Drinking my coca tea!

"Looking back, I think just as fondly about our days wandering Cusco as I do some of the much bigger adventures from this trip."

Our Machu Picchu adventure began with a private tour we had booked through Machu Picchu Viajes Peru. The evening before leaving Cusco, someone from the company stopped by our hotel to walk us through the next day's itinerary before we boarded the Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes early the following morning.

The train ride was longer than I expected, and the seating arrangement didn't necessarily mean you'd be sitting next to the person you were traveling with. Bring something to keep yourself entertained, but don't get so distracted that you stop paying attention to your belongings.

Aguas Calientes felt very much like a stopover town for travelers heading to Machu Picchu. We spent part of the afternoon at the nearby hot springs, mostly because we had time to fill before our early start the next morning. It was fine - something we were glad to check off the list - but I wouldn't go out of my way to fit it into an itinerary.

The next morning started before sunrise. We were picked up from our hotel and taken to the line for the buses heading up to Machu Picchu, where someone had already been holding our place. It was our first glimpse into just how popular those early morning departures are.

Seeing Machu Picchu in person is difficult to describe without sounding cliché. It really is that incredible. Standing high in the Andes, surrounded by mountains, and seeing the precision of the Inca stonework up close was simply mind-boggling.

Our private guide made the experience even better. We learned about the Inca civilization, discussed some of the great mysteries surrounding the site, and had someone pointing out details we easily would have missed on our own. As an added bonus, we also had someone there to take our pictures. I'd book a private guide again without hesitation.

We had also reserved tickets to climb Huayna Picchu, the towering mountain behind Machu Picchu that appears in so many iconic photos. It's a completely separate experience with limited daily permits, so be sure to book well in advance.

The climb was challenging enough that I'd recommend being in decent shape, but the views from the top made every step worthwhile. Looking down over Machu Picchu from above gave us an entirely different appreciation for just how remarkable its setting really is.

By the end of the day, we were exhausted.

A favorite dining experience

"If climbing Huayna Picchu wasn't enough, our next adventure would be even more daring."

Our next stop took us into the Sacred Valley for a night at SkyLodge Adventure Suites. We left Cusco with two other couples, stored our larger luggage at the company's office, and packed only the essentials into a small backpack for the climb.

Seeing the SkyLodge pods from the ground for the first time was intimidating. They were 1,300 feet above us, bolted to the side of the mountain - and we had to climb to them.

After a safety briefing, we clipped into the via ferrata and began making our way up the mountain. Guides were always nearby, but make no mistake - you are doing the climbing. Crossing suspended sections of rope high above the Sacred Valley was both exhilarating and a little terrifying.

It was daunting. It was a little scary. And it was absolutely incredible.

Once inside, our glass pod somehow managed to feel both tiny and surprisingly comfortable. It had a bed, sink, and even a toilet - all suspended high above the valley below.

Even dinner and breakfast were adventures of their own. To reach them, we had to climb back out of our pod, clip into the safety cables, and make our way across the mountainside. There were no hotel hallways here.

We spent the night surrounded by mountains and stars before ziplining back down the following morning.

SkyLodge was one of those experiences where I remember thinking, I can't believe we're actually doing this. It was daring, unforgettable, and unlike anywhere we've ever stayed. I couldn't recommend it more.

We returned to Cusco for one final night before continuing on to Bolivia the next morning. It was a fitting end to a few incredible days filled with history, culture, and some of the biggest adventures we'd ever taken on a trip.

We did return to Peru one last time at the very end of our journey, with a full day in Lima before flying home. We spent our time around Plaza de Armas and toured the beautiful Lima Cathedral. After the mountains, climbing, and nonstop adventure of the previous days, it was the perfect way to slow down before heading home.

Peru gave us some of the biggest adventures we've ever experienced, but what surprises me most looking back is how much I remember the moments in between - the cozy B&B, wandering through Cusco, returning to the same restaurant twice, and looking up at a glass pod attached to the side of a mountain wondering how we were going to climb to it.

Machu Picchu was every bit as incredible as we'd hoped it would be, but what made this trip so special was how every experience built on the next. From wandering the streets of Cusco to standing high above the Sacred Valley, Peru delivered adventure, history, culture, and unforgettable memories at nearly every turn. It remains one of the most incredible trips we've ever taken.

View from our SkyLodge pod