My now wife Sarah and I decided a few years ago that we wanted to have a small, intimate destination wedding at Machu Picchu. We've been travel junkies for just under a decade and have been to a number of European countries as well as a few trips to other states here in the USA. Born and raised in central New York State, we're city folk that look forward to occasionally getting out into the world to appreciate the variety of amazing natural wonders, history, cultures, languages and people that share this enormous planet with us. In the past, we've always mapped out and navigated our own vacation adventures. This was our first ever guided trip... and Active Adventures set a new bar of expectation for how we'll look into our vacations going forward, in fact we were so impressed that our next vacation will almost certainly be one of the other guided adventures that Active offers. Peru is like no place in the world we've ever been before. The constant but ever-changing backdrop of the Andes coupled with the timeless landscaping and stonework of the Incas and pre-Incas immediately removes you from your day-to-day life and transports you to another time. There aren't adequate words to describe the sensation of wonder that the scenery evokes...it's something that has to be experienced in order to understand. Our guide Yohn was immediately likeable and was, in my opinion, a master of his trade. Not only did he provide us with facts about where we were, he also elaborated on a lot of the myths, legends and musings in order to give us a better sense of the mystery that abounds in the mountains the Incas and their predecessors once called home. But he was always careful to separate fact from fable so we could come away from our trip with both proven knowledge and a heightened sense of wonder about this world and its history. Furthermore, he talked about his own life and experiences growing up in Peru which even further rounded out our immersion. By the end of the trip, we had an experience of Peru that was deeper, more intimate, and more memorable that anything we could have arranged on our own. I could literally write a book-long review of how awesome this trip was and there wouldn't be a single sentence of negativity. Active handled the arrangements of our wedding, and we were provided a ceremony conducted by two Shamans (father and son) and catered to by wonderful staff on the mountainside of the Pisac Ruins (we were unable to book a ceremony at Machu Picchu due to recently enacted Peruvian regulations. But I'm glad it worked out the way it did! It was amazing!). Like I said, I could go on and on and on... There are so many things I haven't even mentioned like the unforgettable few days in the Amazon Rainforest, the 4-day hike up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the plethora of ruins we encountered, the man-made floating islands on Lake Titicaca, and SO MUCH MORE. And the people of Peru were AWESOME. We never for a moment felt unsafe, in fact we felt welcome by everyone. I'll end by saying this... Our primary point of interest in deciding on this trip to Peru was, of course, Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is every bit as amazing as you can imagine and more, BUT... I say with full conviction that nearly every day we spent in Peru was filled with sights and wonders we didn't expect. In hindsight, Machu Picchu was just one small part of the overall experience, and there are a great many places on this trip that rivaled it in its ability to just leave you speechless in their presence. If you are considering this trip... Stop considering and start planning. It will enrich your life immensely. Also, be prepared to sweat... They're not called ACTIVE Adventures for nothing :-)

| January 1970