What do most people want and desire on their 40th Birthday. I wold guess a big hoopla party, a big diamond to celebrate half of your life passed by, or even a girls trip to an island somewhere. None of these choice options for my dear GF. She wanted to trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Being in love with anything outdoors and hiking related I was 100% in. The planning process began months ago. But the day finally arrived on Tuesday November 7th our flight to Cusco, Peru. Here are the beginnings of an epic adventure with some great company. We picked a local trekking company from Peru named Valencia Travels. It was very easy to connect with them via email regarding any questions or concerns. They were easy to work with and all the guides were so friendly and helpful. The guides are with you from the time you land to the time you leave Cusco. We booked a 4 day 3 night trek with them. Which was the perfect amount of time to see everything at a good pace. They also suggest to arrive a day early in Cusco to acclimatize before the trek.
The city of Cusco is historic capital of the Inca Empire lies at merely 11,152 ft elevation. It’s so beautiful and very colonial looking. The main square is filled with beautiful historic churches. Don’t be fooled by the local people who dress in their traditional attire, one picture and you will have to tip them. The guides recommended for us to start drinking the coco leaves tea or chew them like gum but not swallow. Unfortunately for me it made me sick to my stomach. But my friends were fine with the leaves. It’s meant to help with the altitude sickness. I really enjoyed the city and the food of the locals. Quinoa was the main staple along with beans, meat and rice as the local dishes. The local drivers have the right of way and not the public. So you have to very careful when crossing any road the cars will not stop to let you pass.
Zabardast Life 
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