[TravelFilter] Help me plan a Peru trip
October 26, 2015 2:24 PM Subscribe
I'm thinking about going to Peru, maybe next April/May-ish, for one or two weeks. We'd like to do Machu Picchu, but not sure what else. I tried checking previous asks, but the most recent relevant one was from 2010 and online information seem similarly outdated. Snowflakes inside.
We will probably be traveling with some friends, some of whom can only be there for one week. We'd all like to do Machu Picchu together. I'm the least experienced with backpacking, with only a couple of week-long trips under my belt. We have also all have international travel experience, and at least one has been to Peru.
1. We'd like to actually hike the Inca Trail. I'm not sure how the Huayna Picchu fits in there. I hear the Inca Trail is 4 days. Is that Cusco-Cusco? Or you're in Aguascalientes?
2. I tried to buy tickets from the government website. It seems all the tickets to the end of the year are sold out, and the tickets for next year are not released yet. When will they release tickets for 2016 or where should I go to book trip? Maybe we should book with a tour group? If so, is there a recommended one?
3. What else is there to do in Peru? Is staying a second week worth it? A third? I was interested in Lima, but others are saying there's not much. Then I thought maybe we could swing by the rain forests, but I heard the trips could be not very reliable. Have done any of these?
4. Where do you fly into and out of? Where do you stay? How do you get around? (I hear there are trains.) Are there preferred airlines?
5. If you've been, what was your itinerary? Did you enjoy it? What would you different? Anything that is a "must do" "must see" or "must eat" item? (I eat almost everything. My husband is vegetarian.)
6. If this is an absolutely terrible idea, please let me know. (Maybe May is not a good month? Or Peru is constantly on strike?) Or if you have general tips and tricks for Peru, please let me know.
We will probably be traveling with some friends, some of whom can only be there for one week. We'd all like to do Machu Picchu together. I'm the least experienced with backpacking, with only a couple of week-long trips under my belt. We have also all have international travel experience, and at least one has been to Peru.
1. We'd like to actually hike the Inca Trail. I'm not sure how the Huayna Picchu fits in there. I hear the Inca Trail is 4 days. Is that Cusco-Cusco? Or you're in Aguascalientes?
2. I tried to buy tickets from the government website. It seems all the tickets to the end of the year are sold out, and the tickets for next year are not released yet. When will they release tickets for 2016 or where should I go to book trip? Maybe we should book with a tour group? If so, is there a recommended one?
3. What else is there to do in Peru? Is staying a second week worth it? A third? I was interested in Lima, but others are saying there's not much. Then I thought maybe we could swing by the rain forests, but I heard the trips could be not very reliable. Have done any of these?
4. Where do you fly into and out of? Where do you stay? How do you get around? (I hear there are trains.) Are there preferred airlines?
5. If you've been, what was your itinerary? Did you enjoy it? What would you different? Anything that is a "must do" "must see" or "must eat" item? (I eat almost everything. My husband is vegetarian.)
6. If this is an absolutely terrible idea, please let me know. (Maybe May is not a good month? Or Peru is constantly on strike?) Or if you have general tips and tricks for Peru, please let me know.
I went to Peru in June but did literally none of the planning so will not be helpful with specifics. We stayed in Ollantaytambo a couple of days to see the ruins there and the Sacred Valley. We did a bike ride down a mountain, which was awesome. We took the train to Machu Picchu (did not do the Inca Trail). We spent a day in Cuzco, which I missed because I was sick. We were supposed to spend one day in Lima, but our flight was cancelled so we spent two. I really liked Lima.
We were there for 8 days (including travel days to and from), but it could easily be a two week trip, especially if you do the Inca Trail. Getting around internally takes a lot of traveling. We had no down time whatsoever. I would easily spend another day or two in the Sacred Valley and build in some days to just hang out in a town or village somewhere with doing anything or seeing anything in particular.
posted by Mavri at 2:46 PM on October 26, 2015
We were there for 8 days (including travel days to and from), but it could easily be a two week trip, especially if you do the Inca Trail. Getting around internally takes a lot of traveling. We had no down time whatsoever. I would easily spend another day or two in the Sacred Valley and build in some days to just hang out in a town or village somewhere with doing anything or seeing anything in particular.
posted by Mavri at 2:46 PM on October 26, 2015
Best answer: 1. The Inca Trail hike is 4 days from the "start" near Cusco, to Macchu Picchu. Look for tour companies/group tours to go with. It makes everything, such as permits, easier.
3. There is lots more to do in Peru! From forests to deserts, there is lot. Nazca Lines, Canyon del Colca, Lake Titicaca, Islas Ballestas, amongst other things.
5. Our route was Lima - Cusco - Macchu Picchu - Puno/Lake Titicaca - Canyon del Colca - Arequipa - Lima
We had a lovely time in Peru! Do make sure to schedule in time to acclimate: the altitude knocked me out for a day in Cusco.
posted by troytroy at 2:50 PM on October 26, 2015
3. There is lots more to do in Peru! From forests to deserts, there is lot. Nazca Lines, Canyon del Colca, Lake Titicaca, Islas Ballestas, amongst other things.
5. Our route was Lima - Cusco - Macchu Picchu - Puno/Lake Titicaca - Canyon del Colca - Arequipa - Lima
We had a lovely time in Peru! Do make sure to schedule in time to acclimate: the altitude knocked me out for a day in Cusco.
posted by troytroy at 2:50 PM on October 26, 2015
Best answer: Schedule your trip for a new moon. Hope its clear, and make sure you're out on/in/near Lake Titicaca. Then freak the fuck out at how beautiful the milky way is from the southern hemisphere, and how insane it looks reflected in the lake.
posted by furnace.heart at 3:00 PM on October 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by furnace.heart at 3:00 PM on October 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: We just went this past May (2015) and had a great time.
We'd like to actually hike the Inca Trail. I'm not sure how the Huayna Picchu fits in there.
Huayna Picchu is a trail/hike that lies entirely within the Machu Picchu park. When you buy tickets to Machu Picchu, you'll have an option to purchase an Huayna Picchu add-on ticket (if they haven't sold out... they are very limited) so you can hike it after you enter the park. I did it and it was breathtaking (in every sense of the word). If you have a fear of heights, you will not enjoy it, but it is more physically taxing than dangerous.
The government web site for buying Machu Picchu tickets is a nightmare to deal with. We just let our hotel in Aguas Calientes handle the purchase for us. Cost a bit more, but way less hassle. We made arrangements in November 2014 for our May 2015 trip, and Machu Picchu tickets were on sale by then. Buy as early as you can, especially if you want to do Huayna Picchu.
Random thoughts
-Even if you do not hike the Inca Trail, prepare yourself for a physically exhausting week. Doing tourist stuff in Cuzco and going to Machu Picchu involves a lot of walking around, getting up *early*, and being at 8,000-11,000 feet will drain you of energy.
-They say people accept US dollars, but in my experience they would only accept perfect, crisp new bills. If your US dollars had creases or even the most miniscule tears, locals (esp. taxi drivers) would not accept them. Easier to have plenty of soles on hand. Also because many, many places do not accept credit cards.
-It was absolutely gorgeous and complete blast. I loved Peru.
posted by lefty lucky cat at 3:10 PM on October 26, 2015
We'd like to actually hike the Inca Trail. I'm not sure how the Huayna Picchu fits in there.
Huayna Picchu is a trail/hike that lies entirely within the Machu Picchu park. When you buy tickets to Machu Picchu, you'll have an option to purchase an Huayna Picchu add-on ticket (if they haven't sold out... they are very limited) so you can hike it after you enter the park. I did it and it was breathtaking (in every sense of the word). If you have a fear of heights, you will not enjoy it, but it is more physically taxing than dangerous.
The government web site for buying Machu Picchu tickets is a nightmare to deal with. We just let our hotel in Aguas Calientes handle the purchase for us. Cost a bit more, but way less hassle. We made arrangements in November 2014 for our May 2015 trip, and Machu Picchu tickets were on sale by then. Buy as early as you can, especially if you want to do Huayna Picchu.
Random thoughts
-Even if you do not hike the Inca Trail, prepare yourself for a physically exhausting week. Doing tourist stuff in Cuzco and going to Machu Picchu involves a lot of walking around, getting up *early*, and being at 8,000-11,000 feet will drain you of energy.
-They say people accept US dollars, but in my experience they would only accept perfect, crisp new bills. If your US dollars had creases or even the most miniscule tears, locals (esp. taxi drivers) would not accept them. Easier to have plenty of soles on hand. Also because many, many places do not accept credit cards.
-It was absolutely gorgeous and complete blast. I loved Peru.
posted by lefty lucky cat at 3:10 PM on October 26, 2015
Best answer: I spent 8 days in Peru in May, it was great!
1. I didn't do the hike, but looked up info about it. 4 days is Cusco-Aguas Calientes. If you want to do Huayna Picchu, I believe you'll have to get 2 days in the park or get up at 3am for the last day of hiking, because you must go up Huayna Picchu before 10am. Tickets to Huayna Picchu are also very limited. Many hiking groups also require that you spend 2 nights in Cusco before hiking, to make sure you aren't going to collapse from altitude sickness in the mountains.
2. The government website has iiiiiissssuuuuueees. I ended up buying my tickets from Boleto Macchu Picchu after strugging with the site for a few days. Totally worth it.
3. I really wanted to head up to Puno and Lake Titicaca but didn't have time. I think it'd be worth a second week. I met another couple who headed to the Amazon from Cusco and they thought it was worth it. I spent three days in Lima and was really looking forward to the food (look up the restaurants, there are some very well recommended places there now) but was sick the whole time and ate maybe a single bread roll in that three days :(((
4. You fly in and out of Cusco. The main airlines are Lan Peru and Star Peru, Star Peru is likely to be cheaper. Either one is fine. I took a cab direct from the airport to Ollantaytambo, which seems to be getting more common - you can also go into Cusco town and take a bus to Ollantaytambo. The train to Macchu Picchu leaves from Ollantay, so if you book tickets from Cusco they bus you there anyway. Train or hiking are the only ways to get to Macchu Picchu.
5. I flew Santiago->Lima then Lima to Cusco straight away. I stayed two nights in Ollantaytambo at a cool Airbnb, then took the train down for one night in Aguas Calientes, back to Ollantaytambo for a night, then stayed three nights in Cusco. I think this was a good itinerary. There's tons to visit around the Sacred Valley, and another day wouldn't have hurt. Then with another few days I would have gone to Puno.
Also, everything lefty lucky cat said is true.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 3:15 PM on October 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
1. I didn't do the hike, but looked up info about it. 4 days is Cusco-Aguas Calientes. If you want to do Huayna Picchu, I believe you'll have to get 2 days in the park or get up at 3am for the last day of hiking, because you must go up Huayna Picchu before 10am. Tickets to Huayna Picchu are also very limited. Many hiking groups also require that you spend 2 nights in Cusco before hiking, to make sure you aren't going to collapse from altitude sickness in the mountains.
2. The government website has iiiiiissssuuuuueees. I ended up buying my tickets from Boleto Macchu Picchu after strugging with the site for a few days. Totally worth it.
3. I really wanted to head up to Puno and Lake Titicaca but didn't have time. I think it'd be worth a second week. I met another couple who headed to the Amazon from Cusco and they thought it was worth it. I spent three days in Lima and was really looking forward to the food (look up the restaurants, there are some very well recommended places there now) but was sick the whole time and ate maybe a single bread roll in that three days :(((
4. You fly in and out of Cusco. The main airlines are Lan Peru and Star Peru, Star Peru is likely to be cheaper. Either one is fine. I took a cab direct from the airport to Ollantaytambo, which seems to be getting more common - you can also go into Cusco town and take a bus to Ollantaytambo. The train to Macchu Picchu leaves from Ollantay, so if you book tickets from Cusco they bus you there anyway. Train or hiking are the only ways to get to Macchu Picchu.
5. I flew Santiago->Lima then Lima to Cusco straight away. I stayed two nights in Ollantaytambo at a cool Airbnb, then took the train down for one night in Aguas Calientes, back to Ollantaytambo for a night, then stayed three nights in Cusco. I think this was a good itinerary. There's tons to visit around the Sacred Valley, and another day wouldn't have hurt. Then with another few days I would have gone to Puno.
Also, everything lefty lucky cat said is true.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 3:15 PM on October 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Hey there! I went to Peru in May, once upon a time. (Caveat, it was circa 2010, though I have no idea why this would be considered "outdated" at this point as things just don't change that fast in countries that aren't incredibly unstable for travelers.)
First things first, in terms of how long your trip will be, you definitely want to factor in travel time, acclimation time at altitude, and enough time to do the stuff you want to do. There are not a lot of direct international flights to Cusco (departure point for Machu Picchu), so you will have to go to Lima first, which often requires a long layover. That, plus the recommended day in Cusco to acclimate to the altitude, is ~ three days right there (depending on travel time from your home). It takes 2-3 days to see Machu Picchu, because travel times are long. I spent a night in Ollantaytambo on the way to MP, two nights in a hostel at Aguas Calientes (the village nearest the site), and then went back to Cusco on the fourth day. So that's a six day trip assuming that you ONLY want to see Machu Picchu and nothing else.
Re your questions.
1. The Inca Trail is four days of hiking (leaving from Cusco) plus a day at Machu Picchu and another day to get home, if memory serves (tour operators' websites will have specific itineraries though). You will ABSOLUTELY need acclimation time in Cusco if you plan to do this trek, as parts of the hike are at very high altitude. My understanding is that if you opt for the Inca Trail, you probably won't get to hike Huayna Picchu as there is only a limited number of hikers allowed per day, and by the time you arrive at the site this number will generally have been reached. That said, here are my Huayna caveats:
A. I mean hiking Huayna Picchu is pretty cool, but if you've just been hiking in the Andes for 4 days, it's probably not make or break. Frankly, I'm not a huge hiker/not that sporty of a person and I could totally have skipped it in favor of seeing more of the archaeologically significant parts of Machu Picchu.
B. People flip the fuck out about getting to MP early, making the cut for Huayna Picchu, etc. when frankly it's not really that necessary. As long as you beat the tour bus hordes, you're fine. I'm also not entirely convinced that Huayna Picchu slots fill up that fast, though this may depend on the day, the season, chance, etc. The day I was there, when my friend and I got back *down* from Huayna Picchu there were still spaces. It's worth not buying too much into the tourist hype, especially the "ugh I hate tourists" tourist hype.
2. It's probably best to book with a tour group for the Inca Trail, since you will be on a guided tour anyway. I didn't do the Inca Trail, so I can't weigh in on timeframe and which tour companies are best, but you will want to book well in advance for this (unlike what I just said about Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu in general). A good tour company will either handle as much as possible for you, or guide you through the process in the most comprehensive way possible.
3. I don't want to be mean or whatever, but have you considered buying a guidebook to Peru? Googling Peru? I was in Peru for a month (which, granted, is longer than most people spend), didn't even remotely see everything I would like to have seen, and Machu Picchu itself was a tiny blip in my full trip. There is a TON of stuff to see and do in Peru. Cusco itself is worth at least 3-4 days beyond just acclimation time, and there are significant Inca archaeological sites in Ollantaytambo and a few other towns in the Sacred Valley as well. The Amazon rain forest is also weirdly close by/convenient to Machu Picchu, so a lot of people opt for a visit there as part of their trip. Lake Titicaca is also a popular side trip. I opted to check out Arequipa, which is a city about midway between Lima and Cusco, and sort of the "gateway" to the Andes/Peru's "second city", lots of adventure travel activities (canyon hiking, condor spotting, rafting, climbing, mountaineering, etc), as well as a ton of history and culture if that's more your thing. A lot of people like Lima, as well, though it's more modern and urban and less about the types of things you will be doing in the Andean/Sacred Valley region of Peru. Not to mention the beach scene on the Northern Coast, the Nazca Lines, and, well, look, there is a metric shit ton of stuff to do in Peru. It frankly kind of bugs me the number of people who take a week's vacation just to go to Machu Picchu and then back home when Peru as a country has so much to offer.
4. Lima is the main arrival city for international travelers to Peru. If you are doing the typical "only the Sacred Valley" visit, you will probably have a layover and then immediately proceed to Cusco, which is the base for people who want to see the stereotypical Inca stuff/Machu Picchu. You can't really avoid going to Lima, though depending on how much money you want to spend and how short your trip is, you could potentially only have a shortish layover and not leave the airport. When I went it seemed like layovers were pretty long and it was more convenient to overnight in Lima, but this *is* something that might have changed since 2010. Google Flights or your flight search engine of choice will have good info on what your options are for Home>Lima>Cusco.
5. I did kind of a crazy trip (in terms of how I visited Peru vs. how most tourists do it), and if I had it all to do over again, I might do things differently. I spent a month in country, beginning with a flight to Lima and a few days there. I then took a very long and kind of insane overnight (or maybe even 24 hours plus?) bus trip to Arequipa. I came down with what might have been dysentery the day before I left for Arequipa and spent the first 10 days or so of my trip violently ill. Which impacted what I was able to do in Arequipa, and I didn't really get to do as much hiking and adventure tourism as I'd have liked. I spent 4-5 days in Arequipa, mostly being sick but also checking out this amazing colonial-era abbey as well as a museum dedicated to Incan mummies found high in the Andes. One of my main regrets of the trip is that I was too sick to hike Colca Canyon. From there (on about Day 10 of the trip) I took another crazy overnight bus to Cusco, which I fell in love with at first sight. I spent the remaining ~2 weeks of my trip in Cusco and the surrounding area, which included the ~ 4 days I spent getting to and seeing Machu Picchu. I did not opt to go to Lake Titicaca, because by that point I was really sick of long bus trips and felt like most of what there was to do in that area was too touristy and bad for the indigenous cultures living there. I do not regret this as much as I regret not getting to see Colca Canyon near Arequipa. The main thing I'd do differently if I went back would be to splurge on domestic flights rather than taking the harrowing and time-sucking bus trips. It felt like the "authentic" way to see Peru, and I suppose it's an interesting experience that I had (who else has vomited out the window of a bus flying down the Panamerican Highway through the outlying parts of the Atacama Desert?), but, y'know, yeahhhhh. I also tried way too hard to avoid tour companies and organized excursions, which was interesting but I think really limited what I was able to see, because that type of tourism really is the way things are done in Peru. Peru isn't really like Europe, or my previous developing-world travel destination of India, where you can kind of just wander around by yourself and see what you see. Those tour companies make things MUCH easier, and I wish I'd understood this before my trip.
6. Provided you have the time to do it right, and do your research on what all there is to see and do beyond just Machu Picchu, I think this is a great idea! Have a great trip!
posted by Sara C. at 3:19 PM on October 26, 2015 [5 favorites]
First things first, in terms of how long your trip will be, you definitely want to factor in travel time, acclimation time at altitude, and enough time to do the stuff you want to do. There are not a lot of direct international flights to Cusco (departure point for Machu Picchu), so you will have to go to Lima first, which often requires a long layover. That, plus the recommended day in Cusco to acclimate to the altitude, is ~ three days right there (depending on travel time from your home). It takes 2-3 days to see Machu Picchu, because travel times are long. I spent a night in Ollantaytambo on the way to MP, two nights in a hostel at Aguas Calientes (the village nearest the site), and then went back to Cusco on the fourth day. So that's a six day trip assuming that you ONLY want to see Machu Picchu and nothing else.
Re your questions.
1. The Inca Trail is four days of hiking (leaving from Cusco) plus a day at Machu Picchu and another day to get home, if memory serves (tour operators' websites will have specific itineraries though). You will ABSOLUTELY need acclimation time in Cusco if you plan to do this trek, as parts of the hike are at very high altitude. My understanding is that if you opt for the Inca Trail, you probably won't get to hike Huayna Picchu as there is only a limited number of hikers allowed per day, and by the time you arrive at the site this number will generally have been reached. That said, here are my Huayna caveats:
A. I mean hiking Huayna Picchu is pretty cool, but if you've just been hiking in the Andes for 4 days, it's probably not make or break. Frankly, I'm not a huge hiker/not that sporty of a person and I could totally have skipped it in favor of seeing more of the archaeologically significant parts of Machu Picchu.
B. People flip the fuck out about getting to MP early, making the cut for Huayna Picchu, etc. when frankly it's not really that necessary. As long as you beat the tour bus hordes, you're fine. I'm also not entirely convinced that Huayna Picchu slots fill up that fast, though this may depend on the day, the season, chance, etc. The day I was there, when my friend and I got back *down* from Huayna Picchu there were still spaces. It's worth not buying too much into the tourist hype, especially the "ugh I hate tourists" tourist hype.
2. It's probably best to book with a tour group for the Inca Trail, since you will be on a guided tour anyway. I didn't do the Inca Trail, so I can't weigh in on timeframe and which tour companies are best, but you will want to book well in advance for this (unlike what I just said about Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu in general). A good tour company will either handle as much as possible for you, or guide you through the process in the most comprehensive way possible.
3. I don't want to be mean or whatever, but have you considered buying a guidebook to Peru? Googling Peru? I was in Peru for a month (which, granted, is longer than most people spend), didn't even remotely see everything I would like to have seen, and Machu Picchu itself was a tiny blip in my full trip. There is a TON of stuff to see and do in Peru. Cusco itself is worth at least 3-4 days beyond just acclimation time, and there are significant Inca archaeological sites in Ollantaytambo and a few other towns in the Sacred Valley as well. The Amazon rain forest is also weirdly close by/convenient to Machu Picchu, so a lot of people opt for a visit there as part of their trip. Lake Titicaca is also a popular side trip. I opted to check out Arequipa, which is a city about midway between Lima and Cusco, and sort of the "gateway" to the Andes/Peru's "second city", lots of adventure travel activities (canyon hiking, condor spotting, rafting, climbing, mountaineering, etc), as well as a ton of history and culture if that's more your thing. A lot of people like Lima, as well, though it's more modern and urban and less about the types of things you will be doing in the Andean/Sacred Valley region of Peru. Not to mention the beach scene on the Northern Coast, the Nazca Lines, and, well, look, there is a metric shit ton of stuff to do in Peru. It frankly kind of bugs me the number of people who take a week's vacation just to go to Machu Picchu and then back home when Peru as a country has so much to offer.
4. Lima is the main arrival city for international travelers to Peru. If you are doing the typical "only the Sacred Valley" visit, you will probably have a layover and then immediately proceed to Cusco, which is the base for people who want to see the stereotypical Inca stuff/Machu Picchu. You can't really avoid going to Lima, though depending on how much money you want to spend and how short your trip is, you could potentially only have a shortish layover and not leave the airport. When I went it seemed like layovers were pretty long and it was more convenient to overnight in Lima, but this *is* something that might have changed since 2010. Google Flights or your flight search engine of choice will have good info on what your options are for Home>Lima>Cusco.
5. I did kind of a crazy trip (in terms of how I visited Peru vs. how most tourists do it), and if I had it all to do over again, I might do things differently. I spent a month in country, beginning with a flight to Lima and a few days there. I then took a very long and kind of insane overnight (or maybe even 24 hours plus?) bus trip to Arequipa. I came down with what might have been dysentery the day before I left for Arequipa and spent the first 10 days or so of my trip violently ill. Which impacted what I was able to do in Arequipa, and I didn't really get to do as much hiking and adventure tourism as I'd have liked. I spent 4-5 days in Arequipa, mostly being sick but also checking out this amazing colonial-era abbey as well as a museum dedicated to Incan mummies found high in the Andes. One of my main regrets of the trip is that I was too sick to hike Colca Canyon. From there (on about Day 10 of the trip) I took another crazy overnight bus to Cusco, which I fell in love with at first sight. I spent the remaining ~2 weeks of my trip in Cusco and the surrounding area, which included the ~ 4 days I spent getting to and seeing Machu Picchu. I did not opt to go to Lake Titicaca, because by that point I was really sick of long bus trips and felt like most of what there was to do in that area was too touristy and bad for the indigenous cultures living there. I do not regret this as much as I regret not getting to see Colca Canyon near Arequipa. The main thing I'd do differently if I went back would be to splurge on domestic flights rather than taking the harrowing and time-sucking bus trips. It felt like the "authentic" way to see Peru, and I suppose it's an interesting experience that I had (who else has vomited out the window of a bus flying down the Panamerican Highway through the outlying parts of the Atacama Desert?), but, y'know, yeahhhhh. I also tried way too hard to avoid tour companies and organized excursions, which was interesting but I think really limited what I was able to see, because that type of tourism really is the way things are done in Peru. Peru isn't really like Europe, or my previous developing-world travel destination of India, where you can kind of just wander around by yourself and see what you see. Those tour companies make things MUCH easier, and I wish I'd understood this before my trip.
6. Provided you have the time to do it right, and do your research on what all there is to see and do beyond just Machu Picchu, I think this is a great idea! Have a great trip!
posted by Sara C. at 3:19 PM on October 26, 2015 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Also, uhhh, no, do not try to use US dollars in Peru. They have their own currency, and also ATMs and all the usual stuff just like traveling abroad to any other country in the world. I don't know how you even would use USD there unless you were planning to take a dangerous amount of cash with you from the US, since in my experience ATMs dispense the local currency. You know, just like all other countries in the world.
I would worry much more about carrying thousands in USD on your person than I would worry about how to get Peruvian money out of an ATM.
posted by Sara C. at 3:30 PM on October 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
I would worry much more about carrying thousands in USD on your person than I would worry about how to get Peruvian money out of an ATM.
posted by Sara C. at 3:30 PM on October 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
The ATMs I used in both Cuzco and Aguas Calientes dispensed sols *and* US dollars, so there's someone down there who likes them.
posted by lefty lucky cat at 3:35 PM on October 26, 2015
posted by lefty lucky cat at 3:35 PM on October 26, 2015
Best answer: I just got back from Peru two weeks ago...
1. The Inca Trail starts from KM82 (it's half an hour's drive from Ollantaytambo, which is itself an hour's drive from Cuzco) and ends at Machu Picchu, distance of 43km and maximum elevation of 4200m. Machu Picchu itself is at around 2600m only. Then after you're done you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes which is the town beneath Machu Picchu, then from there take the train back to Ollantaytambo. Restricted to about 250 tourists a day.
For those not doing the Inca Trail you take the train from Ollantaytambo straight to Aguas Calientes and spend a night there, then bus up to Machu Picchu, tour it for a day, take the bus down and train back to Ollantaytambo. About 3,000 tourists a day do this.
From the pictures I've seen the Inca Trail isn't a make or break thing, there's two other great 4 day treks (Salkantay up to 5200m / Lares up to 4600m) that are off the beaten tourist path and have far better scenery and aren't overrun by people (we barely saw anyone else on our trek). I did Salkantay and skipped the Inca Trail and just took the bus there. The Salkantay Trek can join to the Inca Trail (for a total of 7 days) but we arranged it so we bailed after the third day and did the day 1 Inca Trail in reverse, there's a different Salkantay Trek that ends in a totally different location also.
Huayna Picchu is a 300m elevation prominence overlooking Machu Picchu, see that sharp peak on the right hand side of this picture that looks impossible to climb, that's where you get up to. I climbed it, don't really recommend it. The views are unique certainly, but there's no lack of other vantage points - you can gain 300m elevation by heading towards to Sun Gate if you arrived there by bus, or if you arrived via the Inca Trail you'll naturally already start at the Sun Gate. You can also gain similar elevation by climbing Machu Picchu mountain which has no visitor count restriction. Both offer superior views (imo) compared to Huayna Picchu and have less bugs.
2. You'll need a group anyway if you're doing the trek. I went with Alpaca Expeditions and was very very impressed by their professionalism and commitment to safety. Also the chef there has the best food...
3. If you do the 7 day Salktantay / Inca Trail, and another 2-3 days worth of day trips around Cuzco, you'll have seen most of what's on offer. I regret not staying longer, about 6 hours south / east of there is Colca Valley (deeper than the Grand Canyon) which has great scenery and also Lake Titicaca so you could add another few days there, I thought 6 hours traveling was too long but in retrospect we should have done it.
4. You fly into and out of Cuzco which is the old Inca capital at 3600m or so, so expect altitude sickness, if you can get some Acetazolamide beforehand that can be useful. You want to spend at least 2 days in Cuzco before starting the Inca Trail but ideally most people need 4 days acclimatization first, no point going on holiday and feeling awful. Travel distances mentioned in point 1. Locals travel on buses but as a tourist you'll likely get private cars from your group.
5. Mostly mentioned earlier. One thing we almost missed out on was Chicha Morada, which is a local drink made from purple corn and spices, no one seemed to think it was special but we ended up liking it a lot.
6. The biting insects at lower elevation (say 2600m around Machu Picchu) were surprisingly vicious, and I come from tropical Asia... depends on individual sensitivity, some people had bites which lasted weeks. Small bleeds under the skin, incredible itching, then tissue granulation after. I've never come across anything like it before, not even when I was bitten by tsetse flies in Africa... definitely heed the warnings about making sure you have deet / long sleeved clothes...
Also the sun was a lot stronger than I expected and I live in Australia.... something to do with southern hemisphere + high elevation makes this region have nearly the highest UV flux in the world. Definitely heed the warnings about sunscreen / hats...
posted by xdvesper at 5:34 PM on October 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
1. The Inca Trail starts from KM82 (it's half an hour's drive from Ollantaytambo, which is itself an hour's drive from Cuzco) and ends at Machu Picchu, distance of 43km and maximum elevation of 4200m. Machu Picchu itself is at around 2600m only. Then after you're done you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes which is the town beneath Machu Picchu, then from there take the train back to Ollantaytambo. Restricted to about 250 tourists a day.
For those not doing the Inca Trail you take the train from Ollantaytambo straight to Aguas Calientes and spend a night there, then bus up to Machu Picchu, tour it for a day, take the bus down and train back to Ollantaytambo. About 3,000 tourists a day do this.
From the pictures I've seen the Inca Trail isn't a make or break thing, there's two other great 4 day treks (Salkantay up to 5200m / Lares up to 4600m) that are off the beaten tourist path and have far better scenery and aren't overrun by people (we barely saw anyone else on our trek). I did Salkantay and skipped the Inca Trail and just took the bus there. The Salkantay Trek can join to the Inca Trail (for a total of 7 days) but we arranged it so we bailed after the third day and did the day 1 Inca Trail in reverse, there's a different Salkantay Trek that ends in a totally different location also.
Huayna Picchu is a 300m elevation prominence overlooking Machu Picchu, see that sharp peak on the right hand side of this picture that looks impossible to climb, that's where you get up to. I climbed it, don't really recommend it. The views are unique certainly, but there's no lack of other vantage points - you can gain 300m elevation by heading towards to Sun Gate if you arrived there by bus, or if you arrived via the Inca Trail you'll naturally already start at the Sun Gate. You can also gain similar elevation by climbing Machu Picchu mountain which has no visitor count restriction. Both offer superior views (imo) compared to Huayna Picchu and have less bugs.
2. You'll need a group anyway if you're doing the trek. I went with Alpaca Expeditions and was very very impressed by their professionalism and commitment to safety. Also the chef there has the best food...
3. If you do the 7 day Salktantay / Inca Trail, and another 2-3 days worth of day trips around Cuzco, you'll have seen most of what's on offer. I regret not staying longer, about 6 hours south / east of there is Colca Valley (deeper than the Grand Canyon) which has great scenery and also Lake Titicaca so you could add another few days there, I thought 6 hours traveling was too long but in retrospect we should have done it.
4. You fly into and out of Cuzco which is the old Inca capital at 3600m or so, so expect altitude sickness, if you can get some Acetazolamide beforehand that can be useful. You want to spend at least 2 days in Cuzco before starting the Inca Trail but ideally most people need 4 days acclimatization first, no point going on holiday and feeling awful. Travel distances mentioned in point 1. Locals travel on buses but as a tourist you'll likely get private cars from your group.
5. Mostly mentioned earlier. One thing we almost missed out on was Chicha Morada, which is a local drink made from purple corn and spices, no one seemed to think it was special but we ended up liking it a lot.
6. The biting insects at lower elevation (say 2600m around Machu Picchu) were surprisingly vicious, and I come from tropical Asia... depends on individual sensitivity, some people had bites which lasted weeks. Small bleeds under the skin, incredible itching, then tissue granulation after. I've never come across anything like it before, not even when I was bitten by tsetse flies in Africa... definitely heed the warnings about making sure you have deet / long sleeved clothes...
Also the sun was a lot stronger than I expected and I live in Australia.... something to do with southern hemisphere + high elevation makes this region have nearly the highest UV flux in the world. Definitely heed the warnings about sunscreen / hats...
posted by xdvesper at 5:34 PM on October 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The Peruvian Amazon is awesome! I spent a great week there with Amazonia Expeditions (last February). They assign you a private guide who will take you out to do what you want, when you want (hike, canoe, birdwatch, zip line, look for some specific animal), and the guides do an amazing job of spotting animals and making sure you are safe and having a good time. Their lodges are perfectly comfortable though by no means fancy. They are incredibly well organized and reliable. Everything is taken care of from the minute you arrive at the Iquitos airport (we flew LAN Airlines, which was totally fine). If you go, be sure to spend time at the Research Center as well as the main lodge. The cooks at each lodge took time to talk to us about our dietary limitations and preferences at the start of our stay - they were extremely accommodating of my allergies and am sure they would be equally so to a vegetarian. Note that the Amazon is very different in the dry season and in the wet season, when much of the jungle is flooded and you get around mostly by canoe and motorboat instead of hiking.
I spent just one day in Lima but had a great time there. We hired a taxi via our hotel for the day to drive us around everywhere we wanted to go, which is quite affordable and convenient, as well as safe (in Lima it's dangerous to catch a cab off the street, and you should only use ones personally known to a trusted local such as your hotel front desk, or one from a known company such as Taxi Green from the airport). The Museo Larco has a fantastic collection of pre-Columbian art that is very well curated and displayed, as well as a beautiful and delicious cafe. The Museum of Contemporary Art is much smaller but also had really interesting exhibits, and is in the artsy Barranco neighborhood, which I wish I'd had more time to explore. Other things I wish I'd had time to do there include wandering around Parque Kennedy and shopping for crafts, seeing the colonial architecture of the Historical Center. I wouldn't describe Lima as unmissable, but two or three days there would be far from wasted.
Also, FWIW, the Peruvian people we met everywhere were unfailingly kind, patient, welcoming, and relaxed. It's hard to visit without making some new friends.
posted by unsub at 12:18 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
I spent just one day in Lima but had a great time there. We hired a taxi via our hotel for the day to drive us around everywhere we wanted to go, which is quite affordable and convenient, as well as safe (in Lima it's dangerous to catch a cab off the street, and you should only use ones personally known to a trusted local such as your hotel front desk, or one from a known company such as Taxi Green from the airport). The Museo Larco has a fantastic collection of pre-Columbian art that is very well curated and displayed, as well as a beautiful and delicious cafe. The Museum of Contemporary Art is much smaller but also had really interesting exhibits, and is in the artsy Barranco neighborhood, which I wish I'd had more time to explore. Other things I wish I'd had time to do there include wandering around Parque Kennedy and shopping for crafts, seeing the colonial architecture of the Historical Center. I wouldn't describe Lima as unmissable, but two or three days there would be far from wasted.
Also, FWIW, the Peruvian people we met everywhere were unfailingly kind, patient, welcoming, and relaxed. It's hard to visit without making some new friends.
posted by unsub at 12:18 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
We hiked the Inca trail exactly a year ago today! To say that it was an incredible experience is a huge understatement. I agree with most of the posters above, and everything left lucky cat said is true, particularly the altitude tiredness factor and the need for local currency. Vendors/restaurants etc. refuse to take anything but the most pristine US dollar bills, and this was a bigger deal than it sounds, since many places outside the bigger cities also didn't take credit cards.
If you hike the Inca trail, you have to use a tour guide. Our tour company was G Adventures, and I cannot say enough good things about them. When you're on the trail, you see all the other tour companies' porters, and the G Adventures porters were by far the best equipped - best gear, best shoes, most manageable packs, you name it. The company works with local non-profits to add great local events and flavor to the tour. And lastly, the guides are amazing - knowledgeable, friendly, proud of their history and excited to share their country with the world. We still keep up with our guide on Facebook, a year later. He told us that G Adventures sent him and a bunch of other top guides to Canada for a company event, and when he was there, he met up with local people from his tour groups throughout the years who he'd kept in touch with on FB, and he didn't pay for a drink the whole week... Just the fact that G Adventures invest in their best people like that tells you everything you need to know about the company!
FYI, I was able to get $100 off for each of us with a coupon from Retailmenot.com, so make sure you look around before booking anything.
Have fun!
posted by widdershins at 11:34 AM on October 27, 2015
If you hike the Inca trail, you have to use a tour guide. Our tour company was G Adventures, and I cannot say enough good things about them. When you're on the trail, you see all the other tour companies' porters, and the G Adventures porters were by far the best equipped - best gear, best shoes, most manageable packs, you name it. The company works with local non-profits to add great local events and flavor to the tour. And lastly, the guides are amazing - knowledgeable, friendly, proud of their history and excited to share their country with the world. We still keep up with our guide on Facebook, a year later. He told us that G Adventures sent him and a bunch of other top guides to Canada for a company event, and when he was there, he met up with local people from his tour groups throughout the years who he'd kept in touch with on FB, and he didn't pay for a drink the whole week... Just the fact that G Adventures invest in their best people like that tells you everything you need to know about the company!
FYI, I was able to get $100 off for each of us with a coupon from Retailmenot.com, so make sure you look around before booking anything.
Have fun!
posted by widdershins at 11:34 AM on October 27, 2015
Best answer: My wife and I went to Peru in May. We had a blast!
Briefly:
1. We acclimated in Cusco for a couple of days.
2. Went to Machu Picchu via the Lares trek (alternative to Inka Trail).
3. Spent a few days in Urubamba and Ollantaytambo (best meal of our lives, awesome craft beer).
4. Visited some friends and had delicious ceviche in Lima.
We had an amazing time. Alpaca Expeditions helped make this the trip of of our lives!
Pay for a well-reviewed trek. They take care of tickets, buses, trains and all sorts of hassle. Soooo worth it, and I'm something of a cheapskate.
I would be happy to give you more specific eating, tourism, drinking and trekking advice. Ask here or MeMail me.
posted by KevCed at 5:35 PM on October 29, 2015
Briefly:
1. We acclimated in Cusco for a couple of days.
2. Went to Machu Picchu via the Lares trek (alternative to Inka Trail).
3. Spent a few days in Urubamba and Ollantaytambo (best meal of our lives, awesome craft beer).
4. Visited some friends and had delicious ceviche in Lima.
We had an amazing time. Alpaca Expeditions helped make this the trip of of our lives!
Pay for a well-reviewed trek. They take care of tickets, buses, trains and all sorts of hassle. Soooo worth it, and I'm something of a cheapskate.
I would be happy to give you more specific eating, tourism, drinking and trekking advice. Ask here or MeMail me.
posted by KevCed at 5:35 PM on October 29, 2015
Response by poster: For those who are curious, we have decided on a rough two week itinerary, mostly because a good rainforest trip would take another 2 weeks and quite a bit of money. We're currently budgeting about $1500/person excluding airfare into Lima. (We have airline points for the airfare.)
We are doing the following:
* Fly into Lima.
* Fly to Puno the next day (also at altitude).
* Do an overnight trip to Lake Titicaca (near full moon, but we had to line it up with the weekends).
* Fly to Cusco.
* Tour the sacred valley in Cusco.
* Go with Alpaca Expeditions on the Inka Trail for 4D/3N. The other members really wanted the Inka Trail because you hike straight up to Machu Picchu, rather than hike and then bus over.
* Go see Machu Picchu, go see Huayna Picchu, pack extra food for snack/dinner to stay there longer.
* Spend the night at Aguas Calientes and then wander around the city. In afternoon, take the train to Ollantetambo and spend the night there.
* Spend the day wandering around Ollantetambo, and then take the bus back to Cusco.
* Fly back to Lima and then back home. (Flight departs from Lima at midnight.)
We have a few extra days of wiggle room planned in there, in case the tour group isn't able to get the Machu Picchu tickets on our first choice date. We might spend some extra time in Ollantetambo or Cusco or Puno. The tour includes the bus and train transfer, so that's great. We just have to book hotels, which we'll do after we get the dates confirmed in January.
Thank you for all the help! We did look things up on Google, but it was usually not super clear to me how closely aligned those trips were to what we want to do. And having traveled to China multiple times, it seems that my information is always out of date even just after two years or so. (Like, wait? What? They have a bus that goes there now? kind of thing, not that the actual monuments change.) So I wasn't sure what the setup in Peru was going to be like.
posted by ethidda at 11:27 AM on November 12, 2015
We are doing the following:
* Fly into Lima.
* Fly to Puno the next day (also at altitude).
* Do an overnight trip to Lake Titicaca (near full moon, but we had to line it up with the weekends).
* Fly to Cusco.
* Tour the sacred valley in Cusco.
* Go with Alpaca Expeditions on the Inka Trail for 4D/3N. The other members really wanted the Inka Trail because you hike straight up to Machu Picchu, rather than hike and then bus over.
* Go see Machu Picchu, go see Huayna Picchu, pack extra food for snack/dinner to stay there longer.
* Spend the night at Aguas Calientes and then wander around the city. In afternoon, take the train to Ollantetambo and spend the night there.
* Spend the day wandering around Ollantetambo, and then take the bus back to Cusco.
* Fly back to Lima and then back home. (Flight departs from Lima at midnight.)
We have a few extra days of wiggle room planned in there, in case the tour group isn't able to get the Machu Picchu tickets on our first choice date. We might spend some extra time in Ollantetambo or Cusco or Puno. The tour includes the bus and train transfer, so that's great. We just have to book hotels, which we'll do after we get the dates confirmed in January.
Thank you for all the help! We did look things up on Google, but it was usually not super clear to me how closely aligned those trips were to what we want to do. And having traveled to China multiple times, it seems that my information is always out of date even just after two years or so. (Like, wait? What? They have a bus that goes there now? kind of thing, not that the actual monuments change.) So I wasn't sure what the setup in Peru was going to be like.
posted by ethidda at 11:27 AM on November 12, 2015
pack extra food for snack/dinner to stay there longer.
Food is sold at Machu Picchu. It's basically your typical international tourist site. If you've been to something like the Grand Canyon, the Tower Of London, the Taj Mahal, etc. it's basically set up like that. Or if you haven't done something like that, I'd compare it to a big music festival, ren faire, comic-con, or the like. Keep in mind that thousands of capital-T tourists who are not outdoorsy or even particularly resourceful visit MP every day, and the place is really more set up to cater to those types of visitors. All the Mod Cons are there once you actually arrive at the site.
Also, there's really nothing to do in Aguas Calientes. It's less a city than a stopover point servicing Machu Picchu. There are a bunch of hostels and midrange hotels, some crappy tourist restaurants, and junky souvenir stands. About the only other thing around there are some hot springs, but they're not worth staying a whole extra day unless you just want to build a chill-out day into your trip. But then, I'm not sure AC is really a good "chill-out" destination, considering what an overpriced shithole it is.
Ollantaytambo is a lot nicer than Aguas Calientes, but is a pretty small town. Worth a day, probably not worth more than two. Cusco would be a much better choice for extra days, as there is a TON to do there that most travelers never see because they typically only spend a day or two.
posted by Sara C. at 11:39 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Food is sold at Machu Picchu. It's basically your typical international tourist site. If you've been to something like the Grand Canyon, the Tower Of London, the Taj Mahal, etc. it's basically set up like that. Or if you haven't done something like that, I'd compare it to a big music festival, ren faire, comic-con, or the like. Keep in mind that thousands of capital-T tourists who are not outdoorsy or even particularly resourceful visit MP every day, and the place is really more set up to cater to those types of visitors. All the Mod Cons are there once you actually arrive at the site.
Also, there's really nothing to do in Aguas Calientes. It's less a city than a stopover point servicing Machu Picchu. There are a bunch of hostels and midrange hotels, some crappy tourist restaurants, and junky souvenir stands. About the only other thing around there are some hot springs, but they're not worth staying a whole extra day unless you just want to build a chill-out day into your trip. But then, I'm not sure AC is really a good "chill-out" destination, considering what an overpriced shithole it is.
Ollantaytambo is a lot nicer than Aguas Calientes, but is a pretty small town. Worth a day, probably not worth more than two. Cusco would be a much better choice for extra days, as there is a TON to do there that most travelers never see because they typically only spend a day or two.
posted by Sara C. at 11:39 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
3-5: There is A LOT one can do/see in Peru. It just depends on what you like. If archeology is of interest, then there are many, many sites you can see (we did several listed under Moche Route). Or you could fly over the Nasca lines (take STRONG motion-sickness medication ahead of time!) and then visit the nearby mummies.
We also did an Amazon tour in Peru, which was fantastic. We flew from Lima to Iquitos (and back). As far as how one generally gets around Peru, they have many tourist-class buses. They can be booked online and everything is quite straightforward (see 1, and this is one of the highest-quality, most reliable bus lines). They have overnight buses for the long distances, and if you pay a bit extra, you can get a fully flat bed and a steward who makes it up for you!
We only stayed one night in Lima because, like you, we heard from other travellers that it wasn't fabulous. But maybe if you haven't already seen many South American capital cities, it would be worth spending a couple days visiting Lima's historic district.
Memail if you have more specific questions about what we did/saw.
Re: food: I'm vegetarian and my husband not. I managed just fine (perhaps not a great deal of variety outside the big cities, but not a problem at all).
Oh, last thing: you *must* drink as many pisco sours as possible (esp of the coca variety). Mmmmmmm.... :D
posted by Halo in reverse at 2:45 PM on October 26, 2015 [1 favorite]