Solo Trip to Peru & Trekking Machu Picchu

For many years, the idea of going on a solo trip to Peru and Machu Picchu was in my heart and on my mind. I would occasionally test my endurance by hiking local trails, check flight prices, refresh my Spanish, and seek advice from friends who had gone on similar journeys.  However, anytime I would get close to booking, something would come up causing me to not go.

Finally, in September 2016 I booked a solo trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. I officially was going to spend 10 days in Peru including a 4-day trek to Machu Picchu with Contiki. My solo trip would be in September of 2017. I had a full year to prepare. The trail runs, stair steppers and dieting became a way of life. After all, if I was going to push myself to what I thought would just be my physical limit – I was going to be prepared. However, little did I know, my preparation would be derailed and my life would completely fall apart.

On June 24, 2017 my father passed away. After 8 years of constant health battles and scares, lung cancer ultimately took his life. I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care about waking up, going to sleep, eating, let alone care about going on some trip. I was at the brink of cancelling when – after talking with family & friends – I realized that is the last thing my dad would have wanted. In fact, he would have been so disappointed if I had put my dream aside. So, I decided to keep my plans and make this trip more than just proving I could physically do it but, use it to awaken my heart, my soul, and to feel again.

It was crunch time! I had 2 months to get back on track. What do I wear? What equipment do I need? What? What? What? I had no idea…

Story by Sara Straw and was first published by Solo Travel Woman

Visit Sara’s website to read more stories and gain advice and support for planning your own travels: https://stwplanning.com/

Supportive comments are welcomed.