The Most Unforgettable Trip to Machu Picchu Ever?

Since age 5, when he saw a magazine photo of Machu Picchu, it had been one of Berty Mandagie’s lifelong dreams to visit the ancient Incan ruins firsthand. After winning an Instagram photo contest sponsored by Timex, Berty got to take his dream trip with OARS. He’ll no doubt remember the experience forever. But it’s probably not why you think.

Berty was able to bring along a guest, so he chose his girlfriend, Emily Roberts, to join him for the Machu Picchu adventure.  On thei trip, the longtime couple rafted down the Class III rapids of the Lower Urubamba River in the Amazon, spent a day zip-lining through the rainforest, and even got to volunteer in the village of Cahciccata, where they bought breakfast ingredients at the local market and made a meal to serve the students at the village school. On the last leg of the trip, they took a train to Aguas Calientes and Berty finally got his chance to explore the lost city of the Incas.

“Seeing it in person after all these years—it still didn’t seem real,” Berty told Outside.

To cap off their trip, Berty and Emily climbed up Huayna Picchu, 1,200-feet above the ancient city. For many, seeing this iconic view of Machu Picchu is the highlight of the trip. But Berty made this moment even more unforgettable.  And even better, it was all caught on camera.

Watch the couple’s adventure in Peru and see what happens when they reach the top of Huayna Picchu.