Dinah Washington had it right when she belted out, ‘What a difference a day makes.’ Over the past four days, I walked more than 55km, braved cliff-adjacent mudslides, slept under the stars and skipped showering in the quest to conquer Machu Picchu. Fast-forward 24 hours and I’m aboard South America’s first and finest luxury sleeper train with a Pisco Sour permanently glued to my hand.
Peru might be most famous for its Wonder of the World, but it has another ace up its sleeve. Belmond’s Andean Explorer contradicts the typical association of trains as slow travel, serving up a jam-packed schedule filled with exploration and gastronomic delights — all at altitudes reaching 4,200m.
