After a 13-hour overnight bus ride from Medellín, during which I slept eight hours in 120, soothing four-minute increments, I was deposited at Cartagena’s bus station, located a convenient 120 kilometers (roughly 5,284 miles) outside of town. After imploring eight uninterested taxis drivers for a ride to my prohibitively distant Cartagena hotel, in the interest of even fractional progress I ended up on an privately owned bus piloted by a guy who viewed every pedestrian as a potential customer and thus crawled along at a blistering three miles per hour, entreating one and all to climb aboard. Being that these people had all enjoyed lingering, indulgent views of his preferred driving speed during his approach, few accepted his offer to inch to their destinations at walking pace.

I’ve credited myself with identifying and naming a number of insightful phenomena over the years – like Einstein. One such discovery is a little something I call the “Florence Effect.” This label is used to illustrate a destination that people have emphatically described as being “incredible,” “awesome,” “the greatest place on Earth,” and similar lofty superlatives, only to have the destination subsequently fail to live up to one’s cumulative, absurd expectations. Naturally, I coined the “Florence Effect” during my first visit to the city of the same name after hearing about its impossible-to-satisfy merits for over a decade (I’ve since had time to form a more realistic and positive impression of the city) and the same occurred upon arrival in Cartagena’s historic center.

Cartagena’s fortifications.

Which isn’t to say that it’s not sublimely quaint. Described by National Geographic Traveler as “arguably the finest colonial city in the Western Hemisphere,” the fortified center is overwhelmingly populated by well-maintained, brightly colored, historic buildings, featuring ornate, flower-festooned balconies, heavy wood double-door entryways and harmonious interior, open courtyards. But focus was pulled from these agreeable aesthetics by two distractions.

First, while the ground floors of these buildings were largely occupied by retail or dining spaces, the second and third levels, private homes notwithstanding, all too frequently looked neglected, sometimes adorned with broken windows and ‘for sale’ signs.

The second distraction was vehicle traffic. Like virtually any town with one-way, single-lane streets that still allows unrestricted traffic, any car pausing for a second to pick-up or drop off people/provisions causes a near-instantaneous back-up. In these situations, rather than slumping back and saying to themselves “Well, that’s the price I pay for unnecessarily driving my vehicle in a compact, totally walkable area,” Colombian drivers give the offending vehicle a full, courtesy nanosecond and then lean on their horns. What with their previously noted near-immunity to noise, this honking only succeeds in startling tourists while the stopped driver obliviously goes about their business, with nary a hint of urgency.

Cartagena’s Plaza de la Aduana.

Furthermore, being a pedestrian in Cartagena’s cramped streets means that Colombia’s generally accepted right-of-way rules for the road become even more perilous. In descending order of importance, the things that a Colombian driver will stop for goes something like:

•    Faster moving vehicles
•    1,000-foot cliffs
•    Pigeons
•    You

When drivers approach pedestrians that are, or could possibly be, in their paths, their impulse is to thoughtfully give the horn a couple warning toots and then accelerate. Thus, walking in Colombia means putting oneself in ceaseless danger of becoming a splatter across a taxi’s windshield.

These gripes aside, Cartagena is an arresting place, not only in appearance and storied history, but also as a pioneer in several social customs, including an early form of caller ID. While exploring Cartagena’s intimate streets, one’s eye will invariably zero in on the massive, ornate door knockers, each in the form of an animal which historically signified the family’s primary trade. A fish meant merchants, a lion/tiger head meant teachers/professors, and an iguana, naturally, meant that the family had been consumed by iguanas.

Door knockers.

There was a distinct system for using these door knockers that would forewarn the residents as to what type of person was at their door and, presumably, give them ample opportunity to pretend they weren’t at home. Depending on their relationship with the residents, the visitor would conk the knocker anywhere from one to four times. One knock indicated that the visitor was a stranger or someone whose business was brief. Four knocks meant that the visitor was a very close friend.

Or so I’ve been told by a very chatty restaurant hawker who, after twice giving him my custom, felt I was due for a bonus bit of local trivia. I haven’t been able to confirm any of this online, so for now we’ll just file it away as tentative fact. Anyone that would like to dispute this, please feel free to visit my office to discuss.

Please, knock only once.

Not so distant, but worlds away from the modern buildings and hotels in Medellin, is the well-off northern “village” of Acevedo (long ago absorbed by the city’s urban sprawl), where I spent my final night in town with expats keen to photograph some of the impressive holiday-fever light displays adorning the parks and private homes.

A random Acevedo street

We moved through the neighborhood at typical Colombian walking pace, which is to say barely maintaining forward motion. Friends and families roamed and lingered freely with their neighbors, many of them with their home stereos pointed out the windows, playing at music festival levels, and sharing shots of aguardiente (“fire water”), an anise-flavored, 45% (or higher) alcohol content by volume, liqueur derived from sugar cane which, despite its name, I found very smooth and dangerously drinkable.

Along with glimmering, seizure-caliber electric light displays and alarmingly powerful amateur fireworks, many homes had been decked out with candles, which were frequently enclosed in flimsy, colored, decorative boxes. This was all very beautiful, however, as the naturally cautious might assume, all that unattended, open-flamed in-close proximity to paper and light cardboard is bound to end in a close-call or two and we witnessed one such episode less than an hour into our walk.

While amiably chatting with the matriarch of a home with an especially photogenic light display, a flaming cardboard candle box crashed to the ground just a few feet away. Everyone looked up to see that the garland decorating the woman’s second balcony was ablaze in three places where candle boxes had bizarrely all burst into flame simultaneously. One blaze, the one that had dislodged the candle box, was well on its way to jeopardizing the entire house. Fortunately, a nimble daughter raced up and extinguished the flames. I shiver to think what might have happened if that box had not fallen and caught our attention when it had.

Moments later, that second balcony was ablaze.

We closed the evening in the village square, grazing on street food and attempting to do justice to the nighttime light displays with, in my case, an uncooperative camera.

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Colombians, like many Latin cultures have, what we light sleepers consider a highly-coveted immunity to noise. Sustained racket from close-quartered vehicle traffic doesn’t even register. A quarter stick of dynamite, detonated a block away, barely elicits a flinch.

In a related daring generalization, I’ve formed a fairly solid theory that Colombians need music around them more or less constantly. Apart from a few private moments, and possibly while sleeping, they appear to become visibly agitated if music isn’t within earshot, even for just a few moments. My theory gained traction as I stood atop La Piedra, a substantial monolith and popular tourist attraction just outside the pueblo (village) of Guatape.

Guatape, a two hour bus ride outside Medellín, is a well-to-do village that has almost completely given itself over to tourism. It’s undeniably comely. Large parts of the village have been transformed into a living pueblo cultural museum of sorts, with decorative, brightly-painted homes lining narrow streets and a modest town square featuring a similarly modest church.

Guatape street.

Three kilometers outside the village, the blackened La Piedra monolith sits on a hillside, looking like the world’s largest, thrice-baked potato. One must alert the driver on their bus from Medellín that they’d like to alight at La Piedra and not continue on to the village, though if you look like a mildly-lost tourist, the stop is implied.

La Piedra.

You can trudge up the rather steep 600-meter long hill or ride up on horseback for the bargain price of 4,000 pesos (about US$2), which will drop to 2,000 pesos if you keep walking past the persistent cowboy and mumble something about needing the exercise. This walk is only mildly taxing, though save your strength because you still have to conquer the surprisingly strenuous 644-step, near-vertical staircase to the peak of La Piedra. At the summit there’s another short, spiral staircase inside the lookout center to contend with, before you finally reach the summit.

Harking back to my Colombians-shrivel-without-music theory, the utter stillness and mind-bending 360 degree view from this lookout proved to be just a little too subtle and calm for at least one Colombian. After nearly a minute of insufferable silence, with a nervous sweat collecting on his brow, he shakily punched up a song on his cell phone, cranked the volume until its tiny speaker was offering little more than static with a backing beat and the assembly of Colombians visibly relaxed. Of course, this had the opposite effect on me, but alas, I was hopelessly outnumbered.

View from La Piedra.

It’s been two years since I last stepped foot in a new country and I had a mere two weeks to sort through all these pertinent questions and arrange accommodation in Bogotá before taking an impulse, red-eye flight from Minneapolis to Colombia.

Somewhere around 2008, I started hearing glowing Colombia travel stories from friends and colleagues who ubiquitously declared it to be “The Next Big Thing”. I initially found it difficult to reconcile this generous praise with a fairly recent 2006 New York Times article which affected a mirthfully enthusiastic tone with regards to traveling in Colombia after breezily noting “Extortion-related kidnappings are becoming rarer across the nation, with the government reporting a 51 percent drop: 369 in 2005, down from 747 in 2004.” I’m no travel sissy, but 369 annual extortion-related kidnappings is the kind of statistic that would give even the most fearless traveler pause.

Fast-forward to 2010. Even the U.S. State Department, usually the planet’s leading authority for ultra-cautious, paranoid vigilance, reports “significant” improvement for personal safety in Colombia, yet duly details possible narco-terrorist activity, the threat of kidnapping and the prevalence of firearms. In other words, your average weekday afternoon in Los Angeles.

Landing in Bogotá at 5:00 a.m., there was little sign of the human/vehicle-swirling bedlam I’d been promised as 7.4 million people shoulder and roar around the city each day. Not so after my nap. In the center of the city, walking more than four paces in a straight line verily guarantees a collision with someone/something. One can appreciate how the Colombians are such naturals at salsa dancing. Walking a few hundred meters requires considerable timing, balance, rhythm, courage and grace. Miraculously, like a skilled salsa dancer, full-body physical contact is rare, if not intentional.

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Not usually being a fan of sustained, blaring noise and beehive-caliber personal space, friends warned me that I’d probably not take to Bogotá initially, and they were right. The ever-present threat of becoming the jelly in a human sandwich notwithstanding, the hills, exhaust fumes and altitude combined to make a long walk – one of my greatest joys when exploring a new city – a distinctly draining prospect. There was also the Biblical rain deluge that effectively erased my second day.

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Impatient for warmer temperatures and better odds for dry socks, after only two days I took the “nine” (read eleven) hour bus ride to Medellín, which, like Bogotá, is a densely-crowded, cosmopolitan city set in the mountains.

Years ago, with notable exceptions, I started becoming less generally enthralled with a city’s sites and activities, and more interested in absorbing the city itself. I’m especially enamored with convenient, cheap public transport and that’s what I found in Medellín. What with its sadistic sprawl, the walking absorption I generally prefer wasn’t possible, which is what makes the city’s metro lines a true gift. In addition to running the length of the valley, there are two “Metrocables” (funiculars/cable cars) running up both sides of the valley. The whole system is interconnected so if one were so inspired, they could ride the train across town, board a Metrocable, crawl up one side of the valley, gawk appreciatively, head down, hop back on the train to the other Metrocable, ride up the opposite side of the valley and back, and finally, ride the train back home for the very reasonable one-ride ticket price of 1,550 pesos (about US $0.80). I can’t remember the last time I was so completely entertained for so long, for so little money.

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Being December, the cityscapes of both Medellín and Bogotá were especially striking as they indulged in their remarkable dedication to decorative lights. Even the cinder block sheds on the outskirts of town had a few lonely light strings adorning their facades. Virtually every vertical surface in the shopping and entertainment districts were either flood-lit or cloaked in flickering, hypnotic opulence that would have made Walt Disney wet himself.

Colombians need little reason to cut loose, so the holidays tend to be especially lively. As soon as I upload this post, I’ll be heading out into the “night of candles” for the popular, heavily costumed “myths and legends parade”, followed by, naturally, exuberant rum consumption.

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Image by Theodore Scott

As one of the top destinations in South America and the cultural and economic hub of Peru, good hotels in Lima abound. Established in the 16th century by Spanish conquistadors, the city was subsequently a vital nexus of power in the “New World”. As Spain overran the once-vibrant Inca Empire and other indigenous civilizations, Lima become a de facto repository for the spoils.

Image by Emmanuel Dyan

The “Historic Centre of Lima” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and truly the most venerable part of the city. The heritage architecture displays a rich and extravagant colonial style, kept wonderfully intact over time. More than 1,600 balconies built in different styles represent one particular, singular aesthetic. A church tour through colonial Lima is a must.

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The most impressive church of all is the Basilica Cathedral of Lima, a prominent symbol of the city. Construction began the same year as Lima’s Spanish inauguration, in 1535. The structure displays a great amount of opulent detail, especially in the interior. The ashes of pioneering conquistador Francisco Pizarro are interred here.

Image by Ivan Mlinaric

There are countless excellent museums in Lima. Two of the most important institutions are the Museum of the Nation (Museo de la Nación) and the Museum of the Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru (Museo Nacional del Arqueología, Antropología, e Historia del Perú). The latter displays more than 100,000 artifacts.. One of the most impressive exhibist is a scale model of Machu Picchu, one of the undeniable wonders of the world.

Image by leander.canaris

As with many other capitals in Latin America, Lima is a wonderful mosaic of cultures. Both the Japanese Immigration Museum and Museum of Italian Art impart a sense of the city’s multi-ethnic social fabric.

For authentic Peruvian art, try the Larco Museum. The gallery contains exhibits of pre-Columbian art, such as Moche, Nazca, Chimu and Inca objects, and a notable collection of erotic pottery. The Gold Museum and the Museum of Natural History are two more first-class institutions.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

Image by HBarrison

If you want a memorable cultural expedition, Lima is definitely a “must-see” destination. The city’s architectural landscape, profound culinary heritage and musical legacy captivates hundreds of thousands of international visitors every year. No trip to Peru, or indeed, South America, is complete without a thorough discovery of Lima’s many charms … and museums.

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São Paolo was formally established by the Portuguese in 1554 and was initially an outpost for Catholic missionaries. In 1711 the city’s designation became official and over time, coffee exports made São Paolo’s European landowners fortunes, thanks in no small part to slavery and later, indentured labor.

The city continued to grow at an alarming rate well into the 20th century as Japanese, Syrian, Lebanese and again, European (mainly Italian and German) immigrants came to start a new life. As a result, São Paolo is now Brazil’s most ethnically diverse city, bar none.

Image by Pedro Angelini

Start your exploration of São Paolo in the dynamic city center – the historic core. The civic spectacle of paulistanos on the go is a marvelous scene and there is much fine architecture to observe as well. The Neo-Gothic Metropolitan Sé Cathedral is a prominent icon and one of the most famous landmarks in São Paolo.

Image by Leandro’s World Tour

The 35-story-high Banespa tower, otherwise known as the Altino Arantes Building, is a must for free panoramic views. República Square is a great example of harmonious architectural styles in one tidy space. Also, a stroll in the neighborhoods of Luz and Estação da Luz might take you to several of São Paulo’s most cultural attractions: Museu de Arte Sacra (museum of religious art), Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (museum of Brazilian art), Museu da Língua Portuguesa (an interactive museum of the Portuguese language).

Image by Andre Banyai

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Scenesters, foodies and nightlife lovers should not miss the enclaves of Itaim Bibi, Vila Olímpia, Vila Madalena and Pinheiros. These chic ‘hoods are perfect for strolling, wining, dining, shopping and partying altogether. Paulistanos say that a visit to São Paulo without a foray into these districts – all part of Centro Expandido (Expanded Center) – is a tragic loss.

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Paulista Avenue is a vital São Paulo artery. The 2.8 km-long thoroughfare is home to some of the most important financial and cultural institutions in the country. One of South America’s most famous art museums, the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) is here, as well as many archetypes of modernist architecture. Needless to say, Paulista Avenue contains the most expensive real estate on the continent.

Image by Wagner T. Cassimiro “Aranha”

Image by D’Amico Rodrigo

With traffic congestion a major problem, São Paulo Metro is the best way to travel within the city. The underground network is perfect for tourists – just try to avoid the early and late rush hours.

Image by Milton Jung CBNSP

While Rio de Janeiro and to a certain extent, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Florianópolis, get a lot of tourist love, São Paulo is often thought of as a soulless financial, business and administrative hub – albeit with close to 20 million people. A shame because the gargantuan city offers such a diverse cornucopia of cultural gems and de facto “city within a city” enclaves. So take the time to consider Brazil’s major metropolis and remember, luxury hotels in São Paulo rank up there with the very best on the planet.

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Image by Julia Manzerova

Titicaca was a sacred place for pre-Inca and indeed, Inca civilizations. The lake is still a venerable place for the people who rely on it and dwell nearby. For the Incas, Titicaca was a divine source for gods and kings, a belief modern-day visitors can well embrace. Lake Titicaca has a definite air of the supernatural and otherworldly.

Image by Juancho Gatica

Puno is the most popular gateway to Titicaca. The town is on Peru’s side of the lake and has about 100,000 inhabitants. Many arrive via Inca Manco Capac International Airport in the nearby city of Juliaca. Although Puno has a long tradition of agriculture, the city center is quite lovely and worth a look. Hotels in Puno are definitely the best accommodation options for visitors to Lake Titicaca.

Image by auntjojo

The Floating Islands, or Uros Islands, are impressive man-made structures on Titicaca, some two hours from Puno. Fashioned from reeds that grow on the banks of the lake, the islands are inhabited by the ancient Uros people.

Image by Christian Haugen

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Taquile Island is home to about 3,000 people who cling to vital cultural traditions. A mere 35 km from Puno, the island contains wonderful pre-Inca ruins. The definitive feature of Taquile however, is the local Quechua hospitality.

Image by David and Katarina

Image by Julia Manzerova

Amantani Island is near Taquile and is also home to the Quechua people. The island is car-free and exquisitely pastoral. Sheep and alpacas graze between stone fences on hilly slopes and by all observable accounts, life here is much the same as it was centuries ago. If you want to stay overnight on the island with a local family, which many visitors do, prepare for a festive celebration. Two peaks dominate Amantani: Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth). Locals proclaim that Amantani is the best spot on Titicaca for sunsets.

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Image by Christian Haugen

The Island of the Sun (Isla del Sol) is the biggest island on the lake and probably the most fascinating. Legends cite it as the birthplace of the Inca civilization and there are more than 80 ruins on the island to help confirm it. The Gold Museum is definitely a must-see once you get on the island, with copious exhibits of Inca treasures. There are two paths that cross the island from north to south. One traverses the beach and takes about 5 hours, while the other, more difficult path takes just 3 hours through the mountains.

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Bùzios was not always a glamorous tourist spot of course. A former colonial slave trade hub and nefarious base for pirates, the village was little more than a sleepy harbour when Brigitte Bardot came to town in the early 1960s.

Photo by alvazer

As legend now has it, the French bombshell went incognito with her Brazilian boyfriend to escape paparazzi hordes in Rio de Janeiro. Together, they sought refuge in Bùzios.

Bardot fell in love with the picturesque coastal village and the rest, as they say, is history. The subsequent word of mouth and publicity shots of Bardot in Bùzios had unalterable effects on the fate and fortunes of the tranquil community. A monument to Bardot now graces the Bùzios boardwalk.

Photo by pedroklien

Bardot or not, Bùzios is a tropical paradise. Unlike frenetic Rio de Janeiro and the party hot spots on the north coast of Brazil, the resort offers a measure of calm and serenity. Bùzios is far from a secret gem however and draws a significant amount of domestic and international tourists. Still, the resort evokes cool elegance, with plenty of furtive and idyllic enclaves to escape to. The inherent natural scenery is lush and supremely photogenic.

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While luxury beach resorts dot the coast, hotels in Armaçao de Bùzios resist the generic, all-inclusive tag and provide visitors with sumptuous comfort. From private villas to boutique resorts, a wide array of hip and tasteful accommodations lure affluent travelers to make the 170 km trip from Rio. Posh restaurants, glitzy nightclubs and chic cafés emphasize quality and contribute to the Riviera-like vibe Bùzios is famous for.

Photo by pattrick

At first glance, Armaçao de Bùzios may not look like the kind of place average people can afford for a week’s holiday. If however, you manage to avoid peak season, the resort makes a fine weekend or three-day excursion from Rio. While yachts, nightlife, swish shops and trendy supper clubs can be part of your Bùzios experience, the coastal jewel is most memorable for gorgeous, desolate strips of sand. The best of Bùzios then, is on the praia.

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5. Nicoya Peninsula

The beaches here are the most animated beaches in Costa Rica, since they are also the most popular in Costa Rica. Usually located nearby the main cities of the peninsula, they are more accessible from San Jose. Hotels in Tamarindo, Montezuma and Mal Pais are the best accommodation solutions when choosing to relax in this part of Costa Rica.

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4. Playa Dominical

This is probably the best beach for those romantic couples that like to admire the sunrises and sunsets everywhere. Here, they have the chance to enjoy dramatic sunrises in the southeast and astonishing sunsets in the northwest. It is also a great option for water sports, since it’s considered to be the most consistent wave in Costa Rica.

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3. Manuel Antonio

Located in the Manuel Antonio National Park, the Manuel Antonio beaches are surrounded by tropical forest. These, combined with the white beaches and the coral reefs make the sights charming and magical. It’s the ideal place for snorkeling in Costa Rica.

Image by AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker

2. Corcovado

Having no less than 23 miles (39 kilometers) of appealing beaches, this is the pearl of the Osa Peninsula. Dark sands and towering palms and the most distinctive wildlife in Costa Rica. Also, taking a trip on Island del Cano is a must, since here you can find the best spots for diving.

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1. Tortuegero

This might be the eco-tourists’ fantasy in Costa Rica. Besides the sandy beaches and the big waves, one can enjoy canoe tours on the jungle canals, scenic hiking and guided safaris. 16 endangered animal species live here, among which ocelots, manatees and green turtles.

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The capital of the so-called Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), is situated on the Beagle Canal and surrounded by the Mounts Martial (part of the Andes). It is the unique combination of natural colours one can see here and the strong contrast between the wooden houses and the modern constructions of Ushuaia that made the city famous.

Once you get in Ushuaia, make sure you visit Museo del Fin del Mundo (Museum of the End of the World), with several exhibits specific to the area – a collection of birds, a sunken vessel and a library dedicated to the history and nature of Tierra del Fuego. Presidio is a historically military prison of Ushuaia that nowadays is half museum, half art gallery. There is no public transportation anywhere in Tierra del Fuego, but you can walk or take a taxi, to get around the city.

Ushuaia is also a key access point for all the attractions in the southern regions of Argentina. Once you’re there, take the End of the World train to Tierra del Fuego National Park, a popular spot for treks, with dramatic scenery. Also, boat tours on the Beagle channel should be taken in consideration by all the wildlife lovers, since this is the best place to see penguins, seals and orcas.

The boat tours are the best ways to get to Haberton, the house of Bridges Family and to the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, a 10 meters high windowless structure built in 1920. The nearby sky areas are sometimes popular even in the summer months. In Cerro Castor, a mountain located 27 km north of Ushuaia, one can ski just 200 m above the sea level.

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Unknown, and therefore, untouched by the conquistadors and those that followed, the site is renowned as a cultural mecca for historians, and is considered sacred ground. Today, the site draws millions of tourists each year who come to marvel at the natural beauty and intricate carvings of this remote landmark of an ancient civilization. Machu Picchu is filled with sights of historical and natural splendor and significance.

The following list gives you a taste of some of the sights you’ll see during your visit to this remarkable Peruvian landmark.

1) Temple of the Sun

Close to the city summit, this spectacular landmark is a work of exquisite dry-fitted stonework, and offers a striking silhouette, especially from the stone staircase in the site’s main plaza. In the center, you’ll see a rock with a straight edge. During the summer solstice, the edge of the rock aligns with the light streaming through the temple’s only window. The Royal Tomb is located just below this site.

2) Temple of the Three Windows

Located on the Sacred Plaza, this temple and the one beside it were most likely used for religious observances. Windows are placed to capture the sun’s rays at specific times of the year, and probably played a role in maintaining the Incan calendar.

3) Temple of the Condor

Designed to resemble a great winged bird, this temple was most likely used to worship the condor god known as Apu Kuntur. The design of this site implies that it was used for a criminal tribunal and possibly also as a site of punishment. A nearby underground tunnel may have led to a prison area.

4) Intihuatana

This stone obelisk structure stands apart from the rest of the surroundings, and likely served as a sacred or even sacrificial site during the winter solstice. Researchers believe it held significance as an astronomical marker or calendar system, used to mark the passage of time.

5) District of the Sun

This site marks the location of Machu Picchu’s primary bathhouse, with fountains that are supplied by underground conduits linked to a spring about 1km away.

6) Waynapicchu

This hill offers panoramic views of the site, and is the location of additional secondary ruins. Because of the remoteness of the site and the time required to reach it, no visitors are permitted on the trail after 1 pm. In addition, no more than 400 visitors are allowed on the trail per day.

7) Moon Temple and the Great Cave. If you’re one of the lucky 400 to make it onto the trail to Waynapicchu, you will be rewarded with more than magnificent vistas if you take the time to visit these two lesser-known sites.

While the ruins may be less spectacular than those of the main site, the trail offers glimpses of native and often rare wildlife. Be warned, though: these trails involve steep unprotected ascents and descents, and some ladder-climbing is required. Steel cables are offered in some areas, but those with a fear of heights may choose to skip this hike. Good shoes and water are essential; the total trip takes about two hours.

These sites, and many more, await visitors to Machu Picchu. To get the most from your visit, wear comfortable shoes and clothing, carry a large water bottle, and be sure to wear lots of sunscreen.

Images courtesy of epicxero, eduardozarate, brianholsclaw, chang-er, jamespreston, kudumomo, egrojpics, 00dann.