You'll Wear A Helmet Climbing To Your Room At This Hanging Mountainside Resort In Peru

If you've ever watched a movie about hard-core mountaineering, you may have seen a "portaledge" — a platform that attaches to the side of a sheer cliff. This becomes a temporary tent site, as the outdoorsman relaxes in a sleeping bag and even eats breakfast on a suspended artificial shelf. Perhaps you've seen this clever piece of equipment and thought, "Cool idea, hanging out on the side of a mountain and all, but maybe a little scary for my tastes." The SkyLodge Adventure Suites also saw it, taking the concept and making it safe and comfortable, no matter your level of alpine experience. 

Located in the Peruvian Andes, SkyLodge replaces the traditional portaledge with an enclosed capsule, which measures 8 by 24 feet. The vertical rock face is 1,200 feet from top to bottom, and there are numerous units to choose from. No matter how high up you stay, you'll have to ascend the mountain using a belay system, rebar ladders, and staircases. You enter each capsule through a hatch in the roof, which prevents guests from just rolling out the side and falling hundreds of feet to the valley floor. A distinctive location, SkyLodge could easily be added to a list of the most unique hotels in the world.

The Peru-based Natura Vive company opened SkyLodge in 2013, and each unit has a bed, bathroom, and ample windows, so you can ogle the spectacular view all day and night. The design has low ceilings and octagonal walls, so it feels like a blend of dorm room and submarine. The ascent and descent from your room may seem like a death-defying accomplishment, but despite the required helmets and carabiners, SkyLodge is considered a luxury setting, easily among the best accommodations for adventurous travelers in Peru's Sacred Valley. This is one reason a stay here starts at $1,550 per night.

The mountains of Peru rise to impressively high elevations, and SkyLodge's site is no exception: It's located atop a 1200-foot mountain, so visitors should consider acclimatizing at lower heights to stave off altitude sickness. To help you adjust to your settings, SkyLodge boasts several outdoor jacuzzis, and the on-site kitchen serves gourmet Peruvian meals, which are available to both hotel guests and day travelers. Once you've adapted to the epic surroundings, you'll be ready to zip line from one cliff to another on SkyLodge's high-flying cable system. It's easily one of the coolest places to go zip lining in the world — which is saying a lot!

As remote as SkyLodge seems, the location is only an 80-minute drive from Cuzco, Peru's capital city. The Sacred Valley cuts its way through Urubamba Province, and it served as a kind of fertile crescent for the Incan Empire. Ancient Indigenous people cultivated corn, potatoes, and quinoa in the centuries before the conquistadors' arrival, and it remains a vital artery for the Peruvian people and their cultural identity.

In fact, a journey from Cuzco to Machu Picchu will basically take you right past SkyLodge, and this glamping spot makes for a great place to stay overnight as you make your way to Peru's most revered archaeological site. Ancient ruins are scattered along this highland route, along with thriving villages and myriad outdoor opportunities. If you're curious what's in store on a journey like this, here are answers to all your questions about Machu Picchu.