I just completed military service and have the entire summer off until I begin graduate school in mid-August. I have approx 3 weeks to travel solo beginning in mid-July.
What I'm looking for: a mix of cultural and scenic/outdoorsy sights. I enjoy camping and hiking, but don't have mountaineering experience and wouldn't want to do long treks solo. Also, I have camping/backpacking equipment, but don't want to bring it if only using it for a small portion of a trip.
Where I've been: all over the US, Western Europe x4, Greece/Egypt, SE Asia, New Zealand
A few factors I'm considering:
Time of year: Turkey will be hot this time of year, but seems to be ideal to travel in Peru. Crowds will be at their peak in Peru
Time to travel: This will be my last opportunity to do a 2+ week trip for more than a year or two and on this trip I would prefer going somewhere that deserves more time and takes longer to get to (from eastern USA)
Meeting others: I want to meet others and possibly check out where we are for the day with them
Last minute: No time to research and choose organized tour groups for what Peru seems would involve a lot of
Peru would make 6 of 7 continents before the age of 30 (I'm 29 for a few more months)
I really need to purchase tickets before they increase any more. Any suggestions in helping me come to a decision would be terrific. I know I won't necessarily go wrong with my choice, but I want to be confident going forward. Thanks!