Sarnath, a small town located 10Km outside of Varanasi in India, is considered to be one of the most sacred places for Buddhist pilgrims. After attaining enlightenment in Bodhi Gaya (which is in present day Bihar), Buddha travelled to Varanasi and gave his first sermon to five of his followers, established Sangha (Buddhist monastic community) and set the wheel of Dharma in motion. Sarnath gained more prominence during 3rd century BC when king Ashoka erected several Stupas and monastic complexes and helped to spread Buddhism in India and Southeast Asia.
The Dhamekh Stupa
Buddhist stupas were originally built to house the earthly remains of Buddha and his associates and are almost invariably found at sites sacred to Buddhism. According to world history org, ” A Stupa (literally “heap” or “pile”) is a shrine containing the remains of a holy person and/or artifacts (relics) associated with them, originating in India prior to the 5th century BCE as tombs of holy men and evolving afterwards into sacred sites dedicated to the Buddha (l. c. 563 – c. 483 BCE).Later, stupas were also raised to honor Buddhist arhats (saints), bodhisattvas (enlightened ones), other saintly figures, or local deities”.
A stupa is a hemispherical structure, with a spire at the top, situated on a base that varies in shape and size and is usually surrounded by a walkway for visitors. The Dhamekh Stupa in Saranath is believed to have been built during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, stands at 33.35 meters in height and is adorned with intricately carved stone panels depicting scenes from Buddha’s life and teachings. Eight niches are provided in the eight direction which are assumed to contain images of Buddha.
It is very common to see Buddhist pilgrims meditating and praying around this area.
King Ashoka and Lion Capital-the national emblem of India
Ashokan pillar, c. 279 B.C.E. – 232 B.C.E, Vaishali, India (where Buddha preached his last sermon). Photo: Rajeev Kumar, CC: BY-SA 2.5)
Ashoka was the third emperor of Maurya dynasty and ruled between 279-232 BC. After witnessing the death and carnage caused by his army in the war of Kalinga, Ashoka decided to adapt the teachings of Buddha and spread the four noble truths of Buddhism far and wide. One of the ways King Ashoka decided to spread the noble truth of Buddhism is through erecting pillars that are 40-50 ft tall and with edicts/proclamations written on them. The pillars cut from two different types of stone—one for the shaft and another for the capital. The shaft was almost always cut from a single piece of stone. The capital or the top part of the pillar varies and usually have symbol depicting Buddhism or its philosophy.
Lotus and lion-Symbolism associated with Ashoka Pillar found at Sarnath.
Ashoka Pillar found in Sarnath -excavation photo
One of the most famous Ashoka Pillar is the one found at Sarnath. You can still see the pillar remains where it was originally located while the Capital of the pillar is in display at the museum next door. The symbols from the Capital that was found in Sarnath was adopted as the national emblem of India in 1950 when India became a republic. It is depicted on the one rupee note and the two rupee Indian coin. The Capital of the Ashoka pillar found in Saranath follows the typical style of the Ashoka pillar with a shaft and capital that is made of 3 parts-an inverted lotus flower, base with 4 animals carved in-between wheels , and 4 lions sitting on the top.
The lotus flower usually depicts Buddhist doctrine and is the most common symbol of Buddhism. Buddhism teaches that human life is like the “lotus flower” and the “muddy water” the harsh realities of everyday life. Lotus flower blooms in muddy water and its petals remain unblemished implying that Buddhist practitioner rises above despite the challenges of daily life and moving towards the light of wisdom. The Sarnath Ashoka Pillar lion capital has four lions on the top of the drum each facing in the four cardinal directions. Their mouths are open, roaring or spreading the dharma, the Four Noble Truths, across the land.
Replica of Lion Capital of Sarnath
On the drum of the Capital, there are four circular wheels in the middle is a form of Buddhist Dharma Chakra (also known as the Ashok Chakra). The 24 spokes of the Chakra represent the number of hours in a day. The spokes signify moving forward in life and thus one avoids stagnation of the mind. The four animals depicted alternatively between the chakras are regarded as the guardians of four directions – the lion for the north, the elephant for the east, the horse for the south and the bull for the west. In some Buddhist texts, all these animals have been referred to as symbols for Buddha himself and may be deduced as him carrying forward the tenets of Dharma. In yet another interpretation, these four animals represents the different stages of Lord Buddha’s life. (https://www.culturalindia.net/national-symbols/national-emblem.html)
Other noteworthy things to see around Sarnath:
Apart from the archeological site and the museum, there is a beautiful Thai temple with a large standing buddha statue set in a beautiful garden. There are scenes depicting first sermon of Buddha as well as a laughing buddha statue. This place is definitely worth stopping by even for few minutes.
Final thoughts
Saranath is a great place to add to your visit when you are in Varanasi and definitely worth visiting both for historical significance as well as religious significance.
Darbhanga ghat holds special place in Hindu mythology as the legend says that Lord Rama bathed here in the sacred waters of Ganges. The Ghat is dominated by stunning palace that was built in 18th century in Rajput and Mughal style architecture. Later in 20th century, the palace was bought over by Maharaja of Darbhanga and fort underwent extensive renovations, including the installation of South Asia’s first elevator. Today this palace is converted into Birjrama palace hotel by Ganges which seamlessly blends heritage and luxury.
How to get to Brijrama palace:
The unique location of Birjrama palace on Darbhanga Ghat provides unique opportunity to get to your hotel by boat. Even though the palace is located very centrally in the heart of Varanasi, close to all main attractions, you can’t reach this place by car. Since the palace is located in Bengali tola surrounded by narrow streets or galies, the best way to reach the palace is by boat. The hotel has multiple boats that can take you to various places within Varanasi, thus avoiding the traffic and also giving you the best view of Varanasi Ghats. The boat rides are free as part of the stay and you can use the boats as needed. We used this service multiple times during our stay including to attend Ganga Aarti, and go to Assi Ghat and surrounding area.
Architecture and interiors of Birjrama palace :
In order to reach the hotel from the ghat, you need to climb about 20 steps and get it to the elevator. You are greeted by a priest who blesses you and hands you flowers and blessings. You enter the elevator which is the first elevator in south east Asia. As you get out of the elevator, you are greeted by ornate sitting room and beautiful view of Ganges from first floor.
Lobby/ Entrance of Birjrama palace
The hotel has 3 floors each with its own balcony/sitting area with breathtaking views of Ganga. We were on 3rd floor and in my opinion, it has the best views and the 3rd floor balcony where they have Yoga classes every morning and high-tea in the evening. We spent every morning watching sunrise over Ganges and enjoying the morning bustle of the ghats.
View from third floor balconyView from first floorSunrise from the 3rd floor
Walking through the palace transports you back to the gilded era with ornate designs on the walls, beautiful sculptures, and spacious court yards. The hotel has done a great job of decorating the palace with its history in mind.
Accommodation Options :
There are 32 rooms in Brijrama palace with several types of rooms:
-Varuna Burj Suite- only 1 suite and it is on 2nd floor with its own entrance. This room boasts 180 view of the river and city and probably one of the most expensive rooms in the palace. We tried to book it but it was sold out for the time we were in Varanasi. It sleeps 3-4 people
– Maharaja Suite- there are 3 suites available and are on 1st floor and sleeps 2-4 people
– Vasundara- 6 available rooms and sleeps 2
– Dhanurdhara- 8 available rooms thar sleeps 2
-Nadidhara room- 14 available rooms that sleeps 2
We stayed in the Dhanurdhara room and it was perfect for 2 people. It opens into a well lit corridor that is next to 3rd floor balcony. We absolutely loved the room and the location of the room
Dining at Birjrama place:
There are 2 dining rooms in Brijrama palace but when we stayed there only Darbhanga dining room was open and it serves only vegetarian food( Because of the location of the hotel on the Ganga River, hotel doesn’t serve meat or alcohol). Breakfast is included the price and it is severed as a buffet with both international and Indian dishes. You can get made to order omelettes for breakfast along with toast, donuts etc. Both north and South Indian breakfast items such as made to order dosa, fresh jelebi as well as kachori are available everyday for breakfast. We are most of the lunch and dinner at the restaurant but they are A la carte and pretty decent. We found found to be lacking spiciness but overall of good quality. For one afternoon, we ordered the Thali, which is a 5 course meal with soup, appetizer( 3 kinds), main meal, a drink, and 3 different desserts. The meal was huge and we struggled to finish it
Activities :
There are several activities are provided as a complimentary service including High tea every evening. This was our favorite activity which included along with Indian Chai served in clay pot, thandai ( specialty of Varanasi), and pan making session.
Every morning, you wake up to the sound of flute playing from the center court yard and every evening there was Kathi’s dance performance at the bada angan to showcase local artists and talent. You can get complementary henna by a local artist every afternoon too. Every evening, boat leaves from the ghat to the Ganga Aarti ceremony and you can watch the program sitting in the boat.
Final thoughts
Staying at Brijrama palace is great experience and we enjoyed every minute of it. We were impressed by the service and authenticity of the staff as well as luxury and heritage of the place. More than anything else, location is absolutely stunning and we took too many photos of sunrise. Only con we found was that it was hard to leave the place and go out do anything else as we were too comfortable in our serene palace.
Varanasi where the Ghats hold the secrets of time and the past meets the present on the banks of the holy Ganges.
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Ghats (pronounced as gots) are series of steps/stairway leading the river and there are at least 84/85 of these in Varanasi (Some say 84 while others say 85. I didn’t count to confirm one way or the other). Best way to see these Ghats is either by walking so you can get up close or by taking a boat ride. Morning boat rides are especially popular as you get to the see the full glory of Varanasi in the early morning sunlight. Most of the ghats are used for everyday bathing to ceremonial rituals, festivals and cremation. If you decide to walk the ghats especially starting at Assi Ghat, you will be following the path taken by ” Panchatirthi” (Five tirthas) pilgrims who travel entire length of the city by the riverbank. These pilgrims stop at 5 ghats (Pancha) and take a dip in Ganga and visit temples on these ghats. Most of the pilgrims end their journey at Vishwanath temple.
Leaning temple at Manikarnika Ghat
Each ghat in Varanasi has its unique history and significance and tells a fascinating story. Some ghats commemorate notable figures like Tulsidas (Assi Ghat, and Tulsi Ghat), who penned the revered Rama charita manas, serving as a beacon of wisdom for humanity. While others have palatial buildings built by kings that were used as resorts and ritualistic places for special occasions (such as Darbhanga Ghat) while other ghats tell stories of mythological or spiritual significance (Manikarnika Ghat).
River Ganga forms a crescent shape in Varanasi and with base of crescent is at the Assi ghat and at the tip at the Adi Keshava ghat. This 6.5 Km long river front has 84/85 Ghats/Stairways and taking a holy dip along the Ghat in river Ganga is considered to be sacred. All Ghats feature around 40-60 stone steps and believed to be constructed around 14th century. Each ghat has octagonal raised platforms built for public use and smaller rectangular platforms which are closer to the river built for the use of Brahmins for religious rituals.
Gaya GhatGanesh GhatGanga Mahal GhatGanga Gate
Few of the most popular ghats include:
Dashashwamedh Ghat-located close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and is one of the busiest and sacred ghats. It is believed that Lord Brahma created it to welcome Lord Shiva and performed the DASA-ASHWAMEDH YAJNA (Literal meaning “Sacrificing ten horses”). This is the Ghat where Ganga Aarti is performed every evening. This is a busy ghat especially in the morning and evening and you will see rows of priests sitting under bamboo umbrellas performing various religious tasks for the pilgrims.
Dashashwamedh GhatGanga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
Assi Ghat– Forms the south boundary of the city where river Assi meets Ganga and considered to be the oldest Ghats in Varanasi. It is one of major bathing ghats that still has a clay bank and considered to be one of the most spiritual ghats and bathing here is deemed very auspicious. You cannot miss the imposing Lakshminarayana Pancharatna Mandir on the Ghat and this temple was built by Queen Dulari Radhakunvar, Bihar. Another key feature of this Ghat is an open air shiva temple under the pipal tree that is considred to be “Lord of the confluence of Assi” and worshiped by visitors . Assi Ghat is popular place to visit int the early morning for Subah-e-Banaras Aarti a prayer ceremony offered to both the Sun God and the holy river Ganga. The aarti is an extremely surreal experience and is performed diligently every single day of the year. Check time as it changes depending on the season. If you are near Assi Ghat, check out Lolark Kunda pond dedicated to Sun God.
Assi Ghat
Manikarnika Ghat/Harish Chandra Ghat– These are the 2 Ghats in Varanasi where cremations are performed. Manikarnika ghat being the older of the 2 and primarily uses wood for cremation. Manikarinka Ghat gets its name from the legend, that the ear-ring (Manikarnika) of Lord Shiva or his wife fell here. There is another myth related to the Tarakesvara Temple (Shiva temple at the Ghat), and it is said that this shiva bestows the “prayer of crossing” at the time of the death thus leading to liberation.
Cycle of birth, death and attaining moksha-According to Hindi belief system all living things have a soul or Atman and all living being goes through birth, life, death, and rebirth or reincarnation. Once a living being dies, its soul will be reborn or reincarnated into a different body depending on its karma from its previous life. For example, if a person has good karma in a previous life, then their atman will be reborn or reincarnated into something better than they were previously. A person gains good karma for doing good things in life, such as helping others through following their dharma. A Hindu’s ultimate goal in life is to reach moksha. Moksha means liberation or freedom from samsara, and it can only happen after a Hindu has been reborn many times. If a Hindu gains good karma from many lifetimes, they will have gained ultimate knowledge and have freed themselves from the constraints of the material world. Once this happens, a Hindu’s atman no longer needs to be reborn into another being and is ready to be free from samsara. As a result, the atman will achieve moksha and will be re-joined with Brahman. Hindus come to Banaras from all over India to die, and it is not a feared death. A death in Kashi is liberation (moksha), a release from the worldly cycle of reincarnation. (From https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zmgny4j/revision/3)
Manikarnika Ghat
Panchaganga Ghat– This sacred Ghat is located at the confluence of the five holy rivers which is Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Dhutpapa and Kirana. This is magnificent ghat and you will see Alamgir Mosque (locally known Bindu Madhav- Ka- Darera), erected by emperor Aurangzeb, in the background here. Before the mosque, there was a grand temple of Bindu Madav that had been rebuilt in late 16hth century. Like other temples of Varanasi, this temple was destroyed several times between twelfth and sixteen centuries and finally by Aurangzeb to build the mosque to match the grandeur of the previous temple.
Pancha Ganga Ghat
The Panchaganga Ghat has small rooms that open into the river and some of these are used for yoga and meditation. These rows of rooms are usually under water and only visible after the rainy season.
3 sided cubicles for yoga and meditation at Panchaganga Ghat
Darbhanga Ghat– We were fortunate to stay in Brijrama palace- a heritage luxury hotel and my review can be read here. Historically, Darbjanga Ghat was named for recoginition of kings of Darbhanga for their support of art and culture. The palace was supposed have been built in 18th century and incorporated both Rajput and Mughal styles. Mythologically, legend says that Lord Rama bathed in this ghat and hence holds a special place.
Birjrama palace hotel at Dharbhanga Ghat
Other ghats that are unique include:
Leaning temple of Scindia and Manikarnika Ghat-Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
Leaning temple-Ratneshwar Mahadev
You can’t miss this leaning temple of Ratneshwar Mahadev when you travel by boat on the Ghats of Varanasi. Located between Manikarnika Ghat and Scindhia Ghat, this temple is supposed to have a nine degree tilt and built so close to river that the part of the temple is under water during rainy season. There are couple of legends associated with why the temple is leaning. One legend tells the story of son building temple to honor his mom and boasting that he had re-payed his debt to his mother. Since it is impossible to re-pay mother’s debt, the temple started to lean.
Rani Ghat with palace/grand house built by queen of Lucknow Muniya Sahiba in 1937
Rani Ghat
Vijayanagar Ghat– with small palatial building, in south Indian architectural style built by the king of Vijayanagaram in 1890.
Vijayanagara Ghat
Chet Singh Ghat– Built by Maharaja Chet Singh one of the rulers of Varanasi, this Ghat saw one of the fiercest battles of Indian history fought between the British troops and the army of Raja Chet Singh in 1781 AD. British had the possession of this Ghat until 19th century when King Prabhunarayan Singh had again took the possession of this fort. The northern part of it was donated to Naga group of ascetics who late on built their monasteries and ghats, called Niranjani Ghat and Nirvani Ghat.
Chet Singh Ghat
Jain Ghat- Jain Ghat is a prominent Jain pilgrimage site as Varanasi is believed to birthplace of Suparshvanatha (7th tirthankara) and Parshvanatha (23rd tirthankara). It is believed that the Jain Maharajas used to own these ghats and the Ghat is home to several Jain temples and shrines, including the Shri Parshvanath Digambar Jain Temple, which is dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshvanath. Another important temple at the Jain Ghat is the Shri Mahavirji Jain Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of the Jain religion. The temple is adorned with beautiful paintings and murals that depict scenes from the life of Lord Mahavira.
The ghats of Varanasi have incredible stories to tell and walking or taking boat ride appreciating the beauty and legends is a great way to start journey of Varanasi.
It is good to feel small beneath the sparkling northern lights, small beside the mighty river. Nature is so close to us up here. My troubles and difficulties just shrivel up. I like being insignificant.
Asa Larsson
Finnish Lapland is a magical place that should be put on everyone’s bucket list. If you want to see unspoiled nature and artic wilderness, this is the place to appreciate it. Best time to see northern lights from October through April and I was told by people that work at the resort that March is the best time see northern lights. We did the entire trip without renting a car and managed to travel within Finland through public transportation. As usual with my blogs, if you just want to see the itinerary, please check here.
Our finnish adventure started with a wish from the kid for his 13th birthday that he wanted to see northern lights. I started planning to trip and wanted to go during December but quickly realized that there are 2 main reasons not to go in december- it is the high season and everything costs more, and days are really short especially around Dec 21st. We decided to change the trip to February break which turned out to be better time to visit especially if you want to see Northern lights
There are several towns and cities you can visit based on what you want to do:
Helsinki– Capital city and good base for rest of the trip. If you have time, you can also visit Tallinn, capital of Estonia as day trip or 2 day trip.
Rovaniemi- Capital of Lapland and city in arctic circle. You can do all the winter activities in this city including northern light hunting, dog sledding, snowshoeing etc
Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka : Ivalo is a small town and airport near Lake Inari (Inarijärvi) in Finish Lapland, an is about 1450 miles south of the North Pole. Saariselkä is few miles from Ivalo, year-round resort town.
Pyhä/Pyhätunturi – Pyhä is a true Lappish ski resort surrounded by Pyhä-Luosto National Park
Levi– Levi is a micro-city built around a ski resort in western Lapland. During the winter months, from mid-November to mid-May, Levi is Finland’s most popular ski resort, with a total of 44 slopes serviced by 28 lifts, 180 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle
Kemi– part of southern Lapland known as “Sea Lapland”. Kemi is located on the Gulf of Bothnia and is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and outdoor activities as well as the icebreaker boat tours.
Salla– is a small town located in the eastern part of Lapland and is known for its ski resorts and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
Oulu– As the biggest commercial and cultural hub in the region, Oulu is often called the Capital of Northern Scandinavia. It’s a vibrant city that holds over 700 events annually, including one-of-a-kind experiences such as the World Air Guitar Championships, Polar Bear Pitching, The Irish Festival of Oulu and Qstock music festival.
Top winter activities to do in Finland and where to do them
Northern light hunting: Finnish lapland is supposed to have northern lights 200 days of the year and you have pretty good chance of seeing them anywhere from Rovaniemi to Lake Inari and beyond. We saw them in Rovaniemi.
Huski Safari : Can be done in Rovaniemi, Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka
Reindeer Safari : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
Snowmobiling : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
Ice fishing : Rovaniemi, Lake Inari
Sauna : Can be done pretty much anywhere in Finland
Santa Claus : Rovaniemi
Skiing and snowboarding : Pyha, Levi
Ice plunge /ride on an icebreaker boat : Kemi, Salla, Levi
Coffee/City vibes – Helsinki
What to wear
If you go during the peak winter months, you definitely need proper layers to do any outdoor activities. Most activities done through the tour operators and they provide snow shoes, snow suit, and gloves that will keep you warm and toasty. Check with the operators see what they provide so that you don’t buy ton of stuff you will only use during the visit. We bought thermal layers like this and this that kept us warm when we were walking around on our own. Good winter hat/beanie, gloves and a warm jacket like this were perfect to keep us warm.
Day 1 and 2 : Rovaniemi
After a long flight from US, we reached Rovaniemi around 4 PM and made it to our hotel –Santa’s hotel Santa Claus. We chose this hotel as it was in the middle of city center and close to restaurants and activities and also included breakfast in the price. We had booked a junior suite with Sauna in the room and we used this sauna every night. It was a good way to start our finnish experience.
Other good hotels : There are several options at various price point depending on your budget. We liked the Santa’s hotel which was middle of the range and restaurant on-site along with access to coffee houses and other restaurants.
Artic Tree house hotel : This is a high end hotel that provides great views and close to santa village. If you are looking for unique hotels, this is a good one to stay and hotel offers several activities that you can book through the concierge.
Hostel Café Koti : Budget friendly hotel in the city center with several options
Apukka Resort : If you want to stay in glass igloos, you can check out this hotel.
Since the hotel was near the city center, once we checked in, we decided to explore the area including the Lumberjack’s candle bridge and downtown including Lordi’s square, and restaurants. These are some of the restaurants and cafes we tried during our 2 day stay in the city center and food was really good in all the places we ate.
Pancho Villa Rovaniemi- Good Mexican food and don’t need reservation
Rang Mahal Indian Restaurant- Pretty decent Indian food.
Massimo- Great pizza place and my first experience drinking the long drink (in Finnish lonkero) – a very popular mixed drink made from gin and a mixer, traditionally grapefruit soda.
Cafe & Bar 21 – Great coffee
Korundi Kitchen & Café : Another great coffee place
Day 2 : We started the day with a breakfast at the hotel and decided to take a cab to Santa’s village. This place is close to airport and costs about 20-30 euros for the cab from city center. Cabs in Finland are expensive and public transport seems to best way to reach various places. You can also take public transportation and route 8 goes from city center to Santa village. It will take about 3-4 hours to do the whole thing and you can get lunch before heading back to city center. February was not very busy season to see Santa and there were no long lines for any activity.
Santa’s village
Photo Courtesy : Photo of a photo at Santa’s village
Must do things at Santa village:
Visit Santa Claus– One of the best Santa’s I have ever visited. He was very personable and chatted with us for a while. Extra fee for taking photos with Santa and you can get either digital or physical copy of the photo
Santa’s post office-can mail post card to anyone at any time of the year. You can put into either send now or send next christmas mailbox
Christmas House Safaris and Reindeer Farm– Walk around and enjoy the winter wonderland and can go on reindeer safari
Arctic circle– take photos while crossing artic circle
Visit Roosevelt’s house– is the first building in the Rovaniemi Arctic Circle area. It was erected in the summer of 1950 in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit.
Day 1 afternoon and evening : We spent the afternoon at Arktikum a science centre and museum that lets you experience northern nature, culture, and history up close and learn all about northern lights.
Northern lights hunting by minivan: This was the event all of us looking forward to and I had booked the trip through Nordic adventure. Around dinner time, it started raining/snowing and when the diver came to pick us up from the hotel, he said our chances of seeing northern lights is very minimal. The tour operator said we can move the tour to next day but since we were going to Saariselka next day we decided to take a chance and see what we get.
Pro-tip- Find out from your tour operator if they rent snow shoes and suit. None of us on the northern light tour had proper cloths and shoes and we froze our butt off. Some times, the hotels also rent out snow boots and they make a huge difference when you are standing for couple of hours on a frozen lake waiting for Northern lights to show
After driving for about 20-25 min from the city, we stopped at a lake. Rain/Snow had slowed down and waiting about 30 min, stars started appearing giving us the hope that we might see Northern light. The guide, Gale started fire and heated up some mulled wine and sausages to keep us warm, but our toes were getting frozen. There were 7 of us on this tour and we took turns going back to the van to keep ourselves warm. Around 10 PM, after standing around for an hour, a white cloudy thing appeared on the horizon and Gale said that we are in luck. Slowly the white cloudy thing started turning green and for next hour and half, we saw one of the most incredible displays of northern lights. We were spellbound and speechless at the magnificent lights. None of us had figured out how to take pictures using our iphones but the tour included photos that the guide took using professional setup. This worked out perfectly as we could enjoy the lights without having to take photos. If you want to take photos of northern lights, please check this blog. If you want to check your chances of seeing northern lights, the aurora pro app works really well. There are few other apps you can use and more details on these apps can be found here.
Beginning of the auroraProgressionKeeps getting betterAlmost whole sky covered
Rovenomi is great place to not only see northern lights but to do other activities such as snow mobile rides, husky and reindeer safari, and other winter activities. There is also a snow/ice hotel you can visit and have dinner. We decided to do most of these activities at our next stop in Saariselka and stay only 2 days in Rovaniemi which was perfect way to start our finnish adventure. If you want to book any other activities, there are several options on getyourguide or viator. Nordic adventures also offer a lot of these activities and we had really had a great time on aurora hunting with them.
Day 3, 4, and 5 : Saariselkä and staying in glass igloos at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Glass igloo Kelo glass igloo
One of the things we were looking forward to when we planned our trip is our stay in a glass igloo. There are several hotels that have glass igloos, and we chose Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort which pioneered the glass igloo concept. Kakslauttanen is a good option, albeit an expensive one, but the reason we chose them was that they offer several activities including reindeer safari, and husky safari. If you plan to stay here in December, you can also meet Santa and do other activities related to Christmas. Since we stayed in February, we didn’t get to see Santa. There are several options for rooms at this resort and for details on the resort, check out this blog which helped me to plan our stay. We decided to stay in 2 different rooms to get the full experience. First 2 days of the stay we stayed in Kilo glass igloo and for 1 night we stayed in the glass igloo.
Kelo glass igloo:We found these igloos to be the best of both world with comfort of the log cabin with glass igloo master bedroom. This version of the room sleeps up to 6 people and for 3 of us this was really good accommodation and came with kitchenette, fireplace, and of course ensuite sauna.
Glass Igloo master Main Area with KitchenDining area and fire placeSauna in the bathroomKilo glass igloo from outside
Glass igloo : Depending on whether you book small or large igloo, it can fit 2 or 3 to 4 people. We chose the one that fits 4 people and it had a small bathroom and toilet in the room. The smaller version may not have a bathroom and common shared bathroom in the main building can be used.
Glass igloo Inside of the 4 person glass iglooEntrance to glass igloo
There are several other options at the resort including log cabins to luxury gold-digger cabin and you can chose the one based on your requirement and budget. All in all, it was great experience to stay in the resort and other great thing is that rooms come equipped with Northern light alarm in case northern lights appear in the night.
How to get to Saariselkä or Lake Inari
There are several ways to get to Lake Inari or Saariselka hotels. Easiest way is to fly to Ivalo airport and take a cab or ask the hotel to pick you up from the airport. Since there were no direct flights from Rovaniemi to Ivalo airport, we took bus. On our return trip, we directly flew from Ivalo to Helsinki airport. The bus journey takes about 3 hours and more details can be found here and you can directly buy the tickets from the bus operator on-line or you can buy the tickets from the driver on the bus. For timetables and tciket purchase, check out the website of Matkahuolto, a Finnish company that organizes bus trips nationwide. We got dropped off at the east village entrance of the Kakslauttanen resort, but we were supposed to be at West village. Thankfully there were couple of people at the reception and were able to arrange a van to transport us to the resort. The bus driver was also very helpful and called hotels to get transportation to few people on the bus that got dropped off the entrance.
Pro-tip – The bus drops you off at the entrance of your hotel and it stops at various hotels in Saariselkä area. Some hotels are long-way from the entrance (1-2 km) and it would good to have hotel send a van/ transportation to pick you up from the entrance so that you don’t have to drag your luggage through snow
Snow activities at Kakslauttanen Arctic resort
Reindeer SafariFeeding ReindeerHuski SafariKota for breaks and warming up
Lapland is great place to do snow activities and we booked all our activities through Kakslauttanen resort and combined most activities with Northern light hunting. Even if we didn’t see Northern lights, we still enjoyed the husky safari, snowmobile ride and reindeer safari. Check here for the list of all the activities organized by resort. We did Aurora hunting with snowmobiles, Husky Safari (favorite of the teenager as he got to drive his own husky sled), Reindeer safari, and a whole day trip to Lake Inari with ice fishing and visit to Sami museum.
Lake Inari visit: This was our favorite activity at the resort. We were picked up from the resort at 8AM and were driven to Lake Inari. The drive itself is beautiful and very serene. After we changed into out winter suites, we drove our own snow mobiles to Lake inari. It an exhilarating ride with typical Lapland views with wild reindeers, and snow-covered trees. Once we reached lake Inari, our guide demonstrated making hole in the ice to catch the fish and we all dug our own holes and sat for few hours without any luck. In the meantime, our guide prepared lunch on an open fire and heated up tea to warm us up.
Snowmobiling on Lake InariIce Fishing Ice FishingGuide preparing lunch on open firewarm soup in traditional bowls
Wilderness church of Lake Pielpajärvi -Built in 1760, after the Christianization of the Sami people, this church was built on the site of an old Sami winter village. It is one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland. It was in use until the end of the 19th century and nowadays puts on special services during Easter and Midsummer. The church is also a popular site for weddings. In the summertime, Pielpajärvi is only accessible by foot along a 5 km hiking path or by boat from Pielpavuono pier in Lake Inarijärvi. The easiest way to reach the church is to hike from Inari village. The starting point of the trail is the Sarviniementie parking area, which is about 3km northeast of the Siida museum. From the parking area it’s about a 5 km hike through the woods to the church (route is marked with occasional signposts and more frequent red stakes). An alternative is to the Inari Lake cruise where the catamaran can leave you at Pielpavuono which is about two kilometers from the church and you can walk along the path from there (the route is also marked with red stakes). In the wintertime it can be reached by skiing and snowmobile, and we chose snowmobile as our option. The church is always open and can be visited free of cost.
Pielpajärvi wilderness church
Siida’s open air museum– If you are in Lake Inari, you should definitely take time to visit to Siida’s open air museum to understand the cultural and architectural heritage , as well as livelihoods of the Sámi in Finland. This museum tells story of Inari and Sami in the last 10,000 years and gives information about Sami way of life including, evolution of transportation method from reindeer to snow scooters and more. We also got to see other Sami traditions including their food habits, hunting practices, and ingenuity of Sami people living in harmony with nature. Check here for the open times and other information.
Day 6 and 7- Helsinki
Helsinki Cathedral
We started the tour of Helsinki with a walking tour and it was a good way to get the lay of the land and see some key sights. We booked one through getyourguide and similar ones can be found in viator too. We met our guide at Senate square and covered the following places in about 3 hours on foot. It was really informative and we enjoyed visiting the city with the local person who had lived in the city for more than 20 years.
Senate Square– Senate Square is the main square of Helsinki and is surrounded by buildings on the four sides of the square representing the four powers of the state as conceived during 17th century : senate, church, university and commerce. The Square itself is empty except for a statue of Tsar Alexander II in the middle. The main structure that dominates the square is the Helsinki Cathedral.
Helsinki Cathedral– Designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, this cathedral is the landmark and symbol of Helsinki. Also known as St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, it was completed in 1852 and have sculptures of 12 apostles on the roof that guard the city. The church is build in the shape of the greek cross and has six corinthian pillars in the front. The outside wall is decorated with scenes from life of christ and above the main there is an hebrew inscription of Jahave (God). For more information on the architecture and opening hours, check here
Uspenskin Cathedral– Built in 1868, this church is considered as the largest cathedral in Western Europe. This Cathedral represents Russian impact on Finland. The cathedral was designed by the Russian church architect Aleksei M. Gornostaje and it is built to represent Slavonic architecture with golden cupolas and redbrick facade. It’s a prominent sight as you walk around the city center, as it sits on a hilltop overlooking the ocean and its 13 towers with their gilded spires are eye-catching. 12 of the towers stand for the 12 apostles and one for Jesus and interior is very splendidly furnished with columns made of solid granite support the main dome, which is designed like a starry sky. Numerous colorful mosaics decorate the interior walls along with icons, religious paintings and gilded sacraments.
Uspenskin Cathedral
Kauppatori or the market square – Close to Helsinki city hall and President’s palace, is the outdoor market on the waterfront, with lots of food vendors (mostly selling various seafood–and sides like veggies and potatoes), lots of fresh produce (everything looked delicious), and some souvenir stalls. It is great place to spend some time enjoying finnish food.
Old Market Hall– Open since 1889, this old food hall or market hall is close to market square and sells all sorts of cheese, fish, vegetables, fruits, cakes and pastry. There are some cafes and restaurants too and it is also great place to try some authentic finish dishes.
Havis Amanda – A fountain and statue designed by sculptor Ville Vallgren is located in the market square and symbolise the rebirth of Helsinki and is beloved pieces of art in Helsinki. Havis Amanda is a mermaid who stands on seaweed as she rises from the water with four fish spouting water at her feet. She is surrounded by four sea lions and is depicted leaning backwards as if to say goodbye to her element. Vallgren’s intention was to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki. Vallgren himself called the work simply Merenneito, or The Mermaid in English, but it quickly started to earn nicknames. The Finland-Swedish newspapers dubbed it Havis Amanda and the Finnish Haaviston Manta or simply Manta. Every year on Vappu, Manta serves as a center for the celebrations. Students of the local universities put a cap on the statue in an elaborate ceremony. For many it is a “must see” event (Source: https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/havis-amanda-33017.html)
Havis Amanda
Other places to visit in Helsinki
Ekbrg 1852– café Ekberg is the oldest bakery, patisserie and café in Finland, founded in 1852.
Sea Fortress Suomenlinna– https://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/ Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress and nature area with centuries-old artillery and defensive walls, spread across 6 linked islands. There are walking trails that take you to popular sights like the King’s Gate drawbridge and Suomenlinna Museum. There is also a brewery and several waterside restaurants.
Private guided tours of the fortress, in several languages, can be booked in advance (guidebooking@suomenlinnatours.com). Public guided tours in English are announced in the events calendar on the Suomenlinna webpages. The fortress is easily accessed all year by public transport (HSL) ferry from the Market Square (daily) or the HSL maintenance ferry from Katajanokka (on weekdays). The travelling time is approx. 15minutes (Source: my Helsinki)
Sibelius Monument– This a memorial seaside park constructed honor Finnish Composer Sibelius. The main attraction is the abstract monument called Passio Musicae, was created by pioneering artist Eila Hiltunen and is actually a kinetic, musical sculpture—a bundle of 600 steel tubes that capture the wind like a pipe organ.
Day Trip to Tallinn, Estonia from Helsinki– Another popular option from Helsinki is to take a ferry ride to Tallinn, Estonia as day trip or two-day trip. We didn’t do this but there are several tours available that you can take such as this and this
Final thoughts
Finland is a great place to visit and experience true arctic wilderness and magic of Christmas during winter. To this day, my family considers this as the best trip we have taken together.
I read this poem by Robert Frost as part of high school class. On a literal level, this a very simple poem describing the beauty and tranquility of a snow covered trees and appreciating the solitude in the nature. Being grown up in Southern India and not having seen snow or snow covered trees, I was still able to appreciate the message and imagery of the poem as Robert frost’s paints a beautiful scene with his simple yet powerful words. The full impact of the scenery didn’t hit me until I moved to Wisconsin, and then to Northeast of US where there were many snowy evenings and mornings and I always appreciated the calmness snow brought and serenity it created.
The last stanza of the poem stayed with me as its meaning seemed deep even as a teenaged but like an onion, this poem has many layers and meaning of the poem becomes deeper as you peel the layers of the simple lines. The true meaning of the poem didn’t dawn on me until I was walking around one late afternoon in the Finnish Lapland. I don’t know about you but my mind never stops chattering and continuously thinks about various things I need to do, past mistakes and events, worries about the future and everything else under the sun. But on that day, surrounded by snowy woods and not another soul anywhere close, my mind became quite. It wasn’t eerie quite that chills you to the bone but a serene and peaceful feeling that enveloped me. For few minutes nothing mattered and I had no thoughts and no chatter. On a philosophical level, this poem is about the juxta positioning of responsibilities and escaping the realities of the world- a constant struggle between practical and ideal. The snowy woods represent the ideal world of here and now and encompasses the true nature of mindfulness while the bell on the horse is a reality check that draws back to your responsibilities. I have been practicing mindfulness for a little while now and until that moment in the woods, I never truly experienced what it means to be present.
“Waterfalls are exciting because they have power, they have rainbows, they have songs, and they have boldness and craziness!”
Unknown
If you ever find yourself in Argentina or Brazil and have couple of days, Iguacu falls should be on your must to do list. Some quick facts about Iguacu falls:
It is the largest/biggest waterfall system in the world and it is taller than Niagara Falls and wider than Victoria falls
It forms the international border between Argentina and Brazil
Made of up to 275 individual waterfalls, it is a visual feast and stunningly beautiful sight
Brazilian side has 20% of the falls and you get more panoramic views while 80% falls on Argentinian side and you can get up close and personal with waterfalls.
There are 2 national parks- one on Argentinian side and other on the Brazilian side.
Brazil- airport and city close to the national park is Foz do Iguaçu/Cataratas InternationalAirport (IATA: IGU,), is the airport serving the city of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil which is a good base for seeing Brazilian side of the falls.
Unlike Niagara Falls, there is only one hotel inside the park Hotel Das Cataratas. There are plenty of options in the town of Foz do Iguacu for all budget ranges. My review of the hotel Das Cataratas is below and in my opinion, it is one the best hotel in terms of location and amenities.
Argentina- airport and city close to the Argentinian side is Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport and is located in the town of Puerto Iguazú and is a good base for Argentinian side of the falls
Just like Brazilian side, is only one hotel inside Argentinean Park Gran Meliá Iguazú and multiple options on the town of Puerto Iguazu for all budget ranges.
Iguazu falls from Brazilian side and staying at Hotel Das Cataratas
When I found myself in Sao Paolo for with a free weekend on a work trip, I decided to use this time to go on a solo trip to Iguazu falls and decided to splurge and stay in Das Cataratas, the only hotel inside the national park. I had worked with the concierge at the hotel and planned to entire stay including picking up from the airport to drop off back to airport after 2-night stay at the hotel. Das Cataratas is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed, and this turned out to be the best solo trip I have ever taken.
Sunset and first look at the falls from the hotel.
Hotel Das Cataratas : staying at this 1950s style hotel complete with a pink Volkswagen minivan in the front, is such a unique and exquisite experience. The hotel staff is amazing, and I was fortunate to get upgraded to a partial fall view room and spent my time in the room just enjoying the sound of waterfalls and all the tranquility of the rainforest. The rooms are impeccable with attention to detail and comes with a 2 pairs Havaianas to use and take with you. The hotel has 3 restaurants/bar on site serving traditional brazilin dishes to unique drinks. One of the main advantages of staying at this hotel is the access to waterfalls after the park is shut down for the visitors. I was fortunate to spend 45 minutes at the Devil’s throat without anyone else around enjoying and appreciating the sunrise. Also, the Ipe restaurant on-site has one the best breakfast buffets and serves traditional Feijoada lunch on Saturdays and is a great way to enjoy this traditional and relaxing lunch experience. There is spa on site along with 2 swimming pools complete with resident coati named Louis.
Hotel Das CataratasOld world charm complete with pink Volkswagen minivan Courtyard with OrchidsOrchids in the courtyardSunset picnic set up Infront of the hotel with fall view Hotel Das Cataratas
Full moon experience/ Full moon walk at Iguazu falls
I flew from Sao Paolo to Foz De Iguazu and was picked up from the airport by the driver arranged by the hotel. The drive from airport to the hotel was about 30 minutes and on the way the driver mentioned that I should do moon light walk to the falls that night. 4-5 days of every month, you can do night walk to the devils’ throat at the Iguazu falls to see the lunar rainbow or moon bow. If you are not staying at the Das Cataratas hotel, you have options to do this tour with this company and they pick up from both Brazil and Argentina hotels and takes you to Argentinian side of the falls. Based on my experience, it doesn’t look like you can do the moon tour on the brazilin side and only exclusive to guests at Das Cataratas and when I did the moon walk, there were only about 20 people from the hotel.
Moon bow/Silver rainbow is considered to be one of the world’s rarest natural phenomena. On full moon nights, moonlight gets reflected in the spray of the waterfall, forming rainbows or moon bows. We left the hotel around 10 PM armed with flashlights and water bottles with our guide. We walked to the Devil’s throat and first watched the rainbows from the top of the falls before walking down to the lower level and up close to the Devil’s throat. This is an experience that I will never forget and to such an incredible experience. I don’t think phots can do justice, but I took as many as I could.
From the visitor center, these are the points of interest, and you can take bus from any stop all day long- The visitor center, Hiking trial (9 Km long), Macuco safari, Belmond Hotel, Devil’s throat.
You have 2 options to see the waterfall- either private tour such as this or do it yourself. You can take an uber to main entrance of the park and then take the bus from the visitor center. You buy your tickets on-line here and you have few options you cam chose from:
Traditional tour BR $86 (About USD 15)-The tour includes round trip internal transport (12km inside the Park), trail to the falls (1km walking), elevator, footbridge and lookouts.
You can add buffet lunch and speedboat ride to this tour at extra cost.
Dawn at the waterfall BR $195 (USD40)– This tour starts at the first viewpoint in front of the Hotel das Cataratas and ends at Porto Canoas, with breakfast served from 7:30 to 9:30. Visitors can also start the adventure at Espaço Naipi, with direct access to the elevator. The place offers one of the most privileged views of the Brazilian side of Iguassu National Park.
Access hours: from 6:00 to 7:00.
Tour schedule: from 6:00 to 8:00.
Breakfast at the Porto Canoas Restaurant: from 7:30 to 9:30.
Devil’s throat is the most spectacular part of the Iguazu falls on the Brazil side. I found that Devil’s throat is better on Brazil side than on the Argentinian side. There are 2 levels you can see the Devils’ throat from Brazilian side- The top of the falls and bottom of the falls with a wooden pathway. Devil’s throat is where half of the river falls down the plateau plunging about 80 meter or 263 ft creating thunderous roar and a spectacular view. I was fortunate to go to the Devil’s throat early in the morning (took the pathway that is directly opposite to Belmond hotel and walked to the Devil’s throat) and watched the birds great dusky swifts directly flying into the falls. These dusky swifts have nests behind the waterfalls and rocky cliffs and hundreds of them flying around in the morning. If you want to experience the waterfalls without a big crowd, dawn at the waterfalls is great way to do it or staying at Das Cataratas works too.(https://tickets.cataratasdoiguacu.com.br/produto/6157)
Pro-tip : You will get drenched at the bottom part of the walkway and it is advisable to have a poncho
Pathway from BelmondDevil’s throat Devil’s throat from lower levelGreat Dusky Swits flying into the falls.
Belmond hotel viewpoint: This is a beautiful view point and usually doesn’t get as crowded as the Devils’ throat. You can take the short walkway and see various panoramic viewpoints of the falls and double cascades of the waterfalls. Staying at the hotel gave me an opportunity to get a drink from the bar and walk down the path at sunset. The drink I chose is called Pink Celebration and is created by the bar to celebrate the waterfalls.
Sunset at Iguazu Double fallsPink Celebration drink created to celebrate the falls at sunset
Macuco Safari Boat ride
This a must do on the Brazil side and will take about 3-4 hours and you will get a very different perspective of the falls. The tour starts with a ride in the electric jeep and guide will explain various plants and point out animals as you go through the rain forest. This is followed by walk through the jungle and finally to the boat dock. Ther are 2 options for the boat ride- Dry or wet. Both options you will be get wet but in the wet ride, you will be dunked under the waterfalls. Before getting on the boat, you will be taken to the locker room where you can leave your stuff including your cell phone. The tour operator records the entire trip on a go pro as well as you get buy pictures and videos at the end. Many people brought their photos and took pictures and didn’t seem to have any issues getting wet. The dry tour also follows the same path but you will not go under the falls but still get sprayed with water. If you are staying at the Belmond, the hotel drops off and picks you up from the starting point and also give you fresh towels to take with you as well as drying service for your clothes when you come back (I have been forever spoiled by the level of service this hotel offers).
waterfall you get dunked under
Macuco Safari-speed boat ride
Iguazu Falls – Argentina
Argentinian side of falls gives you up-close and intimate encounter with the waterfalls. If you are staying on the Brazilian side, there are several tour operators that will take you to Argentinian side on a day trip. If you are really pinched for time, there are tour options such as this one that will take you to both sides of the falls in a day, but it is recommended to spend a day on each side of the falls. Since this trip was my splurge trip, I had asked the hotel Das Cataratas to organize my trip to Argentinian side and they took care of everything including the visa process at the border. Crossing the border is the biggest time consumer and taxis and private tours have a separate line and seem to move faster than the personal car line. There is no way to predict the time required cross the border but early in the morning seems to be better than later in the day. I left the hotel with my guide and car at 8 AM and we crossed the border and were at the Argentinian side of the falls by 9.30 AM.
Argentinean side of the Iguazu falls in much larger and has more things to do. You can easily spend a day here.
Park hours : 8AM to 4.30 PM
Entrance fee :$10,000 Pesos
Stops on the jungle train : The upper and lower circuit, and Devil’s throat as well as ferry ride to San Martin Island a
The jungle train or tern de la Selva, is the best way to get to the different points of interest and cost is included in your entry ticket but need to get a free ticket at the station that puts you into a group that boards the train. The train every 30 minutes. The Jungle Train has 3 stops in the park:
Estacion Central: the first stop by the entrance of the park called central station.
Estacion Cataratas is the second stop and you can access trails of the Upper and Lower Circuit from this stop
Estacion Garganta: The last stop on the train and leads to the Devil’s throat trail.
The Upper Circuit is shorter and just half a mile and will take around an hour. It has catwalks leading you on top of the falls with views over the nearly 200 foot high waterfalls. It’s very impressive.
The Lower Circuit can take 2-3 hours to explore, with multiple viewpoints and paths. This is where you can catch the free ferry to San Martin Island (depending on water levels). You can also pay for a speedboat ride right up to and under one of the falls.
Devils’ throat : We started out visit with Devil’s throat and got off at the last station. It is over a kilometer for pathway leading to the Devil’s throat and you get the cross the river on this pathway. You will hear the roar of the falls before seeing it and it is a sight to behold. You will get wet at this spot from the mist and you can’t really get a good picture without your camera getting drenched.
Upper Circuit : The upper circuit is about 1.75 km and very flat most of the way. You get a panoramic view of the falls and best view is the San Martin viewpoint with an incredible view of the falls and a great location to get some incredible photos.
San Martin view point
Lower circuit : This trail will take about take 2-3 hours to explore, with multiple viewpoints and paths and is 1.7KM long with some stairs. This is where you can catch the free ferry to San Martin Island -depending on water levels. Like the Brazilian side, you can also pay for a speedboat ride that will take you under the waterfalls.
Helicopter ride: if you can afford it, the good way to get the full effect of the waterfalls from the sky. I didn’t do this as I am afraid of heights and didn’t wanted to ride the helicopter but there are several options such as this one.
Best time to visit
I visited the falls in the middle of august and it was able to enjoy the falls without many crowds. Best time to visit is April to May and from September to October when the temperature is milder and crowds are less.
Final thoughts
Both sides of the falls are unique, but I liked the brazilin side because of the Das Cataratas hotel stay and access to waterfalls after hours. Devil’s throat is more spectacular on the Brazilian side as you can see the panoramic fall while Argetninain side you will hear the roar of falls. Both sides give you an opportunity to get close to the waterfalls if you do the boat ride. Visiting Iguazu falls on either side is definitely worth it, and you can visit both sides if you have time to get a full experience. You will see lots of wildlife and butterflies on both sides of the falls.
One of the greatest perks of travelling is the opportunity taste different cuisines and there is no better way to understand a country than through their food. Peruvian cuisine is very unique and considered to be one of best gastronomical experiences. Known as the Creole food due to the multi-cultural influences including Spanish, Chinese, Italian, African and of course Incan culture, Peruvian cooking incorporates various cooking techniques and ingredients from various parts of the world creating a colorful tapestry of flavors and taste. No matter which part of Peru you are, you can try unique cuisine from that area. The touristy places like Olly, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lima have restaurants that offer potatoes (Incan cuisine) to stir fry (Chinese influence) to Ceviche that is almost synonymous with Peru.
Potatoes are now universal but originated in Peru and spread around the world when Spaniards brought it to rest of the world. Peru is supposed to have around 3000 variety of potatoes and when we were there, we ordered Potatoes with every one of our meals with Pisco Sour. It became an on-going joke with the kids that I would order Potatoes and Pisco Sours in every restaurant, and I did.
Pisco Sour: Pisco sour is the national drink of Peru and it is made with a grape brandy (Pisco), lime juice, egg whites and bitters. Like all other dishes of Peru, this drink has a complex flavor with sour, sweet and bitter notes. I prefer Chilian version of pisco sours over the Peruvian version, but you should at least try it to see what the fuss is all about.
Ceviche : You can’t miss the national dish of Peru- Ceviche which is made with raw fish/shrimp or squid infused with lemon juice and served with local spices and hot Peruvian Chile, Plantain chips. As vegetarians, we didn’t try the traditional Ceviche but were able to try vegan version with Mushrooms at the Green Point Restautant in Cusco. This restaurant is so good that you will forget you are earing vegan food and mushroom Ceviche with toasted corn and sweet potato definitely hits the spot.
Arroz chaufa : This dish is made with either white or brown rice, vegetables and meat which are stir fried together is a good representation of Chifa cuisine a blend of Chinese-Peruvian hybrid cuisine. Chifa cuisine is an example of cross cultural influences of Peruvian cuisine through Asian immigration in 19th century.
Chica Morada : Chicha morada is a traditional Peruvian purple corn drink that is not only beautiful to look at but really tasty. You can find it in every restaurant as well as a street food. San Pedro Market in Cusco is a good place to try this drink.
Cuy: No Peruvian cuisine scene is complete without mentioning Cuy- the fried Guinea pig. I prefer Guinea pigs as pets but in Peru, it is considered as a delicacy and if you are the adventurous type and want to try it, you try it pretty much in every place including food stall in San Pedro market.
I would highly recommend a food tour if you are in Lima and want to try some of the bold, tasty, and unique, multi-cultural cuisines of Peru. You can find multiple options here . Bon Appetite and happy travels!!!
The best education you will ever get is travelling. Nothing teaches you more than exploring the world and accumulating experiences.
Anonymous
Machu Picchu
Peru one of most famous South American country because of its rich ancient history, stunning landscapes, and a very diverse culture. Machu Picchu is almost synonymous with Peru but there is more to Peru than this ancient citadel. As of any of my travel blogs, if you just want to see the itinerary and some practical information, check out here. (It’s like to jump to recipe in food blog without all the background story). If you want to read my personal narrative, continue below.
This was trip planned by my brother and his family and we decided to tag along with them. My brother and sister-in-law do a great job researching and planning the trips and going with them is like having personal guides. We went to Peru in November of 2019 and little did we know that we will not travel again together or on our own until December of 2022 when finally, covid related travel restrictions were eased.
The plan involved flying from US to Lima and from Lima to Cusco on Sunday and reaching Ollantaytambo by 11 AM on Sunday but as it happens sometimes, well laid plans go awry. When we reached Lima airport, we had to transfer from Internatinal to domestic and go through whole process of re-checking in the baggage and going through the security. The 2 hours between the international flight to our Cusco flight wasn’t enough to actually go through immigration and rechecking the bag. We learned 2 valuable lessons that day that we follow on all our weeklong international trips- everyone takes carryon bags and back packs (No checked bags) and leave at least 3-4 hours space between international and domestic flights especially if you don’t know the airport well. We were rebooked for next morning flight to Cusco, we found hotel near the airport and spent an un-planned day in Lima. There are couple of hotels near the airport including this Wyndham one with free breakfast.
Day 1: Unplanned Lima stop
Miraflores, Lima
We deiced to make the best lemonade out of the lemons thrown at by travel gods and spent the day exploring Lima. After checking into our hotel, we asked the front desk for recommendations and were told to go to Miraflores which is an upscale shopping and residential district. One of the most popular activities to do in Miraflores is stroll down the 6ish mile Malecon- an elevated wide walkway that has phenomenal views of Pacific Ocean.
Parque del Amor: Along the path on Miraflores, there is a beautiful park called Parque del Amor or The Love Park with a huge statue of kissing couple and beautiful mosaic wall. With the views of Pacific Ocean and lots of flowers this park, it is popular site for picnic and dates, and you will see plenty of people sitting on the benches and enjoying the scenery.
Parque Del AmorKissing statue
Another site you will not miss as you walk down the Malecon are the paragliders. Miraflores in one of the most popular spots for paragliders as the beautiful views and geographical features, makes it a best place for paragliding as sea breeze that directly hits the cliffs and then rises, creating a continuous upward current that is ideal for paragliders.
Other activities along this path include surfing, shopping, and plethora of restaurants with great views and even greater Peruvian food.
After spending the day eating, shopping, and walking around, we called it a night as our flight to Cusco was at 4 AM next morning.
Day 2 : Maras, Moray, and chinchero
Maras Salt MinesMoray RuinsChinchero
We reached a hotel in Ollantaytambo with very early morning flight from Lima (1.5 hours) and car ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (1.5 hours). The road to Ollantaytambo from Cusco is beautiful with snow covered peaks and babbling brooks. We stopped at multiple places just to take in the scenery and appreciate beauty of the surroundings. We had pre-booked a transport from Cusco through Taxidatum and it was seamless.
You can either have Cusco or sacred valley- Ollantaytambo or Urubamba as your base. We chose Ollantaytambo as our base as it gives you time to acclimatize to altitude as Ollanta is about 9,100 ft, whereas Cusco is at over 11,100 ft. If you suffer from altitude sickness (which I do), then you will take couple of days to acclimatize and you need to take it easy for few days. I had really bad headaches for couple of days and by the time we made it to Machu Picchu on Wednesday, I was feeling much better.
Staying in Sacred valley: We chose Tambo de Ollantay as our hotel as it is right in the middle of the city with walking distance to the ruins, train station as well as the plaza. The owner Dona Maria is wonderful, warm and friendly lady and she cooks your breakfast to order. Breakfast is included in the price (About $40-50 per night in Nov 2019) and includes fresh squeezed juices, eggs and warm bread. Our rooms were facing the babbling brook behind the property, and we woke up to view of ruins of Ollantaytambo through the window. There are several hotels on this street -Av. Ferrocarril, s/n, Ollantaytambo and you can’t beat the location. See here for more options.
Another great town to stay is Urubamba and it has hotels at all price ranges including this Marriott luxury hotel and Belmond Rio Sagrado.
Babbling brook behind the hotel
Maras: First stop of the day after a heaty breakfast was Maras and its ancient salt mines. These salt mines date back to pre-Incan times, meaning the local families have owned these sales mines for hundreds of years. There are more than 500 hexagonal ponds that are fed by a small saltwater spring that originates in the sounding mountains and the water is evaporates in the ponds and salt is harvested. There are various grades of salts, and you can try them on site as well as in various products including chocolates and bath salts.
Salt anyone?The little salt spring that feeds the pondsMaras Salt MinesMaras Salt mines
Moray Agricultural terraces: Second stop on this trip was the visually stunning Maray ruins that are few miles away from Moras. There are several theories as to why these terraces were constructed including possible alien landing site, but most accepted theory is that these terraces are created as agriculture research stations. The concentric circles look like an amphitheater and known to have a vast temperature range (up to 15 C) from top to the bottom thus creating microclimates where Incas could study impact of temperature and other conditions on crops. The more I learn about the ancient cultures, more I am impressed with their ingenuity as well as their advanced knowledge of engineering and Technology. Whatever is the reason behind these marvelous terraces, they are definitely stunning to see.
Moray Ruins
Chinchero – The birthplace of rainbow: Last stop on day 1 was Chinchero also known as the birthplace of rainbow in honor of the colorful fabrics that are produced in this town. Walking into the town feels like stepping back in time as many traditions of Incas are well preserved in this town. We started the tour by visiting one of the many textile centers where you can learn about traditional process of making the colorful textile using natural dyes and alpaca wool.
Making Carmine dye Cochineal insect growing on cactus
The demonstration included making red dye or the carmine color from Cochineal insect that grows on cactus leaves (White stuff on the photo above is thousands of insects known as Cochineal) and the insects are killed by immersing in hot water to general bright red dye. The red color of the insect can then be manipulated by adding minerals to the water bring various shades of red, orange, purple etc. The carmine color has been used by Aztecs and Mayans for centuries for dyeing the fabric as well as making long lasting lipstick! I am not sure what to think about this and seeing the live insect being boiled to death and then putting the dye made from them on lips is bit too much for me, but carmine color is very widely used in food and cosmetics and now you know how it is made!
If you happened to be in Chinchero on a Sunday, then you can go to the colorful Sunday market which is the biggest market in Sacred valley, and you can buy all kinds of foods including corn, potatoes, and high-quality handmade fabric.
Chinchero was also the home to the Royal estate of the 10th Inca King, Tupac Yupanqui, and place of Tupac is located within the extensive archaeological complex. In this complex, you will also find the Church of Our Lady of Montserrat, built in the 17th century and considered as the oldest roman catholic church in Peru.
Chruch of our lady of Montserrat, Chinchero, Peru
Day 3: Ollantaytambo
Day 3 of the trip we decided to stay local and explore the town of Ollantaytambo (Olly) which is known for being a living Inca city with cobbled stone streets, temples, and local people still maintaining the Incan traditions. Walking through this town feels like you have stepped back in time and some of parts of the village still has the water canals or aqueduct system, which is still fully operational today with running water gives the town an old-time charm. The town plaza is the center piece of the town and has some great restaurants and shops.
The face of Wiracocha and other master pieces of Ollantaytambo: The Ollantaytombo ruins built 3500 years ago (supposedly older than Machu Picchu) and full of mystery and intrigue and considered to be one the marvels of architecture and engineering. The main sites to take in at these ruins are:
The royal house of sun– Made of very large, superimposed terraces.
The temple of the Sun: An impressive un-finished monolith formed of 6 huge perfectly polished rocks that form the western wall and a true engineering marvel and one of main mysteries of this place. According to the legend, these rocks were transported from the nearby quarry using the river. How these were transported to the top the fortress is still a question. The purpose of the sun temple is supposed to serve as a calendar and had specific purpose specially on the summer and winter solstice.
Enclose of the ten niches and monumental gate : A wall consisting of 10 stone canvases and another engineering marvel with how precisely these have been placed. This architecture style here is similar to one used in Qoricancha in Cusco and most of the structure was destroyed during the Spanish conquest. This construction is located at the end of the upper group of platforms. Its walls are constituted by two stone canvases polished with great precision.
The Bath of the Ñusta: is a beautiful fountain made of a single stone and are known as the places of worship could be found in the main cities of the Inca Empire.
The face of wirocha and Store house: Standing on top of the Ollantaytambo, you can see the ruins of the old store houses that served as granary. The guides also point out a face carved in the mountain which is supposed to be deity of Wirocha who the creator of everything. You can climb to the granary and face of Wirocha from the other side of the town. We didn’t see any faces but who are we question Incan wisdom?
Bath of NustaTemple of the sun (6 huge polished rocks)10 niches and monumental gate Terraces Engineering marvelGranary and face of Wirocha
Day 4: Machu Picchu- The long journey
The crown jewel of Peru takes some effort to reach, and it can be over whelming. You will need train tickets to Aguas Calientes from either Cusco or Olly, entrance tickets to Machu Pichu, and bus tickets to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes Here is step by step what you need to do:
As soon as you book your Peru trip, figure out which day you would like to go to Machu Picchu and book the train tickets. You can either book from Olly or from Cusco. You can book one way trip and catch the earliest train back and not have to hurry from Machu Picchu ruins. Return tickets are much more easier to get directly from the train station. You can also book round trip tickets.
There are 2 main train services that go to Machu Picchu (There is no road connecting Machu Picchu to any of the cities) – Inca Rail and Peru Rail (Check this blog for everything you need to know about taking thetrain to Machu Picchu).
We took the Vistadome through Peru rail leaving Olly in the morning and came back to Olly by the evening train. Vistadome is the middle of the pack train in terms of luxury and has large panoramic windows and informative audio about the highlights seen on the way. During each trip, passengers are served snacks and refreshments and is a really nice way to reach the gateway to Machu Pichu-Aguas Calientes train station.
If you are going in high season (June to August), you should buy Machu Picchu tickets as soon as possible. You can buy these tickets directly from here. We got the one for general admission with circuito 1, 2 3, or 4. Choose the time based on what time your train reaches and give at least 1-2 hours as you still have to catch a bus. (More info on the tickets here. You don’t have to buy from this company, but I found them to have most comprehensive information. You can buy your tickets directly from the Peru cultural ministry). We bought only Machu Picchu tickets and not for hiking any of the mountains around it. Decide before buying what you want to do.
Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu– Once you reach the Agus Calientes, next step is to catch a bus to Machu Picchu. The bus stop is located opposite to the train station after crossing all the artisan markets, and you can buy the tickets on site. You don’t need to purchase beforehand. The buses leave every 5-10 minutes, and it takes about 30 min reach the gate of Machu Picchu. (More information on the bus service check here)
Aguas Caliente and Artisan market near the train station
Machu Picchu-The lost Incan city : Considered as one the modern seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu is the one of the most visited destinations in America. The city was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and has about 196 tourist spots. We hired a guide at the entrance (negotiate the price before hiring) and she took us all the important sites.
Guard House or watchman’s hut– After entering the city, this is the first site you will see. This is the perfect place to get a fantastic view over the whole city and take the panoramic photos. You will see Llamas/Alpacas roaming freely around here .
Guard House
Temple of the Sun-This is a semi-circular structure and during the summer solstice, the sun shines through a temple window and aligns with both the boulder within and the tip of a nearby mountain peak. Another Incan ingenuity and marvel.
Temple of Sun at Machu Picchu
Temple of the three windows, the windows of the universe– Originally built with 5 windows, only 3 of them remain now. These 3 windows represent each part of the world: The underground (Uku-Pacha) the heaven (Hanan-Pacha) and the present or the actual time (Kay-ok Pacha). These windows also represent the rise of the sun
Temple of 3 windows
Terraces : Terraces used by the Inca to grow food for people living in the urban area.
Hill side terraces for growing food
Main Gate of the City: The main gate is a stone doorway that separates the agricultural sector from the urban sector. The main gate frames Huayna peak perfectly as Incas valued framed views of the surrounding mountains, taking great measures to align doorways and window to these surroundings.
Like Ollantaytambo ruins, one of the amazing things about Machu Picchu is the engineering feat that was achieved as these buildings were built without use of mortar. The rocks are perfectly cut and aligned together and have stood the test of the time and earthquakes.
Day 5 : Pisac and Cochahausi Animal Sanctuary
After a long day 4, we checked out our hotel in Ollantaytambo and travelled to Cusco via Pisac. Pisac has its own charm and has ruins that are well preserved and a world-famous Sunday market. By day 5, kids were getting bored of seeing ruins and after seeing olly and Machu Picchu, this was little bit of letdown. My suggestion would be to pick 2-3 ruins and skip the rest as it becomes very redundant.
Pisac Terraces
Next stop on the way to Cusco was the Cochahaui Animal Sanctuary (https://www.santuariocochahuasi.com/) and this was a super duper hit with the kids and adults. We got to see lot of rescued animals and spent a fun morning here and would highly suggest visiting this place.
Day 6 : Cusco and Ziplining
We decided to make an easy day today and started the day off with zip lining with Cusco Zipline. The activity takes place about 35km (or 22 miles) outside of Cusco, in the village of Racchi. This village is located in the Sacred Valley region and you will get to go through the ravines, river, and canyons. This was lot of fun and highly recommend this activity to anyone.
Rest of the day we spent in Cusco walking around Plaza de Armas and eating lunch at this plant based Peruvian cuisine- The Green Point. Vegetarian/vegan are not, this place has amazing food and drinks and I highly recommend trying this place out. Plaza de Armas is vibrant place with wide stone pathways and home to 2 important buildings- Cusco Cathedral and Jesuit Iglesia de la Companía de Jesús. Other fun things do is to have coffee or pisco sour on one many restaurants around the plaza that overlooks into the plaza. There are lots of vendors selling anything from Alpaca wool, day trips, to massages. Getting Peruvian massage is a good way to spend the afternoon after climbing all those ruins for past 4-5 days. Check this blog out for fun things to do around the plaza de Armas in Cusco and you can easily spend a day walking around here.
Cusco CathedralPlaza De Armes Arco de Santa ClaraRestaurant Patio overlooking the plaza
Another fun thing to do near Plaza De Armas is the San Pedro market. I went early in the morning and had fun time watching people set up their shops. It’s a local market with row of stalls selling bread, meat, cheese, Peruvian art and crafts. This is a good place to buy any wool or other Peruvian stuff but remember to bargain.
San Pedro Market
Day 7: Cusco and Tipon
This is our last day in Cusco and Peru, and we decided to spend the day by visiting Sacsayhuaman (humorously known as Sexy Woman) in Cusco. It is not too far away from Plaza De Armes and great way to spend 1/2 day. By day 7, kids were really tired of going to see ruins and were not very keen on seeing one more ruin, but Sacsayhuaman had so many Ilamas’ roaming around the grounds, it made them happy. Please refer to my travel guide on my take for visiting Incan ruins. After seeing a few, they will all start to look the same and I would suggest picking 3 to 4 ruins that are unique and different from each other.
Sacsayhuaman is an Incan fortress and best thing to do here is to freely roam the area seeing the plazas, altars, doorways, steps, wall, terraces, towers, aqueducts and giant boulders. You will get a really nice view of Cusco town and admire the Incan architecture and engineering
Tipon- Tipon is about 22km from Cusco but with traffic felt like it was 100 km away. Tipon ruins are one of the most intact irrigation systems in the Inca world, and you can see the ingenuity of the Incan engineering with canals and fountains that are being fed by melting ice from the top of the mountain. You can spend half a day to full day here depending on your interest, but we spent only couple of hours as everyone was tired of seeing ruins. This site is definitely unique, and you will probably appreciate more if you haven’t already seen other Incan ruins. One thing that stood out for me with this site visit was it felt so far away from Cusco, and we couldn’t get any vegetarian food. There were plenty of restaurants serving fried Cuy and if you want to try this Peruvian delicacy, this will be a good place. We landed up buying Fruit cake, chips and other snacks from a roadside store and ate it as lunch. For more detailed description of the place and what you can do here check out thisblog as I feel like we were so tired by the end of our trip that I took only 1 photo of this place and wouldn’t do justice this place.
Water fountain fed by melting ice
Final thoughts:
7 days is enough time to spend in Peru if you are planning to see the most amazing Incan ruins.
You can either make Cusco or Ollantaytambo/ Urubamba as your base and do this trip as most of the places. Cusco is more vibrant city with various accommodations and if you plan to add Lake Titicaca and Puno/Uros- the floating Village (2 days trip) and Rainbow Mountain (day trip from Cusco, then Cusco is a better base. Machu Picchu is about 4 hours and can be done as a long day trip.
Ollantaytambo is closer to Machu Picchu and lower altitude and hence better location to acclimatize to altitude and much quieter and cheaper than Cusco. Machu Picchu can be a day trip from Olly and if you are planning to do the Incan Trail to Machu Picchu, it starts in Olly.
Please see the trip planning post to see different itinerary options based on our experience.
Peru should be on your to-do list Culinary, Culture, and amazing Nature experience. Check my post about Food and Drinks of Peru here.
Peaks to Palaces 