We woke up in the Palacio del Inka that looked straight out of a storybook — like a Spanish castle, complete with a sun-drenched courtyard, grand hallways, and lobby spaces bathed in natural light. Breakfast was buffet-style: fresh, crusty bread for Charlie, and a spread of meats and cheeses for me. After packing up, we met the group and walked across the square to our first stop of the day — Qorikancha.
One of the quirky constants of our trip has been the women with baby lambs dressed in little outfits, offering photo ops at every turn. In Cusco, the tradition continued. Charlie had already had her lamb moment in Pisac — this time, it was Amy’s turn.
Then we stepped into Qorikancha, once the spiritual heart of the Incan Empire. Willie, our guide, had emphasized throughout our journey how Spanish and Incan cultures collided — and Qorikancha is perhaps the most vivid example. The Spanish didn’t just conquer the Incas; they built the Convent of Santo Domingo right on top of this sacred site. Inside, you walk through a surreal blend of cultures and religions: intricately restored Incan stone walls nestled below Spanish colonial architecture, images of Jesus and Mary coexisting with remnants honoring the Sun God. Willie walked us through different chambers, pointing out architectural nuances — the perfect stonework of the Incas versus the ornate Spanish design layered above. On the bus, I’d chatted with him more — turns out he’s spent decades researching Incan history. It felt like such a privilege to learn from him, right here in the Sacred Valley.
Our next stop was Mercado Central de San Pedro, Cusco’s vibrant central market. It’s an open-air, year-round maze of colors, smells, and life. As we walked in, stalls were brimming with hanging cuts of meat, fresh fish, sacks of spices, and trays of chocolate. With Willie leading the way, we sampled sausages from a local vendor, sipped some strong Peruvian coffee, and took in the spices and dried fruits. Amy and Charlie dove into souvenir shopping — Charlie picked out pencil toppers for her school friends, and Amy found a handful of fluffy, adorable llama figures. I grabbed some chocolate and Peru flag patches for my laptop bag. We held our own for about an hour before finding our group and leaving the market chaos.
Back in the van, we made a quick trip toward Cusco’s city center. Amy needed to exchange more dollars, so we ducked into a few shops until we found a currency exchange. I helped her through the process with my best broken Spanish. It wasn’t until we got all the way to the Cathedral that she realized — her water bottle was still back at the exchange. Francis, always protective and calm, gave me the green light to go solo. Navigating the narrow streets on my own, speaking Spanish with the women at the exchange (who had kindly kept the bottle), and finding my way back was surprisingly empowering — a little solo adventure within the adventure.
We regrouped at the Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption, a stunning, no-photos-allowed space filled with side chapels and shrines. Francis explained that many of the displays were donated by families — the more ornate the statue of Jesus, the more wealthy and influential the donor. It was a beautiful, if slightly sobering, walk through Peru’s colonial religious history.
Outside, we were met with a line of police in full riot gear — a reminder of the recent political unrest. Charlie, ever-curious, wanted to know more. Francis approached the officers, exchanged a few words, offered a friendly tip, and just like that, Charlie was posing with the police, beaming in her photo op.
After the cathedral, we had one final lunch together just around the corner. It was a time for hugs and heartfelt goodbyes. Francis, ever the generous spirit, even offered to host Charlie if she ever studied abroad in Peru. That kind of warmth stayed with us long after we left.
From there, our driver took us to the Cusco airport for our return to Lima. LATAM Airlines got our whole group back smoothly, and thanks to the camaraderie we’d built, even baggage claim was easier with everyone helping out. Once we reunited with the NatHab staff in Lima, we returned to the Costa del Sol Hotel, where our stored luggage was waiting — and yes, our two full carts, one for this trip and one for the Amazon, were just ours.
We finally got back to our room, took long, hot showers, sent out laundry (thank goodness), and spent the evening reorganizing and repacking for the next leg of the trip — the Amazon. Food options were limited, but the hotel bar had decent burgers, a few free drink coupons, and strong pisco sours. We toasted to Cusco, to new friends, and to the next adventure on the horizon.
