itinerary Help for Peru with Kids

Old Nov 23rd, 2014, 07:04 PM
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itinerary Help for Peru with Kids

My hubby and I with 2 kids (9,11) will have 4 weeks in Peru in September next year. we are fit and enjoy walking. After arriving in Lima, where we are spending 2-3 nights, to get over jet lag and celebrate my birthday, we are then unsure which route to take.
Fly to Cusco, explore SV and train up to Olly and then MP ( perhaps total of 6 nights), then fly to PM where I want to stay for 2-3 nights in a lodge on the river. Then down to Puno to spend 2 nights at lake Titicaca. The fly to Arequipa for a couple of days before flying back to Lima and then on to Foz, Brazil.
We could travel in the opposite direction, starting at Arequipa, would this make much difference? We still have about 7 days to spend somewhere...any suggestions?
Thanks for your help..
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Old Nov 25th, 2014, 11:17 AM
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I have further refined my trip, please all suggestions are welcome.
We are planning to fly between all of these places, perhaps with the exception of a bus to Arequipa.
And this still leaves me with 3 days unaccounted for, should I cut the trip short? I have 36 days I can spend.
3 nights Lima
5 Cusco
5 Ollyanta
1 puno
2 Lake T homestay
5 Arequipa
1 Iquitos
4 Lodge on Amazon
1 Lima
1 Foz, Brazil
5 BA, Argentina
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Old Nov 25th, 2014, 02:41 PM
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I would lay it out again with the travel days in between places listed.

You will find that you lose most of the day every time you arrive and depart.

The exception being going from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (they are only a few hours apart).

There is a nice bus between Cusco and Puno that is a day bus. Take that instead of flying. Take a day off of Cusco for that.

If you are not hiking the Inca Trail it will make more sense (and you will feel better) to stay first in Ollantaytambo and then in Cusco).

Same that there is a good bus (4-M)from Puno to either Chivay or Arequipa. Much more efficient than flying. I assume 5 days in Arequipa includes Colca Canyon. No need to backtrack from Arequipa.

I would fly between Arequipa and Lima unless you want to see some of the coastal sights such as Nazca, Huacachina/Ica and Paracas.

Realize that you will lose most of the day to and from the Amazon lodge in travel. They don't like to travel on the river after mid day (hazardous). So usually you have to fly in the morning Lima-Iquitos and if you are lucky you will transfer right away to the lodge. I would try to get them to drag your return til as late as possible, then take an evening flight back to Lima. You may want to insert a second day in Lima before heading off to Brazil, just to allow for flight issues Iquitos-Lima.
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Old Nov 25th, 2014, 03:05 PM
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Good points from mlgb above, particularly about factoring in travel time as distances are vast and the roads not always great.

I like the fact that you are staying more than a day or two in some places as it can get exhausting being constantly on the move, even more so travelling with children I imagine. Although, having said that, I do wonder whether in some places you are staying a little too long. The Homestay on Titicaca only really need 1 night. I love Ollantaytambo and have stayed there for weeks on occasion for a specific purpose but 5 days is a long ish time for a small town unless you have lots of activities from there. Similarly with Cusco.

I am just wondering whether by shaving some days off of these places and adding the 3 days you have spare, you could add in one more destination either in Peru, maybe Trujillo? Or, as you are headed to Argentina via Brazil, fly from Iguazu to Salta to explore the North west of Argentina buy renting a car and driving a circuit of the areas. Some photos of these places and some detail of our trip last year are on our blog @ http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/6/tpod.html entries 15 & 35
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Old Nov 25th, 2014, 07:22 PM
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Thanks so much migb and crellston, all great points. Enjoyed reading your travel notes too crellston.

So, revised...
Day 1. Lima 3 nights
Day 4 fly to Cusco & taxi to Olly 5 n ( see MP and do tours Apu lodge provides)
Day 9 taxi to cusco 4 n ( SV and other excursions)
Day 13 bus to Puno 2 n (1 quiet day)
Day 15 Lake T homestay 1 n
Day 16 bus to Colca Canyon 3 n (really only 2 days)
Day 19 taxi to Arequipa 2 n
Day 21 fly to Lima and Iquitos, 2 n
Day 23 transfer to jungle hotel 4 nights
Day 26 fly to Lima 1 night
Day 27 fly Foz 1 n
Day 28 fly BA. 5 n ( day trip to Tigre?)
day 33

I'm not sure whether to leave then or find something for 3 more nights. I'm conscious of how many ruins the kids will tolerate, and me for that matter, so not sure that Trujillo offers anything significantly different. I'm also conscious of limiting the number of flights we take. I love the idea of your drive from Salta, but there seem to be no direct flights from Lima to Salta or Foz to Salta, so I'm not keen to backtrack via BA. ATM we have 8 flights in 33 days.

I'm keen to hear your thoughts, thanks
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