Has anyone recently traveled to Peru?

Question

Tell me about touring Cuzco, Lima, Machu Picchu, Sacsayaman, Lake Titicaca, and Iquitos on the Amazon. Please tell me of any altitude breathing problems, accommodations, food, safety, possible illnesses, money and prices, etc. Would a tour be better than a group of four? Any and all information will be helpful.

Answer 1

If you want to visit all the places you mentioned, you'll have to stay for at least 16-20 days.

Iquitos is great! I went there last July. You go from Lima and back by plane (around US $ 210 including airport taxes) Just take summer clothes and one backpack you can stay 2 nights at Iquitos and 3 nights at the lodge in the jungle (long cotton pants and long sleve out there because of Dammed Mosquitoes!) Explorama Lodges are runned by Americans, they have better infrastructure and are much more expensive. An other option is Piranha Lodge (also Cumaceba Lodge) runned by Peruvian. We went to Piranha and it cost US $ 300 4d/3n. So it will cost you around US $ 600 per person. It's cheaper if you hire the Lodge as soon as you arive in Iquitos, the office is in the main plaza (have to buy rubber boots US$ 7).

Then Plane Lima-Cuzco Juliaca-Lima will also cost you around US $ 200 (you make Cuzco Lake Titicaca by train or bus). If you want to make the inka trail, let me warn you that you have to prepare yourself for a long  uphill walk. I suggest to take the main road 4d/3n you go thru inka ruins and even if it's crowded, it's not like you're making a line in Disney world! It costs US $ 300 and you arrive to Macchu Picchu early in the last morning.

If you decide not to take the trail, don't feel sad because there's a lot of things you can do in 3 days. Go to Pisaq and Ollantaytambo, there are great places to stay in the sacred valley. When people visit the Pisaq ruins, they normaly take a taxi uphill and drop you off some 100 yards to the Intihuatana, instead of that, try hiring a pickup truck and offer him some more to take yo to the upper entrance, there's a detour half a block before the parking lot that goes uphill, thru this entrance you encounter a short tunnel and from there you go all the way downhill wich is great because you wont get highsick. From the top gate to the town down below will take you 3 hours tops (2 1/2 normaly) in case you have a transportation and want him to meet you at the end to take you elsewhere.

Ollantaytambo is next to the trainrail to Macchu Picchu, from there is more confortable to take the train (not 6am like in Cuzco) but when you go to Macchu Picchu by train, you arrive at 10:30am and maybe don't have enough time to climb the Wayna Picchu (this hapens to most tourists) if you are going to MP only once then I suggest you take the last train to Aguas Calientes (10 min before MP) and stay for the night, they have a Hot Spring pool openned until 10pm (take swimming suit also for Iquitos) then at 6am take a bus to MPand enjoy it without the crowd.

Take one week for Cuzco-MP it's the best part of the adventure! They sell a highsickness pill in most Pharmacies "SOROCHPIL", it works better than Coca Tea.

Lake Titicaca can be seen in 2 or three days, but if you have time you could go over the border and visit the Tiahuanaco ruins in Bolivia, it's a one day trip. Both Puno (including Juliaca) and Bolivia are very cheap.

Finally Lima is a great place to enjoy. The best food you can have in any format: Chineese, Japaneese, Peruvian folk, Junk food and gourmet. We even have American franchises like Tony Roma's, Benihana's, Starbucks and the never ending Mc Donald's - Burger King - KFC - Pizza Hut - Dunkin Donuts. You can also take Surfing lessons for US $ 20 an hour or glide on a tandem Paraglider for US $ 30 an hour. Everything is found in a lovely and secured neighborhood, MIRAFLORES, where I suggest you stay in Lima.

Consider $ 600 for Iquitos + $ 600 for Cuzco + $ 600 for the rest + 1,200 to get to Peru and back.   TOTAL US $ 3,000

Answer 2

Hi

I have been twice and my wife has been 3 times in the last 2 years.

check out all my info on the trips at www.botterill.com

We flew into Lima and didnt spend much time there.. My wife spent a couple of days there when she went and said it was OK.. It is a huge city and safety is a concern there.

we spend more of our time in Cusco and area.  Together we did the Ausangate trek, sacred valley tour, and the 2 day Inca trak to macchu pichu.  All of them were unreal.  My wife also did the lares trek and the amazon for 4 days and loved them too.

we booked all our treks from www.sunriseperu.com.  they were excellent.  we also booked the Prisma hotel via them too.  prices were under 50US for a night and it was clean and safe.

we had no altitude issues and were up to 17000 feet on the ausangate trek.  we hydrated well, has lots of coca tea, and took half a diamox pill in the morning and evening..

as for illnesses we made sure we had all proper shots before we went.

the food is good.. lots of selection.. didnt try too much of the street vendor carts just in case.

we felt pretty safe in cusco and area.. like any city you need to be careful.

I would recommend you try a trek like Lares with you and your group to see the real Peru.. the people are outstanding and friendly.

the Ausangate trek was very nice.. 5 nights with no other tourists and we got to sleep at 15000 feet and see the stars from the Andes..

we did the 2 day inca as we wanted to avoid being on the busy, tourist laden, inca trail.  

make sure to be at macchu pichu for 6AM one day for sure...

sacred valley is excellent.. say a night in Ollantaytambo if you can

and take lots of little things to give the kids you run into.

we took hundreds of canada pencils, skiddles, etc to give out

prices are not too expensive there..

hotel was 50 a night or so.. a nice lunch was 3-5 bucks.. dinner is not much more..

the 6 day ausangate trek was 350...

we changed all our money at instant tellers over in Lima airport and in Cusco..

sept/oct is a good time to go to avoid rain and tourists..

also.. we went to Pisco and did some relief work after the earthquake last year.  the people were so great to work and be with.

have fun.. and if you have any more questions please let me know.

Answer 3

i went to peru i just came back monday and it was awful in lima. they almost kidnapped me 2. they tried stealing and it wasnt all that great. watchout over there. and the taxes for if your american is a lot of money.

Answer 4

In the higher altitudes like Cuzco the main issues are shortness of breath and headaches. When I first arrived in Cuzco I napped immediately, so I was asleep while my body started to acclimate, and it helped with the headache too.You have a lot of other great answers, but I just wanted to say I think smaller groups are better. Your group of four would be perfect, especially if you feel competent amongst you and your friends - a tour would just hold you back and limit your times & schedule. Because the dollar is lower now than we're used to, the sol is worth a bit more, so plan accordingly, although compared to the US Peru is still muuuuuuch cheaper.

Also make sure to take toilet paper with you b/c more often than not you'll find bathrooms don't have any, or there's just a tiny bit and it's one-ply. Also for food, I would always recommend trying a drop of their spicy dishes first (or their hot sauce, called 'aji') before ordering the whole thing. They don't joke around with aji - it's all real spice, not just seasonings!

Answer 5

Yes, I was recently traveling through Peru.  Since you are probably flying to Lima you should plan on spending a day or two there. If your looking for something clean and cheap the Angel Inn, 550 Porta in Miraflores is nice.

When in Lima you'll want to:

1. Go to MUSEO LARCO and see the erotic pottery collection and maybe grab a bite at their delicious top rated restaurant. (voted #1 in tripadvisor.com)

2. See catacombs at Monasterio San Francisco

3. Visit Lima's chinatown, Barrio Chino

4.Eat Cebiche

5. Catch some live music in Barranco

6. Go to the Huaca Pucllana in Mirafores

7. Try some Picarrones, buy them on the street, they look like doughnuts.

While in Machu Picchu, try stopping ollantaytambo. Very charming little town. you can take a train from here to aguas calientes. it's not as packed and it's cheaper than taking a train from Cuzco.

Cuzco & Aguas Calientes are tourist traps, especially Aguas Calientes, although they are still charming places. In Cusco try and stay in the San Blas area and visit the Muse de Arte Pre-colombino! Oh and visit the Coca Shop on Carmen Alto street!  they have delicious coca brownies.

Going to machu picchu can easily cost about $200 per person. So plan accordingly. Even hikes are about this price because you have to pay for a guide.

You can do a free 2 hour hike from aguas calientes to Machu Picchu.