Eschew

First question: When is the best time to go? For comfortable temperature and good weather? We are thinking about late October or early November at this point.

Here is the suggested itenary for 10 days in Peru, please make suggetsions or comments, especially what to see, where to stay, any pre-cautions etc.

Lima, Plaza de Armas, Gov't Palace, Francsico Monastery, Miraflores, Cusco, Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Uros floating islands, Taquile Island, Chullpas of Sillustani, Paracas, Pisco, flight over Nazca Lines, Paracas Bay, San Martin Port, Candelabro, Ballestas Islands

3 days in Lima, 4 days in Cusco, 2 days in Puno, 1day at Paracas and back to Lima to go home.

qwovadis

www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/peru

May best September second best crowd rain wise for me.

www.peruforless.com

www.perubesttours.com

Itinerary looks fine...

Eschew

Thanks ...

yestravel

It may not be considered the best time to go, but we went in April and had fabulous weather and light crowds wherever we went.

Eschew

Thanks yestravel. I can only take longer trips in October and November and that's why the timing. I have heard May is the best weather but it is not a good time for me ...

Diane60030

Doable. But you are going to be doing a lot of traveling. Give some careful thoughts to transportation arrangements betweeen places. Most of Peru travels by bus so those schedules will dictate a good deal of the southern part of your trip.

Eschew

Thanks Diane60030. What about train service? I think it is going to be a combo of trains and buses, and maybe even private car.

Eschew

Thanks Diane60030. What about train service? I think it is going to be a combo of trains and buses, and maybe even private car.

Eschew

JUst a quick update and see if anyone can offer some tips ...
We booked air through LAN, Miami to Lima, leave at midnight, arriving at 5 am in the morning.

Day 1 will stop at Plaza de Armas, Palace, Cathedral and San Francisco Monastery

Day 2 bus to Ica, small plane flight over Nazca lines, overnight at Ica.

Day 3 visit Ballestas Island and see wild life. Bus back to Lima

Day 4 fly to Cusco, visit Sacred Valley

Day 5 visit Ollantaytambo, train to Machu Picchu, overnight at Machu Piccchu

Day 6 More time at Machu Picchu, train back to Cusco late afternoon.

Day 7 Cusco Cathedral and Santo Dominigo Monastery. Afternoon flight to Juliaca / Puno

Day 8 Lake Titicaca, Taquile Island, Uros Islands

Day 9 ruins of Sillustani, flight to Lima from Juliaca

We have decided to fly rather than bus/car as time is precious. Day 10, we fly from Lima to Quinto and embark on a 7 day Galapagos journey, ending in Quayaquil.

I am not sure if we can get a better deal, all local air (Lima-Quayaquil) works out to about $1,700 per person; that includes all the air listed above starting from Lima, the 2 charters to the Galapogos Islands, with everything ending in Quayaquil.

Is this itenary too rushed and too compact? Any comments and tips would be apprecited.

evamarie

You are ambitious - you might want to lay out the time you need to spend in the airports to ensure you have adequate time to actually sight see.

You basically are giving yourself one day at Machu Picchu - unless you are staying at the Sanctuary Lodge. The train drops you off in Aquas Calientes - you need to take a 30 minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu.

I think you need 24 hours in Cusco to see what there is to see.

Eschew

I know it is ambitious. We managed to gather a small group and made book grouping and shared some cost. We will have local English speaking guide that is travelling with us.

Our goal is to see as much as we can squeeze within the short time frame we are there. There are so many places in the world to see and so many places to visit but only so little time.

Most of the airport time are in evening hours, only one in late afternoon and one in early morning. The flight time are about an hour each. Maybe one hour before flight at airport? We will each have one piece of carry on and a back pack.

It will appears that we will have an afternoon in Machu Picchu and an morning there. We are staying at Sumaq Hotel over night. I am not 100% sure how close it is to the actual Machu Picchu site.

We have a half day in Cusco before Machu Picchu and another half day afterward. What are some of the must see in Cusco other than what I have listed?

Someone had told me that I might need a holiday after this trip as it will be very "action packed", whatever that means.

Any offer of information, suggestions are appreciated.

KC_Melbourne

Hi Eschew
Now that you have done your trip, any comments or advice? I am going in late September

Eschew

Hi KC, We have not gone yet. The trip is for late October into November, and that is the tentative plan. With everythig booked and pre-paid, I guess it now "the plan".

We have also added 7 days in galapagos islands immediately after.

I guess I will be looking for your trip report for any last minute advise?

Eschew

We have returned from a 3 week trip through Peru & the Galapagos. Instead of a trip report, I have posted some pictures on the web. I did post a trip report for the Galapagos sialnds on the "cruise" forum earlier.

The links to the photo albums are as follow:

South America:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/582177142tXDpsg

Galapagos Islands:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/582034887dLHsDS

Enjoy! All comments welcome here and over there too. Feel free to download the pictures.

sassy_cat

Nice photos.

The photo of Quito at night is beautiful. Where did you take that shot from?

Eschew

Hi Sassy_cat,
Thank you for your comments.
I took that picture from the Hilton Colon Quito hotel. I opened the window and took the shot from my room, which was lcoated near the top of the tower building, afcing the park and teh hill.
A thunder storm was rolling in right around sunset, the timing was right.

sassy_cat

Thanks eschew, I climbed el Panecillo and took some photos of Quito from the top but the view from your room at the Hilton is terrific.