Machu Picchu had been on my Travel Bucket List for a few months. When I finally got the news that I would be studying abroad in Chile (a country that shares a border with Peru), I immediately asked to work extra shifts to pay for the trip there! (I am glad I did because it was not cheap.) The first week of orientation, while we had some time to discuss and plan future trips, everyone in our group unanimously wanted to go to MP. The following weeks were pages in a photo album. Snapshots: signing-up for classes, meeting my host family, and weekly volunteering. I dreamed of altitude sickness (which I did get), mouth-watering ceviche, and tall mountains built by the Incas. 

As time never disappoints, October 26th came and we dragged our sleepy bodies to the airport for our 3am flight. Snapshots: motion sickness, airplane food, and motion sickness. Despite that, Machu Picchu was a dream come true! 

Here are my hard-earned tips from that wonderful experience.

Do Not Drink The Water

I cannot recommend bottled water enough. There are many ways that we come in contact with unclean water without even noticing it. It is important to brush your teeth with bottled water. It is also unsafe to eat eggs and raw vegetables because they use the water in those dishes. Bottled water is very cheap, but keep in mind that it is heavy to carry (externally and internally, as there are not always free bathrooms around). It is uncomfortable and you can get salmonella and end up in an international clinic overnight. And you do not want that.

Buy Altitude Sickness Medication, As Needed

Within the first two hours of walking around in Cusco, I could not breathe and needed to stop every few feet. It was a combination of motion sickness from flying and being at a high altitude. I am still unsure of how to best describe altitude sickness, but it is uncomfortable and nauseating. The best way I understand it is: you have been breathing all of your life, and your body is accustomed to a certain amount of oxygen intake with each breath. Altitude sickness obliterates that pattern. Thus, you have to breathe more and the nausea is accompanied by an unforgivable headache. Thankfully, when you do arrive in Cusco, there are many pharmacies who know exactly what pills will alleviate the pain. However, it is imperative that you ask for altitude sickness pills and not morning sickness pills because, obviously, those are very different situations. I almost made that mistake, and it would have been a completely different drug.

Get to Machu Picchu Early 

An oldie but a goodie! Get to MP as early as possible to beat the midday rush and to have maximum time for excursions. I did not know that there were trails as well as other mountains that you can climb around Machu Picchu for great views and to gain a thorough understanding of how the Incas lived. MP is believed to have been built by the Incas for their emperor, but, interestingly enough, his throne was facing away from MP. Be prepared to meet many tourists from all over the world (there is ALWAYS someone willing to take pictures!). One of the many great aspects of traveling is that you never run out of new people to meet.

Buy a Partial Or A Full Pass

Although Machu Picchu is the most famous icon of the Inca civilization (rightfully so, as Peru is the most visited South American country because of it), there is still a plethora of ruins, museums, and art exhibits to see throughout Peru. In Cusco, we were able to visit the main Catholic church in the main square and visit a cafe museum on the same day. Of course, if you are a student, you will get a discount (my Tufts ID worked, but an International Student ID will get you far, my friend), to see the ruins with the pass. Our partial pass was about 70 soles, which is a little bit over 20 USD. And if you are really cheap, you might be able to meander around separate guided tour groups and get an earful (in many different languages).

Take Time To Reflect

This world never ceases to take my breath away, and traveling always helps ground me and allows time to reflect. I would highly suggest bringing a journal to Peru with you, because there is bound to be something that takes your breath away daily. In eight days, my friends and I survived salmonella, climbed 3 ruins and Machu Picchu, ate delicious foods, and chatted with some Europeans in a thermal bath. There was a lot to journal about.

I truly hope your time in Peru is as inspirational and breath-taking as mine was. I still cannot believe that I walked the same ruins that the Incas walked and built centuries ago. I felt so small in this great universe of ours, and somehow still miraculously connected to it. It is a great world out there...and it is waiting for you!

Stephane Alexandre is the Intercultural Immersion Editor for Wandering Educators. A Tufts University student, she is currently studying abroad in Chile.

All photos courtesy and copyright Stephane Alexandre