Sadly, today was the last day of our Machu Picchu journey. We got up this morning in Cusco and went straight to the airport. The flight back to Atlanta was not until the evening and to maximize our time we had a tour scheduled in Lima for the day. We planned to check our luggage on our Atlanta flight when we arrived in Lima, so we would not have to worry about it before the flights. When we arrived in Lima, we found out that we couldn’t check our bags as planed since the ticketing counter didn’t open until three hours before the flight, so we stored all of our luggage in storage lockers.

We then went to the tour meeting place and had lunch. When we were picked up for the tour, we saw that it was the same tour guide as Day 2. Again we had a Spanish couple with us, so he had to give the tour in two languages.

The tour was great because we were able to see yet another climate region in Peru.

Pachacamac is in the desert with sand dunes.

There were Incan and pre-Incan ruins in this location. We learned about how the four different cultures built in the one place honoring the god Pachacamac (Lima people, Mochi, Huari, and Inca). We also learned about the monastery where the royal virgins were kept until they were chosen to be sacrificed. It was interesting to see paint that was still on some of the walls of the ruins. Originally, this area was a place where people brought offerings to the god and now still people come and leave money and coca leaves.

Interestingly, Francisco Pizarro’s brother (a conquistador) came here thinking he could meet with Pachacamac, but in reality the god was a wooden totem god.

This angered Pizarro’s brother and he burned the place down. You can see burnt marks from this incident. This is still an active archeological site.

After the tour, we were running late, so we ate at the Marriott hotel where our transfer to the airport was going to pick us up. We got to the airport and still were unable to check in. We waited for the counter to open (in a very long line). Once we checked in, we went to the VIP Lounge to rest and shower before the flight home.

What an awesome trip!

Don’t just visit Machu Picchu : Peru is a wonderful country. If you just sprint to Macchu Picchu, you will miss all the intriguing areas of this amazing country. While Machu Picchu is in the rainforest, the coast of Peru is a dry desert that is not to be missed. If you have extra time, which I regret not adding, you should also go to Lake Titicaca in the interior of the country.

Maximize your time in Lima : Many of the international flights will not leave Lima until the evening. Take advantage of the time to book a shorter day tour. It definitely beats sitting around in the airport.

Consider buying a lounge pass : You can use the Lounges at the airport for a fee, unless you have higher level airline status. I highly recommend paying this fee. You will have access to food, internet and a comfortable place to sit. This is nice when you have had a long day of touring. In addition, there are certain lounges that have access to showers. I believe this is a must to have a cozy flight back to the states. There is nothing worse than sitting dirty and feeling icky on a plane while you are trying to relax.