Amanda23

Hi all,

A friend and I have decided to take a very quick trip to Peru in the Spring. We'll only have a week total - aside from MP of course, on her must-do list is the Amazon and on mine is to spend a bit of time in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. We know this will make for a fast-paced trip and we're okay with that (my work and her child won't allow for more time away), but I'm having trouble deciding which of two possible itineraries would be better in terms of flow, allocation of time to places visited etc.

They both start out the same:

Mar 30 - arrive Lima and overnight
Mar 31 - fly to Puerto Maldonado and transfer to Posada Amazonas
Apr 1 - Amazon
Apr 2 - noon flight to Cusco

And that's where I can't decide. Option 1 goes:

Apr 2 - noon flight to Cusco and transfer to hotel, rest of the day in Cusco
Apr 3 - day to explore Cusco
Apr 4 - transfer to the Green House in the Sacred Valley, rest of the day to relax/hike/see ruins
Apr 5 - day trip up to MP
Apr 6 - day to explore Sacred Valley (Ollanta, Pisac etc) and then flight home leaves from Cusco at 7pm.

Option 2 goes:

Apr 2 - noon flight to Cusco and transfer to Green House in Sacred Valley
Apr 3 - day to explore Sacred Valley (Ollanta, PIsac etc)
Apr 4 - day trip up to MP
Apr 5 - morning transfer to Cusco (possibly doing a market stop en route since it's Easter Sunday)
Apr 6 - day to explore Cusco before heading to the airport for 7pm flight

Basically Option 1 gives us 2 nights in Cusco and Option 2 only 1. I know people say it's better to acclimatize in the SV rather than Cusco so that's where Option 2 came from, but it doesn't include as much time in Cusco and so I'm worried we'll miss out on everything it has to offer by not spending as much time there. Also Option 1 has us in Cusco on Good Friday and I've heard the processions are pretty neat to see, so that has some appeal.

Also, we know that by doing MP as a day trip we miss out on sunrise but we're fine with that - we're changing hotels enough times that we'd prefer to do MP as a day trip unless people really feel that is a mistake.

Thoughts/suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Amanda

mlgb

Ask your hotel if the markets are open on Easter..I have no idea!

I would go with a variation of your Option 2. Are you fixed on Green House? It might be more convenient and efficient to stay in Ollantaytambo on nights April 2-3. There are trains from Ollantaytambo that leave early in the morning, which would give you a full day at MP on the 3rd and you can return after the site closes.

That time of year it is usual for PeruRail to run a bus/train combo from Cusco. Another reason to just book from Ollantaytambo.

On the 4th you could do your touring, see Ollantaytambo ruins in the morning (buy your partial Boleto Turistico at the entry). Go via Moray and the Salineras on the way back to Cusco. I would probably stay in Cusco, assuming Easter will be more interesting there. See Pisac Sunday morning. If they are having a Sunday market, then you may want to stay closer to Pisac (within walking distance of the square so you don't have to hunt for a taxi on Easter).

How does your flight home route? Are you booked all the way from Cusco via Lima to wherever you live? I don't think you'll have much time to do anything on the 7th.

Kristina

I'd go with option #2 as well. I don't think I'd want to be touring the SV and then have to catch the first of my international flights home. I'd rather be in the town the flight departs from, otherwise I'd be worried all day about making the flight.

If you aren't married to staying at Green House, I'd also recommend Ollantaytambo or Urubamba as a base. You'll have a lot more options for dining out and getting to MP will be much easier.

BTW, I was in Peru during Easter Week this year. Still working on my trip report.

Amanda23

Thanks for the thorough responses so far!

We are quite married to the idea of the Green House - I've wanted to stay there for years. But it's only 30 min to Ollanta and we'll take the train up from there.

One question - if we do as mlgb suggests and visit MP on the 3rd, will that be okay in terms of altitude acclimatization? While we don't plan to hike the trail, I'm sure even just visiting MP for the day is a lot of walking around and we'll have just come from the Amazon on the 2nd and won't have had more than an overnight to get adjusted. Thoughts?

Amanda

mlgb

MP isn't that high, about 8,000 feet. Try not to overdo it on your arrival day, and don't become dehydrated (about 2 L of water per day works for me).

Ollantaytambo or the SV is 1,000 feet higher than MP, so that should give you some boost that first.

The nice thing about staying in Ollantay on a short itinerary is that you don't lose that hour each way for a transfer, and you can walk to the ruins whenever, rather than needing to squeeze it into a full day tour.