La Isla de Los Monos is the best place to see monkeys up close and personal when you're in Iquitos. This is a legitimate rescue shelter that rehabilitates monkeys rescued from the pet trade for release.

My two tours in Lima, Peru were of the city center and a bike ride along the coast to the south end of the city.

The massive Chimú adobe city of Chan Chan is more famous and larger than the Moche temple Huaca de la Luna but I think the huaca is more impressive. Read the blog to find out why!

Huanchaco is one of Peru’s best surf destinations. Waves are consistent year-round and there are beaches for beginners as well as expert surfers. The town has a dozen surf schools and is a great place to learn.

My top 5 for Trujillo and Huanchaco on Peru’s northern coast. Here’s where to go and what to do in the city and on the beach!

The Larco Museum is one of the best museums in Lima. If you only have time for one museum, put this at the top of your list.

My top tips for food and activities in Iquitos! The city is an island in the Amazon Rainforest, only accessible by plane and boat. Untethered to the rest of the country, it felt more like I was in Malaysia than Peru.

Chinchero is a village that’s been famous for fine textiles for hundreds of years. Today weavers are holding tight to a tradition that’s threatened with modernity and a new airport in their backyard.

How can you support reforestation in the Amazon? Visit nature preserves like Mirador Pico de Hoz where Yonatan Puma has reforested his family’s farm.

My week in a cabin at the Manu BioLodge was deluxe! Every day I went hiking & bird watching. I also met many of the scientists whose research is supported by funding from people who stay at the lodge.

Paucartambo’s festival for the Virgin of Carmen is a 4 day extravaganza of dance, music, fireworks and theater. If you’re in Peru in July, plan to visit Paucartambo at least one day between July 15-18.

My first experience acting in a commercial was on PeruRail from Cusco to Puno, Peru. I got to work with talented people, ride a luxurious train and see Puno & the Uros floating islands for the first time!

Inti Raymi is an all-day musical extravaganza that takes place every year in Cusco on June 24. It’s a theater production in Quechua with hundreds of actors of singing and dancing.

Remaking the Q’eswachaka bridge with grass every year is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. Here’s my travel tips for how to get there and when to go!

It’s not every year that Machu Picchu has something new to offer. Huchuy Picchu is a much easier hike than Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain and still offers great views.

Why was the vicuña so important for ancient Inca culture and why is it still so important for modern Quechua people today? Plus, conservations efforts and threats the vicuña still faces.

Machu Picchu reopened February 15, 2023 and there are a lot of new regulations you need to know about for the main part of the ruins and all the extra hikes like Huayna Picchu.

Choquequirao means “cradle of gold” in Quechua and while the mineral gold may have all been looted, the site itself is gold in every other way. I recommend planning a full day at the ruins, plus 4 days for the trek itself.

Puerto Maldonado, in the Peruvian Amazon, has an astonishing array of wildlife at every turn. Even with a few day tours, you can see several species of monkeys, macaws, parrots, toucans and caiman.

The top day hikes in Huaraz from my two week visit: here’s what you need to know for easy solo hikes or guided glacier climbs with crampons - and everything in between!