From hikes to ancient cities to marvellous markets, a solo adventure to Peru has it all

Having spent three hours trekking through the lush Andes in a gentle but persistent drizzle, the clouds began to clear, hinting at the possibility of sunshine.

"Our guide Henry reminded us," he recalls, "that this is a cloud forest. There are no guarantees."

On an eight-day journey through Peru, he immersed himself in both modern and ancient cultures, from Lima's bustling urban landscape to the historic trails of the Inca Empire, where he found himself trekking the sacred Inca Trail.

Luckily, upon reaching the Sun Gate viewpoint at Machu Picchu after a four-hour, seven-mile hike, the sun lived up to its name.

"You're fortunate," Henry admitted. "I thought today might be named the Misty-And-Cloudy Gate."

Located slightly higher and 2km from the iconic ruins, the gateway offered stunning vistas before they explored the ancient wonders.

With the sun shining down, he enjoyed unparalleled views of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Starting his Peruvian adventure in bustling Lima, home to one-third of the country's 34 million residents, he stumbled upon a statue honoring Peru's most famous export, Paddington Bear, clad in a Union Flag coat—an unexpected comfort thousands of miles from home.

As Peru is also renowned for ceviche, its national dish, he made it a personal mission to find the best. After several attempts, he finally discovered Cevicheria Miramar, where he savored Lima's culinary delights.