Colombia

June 27, 2024Leave a comment

Pro Tips

Make sure to fill out your Check Mig before you arrive and before you leave (within 72 hrs before/after). This is required for entry into Colombia.
In general, I found it pretty reliable to use my credit card to pay everything (especially in Bogota & Medellin), but in smaller towns it’s a good idea to have some Colombian Pesos on hand.
Uber is incredibly reliable, cheap & useful in the big cities.
Didi is a great resource (& very cheap) for getting groceries & food delivered.
In Medellin, tourists tend to stay in El Poblado or in Laureles (which are the most expensive & nicest parts of Medellin). While yes they can be quite “gringo” I admittedly really liked them. What can I say, I’m a sucker for tons of cute cafes. Also, they are pretty safe so that’s an attractive feature.
There is some crime in the form of robberies (I luckily didn’t experience this), the main tips are to not walk at night, not wear flashy jewelry or clothes, & not get super drunk. Another phenomenon I heard about is that the dating apps target men where they get drugged & then robbed- so be aware of that.
Medellin can be known for prostitution & drugs, but if you’re not looking for it, you won’t really run into it or notice it (at least I didn’t!).
Food in El Poblado isn’t actually that cheap because it’s mostly tourists that hang out there.
Public transit is very cheap & it’s safe/reliable in Medellin!
There is a rainy season in Colombia so account for that in your trip planning.

CITY: Bogota

HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at Botanico Hostel Bogota and overall liked it! Good safe location. The hostel had lots of cute areas to sit and hang out. Fairly easy to meet people. Small kitchen to cook. There was yoga & salsa classes, as well as a hostel dinner you could join. It could be loud at night, but I had no problems sleeping since I use a bluetooth enabled eye mask to blast white noise.

The staff were overall helpful & available 24 hrs per day, which was incredible helpful given I got super sick during my time here. Not sure if I picked something up in Mexico City before flying here or whether I got something that hit very quickly in Bogota, but regardless I was miserable. It was very nice that the staff were always around to help if I needed it.

The only downside (which really isn’t the hostel’s fault), but there are lots of water outages in Bogota. Each district gets assigned 24 hr periods of no running water. Normally that would be fine, but when you are sick and need to use the restroom (a lot) & showers to feel better, this was less than ideal. They did have basins of water to manually flush the toilets, but still not what you want when very sick.

Where to Eat:

As I mentioned, I got pretty sick so I didn’t eat much of anything while here but I would highly recommend Orígenes Café, where I got a smoothie bowl and a delicious breakfast sandwich & La Chopperia, where I got an awesome chicken burger.

Definitely try Ajiaco Soup while here!

What to do:

Not sure I should mention this again, but my best advice for what to do in Bogota is NOT GET SICK! Unfortunately all I really was able to do was sleep & try not to die 🙂 When you travel this long, you are bound to get sick along the way, but it always sucks.

My last day I started to feel a little better so I managed to go on a walking tour to start to learn about the history of Colombia, but there is definitely other cool things here that I had to miss because I was sick

Overall Thoughts:

No major thoughts, however if you only are going to be in Colombia for a week, you can probably skip Bogota & head straight to Medellin or the northern coast like Cartagena, Santa Marta & Tayrona National Park.

CITY: Medellin

HOW LONG: 38 NIGHTS

The goal of my time in Medellin (& really in Colombia all together) was to slow down, rest & catch up on life things before taking off again on my grand adventure. But to make it productive & give some structure I used my time here to take some Spanish classes! I took classes here. My daily routine included getting up for my 8:15am F45 class, then getting a yogurt bowl at Cafe Campesino, then going to my Spanish class from 10am-1pm. I loved my teacher so much that we’re going to continue classes over zoom while I’m back in California summer 2024. In the afternoons I spent my time at the airbnb catching up on never ending to-do list. When traveling life stuff falls to the wayside quite easily. It was so lovely having 6 weeks to knock out it all out! Figure out health insurance for the back half of the year: done! Execute a Roth conversion: check! Call my Grandpa: yep! Life is good in Medellin. I also met some fun people at the language school and it was so cool getting to be friends for a few weeks instead of the usual 48 hr friendships that happen at hostels. Also my good friend Sabrina from growing up (known each other since elementary school) joined me for my last two weeks (one week in Medellin + one week up North in Colombia). We genuinely spend more time abroad than in the US since she lives in LA and I’m in San Francisco (usually). Colombia was our 11th country & 5th continent together 🙂

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at an Airbnb for my 6 weeks in Medellin. I knew I wanted a break from hostels and it was such a treat to have my own room & bathroom. I also loved being able to cook 90% of my meals in a lovely, beautiful kitchen! This place was a 10 min walk to Provenza (my favorite part of El Poblado). There are tons of cute cafes, restaurants and shops. There are gyms nearby & I always felt safe walking around (although at night I tended to Uber). Overall it was a good place, but I probably wouldn’t stay here again. I would get a place in either Laureles (another cute neighborhood) or find a smaller, cheaper spot. I had hoped the big co-living situation would bring a social element, but the roommates were a little weird (and both American) so that was a bummer. I did love the views from my window, especially during the crazy rainstorms 🙂

Where to Eat:

I spent 6 weeks here and ate at many fun restaurants. The food scene here is overwhelmingly great. Come hungry! Here are some favorites:

Breakfast/brunch

Campesino Café – I had a little routine where I would have breakfast here every morning between my workout class at F45 and the start of my Spanish classes. I LOVED their yogurt bowl – yum!!
Pergamino – I had brunch with my friend Lucy here (fun fact: we met on the Salkantay Trek in Peru 5 years ago and she now lives in Medellin). Very trendy & great coffee (according to others).
Café urbania – cute, but small coffee shop with some small bites. Great spot to park yourself with a computer.
Hijamia – Popular, upscale brunch spot with a few locations in El Poblado. I went to the Manila location & it was buzzing with people on a Sunday morning.
Breggs Provenza – cheap, quick egg breakfast spot (or lunch!)
Crepes & Waffles – another great local brunch chain. It’s very popular so expect a line. Also the menu is robust so you’ll definitely struggle to pick just one meal!
Época – Another great brunch spot on one of the main walking streets in Provenza
Ely Cafe – Upscale, snazzy brunch spot located in a cool building Very cool spot with yummy Limonada de Coco’s – my favorite new drink!!
Café Macanas PROVENZA – a cute, small cafe with a couple of good breakfast options

Lunch or Dinner

Ajiacos y Mondongos – I had a fun lunch with my Spanish teacher here. Ajiacos is a popular Colombian soup (mostly from Bogota) and it was great to mix some cultural experiences into the Spanish class. Excellent food here!
Chef Burger Provenza – a great burger spot right in Provenza. Food was yummy & service was great.
German Street Food – casual, but delicious german sausages!
Lucio Carbon y Vino – I had a fancy dinner with Sabrina in Envigado – incredible Caesar salad and caldron de champignons
37 Park – I walked past this place a billion times before actually eating here. Loved the decor. Food was not what I expected but everything was delicious. Deconstructed spring salad and deconstructed grilled cheese 😂 fries were delicious too!
Pizzaiolo – really good pizza in the heart of Provenza
Arepa Rellenas – Tammy & I loved this place. Very casual, cheap spot for lunch or a quick dinner. It was around the corner from our language school so it was toooo convenient.

Dessert

Amor Acuya – my favorite ice cream in Medellin!! So many great flavors that rotate all the time! Pro-tip: ask for the hard chocolate shell sauce 🙂

What to do:

Parque Arvi – huge park that you need to take the gondolas to (fun fact: Medellin was the first city in the world to use gondolas as part of their public transportation system). We went to a butterfly sanctuary, hiked and paddled around in a boat.

Comuna 13 – what used to be considered the most dangerous neighborhood in the most dangerous city, is now a thriving cultural center of Medellin. Very cool to take a walking tour and learn about its rich history.

Pueblito Paisa – fun spot to check out in the city. It’s a tourist attraction that embodies the spirit of all things Paisa (the term for people from Antioquia). “This is a replica of a typical turn of the century Antioquia town comes complete with its own traditional stone fountain in the middle of the town square, and is surrounded by a church and rectory, the mayor’s office, a barber shop, and a one-room school house.” Read more about it here.

Guatapé – a must day trip from Medellin (we did this one). This colorful city is ripe for plenty of Instagram shots and you’ll get a chance to hike to the top of the Peñol Rock. You’ll finish the day tour with a boat ride where you’ll see one of Pablo Escobar’s abandoned mansions.

Go to language exchanges to meet other travelers & locals. I primarily went to practice my Spanish with locals, but there were plenty of English speaking travelers who couldn’t speak Spanish at all which provided an opportunity for locals to practice their English! Pro Tip: Try Gringo Tuesdays or DanceFree if you are staying in El Poblado.
Get a massage at Azkara Spa & Wellness. They were fabulous and massages were very reasonably priced.
Go dance some Salsa or Bachata! So many opportunities in Medellin to dance 🙂

Overall Thoughts:

I don’t even know where to begin. I just loved everything about Medellin (except having to be cautious about walking alone at night – that was annoying). Medellin is so green, it basically feels like you are living in nature, but you are also in a major city. Even though I was there in rainy season, the sun still came out plenty. The people are SO kind & generous. They were so patient with my Spanish & genuinely so excited that I was doing my best to learn their language – I loved it! It really opens up the travel experience to be able to communicate in someone’s native language.

Medellin has a great work/life balance and everything is just so chilled (sometimes hard for my American brain, but I eventually settled in). For example, every time I was checking out at the grocery store, it took a minimum of 10 min even if there was only one person ahead of me in line. I just had to learn to embrace it haha.

Also, if you have ever wanted to learn Spanish, the best way to do it is to go live in a Spanish speaking country & take classes. Medellin/Colombia is known as a great option because they have a very neutral/easy accent & they talk slower than other Spanish speaking countries. Guatemala is also known as another good option!

Medellin is a great spot to just come hang for a few days, weeks or even months! Bring your laptop & work remotely. It’s just awesome! I can’t wait to go back 🙂

CITY: Minca

HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

We stayed at Masaya Casas Viejas Hostel. It’s actually not technically in Minca, as you have to take a 4×4 vehicle for about 30 min up into the mountains/jungle to get to the actual hostel. But let me tell you – it’s worth it! It’s a little oasis nestled high up in the clouds. There’s an infinity pool, hammocks, chaise lounges, co-working areas, yoga in the morning, and delicious food. Beds are comfy & wifi works most of the time 🙂 It was very easy to meet people since you don’t leave the property much, unless you head out to a waterfall hike! Would absolutely recommend this place 9/10 (just wish the showers had warmer water, but hey you can’t complain being this remote!)

Where to Eat:

At the hostel restaurant 🙂 Not too many options. Some folks headed into Minca for lunch (3 hr hike away) but generally people ate at the hostel. Luckily the food was very good!! Each meal had tons of great options to choose from.

What to do:

Relax & enjoy the views 🙂 You can do some waterfall hikes, but Sabrina & I chose to just chill our time here. We did some yoga, lots of reading, played Monopoly Deal & President with all our new friends, and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset over the jungle.

This is a perfect spot to spend a few days (3 nights max I would say), to just recharge amidst your backpacking trip & make some friends who are likely heading in the same direction as you!

Overall Thoughts:

I really enjoyed it here. After 6 weeks in Medellin I was slightly worried about the jarring nature of jumping back into backpacking, but this was a perfect way to ease back into it. We met so many fun, interesting people & I loved my lazy days. Finally finished a book I had started 3 weeks prior!

CITY: Tayrona National Park

HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

Holy moly this was paradise on earth. Senda Watapuy is a dream. DO NOT HESITATE to book here!!! We loved every part of our stay. The room was incredible (they installed mosquito nets to address bugs). The private pool was amazing (love being able to skinny dip in the morning). The food at the restaurant was great. The grounds were fabulous. A true jungle oasis.

Where to Eat:

Once again, you are mostly stuck at the hotel in terms of food but the good news is that I loved the food here. Very expansive menu, but in classic form, I fell in love with their caesar salad and ate that most meals. One cool thing they offered was that you could order food from the menu on your phone and specify if you wanted to eat it in the room, at the pool or at the restaurant – very convenient.

What to do:

The main thing to do in this region is hike in Tayrona National Park through the jungle to the beautiful beaches. However, our hotel was right at the edge of the park so while we did go into the park for a short hike, we decided we preferred to spend our time reading by the pool, with views of the gorgeous jungle.

We also got some massages.

You can literally walk to the park entrance from the hotel, which is nice though! Bring sunscreen, bug repellent and water!!

Overall Thoughts:

This was such a treat! 10/10 would absolutely recommend this place (mostly talking about the hotel) to anyone. I felt like I was on a true vacation.

CITY: Cartagena

HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at Los Patios and wouldn’t recommend it. It’s in a good location, but they have a lot to improve. The AC barely worked, so we asked to lower the temp 1-2 degrees and it turned to an ice box. The dorm room floor stayed dirty the entire time. Very hard to meet people. When I asked the front desk about where the start of the walking tour was she said there are no walking tours in Cartagena other than theirs, which is just a straight lie. Very bizarre as there are like 10 free walking tours I found online. The hostel is so loud that you really can’t sleep at night or morning. I’ve stayed at 100+ hostels and this isn’t it. 5/10

Where to Eat:

Brioche bistro Moderno – service wasn’t great but the food was fabulous! Delicious brunch food in the center of the walled in city.
Nía Bakery – I had an iced chocolate with 100% cacao. Very light, not too sweet & yummy on a hot day (aka every day in Cartagena). Very cute cafe with a swanky vibe.
Pascal – Another great cafe/breakfast spot just outside the walled in city. Cute decor & strong AC. Had a great breakfast sandwich.
Munchy cream – fun ice cream spot with tons of toppings, which is my favorite!!

What to do:

I only had one full day here so I optimized with a morning walking tour to hit the highlights and one last cheap massage before heading back to the US. Would highly recommend Relax Spa Cartagena de las indias for a spa treatment while visiting Cartagena. If you have more time here, I hear the island day trips or overnight trips can be quite fun!

Overall Thoughts:

Cartagena was so colorful and beautiful!! I would’ve happily stayed here another day but not another week because it was so HOT, & I am not really a beach or party person, which Cartagena is known for. Overall it was a cool spot though!

BUDGET FOR 12 DAYS of traveling IN Colombia:

Fun to have two different types of budgets in this post, but admittedly my type of fun might different than most haha.

Accommodation: $532 ($44 per night) Our stay at Senda Watapuy drove the average up, but it was worth it!!

Food: $199

Groceries: $0

Activities: $167 (massages + walking tours)

Local Transportation: $172

Miscellaneous: $83

Total: $1153 (Daily average: $96)

——————————————————————————–

BUDGET FOR 38 DAYS living IN Colombia:

Accommodation: $1157 ($30.44 per night)

Food: $335

Groceries: $327

Activities: $859 (includes $665 for 6 weeks of Spanish Class)

Local Transportation: $250

Gym: $234

Miscellaneous: $91

Total: $3253 (Daily average: $85)

Transportation to next destination: $0 (I booked my flight home to California with points – yay!)

Packing List: 2 months in Colombia (2024)

June 3, 2024March 26, 2025Leave a comment

Once again, I am about to head out on the road! After a whirlwind visit home in California for my 30th birthday(!!!), I am taking off for a slightly different stint of my trip. I have a week in Mexico with my sister for a wedding, but then I take off solo to Colombia where I’ll be staying in Medellin for 6 weeks to study Spanish at a language school! I’ve talked about this before, but at the three month mark of backpacking, I get really burnt out and need to stay still to recuperate. I built this part of the trip in very intentionally. I’ll be staying at an airbnb, where I’ll have my own room and going to class everyday. I’ll be cooking and signing up for a gym. I am SO excited to have a bit of a routine and not have to pack up over & over again. In fact, I get to unpack for 6 weeks!! Truly what a dream.

Because this is quite the different type of trip, I get to pack a little differently. Other than needing outfits for a wedding (which thankfully was casual enough that I could wear clothes that I’ll also wear out & about in Colombia), I only need to pack fairly generic outfits for school, going to the gym, and an outfit or two to go out to dinner, etc. Additionally, I am not going to a bunch of different climates, so overall it’s a relatively simple packing approach.

Big news: I am trying out Tortuga’s newest backpack, the Travel Backpack Lite 40L. It’s the updated version of my last backpack of theirs (the Setout). Nice to travel with a brand new backpack! It’s the perfect carry on size & with their packing cubes, you can optimize every square inch of it. I actually had room leftover when I packed all the below into it. I’ve also added the Tortuga Travel Sling, the new Tortuga Packable Daypack (to replace my 5 year old one), & the Tortuga Tech Organizer, which means I’ve achieved my goal of being a walking evangelist for all Tortuga products haha.

Overall tips:

Use packing cubes! I love my new Tortuga Compression Packing Cube, as well as their normal packing cubes.
Think through how the clothes will feel in heat. Linen & lightweight materials will be best.
Make sure that every top works with every bottom and works with every shoes. Use a capsule wardrobe as inspiration.
Less is more! I can’t emphasize this enough. You CAN do laundry. You CAN buy anything you feel like you ended up needing on the road. I promise!

If you are planning a longterm trip, don’t forget to check out all the things I wish I had known before setting off on my first big trip!

PACKING LIST FOR Colombia:

CLOTHES

3 pairs of Lululemon Fast & Free Crop’s – I’ll be joining a gym while in Medellin so I need more workout leggings than I normally take.
1 pair of Lululemon Align pants – can be used for working out/walking around town or I can dress it up.
1 pair of Lululemon joggers- since I’ll be living in an airbnb, I wanted a more casual, comfy pair of pants to throw on when I am home in the evenings.
1 pair of jean shorts
2 Rompers (one is just a copy of the other that I had made in Hoi An)
2 jumpsuits I had made in Hoi An (inspired by my Madewell Jumpsuit)
2 Cute shirts (one linen for the heat, one basic cute grey shirt)
4 sports bras
5 athletic shirts (for running + sleeping in). One is from Vuori & one is from Lululemon. I need more of these shirts this time around since I am planning to go to the gym everyday in Medellin
Booty shorts (to sleep in)
5 pairs of underwear
9 pairs of socks
1 black bralette
Running shoes
Waterproof sandals (will act as my water shoe as well as my cute shoes- I never said the backpacker lifestyle was glamorous haha)
Pair of white sneakers (bought these in Japan)
Light Patagonia puffer – good for chilly planes/busses & for when I visit countries that are a little cooler, even in the summer. It also smushes down fairly small so it’s a great backpacker jacket. I’ve also used it as a pillow in a pinch.
1 Swimsuit (I don’t foresee doing much swimming on this trip, but it’s always smart to bring one)
Sunglasses (Warby Parker)
Hat
Rain coat (Patagonia; you can pack it up into its pocket so I can easily attach it to the outside of my bag via a carabiner)
Running belt – I don’t use it often since my Lululemon Fast & Free’s have a pocket for my phone, but every once in a while it comes in handy.
Tortuga Packable Daypack – This is their latest version of their daypack! Very excited to try it out. It packs into itself if you don’t want to use it. This is my personal item for flights.
Tortuga Travel Sling crossbody bag (I put it into my daypack on travel days). I use this out and about on a daily basis. It fits my iPad mini & passport in the back zipper pocket. In the main pocket I can put keys, credit cards, cash, AirPods, chapstick, sunscreen, etc.

ELECTRONICS

Computer + Charger
iPad
iPhone + Charger (I get a 6 ft cord so I can always reach the plug from my hotel dorm bed!)
AirPod Pro’s
Headphones (Bose; noise-cancelling for travel days)
Plug adapter (I use this one)
Portable charger (like this one)
AirTag (This is a no brainer these days; provides peace of mind incase I am forced to check my bag or when it’s below me in a bus. Always nice to confirm it’s still with me!)

TOILETRIES (I USE A BUNCH OF LITTLE TOILETRY BAGS TO KEEP THESE ALL ORGANIZED)

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Any medication you take
Retainer
Deodorant
Tiny roller perfume
Makeup
Makeup Remover (I’ve become obsessed with cleansing balm for this because it isn’t a liquid, & it’s highly effective at getting makeup off at the end of the day!
Razor
Conditioner + Shampoo (Get containers to put your products into & refill on the road!!)
Face wash
Hair Brush
Pocket Hand Sanitizer– I keep one in my backpack and one in my sling/purse. Great in general, but also for when inevitably there is no soap at a random bus stop bathroom 🙂
Sunscreen (I love Sun Bum)
Chapstick (Don’t forget to get one with SPF)
Tiger balm (I picked this up in Southeast Asia and it’s now a staple in my bag. Great for mosquito bites and just feeling a little sick. It’s kinda like Vick’s vapor rub).
Ibuprofen
Hair ties and bobby pins
Moleskin
Bandaids
Cough drops
Topical steroid cream for bed bug bites or regular bug bites to help with itchiness

MISCELLANEOUS

Passport – no explanation necessary 🙂
ID (I bring my driver’s license)
Travel Credit Card (no foreign transaction fee; I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve (hello lounge access!)+ Capital One Venture Card)
Debit Card (Charles Schwab has the best one because it reimburses ATM fees from any ATM in the world 🙂)
Record of your plans (I make folders within my email inbox to keep track of everything or you could print out a copy of your itinerary)
Extra Passport photos
Thumb drive with all documentation if desired
Sarong/beach blanket- My roommate got this for me! Perfect for any countries where I need to cover up more as well as the beach or to dry off from a swim. I didn’t bring my quick dry towel with me this time since my apartment/airbnb provided a towel for the duration of my stay.
Water Bottle
Ear Plug
Eye Mask (you can either go the classic eye mask route or get one like this that almost acts like your eye mask + ear plug since you can play white noise through the built in bluetooth speaker- pretty cool!)
Lock (for staying in hostels or locking my bag.) Get the combo lock so you don’t have to worry about tiny keys. I take two to be able to lock two different compartments in my bag AND so I can keep my computer/passport/iPad compartment still locked when I use the other one to lock a locker within a hostel.
3 carabiners – I just attach them to my backpack and over the course of the trip they will hold everything from my water bottle, shoes, rain jacket and more. You will not regret having a few on hand.
Pack of playing cards
Face mask (I’ve used this while feeling sick as well as on a dusty motorcycle ride)
2 pens for writing postcards & for my Spanish classes

Here is what I packed in each packing cube:

Swimsuit, 3 sports bras, 8 socks, booty shorts, bralette

Two jumpsuits, two rompers, jean shorts, 5 pairs of leggings

All packed up! 40L Tortuga Lite Backpack, Tortuga Packable daypack (personal item), Tortuga Sling bag, and my airport outfit

Hasta Luego!! 🙂

Machu Picchu

December 17, 2018December 17, 2018Leave a comment

HIKING THE SALKANTAY TRAIL TO MACCU PICCHU

4 days, 3 nights

While you can find tours that are cheaper than booking with Salkantay Trekking, you won’t be sorry to spend the extra money. You get to sleep under the stars in glass domes, in tents, and in a hotel, as opposed to sleeping outside in the cold or on the ground, like other tours. Additionally, you will be served some of the most amazing food by a chef who is dedicated to your tour group (up to 12 people). I can’t recommend booking with this company enough!

WHERE WE STAYED:

The first night was my favorite accommodation. We stayed in glass domes with views of the stars above. Despite the cold outside, the sleeping bags and blankets were more than enough to create a cozy, warm environment inside. The second night we spent in a tent under a thatched roof. Unfortunately it rained a decent amount before and while we were there so the tent was slightly damp, which tainted the experience a bit. However, it was still better than sleeping on the ground- which is what many other tours offer. Our last night we stayed in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the mountain which Maccu Picchu is perched upon.

Accommodation Night 1

Accommodation Night 2

Accommodation night 3 was a hotel in Aguas Calientes

WHAT WE ATE:

One of the main reasons to chose Salkantay Trekking over the many other tour companies is the food quality. IT IS JUST SO GOOD (and I am a very picky eater). We also had one vegetarian, one one nut allergy, and someone who was gluten-free. Despite all the diets to balance, each meal was a full spread filled with delicious options. A personal chef travels with our group the first 3 days and prepare hot, fresh food for each meal. For the amount of money we spent on the tour, this was an incredible feature. I can’t explain enough how this really made the trip so special.

Night one dinner spot

Lunch spread

Dinner spread

WHAT WE DID:

Each of the four days on the trek was unique. Day 1 was fairly easy. After being picked up around 4am from each our hostels, we drove for a few hours before we stopped for a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant somewhere in the countryside outside of Cusco. After fueling up we walked about 2 hours to the location of our first campsite. Such a magical spot. It would become my favorite spot of the whole trip. After eating lunch, we set off up a mountain up to Humantay Lake. It was surreal walking around the huge valley completed surrounded by nature. This is one of my parts about backpacking- escaping the human world and immersing myself in the natural world. Overall we walked around 7.5 miles (12km) and gained 5,000 feet (1,250m) of elevation.

Where it all began

The group!

The long road ahead

The Incan aqueducts

Base camp for night on1

The hike up to Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake

The group at Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake

New friend

Day 2 was the hardest day. We would reach our highest elevation (aka no oxygen) and walk the farthest. After an early wakeup call (~5am) we got our day started with a delicious breakfast spread including coca tea. Unfortunately it was drizzling the entire morning, which was when we had the most difficult hiking of the day. The morning would entail a 4 mile hike straight up to the Salkantay Pass. It would be a 3,000 foot elevation gain and would take 3 hours to complete. Despite the mist and rain that we faced, I couldn’t help but not care as the views definitely made up for it. As we left our glass domed campsite nestled in the beautiful valley, we slowly traded green, grassy mountainsides for snow-capped peaks. By the time we reached the pass, snow was all you could see- under my feet and all the mountains surrounding us.

Early morning start with rain

Almost at the summit

We made it!

15,255 feet

After pausing for a snack at the peak, we began our descent to our next campsite. The further we got away from the peak, the warmer it became. Immediately our group began to peel off our many layers, including our rain gear. 3 miles later we stopped for lunch and a quick rest. After lunch, we quickly entered what is known as the “cloud forrest”, the upper part of the Amazon jungle. We finished the last 6 miles in this climate. We were rewarded with many birds and beautiful plants and trees during this part of the trek. Finally we arrived at the Chauflay Village, where we camped for the night. There was wifi and electricity at this camp, so the peak of luxury 🙂

On the other side of the pass

Entering the high jungle

Unbelievable scenery

We were offered two options for day 3: either hike 16.1 miles to Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu or visit a coffee plantation and natural hot springs and finish with about a 5 mile hike to Aguas Calientes. Naturally I convinced our group to choose the latter. It was interesting to see how coffee was made at a local plantation and it was glorious to sooth our aching muscles in the hot springs. After the morning activities and lunch at the hot springs, we drove a bit towards Aguas Calientes. However, since there are no cars allowed, tourists have two options of getting there: walking or taking the famous train. Given we had already skipped the morning part of the trek, we threw on our hiking gear and began our walk along the train tracks. Luckily it was fairly flat so it wasn’t too tough on our already sore bodies. 3 hours later we arrived in Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the town where everyone stays the night before they go to Machu Picchu. As I mentioned there are no cars, but the train runs right through town. That night we were put up in a (very basic) hotel room and went to dinner at a local restaurant. Fairly quickly after dinner we rushed home to get into bed because tomorrow would bring an early 4am wake up call in order to be first in line to take the bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

On our way to the coffee plantation

Coffee beans we collected right off the trees

Processing the beans

After roasting the beans

Coffee

Gathering the beans

Roasting the beans

The Hot Springs

Enjoying the rest

Walking along the train tracks

High jungle

Aguas Calientes appears

Day 4: Machu Picchu. You can either hike 90 min up the mountain or take a 45 min bus (and after all the walking we did, we happily voted for the bus). By 4:30am we were standing in line for the bus. Once the busses start running around 5:30am, we were on the second bus up. It is so worth it to be on the first couple of busses up. In the first hour or so, it feels like you have Machu Picchu all to yourself.

We made it

Early morning

Up in the clouds

I spent the rest of the day wandering on my own, taking many breaks to just sit and take it all in. Pictures don’t do it justice- I highly recommend going and seeing it for yourself!

Machu Picchu

So beautiful

My favorite photo

The valley

Machu Picchu from afar

SO CUTE

Can’t handle the cuteness!!!

Obligatory selfie

Many hours later, I met up with the rest of our group and we made our way to the train station. Our magical journey to Machu Picchu had come to an end.

Our ride out of Aguas Calientes and back to Cusco

Lima + Cusco

December 17, 2018December 17, 2018Leave a comment

I spent a total of 10 days in Peru, but I wish I could spend a month! Peru is just lovely. Felt completely safe as a solo female traveler. English is fairly widely spoken in the places I went, although I speak Spanish so I would be fine anywhere. Peru definitely is set up for international travelers, which makes it great as a first trip to South America.

CITY: LIMA

HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at the Pariwana hostel located in the Miraflores neighborhood of Lima. This is a pretty common area for travelers to stay in and there are tons of hostels to choose from. This hostel has a hot shower, lockers for your bags, and a great (free) breakfast. It was easy to meet people in the dorm rooms as well as upstairs on the roof top hangout spot. Tons of comfy lounge chairs and couches in the shade. Overall I really liked this hostel and would stay here again!

WHERE TO EAT:

Lima has some of the best food… but between my day tours and being jet legged I honestly didn’t eat anywhere noteworthy other than for some churros at Manolo. I had churros with some warm chocolate sauce for dipping. Delicioso! Definitely do your research and find some of the yummy gems in Lima.

The famous churros

WHAT TO DO:

My time in Lima was filled with two main activities: the free walking tour and a day trip to Paracas + Huacachina.

After landing in Lima at 8am, I knew I couldn’t immediately go to sleep even though I was dead-tired from my red-eye from California so I chose to drop my stuff at the hostel, grab a quick bite of the free breakfast and jump on the free waking tour. So glad I did because I met some fun people I ended up spending the rest of the day with.

The main park near my hostel

The park is famous for its many cats

The highlight of my time in Lima was the day trip to Paracas + Huacachina. I was picked up straight from my hostel at around 5:30am and was pleasantly surprised to find there were blankets and comfy chairs awaiting on the bus for us. After a few more pickups we were on our way to Paracas, the small seaside town where you can take a boat out to the Ballestas Islands. Once we arrived, we all climbed onto a large speedboat to head out to the uninhabited islands home to sea lions, penguins, and blue-footed booby. It was fabulous to see so many animals up close from the boat.

Sea Lions

After returning to Paracas and grabbing a bite to eat, we climbed back onto the bus to head to Huacachina, the famed desert oasis in Peru. It’s super cool! I wish I had spent the night here instead of only having a few hours, but alas a two week trip doesn’t allow for this. We had about an hour to walk around before hiking up the sand dunes to get in a dune buggy. We zoomed over the large sand dunes for 10 or 15 minutes before arriving to some large dunes primed for sand boarding. Our group quickly began sliding down headfirst on the the boards! This was only the beginning of the adventure that awaited for me in Peru!

The Oasis

Dunebuggy

Strapped in!

Let’s go!

The desert

The oasis

Ready for some sand boarding

Sunset

Sunset

Huacachina bathed in the sunset

CITY: CUSCO

HOW LONG: 6 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

Given the activities ahead of me in Cusco I did not want to stay in a party hostel. Sleep was key to fully taking advantage of all Cusco had to offer, however I still wanted to be able to meet people. Dragonfly Hostel was the perfect solution. I met tons of great people, but the rooms were fairly quiet. My 8 person room had it’s own bathroom and each bed had an assigned locker that fit my 44L backpack. There was a laundry-mat next to the hostel, which was great after finishing my 4-day trek. Also, the hostel had a kitchen and free breakfast every morning. Overall I would stay here again.

WHERE TO EAT:

For some reason the theme of food in Cusco for me was pizza. I ended up eating pizza three nights out of the five I was there. The first place I ate was Incanto Pizza. It felt like a treat. Peru was so cheap that while this felt like an upscale restaurant, my budget wasn’t compromised. After long day trips (often up at 4am), by the time I was back, picking up a pizza was about all the energy I could expend. Twice I went to the pizza place around the corner from my hostel and picked up a cheese pizza with bacon & no sauce (my favorite). A common option in many Peruvian restaurants is a “Set Menu” where for about ~10 soles (~$3 USD), you can get a starter, main course, dessert and drink. I experienced this at the restaurant directly next to my hostel, but you can find this all over town.

Incanto Pizza!

Despite my lack of creativity, Cusco is filled with amazing, cool, diverse restaurants. Tons of great local Peruvian cuisine as well as a large amount of vegetarian/vegan restaurants.

WHAT TO DO:

To start, Cusco is at a very high elevation so take it easy and drink some Coca tea. Then go explore Cusco! It looked like no other city I had been to. I loved the architecture and all the tiny streets and alleys. Spend at least one day meandering through all the shops and view points as it’s nestled in a little valley.

The main square

View from one of the many hills

Cusco

The main square

The old walls

After meeting a British couple in my hostel one late night, I was convinced to join them on a day trip to the Rainbow Mountain (also known as Vinicunca also known as Montaña de Siete Colores). At first I was skeptical since I had read it can be slightly dangerous to go up if it’s muddy and that the colors aren’t as bright as you have seen on Instagram, but I liked Kade and Megan so I decided to join them. I learned on my year abroad that life is more about who you are with than about what you are doing. So the next morning at 4am the three of us sleepily got on the bus and we were on our way. When we arrived to the base of the hike, it doesn’t look that far, however it’s not the distance that’s killer- it’s the elevation. It’s about a 2 hour hike up, but you start at 14,600 feet and end at 16,520 feet. For perspective, basecamp Everest is 17,590 feet. Boy, did I feel the elevation. It was so strange to walk about 10 steps and need to take a break. You can feel your heart beating what feels like 10x faster than normal. However, despite the many breaks, Kade, Megan and I successfully made it to the top. It was definitely worth the early morning and the slight altitude sickness. Just take a look for yourself!

On our way to Rainbow Mountain

My favorite horse

Half way up

Beautiful day

Megan + Kade

Traditional clothing

New friends

We made it!

The main event was my four day trek to Maccu Picchu, but see below for that. However, after my trek I had one more day in Cusco and I spent it at Qoya Spa at the Casa Cartagena Hotel because my muscles were screaming at me! It was an absolutely lovely day. I floated in the spa, breathed deeply in the steam room, and fell half asleep in my 90 min hot stone massage. The massage was ~120 USD and with it came the use of the spa for the entire day so after spending about 6 hours in the facility it felt like a great deal. Also, the hotel is gorgeous and if a day comes where I can afford to stay there, I plan to.

The hotel!

The most picturesque spot I could imagine

Where I lounged half the day

HIKING THE SALKANTAY TRAIL TO MACCU PICCHU

4 days, 3 nights

WHERE WE STAYED:

Accommodation Night 1

Accommodation Night 2

Accommodation night 3 was a hotel in Aguas Calientes

WHAT WE ATE:

Night one dinner spot

Lunch spread

Dinner spread

WHAT WE DID:

Where it all began

The group!

The long road ahead

The Incan aqueducts

Base camp for night on1

The hike up to Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake

The group at Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake

New friend

Early morning start with rain

Almost at the summit

We made it!

15,255 feet

On the other side of the pass

Entering the high jungle

Unbelievable scenery

On our way to the coffee plantation

Coffee beans we collected right off the trees

Processing the beans

After roasting the beans

Coffee

Gathering the beans

Roasting the beans

The Hot Springs

Enjoying the rest

Walking along the train tracks

High jungle

Aguas Calientes appears

We made it

Early morning

Up in the clouds

I spent the rest of the day wandering on my own, taking many breaks to just sit and take it all in. Pictures don’t do it justice- I highly recommend going and seeing it for yourself!

Machu Picchu

So beautiful

My favorite photo

The valley

Machu Picchu from afar

SO CUTE

Can’t handle the cuteness!!!

Obligatory selfie

Many hours later, I met up with the rest of our group and we made our way to the train station. Our magical journey to Machu Picchu had come to an end.

Our ride out of Aguas Calientes and back to Cusco

SaveSave

Where I have been (Cities)

March 13, 2018May 13, 20241 Comment

This is a list of all the cities I have been to (not including the US). If you are visiting any of these, feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Total: 280 cities

North America (excluding the US) (3 Countries )

Canada (2)

Vancouver
Whistler

Mexico (1)

Puerta Vallarta

The Bahamas (1)

Nassau

Europe (42 Countries)

Albania (1)

Shkodër

Austria (2)

Salzburg
Vienna

Belgium (7)

Brussels
Waterloo
Bruges
Knokke Beach
Leuven
Sint-Eloois-Winkel
Ghent

Bosnia (3)

Mostar
Blagaj
Pochitelj

Bulgaria (5)

Sofía
Plovdiv
Burgas
Nessebar
Sveti Vlas

Croatia (6)

Zagreb
Plitvice National Park
Zadar
Split
Supertar
Dubrovnik

Cyprus (1)

Larnaca

Czech Republic (1)

Prague

Denmark (1)

Copenhagen

England (29)

London
Milton Keynes
Salisbury
Worcester
Stratford-on-Avon
London Southend On Sea
Reigate
Brighton
Bath
Bradford-on-Avon
Cambridge
Ardingly
Lewes
Ditchling
Haywards Heath
Lindfield
Aylesbury
Sheffield
Castleton
Holmes Chapel
East Croyden
Twickenham
Croyde
Lynton
Lynmouth
Clovelly
Bristol
Red Hill
Manchester

Estonia (1)

Tallinn

Finland (2)

Helsinki
Porvoo

France (12)

L’isle sur la Sorgue, Provence
Chamonix
Paris
Loire valley
Versailles
St. Malo
Eauze
Nogaro
Aire-del-l’Adour
Arcachon
St Emillion
Bordeaux

Germany (5)

Munich
Hamburg
Bad Oldesloe
Berlin
Stuttgart

Greece (5)

Mykonos Town
Fira
OÍa
Kamira
Athens

Hungary (1)

Budapest

Iceland (1)

Reykjavik

Ireland (5)

Dublin
Galway
Tralee
Dingle
Killarney

Italy (14)

Lake Garda
Sestri Levante
Santa Margherita
Cinque Terre
Lake Como
San Gimignano
Siena
Florence
Naples
Ischia
Rome
Menori
Amalfi
Positano

Kosovo (2)

Prístina
Prizren

Latvia (2)

Riga
Sigulda

Liechtenstein (5)

Vaduz
Triesenberg
Malbun
Stausse Steg
Balzers

Lithuania (3)

Vilnius
Trakai
Kaunas

Luxembourg (1)

Luxembourg City

Montenegro (4)

Kotor
Cetinje
Budva
Ulcinj

North Macedonia (2)

Skopje
Ohrid

Northern Ireland (2)

Belfast
Derry

Norway (2)

Oslo
Bergen

Poland (2)

Warsaw
Krakow

Portugal (3)

Porto
Lisbon
Sintra

Romania (6)

Cluj-Napoca
Sighișoara
Alba Lulia
Sibiu
Brasov
Bucharest

Scotland (2)

Edinburgh
Loch Ness

Serbia (3)

Belgrade
Novi Sad
Bajina Basta

Slovakia (1)

Bratislava

Slovenia (5)

Ljubljana
Škofja Loka
Piran
Bled
Lake Bohinj

Spain (22)

Barcelona
Madrid
San Sebastián
Sitges
Montserrat
Mallorca
Seville
Valencia
Granada
Alicante
Cadaqués
Villanova de Arousa
Villagarcia de Arousa
Pontevedra
Vilassar de Dalt
Vilassar de Mar
Cábrils
Mátaro
Girona
Vidreres
Viladrau
Santa Coloma de Farners

Sweden (2)

Stockholm
Värmdö

Switzerland (11)

Geneva
Verbier
Le Chable
Lausanne
Lutry
Brienz
Grindelwald
Lauterbrunnen
Mürren
Gimmelwald
Kandersteg

The Netherlands (2)

Amsterdam
Utrecht

The Vatican (1)

The Vatican

Wales (1)

Cardiff

Africa (2 countries)

Egypt (3)

Cairo
Aswan
Hurghada

Morocco (3)

Chefchouan
Tangier
Tetouan

South America (2 countries)

Chile (3)

Santiago
San Jose de Maipo
Valparaiso

Peru (5)

Lima
Paracas
Ica
Cusco
Aguas Calientes

Oceania (3 countries)

Australia (15)

Melbourne
Sydney
Yamba
Byron bay
Brisbane
Noosa
Rainbow beach
Fraser Island
Airlie beach
Whitsundays
Magnetic island
Cairns
Port Douglas
Cronella
Gymea Bay

Fiji (2)

Nadi
Matagi Island

New Zealand (14)

Auckland
Hot water beach
Waitomo
Rotarua
Taupo
Wellington
Picton
Kaiteriteri
Westport
Franz Josef
Wanaka
Queenstown
Christchurch
Mount Cook

Asia (10 countries)

Cambodia (1)

Siem Reap

Indonesia (6)

Canggu
Ubud
Gili T
Nusa Penida
Uluwatu
Seminyak

Japan (3)

Tokyo
Kyoto
Hakone

Laos (3)

Vientiane
Vang Vieng
Luang Prabang

Malaysia (7)

Kota Kinabalu
Sepilok
Mabul
Sipadan
George Town
Cameron Highlands
Langkawi

Singapore (1)

Singapore

Thailand (8)

Koh Lipe
Koh Lanta
Khao Sok
Koh Tao
Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Pai
Chiang Rai

The Philippines (6)

Coron
El Nido
Bohol
Siquijor
Moalboal
Malapascua

Turkey (4)

Istanbul
Goreme/Cappadocia
Antalya
Arnavutköy

Vietnam (6)

Hanoi
Ha Long Bay
Cat Ba City
Ninh Binh
Ha Giang
Hoi An