Roaming South America

Ayaviri, Perú: 25,000 People, All Indoors

May 9, 2026

Ayaviri, Perú, sits in a wide valley in the high Andes in the southeast of the country. Where I am right now, in my hotel, 3895 meters (12,778 ft.). It's cold. Right now, 4:37 pm, it's 12° C (53° F). The worst part is the hotel has no heat, which is normal, but it also has no heaters to rent to the guests, which is not quite normal, even in this part of the world. At any rate, the town of Ayaviri has a population of 25,000. I've been out walking all over town, and the streets are sooooooo quiet. There's almost no traffic, not even in the city center. I think 24,900 of the people are inside trying to stay warm.

The Inca Empire is Gone, but the Inca People are here to stay

May 6, 2026

One question I've been curious about while traveling through the Andes is this: Did the Spanish wipe out the Incas? The answer is: No. The empire fell, the rulers were executed, and the cities were taken over. You would think it was the end of their civilization. But the reality is very different. The Spanish destroyed the Inca ruling structure, not the Inca people. Their descendants are still here, all across the Andes.

Sicuani, Perú: Heavy History, Light Tourism

May 2, 2026

Sicuani, Perú — population about 58,000. Elevation: 3,549 meters (11,643 ft). The area has been inhabited since Inca times. Later, Spanish conquistadors took control and incorporated it into the colonial system. The climate here is on the cold side. During the dry season, nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing.

Pisac, Perú: Beautiful Mountains, Bundled Tickets

April 29, 2026

Pisac, Perú, is a tiny town that sits at an altitude of 2,972 metres (9,751 ft), 32 kilometers (20 mi) northeast of Cusco. The town has a population of around 10,000. The river Vilcanota runs through the town, with the majority of the town on one side.

An Earthquake, and a Controversial Rebuild

The town's original church was mostly destroyed by an earthquake in 1950. The government rebuilt the church, but when they did, they made a very controversial decision - they decided to remove the original Inca foundation stones and rebuild the church from the ground up as a replica of the original.

Ollantaytambo, Perú: A Living Inca Town You Can Walk

April 25, 2026

Ollantaytambo, Perú - one of the most visited towns in the Sacred Valley, and it didn’t take long to see why. The town itself sits surrounded by steep mountains, terraces, and ruins that climb the slopes in every direction. Unlike many archaeological sites that require transportation, here you simply walk a few blocks and start climbing.