A question was posed to more than one million travellers; “where would you go if money were no object?” Out of more than 30 destinations that were put forward from entrants around the world, Peru’s Machu Picchu was hailed as the world’s most desired destination.
The survey was conducted by Hostelworld.com, a leading hostel booking website, during its new marketing initiative My Awesome Escape and results showed that the ancient Inca citadel in Cusco was the number one on traveller’s bucket lists worldwide.
With popularity of this ancient Incan citadel increasing, travellers are seeking alternative routes and desire an equally as authentic journey where the roads are less travelled. The Inca Trail is the most well-known, however here are a few top tips on alternative routes to Machu Picchu.
The Lares adventure
The Lares route is the picture of primal beauty. Think bubbling thermal waters, misty river valleys, and fertile soil. The operators who work here generally offer three to five day adventures, and whichever way travellers choose, it will be rewarding. Along the way travellers will find beautiful indigenous textiles from the Andes and locally made wools, something that the Lares region is known for. Often dubbed Weaver’s Way, the valley is sprinkled with llama and alpaca herding communities whose beautifully wrought geometrics are legend.
The Lares route is the picture of primal beauty. Think bubbling thermal waters, misty river valleys, and fertile soil. The operators who work here generally offer three to five day adventures, and whichever way travellers choose, it will be rewarding. Along the way travellers will find beautiful indigenous textiles from the Andes and locally made wools, something that the Lares region is known for. Often dubbed Weaver’s Way, the valley is sprinkled with llama and alpaca herding communities whose beautifully wrought geometrics are legend.
Take the high road to Salkantay
The five-day camino Salkantay literally takes the high road. Weaving its way to the ruins via trails that are around 15,000 feet high at times, travellers will find themselves up close and personal with some of the area’s most famous peaks, including Salkantay.
The five-day camino Salkantay literally takes the high road. Weaving its way to the ruins via trails that are around 15,000 feet high at times, travellers will find themselves up close and personal with some of the area’s most famous peaks, including Salkantay.
The dramatic Patacancha trek
Tour companies in Peru are also pioneering their own new treks such as Patacancha trek which focuses more on the less frequented trails and winds through the dramatic Patacancha Valley’s snowy peaks, woodlands and waterfalls at an average height of 4,500 metres, with stunning panoramas as far as the eye can see. The Patacancha trek is a four day alternative that abandons the tourist trails and heads for areas of Peru that are unfamiliar to human footprints.
Tour companies in Peru are also pioneering their own new treks such as Patacancha trek which focuses more on the less frequented trails and winds through the dramatic Patacancha Valley’s snowy peaks, woodlands and waterfalls at an average height of 4,500 metres, with stunning panoramas as far as the eye can see. The Patacancha trek is a four day alternative that abandons the tourist trails and heads for areas of Peru that are unfamiliar to human footprints.
The little sister, Choquequirao
Dubbed as Machu Picchu’s little sister, Choquequirao offers something that its big sister has outgrown, solitude. Though the site is harder to get to, this means travellers will most likely have the place to themselves. The ruins of Choquequirao are surrounded by snowy peaks and lush slopes, and were equally sacred to the Incas as Machu Picchu.
Dubbed as Machu Picchu’s little sister, Choquequirao offers something that its big sister has outgrown, solitude. Though the site is harder to get to, this means travellers will most likely have the place to themselves. The ruins of Choquequirao are surrounded by snowy peaks and lush slopes, and were equally sacred to the Incas as Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu is an historic sanctuary recognised by UNESCO, as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage, and now according to more than a million people around the world it is the world´s most desired destination.
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