Photo Credit – JW Marriott El Convento Cusco

Let’s talk about our cherished Bucket Lists, a list of things we desire to accomplish before we depart this world. The enlightened among us usually have a List and a large segment of it obviously consists of travel . Machu Picchu ( Pronounced Pikchu, the c’s are not silent!) is most likely on our vaunted lists and it is time to move it up to the top of your bucket list!

Global travel has been exploding and the World Bank reported that visitors to Peru has grown from only 800,000 in 2000 to over 4,000,000 in 2017! As one can see from the interactive chart below, this number has increased dramatically every year.  Machu Picchu is breathtakingly gorgeous. You can gaze at its unique beauty all day and and it never gets old. It is exponentially better though, when it is not crowded with pesky tourists.

This sacred site has come under pressure from UNESCO to limit the number of tourists who visit it, but Machu makes Peru way too much money for the Government to listen.

We recommend you cross Machu off your bucket list sooner rather than later! You can enjoy its awe and splendor before it starts getting too crowded to truly appreciate! Machu Pichu had been on my bucket list for awhile and I moved it to the top and crossed it off because of this.

While travelling to Peru we shall share some insights to monumentally enhance your expedition. We start our journey in picturesque Cusco. The starting point on your way to Machu.

Cusco is a lovely city that I instantly felt connected to. It is not too big, is is profoundly immersed in history and surrounded by majestic mountains stacked with houses. This ancient city is 3400 Meters above sea level and is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

This use to be one of the most important cities in the world. It was the capital of the Incan Empire which stretched all over South America. Cusco is comprised of impressive stone architecture entwined with Spanish colonial structures.

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco is your must stay in this adorable city. This glorious hotel’s uniqueness and charm will induce warm smiles within your soul. This hotel is steeped and built upon deep history and archaeology.

It took over 6 years to combine Incan ruins and a 16th-century Augustinian convent to create this haven! One can sense the history as they pull up to it’s gorgeous facade. While the hotel is quite sumptuous, you also feel like you are staying in a museum and historical site, because you in fact are.

Much of the structure was kept intact during construction and there is a lovely museum located in the hotel that we highly recommend you visit. There are ancient Inca artifacts discovered while they were excavating the hotel. It also allows you to appreciate your stay a bit more.

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, It is perfectly located in the colonial city’s historic district where everything you desire is within walking distance. Guests are awestruck upon impact when they check in as the lobby’s exquisite chandelier of 60,000 Swarovski crystals glistens before them.

The art piece is a tribute to the Incan sun god, Inti, a staple of Incan culture. Luckily for your Insta, the employees will gladly move out of the way for your photoshoot!

The rooms are commodious and blends modernity with ancient Inca. Our bed was ridiculously plush and comfy. It was quite hard at times to leave the celestial sheets.

If budget permits we recommend grabbing a suite on the 3rd floor with superb views of the Cusco roofs and mountains. A cool & unique feature we had never seen before, was the ability to have extra oxygen pumped into the room to help combat climate sickness.

We thankfully were able to handle any climate discomfort we had with copious amounts of free Coca tea offered by the JW.

One of our favorite parts of our stay is the glorious buffet breakfast they offer. We still dream of the divine green smoothies they make. This breakfast had everything you could possibly desire in the morning with tons of both healthy & fatty options. The exotic flavored waters were also stupendous!

The JW always has a packed schedule of activities and freebies for its guests. There are cooking classes, Pisco making classes, Museum tours and a daily visit from Panchita.

Panchita is the supple and sweet llama that comes to visit the mesmerizing courtyard every day. You can try on and purchase the famous colorful Peruvian attire her owner is rocking too.

The JW adds a bunch of personal touches for free. We were fortunate enough to pound this stellar candy cart filled with some Peruvian goodies we had never experienced before. We hope discovering brand new candy brings out the nostalgic child in all of us.

We also received a “PHD” in Pisco sour making after attending Qespi Bar’s free & enlightening pisco class.

The luscious cherry on top of this marvelous hotel is its spa! The sleek and regal setting contains a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi to melt away your Machu Pichu hiking sore muscles. They even go Russian style with Eucalyptus branches you can smack/massage your loved ones with to get all the kinks out.

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco was one of our best hotel stays! The exquisite amenities coupled with the historical motif and vibe made this a very enchanting and inviting hotel. The jam-packed schedule of activities along with the delightful freebies launch this hotel into a stratosphere of bliss and comfort.

While in Cusco there are 2 others activities we must recommend. A Chocolate Making Class and ATV & Zip-lining Tour.

There are many places to attend the class and we really enjoyed the Chocolate one at Bonbonao with Paul Wonka. Paul is funny, cool and has a great smile. The class explains the intricate bean to bar chocolate making process and attendees get to make their own chocolates to take home! We got to roast the beans, winnow, grind, temper and then bake ’em into chocolate. It was a fun, educational & scrumptious class!

We had a blast on the ATV & zip-lining tour as well. Lots of companies will try to overcharge you for this, so it is best to go straight to the source- Eye of the Jaguar. The owner Pepe is a jubilant character and a lot of fun.

For $50 you will get you own ATV on a tour for a couple hours with stops at both Maras & Moray. Then they whisk you off to Eye of the Jaguar, a thrilling zip line that glides you down over 6,988 feet (1.3 Miles) of the gorgeous Sacred Valley (1.3 miles). It is a bit scary at first heading up and reaching the apex, but so much fun once you are zipping down.

If done properly Peru, Machu Picchu & Cusco shall grant you one of the best trips of your life. Now is the time to cross it of your Bucket List…