***This vacation was taken before I started blogging and before I started photos of my meals. It still contains relevant info on sightseeing and dining.***
When I first heard about the Inca ruins at Macchu Picchu in Peru, I knew that was a place I wanted to visit. In January 2007, I made that dream a reality. Vegan travel to a South American country had its challenges to be sure. However, the old staples of rice, beans, and grains are always a good standby (and delicious I might add).

My tour included stops in the capital city of Lima then off to the Sacred Valley and Cusco. I found vegan fare along the way.This particular vacation tour was quite filled with activity. During my break time from the tour, I hopped into a taxi to seek out several of the vegetarian-friendly restaurants I had found on HappyCow.net. Unfortunately for me, each one I attempted to visit was either closed at the time I arrived or no longer open for business. Apparently one of the best ones in Lima is Bircher-Benner. However, I arrived on Sunday, the only day it was closed and my time in this city was limited. Fortunately, I have a friend who lives in Lima. He brought me to the trendy Miraflores district which has a wonderful Lebanese restaurant. I must admit, this is the BEST falafel I’ve ever tasted anywhere! I enjoyed the meal and the wonderful, contemporary neighborhood nightlife. There are several vegan-friendly, vegetarian restaurants in the city including: El Paraiso Bio Leben in the fancy Miraflores district, El Paraiso de la Salud Restaurante Vegetariano Integral which is macrobiotic, and Natur – Union (listed on HappyCow as “VERY vegan-friendly).

My tour group visited an Inca museum in Lima. It housed hundreds upon hundreds of vases and ceramic items. We also visited a pre-Incan ruins settlement right on the outskirts of the city. In the evening, we ate dinner at a buffet-style restaurant which provided excellent entertainment for the evening. There were dancers in traditional Peruvian outfits doing local dances. My local friend brought me to the Museum Of The Inquisition and Congress House. This fascinating place included a passageway of underground dungeons. Our next stop was the National Museum of Anthropology and History. The vast collection exhibited here consisted of pre-Columbian textiles,ceramics, and silver, in addition to artwork from later periods. We then proceeded to visit several gorgeous old churches in the area. My tour group’s evening venture brought us to an archealogical site just 30km from Lima, the pre-Incan ruins of Pachacamac.

Finally we arrived at our next destination: Cuzco. This is the gateway to Macchu Picchu country. Cusco was truely a quaint little town complete with old, impressive churches, local at galleries, and street performers. Little children scurried by as they anxiously approached me, begging me to purchase their postcards or handwoven goods. They asked for name. They followed me around town with “shout outs” of “Maria, Maria..please buy my postcards!” Onto the next adventure.. My large group toured the old cathedral filled with beautiful wood carvings and paintings followed by a stroll along the art district. The tour group arranged a dinner at a restaurant which also included music. The performers dressed in colorful, local costume and performed many traditional, Peruvian folk dances. I really enjoyed it.

Our next stop was Saqsayhuaman Fortress. It is a huge stone facade. It is thought to be an astronomic observatory and an Inca oracle.

For my lunch break the next day, I ate at Govinda’s, a Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant that is popular in Latin American countries. I always enjoy the meals there. This location had vegan versions of local Peruvian dishes. That is exactly what I was hoping to try. You can have a vegan version of a local favorite Lomo Saltado with potato, or ceviche. I don’t recall everything I ate there. I just remember it was all local cuisine and it was delicious. Their cakes and pies were fabulous! The ancient quinoa grain hails from this region. I do love to partake in a meal that includes quinoa. However, it was not available on any of the menus where I dined ironically.

The next morning we boarded our bus and left this wondrous, magical place to head towards our final destination: Macchu Picchu. Our drive through the Sacred Valley brought us by beautiful waterways, deep green valleys, and glorious mountain ranges. A sight to behold! We stopped at Pisac outdoor market to purchase crafts and souvenirs from local people dressed in traditional, colorful attire, hats, and capes.

While in the Sacred Valley, our first tour destination was a visit to see local women spun yarn and produced handmade woven goods on the premises also.

I got the opportunity to feed a meal of alfalfa to the alpaca later on in the valley. Its definitely a fun experience! The lush, green landscape was a sight to behold in this region.

We made a stop at Ollantaytambo Incan ruins.

To get to Macchu Picchu is no small feat. We hopped on our bus then drove hour to the train station only to catch the train for a 2 hour ride. Its worth the extra $100 to take the train with the panoramic windows. The upclose view of the mountains is out of this world. Finally we arrive at our destination. Macchu Picchu is absolutely breathtaking! We enter the gate and spend a few hours walking around this magnificent, enormous ancient ruins and city. You need to still for a while and just take in this gorgeous landscape. You then start to truely appreciate the perfectly constructed city and the brilliant ancient peoples who designed and built it. If there is ever a place to visit in your lifetime, this should be a consideration. Its immensely breathtaking!

This was one of my favorite vacations ever. I truely enjoyed the traditional, indigenous culture, the beautiful landscapes and ruins, and food of Peru.