As the epicenter of the Spanish subjugation of the Western Hemisphere, Peru still bears the scars and aftershocks of conquest (Jared Diamond’s influential Guns, Germs, and Steel tells the story well and insightfully). That may seem an odd way to invite you to visit it, but the fact is that this unvaryingly welcoming country tugs at the heart like few other places.

All of Peru’s charms, scenic and human, are on display on this less-than-two-week hiking and touring trip centered around a series of magnificently sited lodges: Salcantay, Wayra, Colpa, and Lucma. Beautifully built, sumptuous (private rooms graced with grand views; hot showers; great food), they look like they were airlifted from one of Vail’s better neighborhoods. We begin in Lima and fly to Cusco, where we put up at the Hotel Monasterio, one of the world’s great hotels (built by the devout Spaniards, who would no doubt be floored by the use it’s put to today). For the next five days we’ll trek from lodge to lodge in the Inca Highlands, getting to know its people and soaking up top-flight Andean landscapes. We end with a short train ride to Machu Picchu (see our trip to Pablo Neruda’s “rock that abides”, Machu Picchu and the Urubamba), where we spend two nights in order to enjoy the ruins at a relaxed pace. We leave there with our hearts full, our eyes open, and our memory banks well stocked.

Day 1: USA to Lima • Day 2: morning flight to Cusco, Hotel Monasterio • Day 3: visit Pisac market, overnight in Cusco • Day 4: drive to first luxury lodge; short day hike in area • Day 5: day hike or relax at lodge • Days 6–8: trekking, with overnights at luxury lodges • Day 9: arrive in Machu Picchu • Day 10: full-day exploration of Machu Picchu • Day 11: return to Cusco • Day 12: fly to Lima, tour city, depart for USA • Day 13: arrive home.

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