at where industry experts recommend heading in the year ahead.
Across the USA, residents look forward to the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve. As the countdown ensues, a Waterford crystal ball drops from its perch in New York's Times Square to the delights of millions of onlookers in the street and millions more watching on television. The spectacular ball is a geodesic sphere covered with 2,688 crystal triangles and measuring 12 feet in diameter. It weighs 11,875 pounds and has more than 32,000 LED lights. Known worldwide, this beloved tradition dates back to 1907. Around the world, New Year's Eve traditions vary, and some provide interesting entertainment.
Since pre-Colombian times, the Amazon has been the source of intrigue for outsiders, from daydreams of riverboat adventures to nightmares of shrunken heads.
Used by Indigenous tribes in the Amazon for medicinal purposes for centuries, it’s only in the last 50 years or so that Westerners have come to learn about ayahuasca
Do you want a break from a hectic monotonous routine to experience something relaxing and adventurous at the same time? An interactive trip to the world’s most alluring cruise destinations on a small cruise ship is your way to do just that.
Six tourists were arrested for allegedly defecating and damaging a sacred temple at the Machu Picchu sanctuary in Peru. Wilbert Leyva, Cusco regional police chief, said the six tourists, one a French woman, were detained and the public ministry investigating them for the suspected crime against cultural heritage.
Machu Picchu is one of the most remarkable Inca projects, but it’s difficult to get to. Its citadel, which rests at the top, is protected by amazing gorges and peaks that surround the area.
There were many memorable moments throughout my travels across South America, but the most defining memory had to be Machu Picchu. Seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the New World is an unmissable opportunity; one best done now while the ruins are still in relatively good condition.
On July 24, 1911, American explorer and historian Hiram Bingham made one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century when he uncovered the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu.
For a new mystery, travel to Peru and visit the Nazca Lines, a place where historical mystery meets exquisite geometric designs that date as far back as 200 BC. Sounds pretty amazing right? Unfortunately, these archaeological wonders aren’t safe.
