Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read The Great South American Send-Off. From daydream to departure – it’s happening! When this article publishes I will be exploring Southern Peru where more adventures await me.
With the magic of pre-scheduling posts, The Lifestyle Digs will have articles posted over the next few months. In the meantime, you can keep up with me by subscribing to my YouTube channel where I’ll be uploading short videos and maybe a few longer videos, too.
I drafted this article a few years ago to share my adventure of a lifetime, but never got around to publishing it. Or travelling to South America either. So I’ve revamped it because – it is happening! My South American send-off!
Adventure of a lifetime
Is there some far-off place you dream of visiting, the kind of trip that you know, deep down, would truly be your adventure of a lifetime?
For years, I thought that place might be the Panama Canal. And in a way, it was. But that turned out to be more of a trip of a lifetime than an adventure. Cruising through the Panama Canal on a floating hotel, sipping drinks while the engineering marvel slid past… amazing, yes.
Adventurous, not exactly.
For me, the real “adventure of a lifetime” has always been Peru. I once imagined myself riding a horse along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Not hiking it, mind you, but doing it the way I prefer: on horseback.
Because – the only thing better than walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu would be riding a horse there!
I even found an outfitter that offered just such a trip: three to six hours a day in the saddle, ending each night at a cozy inn, with good meals and no tent in sight. (Because let’s be honest, I am not a happy camper. I’m the person who would find Wi-Fi before finding firewood.)
Unfortunately, by the time I was finally ready to book, that outfitter had closed up shop for a few months on the Inca Trail rides. Not available during the month I’ll be there. Sad trombone.
Shifting
But here’s the good news: my Peru adventure is still happening. In fact, as you read this – I’m here! (Well only if you’re reading this late 2025/early 2026.) I’m spending three whole months discovering the country! Instead of a multi-day horseback trek, I’ve found several shorter, local rides near Cusco that last a few hours. Perfect for getting my horse fix without needing a sleeping bag.
I’ve also booked train tickets from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, where I’ll spend two nights and explore the site with not one, but two different entry circuits. Because if you’re going to travel halfway around the world, why not see it from every possible angle?
Beyond Machu Picchu, my itinerary is looking delightfully full:
- Puno & Lake Titicaca – Two nights in Puno to see the famous floating reed islands.
- Paracas & the Ballestas Islands – Sometimes called the “poor man’s Galapagos,” though I think the sea lions and penguins would disagree with the “poor” part.
- Rainbow Mountain – Because when nature paints with bold stripes, you go admire the canvas.
And then – just when you think the adventure is winding down – I’ll head to Ecuador for a couple of months, including a visit to the actual Galapagos Islands.
After Ecuador, I have a couple more countries in mind, but nothing written in stone yet.
So yes, this is the adventure I’ve been talking about for years. The locations may have shifted slightly, and the horseback part is shorter than I first imagined, but the spirit of it is the same: seeing the places I’ve dreamed about, meeting people along the way, and saying yes to the kind of experiences I won’t forget.
While I’m away, I’ve pre-scheduled a few posts for the blog, but updates might be a little less frequent than usual – because adventures don’t always come with good Wi-Fi.
And that’s okay. The stories will still be here when I get back.
But right now this is my Great South American Send-Off. Adios mis amigos!
Bye for now, my friends!
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on November 20, 2025.
