What nobody tells you about visiting Peru

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Peru. Some things matched: Sacred Valley is as spectacular as every review says, and Iquitos has a genuine energy I'd read about. The causa obsession is completely justified.

What I wasn't prepared for: Machu Picchu lives up to its reputation. That element genuinely surprised me and added something I hadn't seen in any review. Also: altitude sickness in Cusco hits hard. That part the reviews undersell. Overall a wonderful trip — just a more layered experience than I anticipated.