Best way to get around Peru?

Question

I'll be spending two months in Ecuador next summer, and then I really want to travel around Peru. I want to really enjoy all the sites; while I'd like to have time left over to visit other countries, I'll spend as long as necessary in Peru. How long does it take to do it well? How should I travel?

My favorite way to move around is by train, I'm not such a fan of buses but I'll take them. Hiking is fine, I'm in good shape. I'm not picky- I'm used to hostels and I'm not a snob about cleanliness; my only worry about traveling really cheaply is safety (I"ll be alone). I'd rather have a trip where I can really interact with people, instead of a rushed sights-only kind of trip. I'm more interested in the experience.

Please help! Any advice?

Answer 1

Not much rail in Peru.  Best and fastest is by air, but cheapest is by bus and there's a pretty extensive network.  Get yourself a Lonely Planet book to start planning.  A month or two would be amazing there if you can get the time.  The country is fascinating.  The same with Ecuador. Both are very very budget-friendly and are actually still very affordable with tons of options for budget travellers.

It sounds like you have plenty of time available. So make your plans around your cash flow and what you want to see, do, and learn.  

As for safety, follow every suggestion known to mankind and you'll be ok.  No electronics other than a well guarded camera, and download your photos as often as possible so you don't lose them if it gets lost or stolen.  Pickpocketing is very common there but usually non-violent.

I loved both Peru and Ecuador, and can't wait to get back to South America again.

There's a great company callled Gap Adventure Travel if you want to try to pre-book some stuff, travel cheaply, and have some cool people from all around the world to travel with.  Google their website and check out some options for part of your trip.  You can go slow or fast with them, and they have great itineraries.  Otherwise, rely on the sage advice of Lonely Planet.  They've never let anyone down.

Have a great time!  Be sure to go to Machu Picchu and Cusco (duh!).  Very heavily beaten path there, but for a reason.  Arequipa is very cool.  Jungle lodges are awesome.  Quito in Ecuador is great, just be careful at night and stay in the new town.  In Quito, go to the Guyasamin museum and the other place he has, the Chapille del Hombre.  Very cool.  The equator museums are really fun and cool too.

Check out Travelpod.com for peoples' blog journals for ideas too.

I'm so jealous!

Answer 2

You come by bus ecuador to peru. The first city you arrive, is Tumbes.You stay there 2-3 days looking the city,but the best is the beach as punta sal. Then 1 hour by bus you must go to Mancora, a wonderful beach that i am sure you like a lot and you will be there 3-4 days. In mancora town you take the bus to go to piura (3 hours) other city to know but you only need there1-2 days. Then piura- Cajamarca. it's in the highlands and many places to visit , may be 4-5 days in cajamarca. Then a bus cajamarca- chiclayo 2- 3 days to visit museum of sipan, pimentel beach,the city, monsefu, etc. Then by bus chiclayo to trujillo (3 hours by bus) and be there 3-4 days - you can visit huaca el sol y la luna, chan chan ruins, huanchaco beach, el brujo and you can buy very cheap shoes of good quality there in APIAT ( they are the producers of). Since Trujillo, you will find some tours in a good price or if you prefer only take the bus and go to KUELAP and at the same time visit the places of chachapoyas and GOCTA falls(3 days) in this place you are beginning to know our jungle, since chachapoyas you go by bus to tarapoto (4 days)an amazing place of our jungle , you must visit there : Ahuachiyacu falls, huacamaillo falls, Lago lindo, Laguna azul and maaaany other wonderful places. ( a good transport of bus is Cruz del Sur, movil tours too).

Finishing in tarapoto, you go by plane ( Lan Peru) the ticket tarapoto-lima could be  in US$70. In lima, you can be here 3-4 days visiting our city, the museums, caral ruins, it is the capital of peru and you will find very nice places

then go lima to Ica (4 hours by bus) visiting el carmen, the city, las dunas and nazca lines ( 2-3 days there). Then go ica- arequipa , the second city of peru, by bus it could be around of 14 hours and in arequipa you will need 3-4 days and visiting the city, the valley, convento de santa catalina and COLCA CAYON, one night in chivay and the Cotahuasi Cayon. You take a flight to go arequipa-cuzco ( around of US$65 by lan) the inca city and i am so sure you will adore that place and if you have time to do inka trail you can be there for 5-7 days visiting macch picchu, aguas calientes, the city, korikancha, sacsayhuman, kenko, tambomachay, the sacred valley and ollantaytambo. Then you can go by train cusco-puno the landscapes are amazing in that trip (3 days in puno) in which you can visit the city, chullpas and titicaca lake with uros and taquile islands. Then since juliaca ( a city in puno) you can take the flight to return to lima. The price must be by lan and if you book with time in US$80.

Peru have many places to visit, beautiful landscapes!!. to be safe you need to take care and to travel by bus do it in a good transport company as CRUZ DEL SUR or MOVIL TOURS. Dont go with a lot of money meanwhile you travel in the bus, try to take the money in the bank when you arrive to the city. You will find many ATM's in all these cities!!! Hope you visit us!!

Answer 3

if your more interested in the experience, you should travel by bus in Peru. You can probably make all the stops and not be too rushed in 3-4 weeks.

you should go to trujillo, chiclayo, iquitos, cusco, machu picchu, lake titicaca, arequipa, nazca and up to lima.  this is probably a really good route that would cut the bus trips down. you can fly too, but it can get expensive and Lan is notorious for cancelling flights!