Peru for the first time! This trip was one for the books. From incredible terrains to mouth-watering dishes, rich experiences were everywhere. But that was not all that made the trip so memorable…

It did not lack for it’s scary moments either. Pure adrenaline-inducing situations which, of course, make for a good story now.

What I’m about to share with you may quite possibly make you question my sanity or simply my luck. (But they both are doing well, thank you!)

Here are 5 shocking things that can happen – and did happen –  on a 10-day first-time trip to Peru.

Was that an earthquake?

Where: Wine-tasting in Ica, Peru

Arriba! Abajo. Al centro. Pa’dentro!

Everyone in our tour group enthusiastically shouted the popular drinking chant. Our guide, Jose, was ridiculously energetic… between the host and liquid encouragement the mood was turned up. Which was why I didn’t immediately grasp what happened next.

As I threw my head back and started to down my shot, the ground started shaking. Significantly.

“Whoa…they really go all out on visitor experiences here. This tasting session is off-the charts!” (this really was going through my mind)

In reality, the only thing that was registering on the charts was an earthquake of 5.9 magnitude.

Peru is located in a seismic zone and Ica is especially vulnerable to the risk of earthquakes. It is located near the Southwestern Peruvian coast where movements of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates trigger earthquakes.

I probably shouldn’t admit to the dim-witted thoughts flowing through my mind during what should have been a very scary moment. Others around me acted more appropriately and screamed. But as that Jamie Foxx song goes… blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol.

Scary moment in one of the world’s deepest canyons

Where: Trekking in Colca Canyon in Arequipa, Peru

A sudden rockfall stopped us in our tracks. When we looked over to the canyon wall, we couldn’t believe our eyes. A local indigenous family passing in a pick-up couldn’t either. They brought their truck to a standstill and started to gesture furiously. What we were witnessing was totally a  “look at those stupid tourists” moment. Except we were all too concerned to pass judgement then. That came later…

A group of 4 daredevil hikers were attempting to cross a part of the canyon that was clearly not a crossing point. Appearing precariously close to an edge with a sheer drop (a common feature of attractions in Peru), there was no question that they’d deviated from the official trail. The Colca River flowed below.

Bodies pressed up against the canyon wall, they were edging along across a loose-rock slope. All except the last hiker. She was on her knees, frozen in fright. Even from miles away, I could feel her distress. One guy in the group stopped and eventually managed to coax her on to her feet. All the while, the other two kept going (which really pissed me off…)

Thankfully, the group eventually made it safely back on to the official trail. Phew! To say we’d just witnessed a hairy moment is a major understatement.

But don’t let the story of their dim-witted actions put you off. The Colca Canyon is the best place to visit in Arequipa if you enjoy hiking adventures or bird-watching. The stunning canyon is one of the deepest in the world and is home to gigantic Andean condors. Trekking down Colca Canyon while condors occasionally soared by above and overnighting at the bottom was hands-down one my best experiences in Peru.

(Don’t) Look down…it’s a sheer drop to the valley floor

Where: Inca Bridge, Machu Picchu

“I can’t. I can’t do it…”

Panic paralysed my body. It was the last leg of the walk to the Inca Bridge in Machu Picchu. Looking ahead, I was terrified. The trail had narrowed significantly.

Only 20 minutes ago,  we’d shown our entry tickets to the guard and a wave of excitement had coursed through my body. One of the first visitors to sign in for Inca Bridge! A major Machu Picchu attraction and we’d practically have it to ourselves – woo!

But what I hadn’t been prepared for was the design of the trail. The architect certainly hadn’t suffered from vertigo or acrophobia. This path had been carved out of the side of the mountain and in some places spanned only a few feet wide. Boy oh boy.

Being there in Machu Picchu and having a fear of edges was a tricky combination. I managed to conquer the paralysis that day through willpower and a laser focus on the path immediately in front of me. Nothing else. By avoiding any eye movement to the Urubamba valley below, taking it step-by-step, I made it to the viewpoint to the ancient bridge. Hellz, yeah!

Am I happy that I did made this special journey in Machu Picchu? Absolutely. So proud. 

Was it one-time experience for me? Oh, yes. That’s one and done.

Read: Inca Bridge in Machu Picchu: Everything You Need to Know

Ride – or walk – along the train tracks?

Where: Leaving Machu Picchu

“Why on earth would you walk along train tracks? There’s a train to Machu Picchu…”

What do you guys think? Is it for the adventure?

Well, sort of.  It’s for the adventurous, budget-minded traveller who wants to visit Machu Picchu while avoiding the exorbitant train fares for tourists.

First, let me just say that planning a Machu Picchu trip is HARD. Realistically, it doesn’t have to be but there are so many itinerary options that come up while planning. And being one of the world’s most famous ruins, things can get pricey quickly. Which is where you can get creative with the plan as I did…

For my visit to  Machu Picchu, I decided to arrive by train from Ollantaytambo and then walk the train tracks from Aguas Calientes to Hydroelectrica on the return leg.

It turned out to be an easy flat walk for approximately 10km and quite scenic over the course of 3 hours. Not surprisingly, we encountered several other backpackers on the way.

And being a sort-of good, law-abiding citizen of the world, I walked alongside the tracks, not on them. Of course, there were a couple of catches…

Tunnels. There are a couple tunnels on this route that you must go through. They are really short but I didn’t let this fact dull my sense of railway survival. I ditched the walk and sprinted through each time.

Trains. Actual, moving trains. The railway is active and a few Peru Rail trains did indeed chug by. Each time I’d see passengers noticing us with something between confused and bemused expressions. I grinned happily back. There is definitely a mad streak of happiness that overcomes you at times like this. Wild and free, baby.

Driving along the scariest road in Peru

Where: Road from Santa Teresa to Santa Maria

“Oh my goodness, this van has a flat!”

As well as you may think you’ve done your trip research, something gets overlooked.

In my case I’m not sure whether I overlooked or underestimated the dangers of the driving route to return to Cusco from Santa Teresa, but my error threw me in a pretty risky predicament.

My day in the little town of Santa Teresa started off fabulously. A morning visit to the nearby Colcalmayo hot springs had been a rejuvenating experience. Hours later, I was sitting in a very full minivan as our driver tried and then tried again to pull away from the precipice of the scariest road I’ve ever been on.

But that wasn’t all. From where I sat in the back, I could acutely feel that we had a flat tire.

I’ll say this – it takes a whole lot of discipline mixed with fear not to outwardly panic in situations like this.

The road from Santa Theresa to Santa Maria has a rough gravel surface and snakes endlessly around hairpin bends.

It is under roadworks which only added to the horror of the experience. Oncoming construction vehicles did not slow down or give way. The problem with that was the hairpin bends bit, as well as the fact that our minivan hugged a steep drop-off. No guard rails stood between us and the Urubamba River below.

Also Read: Crazy Travel Stories – Adventures in Nicaragua

Eight hours later we’d made it back to Cusco safely.

Every time I think back to that evening of travelling along the road between Santa Teresa and Santa Maria – most of it under the cover of darkness – the hair on my body rises. It was a bad situation. I can safely say “Never, again!”. Definitely the craziest thing to happen to me on my first trip to Peru!