Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read Beyond the Peru Hop: When Peru Became Real.
Let’s keep moving beyond my review of the stops on the Peru Hop bus.
The Peru Hop bus made everything feel organized, almost curated, like Peru was something I was passing through rather than actually living in. That changed the moment I stayed in one place. Real life doesn’t happen between stops on a map. It happens in the routines, the frustrations, and the quiet discoveries when you stop moving long enough for a place to start feeling familiar.
Cusco was where Peru stopped being a highlight reel and started becoming daily life. My first hotel was just a landing spot. Functional, nothing more. It didn’t take long to realize I needed something steadier. The Spanish language school I attended was bad. Let’s just say enthusiasm doesn’t always translate into effective teaching. Eventually, I found my footing at Kilaqente, a place that became home for a full month, with all the comfort and imperfection that “home” tends to mean on the road.
Paqarina San Blas
My first base in Cusco was the Paqarina San Blas, chosen mainly because it was close to the language school I had signed up for. The location made sense on paper – San Blas is walkable, full of character, and close enough to everything I thought I would need.
No website. I found it on Booking dot com.
The adventure began when the taxi Peru Hop had hired to take some of us to our hotels, dropped me off at a nearby plaza. This was just before 7pm. It’s dark outside and I am in an unknown area. I was no more than a 3 minute walk to my hotel and reached there quickly and without any problems. All the while wondering why the driver didn’t come down this street because other cars were having no difficulty.
I stepped into the reception area only to discover it is empty. The hotel advertised itself as 24/7 reception which is one of the reasons I chose it. More safety for a solo female traveller.
But I get it. If there is only one person on duty, there are any number of reasons they might have to step away from the desk for a few minutes.
I rang the bell. In fact I rang it a few times. A guest had walked in the door behind me with a pizza and said the reception would probably return soon. He came back through the lobby 15 minutes later and there I am still waiting for service. He was a bit appalled and asked me if I’d like a tea and ducked into the nearby hallway where the tea and coffee station was.
A man walked inside while the fellow was fixing my tea. He worked there and said he’d go hunt down the receptionist. She returned a few minutes later and I finally got checked in and led up to my room. I’d booked a mountain view, but at night I couldn’t tell what kind of view I had and if it was the room I’d reserved.
The room, however, came with its own lessons in adaptation. It was on the top floor with skylights, which sounds charming, except I prefer to sleep in a dark room. Light has a way of arriving early and staying late at that altitude.
There was also the issue of privacy. The windows faced out onto the communal breakfast area, which wasn’t just for breakfast. It was a shared space throughout the day, which meant keeping the curtains open felt like living in a fishbowl. I learned quickly that “cozy boutique hotel” and “comfortable long-term base” are not always the same thing.
If I wanted the mountain view, I had to open the curtains and be on full display to anyone sitting outside.
Spanish classes
I had signed up for Spanish classes at the Amauta Spanish School.
Now if I thought my hotel was a learning experience, the real experiment, though, was Amauta. On paper it looked promising, but the reality didn’t match the expectation.
I signed up for group classes and the first morning I had a very pleasant teacher and there was one other woman, around my age, in the class.
Midmorning another teacher took over and a young fellow who was pretty much fluent in Spanish joined the class. At this point it was like sitting in a room observing while a private Spanish class was going on between the fellow and the teacher with their rapid fire conversations.
At this point the school has my money and all I could do was make the best of a bad thing.
I was hoping to improve my vocabulary and conversation skills, but that didn’t happen. We watched short movies and wasted too much time on grammar.
On Wednesday an administrator – Jose – sent me an email and asked if I was enjoying the classes. I told him I was not. At this point you would think Jose would reach out and offer solutions to improve the situation, but he didn’t. Never heard from him again.
The last day – Friday – was a huge waste with little classroom time. The students gathered in the main room and were given certificates of comp!etion. What? Why? Who cares about a piece of paper that says been there done that? And then most of the students gave some lengthy speech like they had just won an Oscar. When they called my name, I declined to accept it. No stupid speech from me and I didn’t want my photo taken.
Another missed opportunity for staff to troubleshoot with me. But they had my money. They didn’t care.
Kilaqente
I’m a nomad and budget traveller. I found a good deal on the Kilaqente Hotel for one month, so I packed up my backpack and walked to the new hotel, about 15 minutes walk away.
This is a safe place for a solo female traveller to stay. The exterior door is always locked. To gain entrance, ring the doorbell. Reception is 24/7. That doesn’t necessarily mean someone is awake all the time. There is a bedroom behind the reception desk where the overnight shift can snooze. Until the doorbell rings…
Kilaqente was about a 10 to 15 minute walk to the San Blas neighborhood or the Plaza de Armas. In the neighborhood are many restaurants and a market. Plus lots of smaller shops. The kind of place you run in to grab a water, pop, or snacks.
I’m not sure what else there is to say about the Kilaqente that I didn’t cover in a YouTube video.
Cusco
Here I am up in the Andes in the Inca capital of Cusco. I loved it there. Well, maybe not all the huffing and puffing from the altitude. Cusco is around 3200 meters above sea level and there is about 30% less oxygen at that altitude. Add in all the hills … You can see why I’m huffing and puffing.
Even the last block to Kilaqente was uphill. I’d have to stop and catch my breath before ringing the doorbell for entry!
I spent most of my days walking and discovering new neighborhoods. I liked sitting in the Plaza de Armas and just soaking up the vibe people watching. The problem is once you sit down to enjoy yourself, you get besieged by vendors selling jewellery, paintings, city tours, ice cream, jello, and tacky souvenirs.
In the days leading up to Christmas the Santurantikuy Christmas market arrives. Here you can buy just about everything for your nativity scene.
There was a Saturday market in the Plaza Túpac Amaru, that was a 10 minute walk from my hotel. It also transformed into a daily Christmas market in the week before Christmas. Loved going there for a slice of cake!
During my time in Cusco I took a day trip to the Sacred Valley and bought a tourist ticket that was good for 10 days to get me entry into some of the ruins on that tour. It also included entry to some ruins above Cusco, museums, and an evening music show.
I also went on a tour bus that was just about the worst city tour I’ve ever taken anywhere in the world! Yup, I got bamboozled by one of those vendors in the Plaza de Armas.
Artists
Every day in the Plaza de Armas I got accosted by several “artists” carrying portfolio satchels and showing me their drawings and paintings. Even though I said I have no money, I’m a nomad with no home to hang artwork, no room in my backpack, and a few other excuses, every one of them would open up their satchel and show me their art work.
When it finally clued into them that I had no interest, the priced dropped to just $1.
Yeah, right.
I’m no art expert, but after a few encounters it became obvious to me that all the artwork looked suspiciously similar.
One day I had a good conversation with an artist who spoke decent English and wanted to practice and chat with me for awhile even after I told him I had no money and wouldn’t be buying his artwork. I asked him if he really drew and painted these pieces.
In other words – are they originals?
I didn’t add that his pictures looked the same as all the other artist vendors. They all are drawings of llamas, Peruvian landscapes, Machu Picchu, children…
It looks to me like mass produced tourist art.
This fellow claimed he drew them from a nearby village where he lives and how he takes a bus into Cusco every day to sell them.
Things got a little creepy when I ran into him later that morning. Not in the plaza, but in a nearby street. He asked me to buy him a coffee. We had already established earlier I didn’t have any money with me. So I pulled a few centavos out of my pocket, 10 and 20 centavo coins, perhaps totalling less than one sol, approximately 30¢. He was telling me about the cheap coffee that cost 4 soles while I was showing him the proof I didn’t have that much money with me. Then he told me that he was sick and asked me to buy him something to eat too. I just kept on with my no money, no money.
Artist or pushy vendor?
I walked away and then it rained heavily for 20 minutes and I stood beneath a covered sidewalk with many others.
After the rain stopped, I headed back to Kilaqente. At the halfway point I stepped inside a coffee shop called Buscando Nombre Specialty Coffee for an iced caramel latte and bannafee pie. Yummy! And yes – it cost a whole lot more than 4 soles! I lied about how much money I had on me. Safety first, ladies.
Machu Picchu
Let’s get to the nitty gritty. The number one tourist attraction in Peru is the lost city of the Incas – Machu Picchu. I booked my tickets about 5 months in advance, Circuit 1 and Circuit 2.
First I had to get myself by train to Aguas Calientes where I spent two nights.
That meant two nights I wouldn’t be sleeping in Kilaqente. Seeing as how it costs US $25 to bring luggage on the train, it was cheaper to keep my hotel room for a month and leave the bulk of my stuff there.
In Aguas Calientes I bought a bus ticket – $25 return – to Machu Picchu. Oh, I did get a guide who put a little group together from the bus line up and got a tour of Circuit 2. It wasn’t a particularly good tour, but it was interesting. This was one of these guides that you hear about who cross over into other circuits! A fist bump and a joke with the Machu Picchu staff and he unclipped the barrier ropes and led us back and forth.
Circuit 1 is much higher up and there are no buildings up there. It’s just the best panoramic view of Machu Picchu. No guide needed for me.
Seeing Machu Picchu was a dream come true for me and I posted a few videos of my visit on my YouTube channel.
Food
How is the food in Cusco? The Kilaqente where I stayed a month included a basic breakfast. There was bread, jam, cereals, yogurt, and tea and coffee.
Let’s talk about tea for a minute. Due to the altitude I drank coca tea daily at breakfast. I could also go into the dining room at any time of the day and make tea – they kept a thermos of hot water in there plus the teas. Usually I chose a manzanilla tea – like chamomile – with a few coca leaves and sugar.
I had coca candies as well, they’re just like a hard candy that you suck on. My body adjusted well to the altitude and I had no issues.
I really liked the avocado sandwiches that street vendors were selling. The vendor is usually a woman sitting on the sidewalk with a plastic container to mix up the avocado with spices, put it into the bread, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. And there I have it. Lunch, or dinner, for less than a buck.
The problem was finding these ladies because the cops move them along. I discovered two or three areas where I might find ladies selling avocado sandwiches, but some days – no luck. Sometimes I’d buy two sandwiches and put one in the fridge at the hotel to eat for dinner.
There was a man who had a cake and pie cart selling slices for just under a dollar. I’d buy an avocado sandwich, then buy a piece of cake, and there was my cheap lunch.
And speaking of cake… Within a 10 minute walk of my hotel there is the Tupac Amaru Plaza. There’s a Saturday market there with cake vendors. A bit more expensive than the man on the street. But these vendors had stools set up in front of their stall so one can sit down and enjoy the cake there. In the week or so leading up to Christmas, it became a daily market selling nativity merch and other seasonal decor. There weren’t as many cake vendors, but I still found them. Here’s a few photos.
As for eating out, I could generally find restaurants with a menu of the day ranging from 15 to 25 soles. That’s about $7 or $8 Canadian dollars. Meals usually came with a starter like soup, an entree, and a beverage.
On the other hand, I enjoyed a health food restaurant with a set menu called Qura. I occasionally had avocado toast with eggs and a mocha frappuccino. That would cost closer to 50 soles.
I had a salad bowl there one time too.
Maybe I didn’t suffer from altitude sickness, but that altitude sure made me hungry all the time in Cusco!
Horseback riding in Cusco
I want to talk about when I went horseback riding in the hills above Cusco. I found this riding stable through an app called GuruWalk. If you’re not familiar with that app, it helps you find free walking tours in cities that you visit. Generally it is expected to tip the guide afterwards, because this is how they make their living.
I found a horseback riding tour! It included the temples of the moon and the sun and other ruins and sites of interest. It lasted about 4 hours, but that’s not all in the saddle. We dismounted frequently to explore the ruins and learn the history of the area. The horse rental was US $35 plus whatever amount we wanted to tip the guide.
I had a great time. It was just me and one other woman from England riding that morning. My horse was a slowpoke, but at my age, I don’t mind that. I believe I gave the operator $80 at the end. No problem. I know how expensive horses are to keep and this is his sole income.
Good view of Cusco from up here.
I enjoyed the ride so much that I booked it again – a morning ride on Christmas Day. It was going to be a great day – horseback riding in the morning followed by lunch at a vegan restaurant where I had befriended the waitress. And in case you’re wondering, nothing shuts down in Peru just because it’s Christmas Day.
When I arrived for the ride, there were a lot of other riders, at least 15. I chose what looked like a nice paint horse. He was happy to eat some carrots I offered him. But I knew something was wrong when I got into the saddle.
The owner was leading the horse!
I could feel a hot horse beneath me. Which explains why the owner had him on a lead. I informed him that my right leg stirrup was too long and needed adjusting. He told me he’d do that at our first stop. A couple of minutes later …
Fireworks went off!
My horse freaked. Bucking and rearing. The owner is trying to hold him down for all he’s worth. I might have been able to control the horse better if the owner didn’t have a grip on him. I’m an experienced rider – this isn’t my first rodeo with a bucking horse – and stayed on for quite a bit. Unfortunately my foot came out of the too long stirrup and I landed on the ground.
Damn! That’s embarrassing. I wasn’t hurt, jumped up and noticed a woman about my age was down, and ran to her.
I tried to gauge how badly she was injured. She got to her feet and I suggested we walk to a nearby stone wall where we could sit in the shade. Yes – summertime. Hot in Cusco. I told the owner I would not be getting back on that horse to continue the ride. I’m sure he saw another $80 slipping out of his grasp. That horse should never have been in the riding string. It’s too inexperienced.
His brother, who didn’t speak English, stayed with us and asked if we wanted a taxi back to our hotels. I declined because I was planning to walk, seeing as how it’s all downhill. I had walked down the last time I rode there.
The injured woman was planning to wait there until the ride ended and her family rejoined her. I told her I did the ride two weeks earlier and it was about 4 hours long. Upon hearing that, she agreed to the taxi. She was in pain and wondering if she might have broken a rib. She left with the brother in a car and I walked back to my hotel. I regret not staying with her, because later I learned they went to the hospital, and at least she would have had someone to speak English with her. There were no further updates from the horse owner.
It’s because things like this can happen that I always buy travel medical insurance. Spoiler alert: I didn’t need to make a claim on this trip.
Huanchaco
On January 5, I flew to Huanchaco, a cute beach town north of Lima. This place is known for surfing and ceviche.
It was kind of a scouting mission for me. I’d heard about Huanchaco a few years ago and wanted to see it as a potential spot to become an expat one day. I liked what I saw. The main downside was I thought Huanchaco was too hot. Well, I was there in the summertime. Yes, it’s hard to think of January as being summertime, but indeed it is in Peru because it’s south of the Equator.
I enjoyed walking on the beach daily, but it was only about a 10 minute or so walk on the sandy beach. Then it became too rocky and not passable.
Surprisingly, the Pacific Ocean here is quite cold. I say surprisingly because Peru is close to the Equator, the outside temperature is hot, and one would think the ocean would be warm. The Humboldt current coming up from Antarctica is cooling down the coastline.
There is a pier, but it’s closed because it’s not safe. I doubt that it’s going to be repaired anytime soon because the pier has been closed for years. The city needs to either repair it or dismantle it.
Gorgeous sunsets in Huanchaco.
I spent a few mornings each week volunteering at a local dog rescue. There were about 30 dogs inside a compound that looked like a bomb had gone off in it. The volunteers were doing the best they could with just a shell of a building, and were very concerned because it was up for sale.
I doubt it will be a quick sale seeing as how there’s no water or electricity. Or roof. There’s really nothing but the exterior walls and makeshift interior walls to keep dogs in separate areas. Water is trucked in. There are temporary roofs put up. The dogs have the basics: food, water, and shelter. They receive veterinary care. Beats the tough life of living in the streets.
When Peru became real
After three weeks on the coast, it was time for me to leave Peru. My three month tourist visa was closing in. And more adventure was waiting in Ecuador.
By the time I left Peru, I realized the places that mattered most weren’t necessarily the ones in the brochures. Of course Machu Picchu was unforgettable. But so were the evenings sitting in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas watching the lights come on, the friendships formed over awkward Spanish conversations, and the mornings in Huanchaco spent with dogs that were simply happy someone showed up.
That’s the strange thing about long-term travel. The big attractions get you there, but it’s daily life that stays with you. Peru gave me both.
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on May 23, 2026.
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