FIND YOUR SOUL ON AN EPIC FALL HIKE
2023 ACTIVE & ADVENTURE | 29
MACHU PICCHU , PERU
The legendary “ lost city of the Incas ” sits perched atop the rugged Andes mountaintops ; even by modern standards , it ’ s a journey to get to . After the scenic three-and-a-half-hour train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes ( or , Machu Picchu Pueblo ), it ’ s another two hours of hiking to get to Machu Picchu proper . It ’ s a good hike ; chances are your guide will offer you coca leaves or tea to help you better adjust to the change in altitude . But the payoff is downright priceless — you , seemingly on top of the world , exploring Incan ruins that you have nearly all to yourself since it ’ s the off season . Tack on the fact that late September to early October is the dry season , and the stars have seemingly aligned .
DENALI NATIONAL PARK , ALASKA
While just about all “ The Last Frontier ” will serve up stunning scenic views in the fall , nothing compares to the cascading colors of Denali National Park . Some 6 million acres of pristine forest stretch across this land , like a blanket of pure wilderness from one horizon to the other . Approximately in the middle of it all is Mount Denali — the highest peak in North America with a summit some 20,310 feet above sea level . To glimpse the fall hues rippling out from this snow-capped rocky behemoth is to see with your own eyes what the land was like in the time before us — a hike in any direction promises to provide a gander at where the wild things are , both in this world and within yourself .
PHOTOS
LEFT : DENALI NATIONAL PARK , ALASKA RIGHT : MACHU PICCHU , PERU
Contact our agency to book your fall adventure .