nfldbeothuk

I received some helpful replies to my earlier question about Paracas, and now I'm back with two more queries.
We have train tickets and a hotel in Aguas Caliente booked for mid-April. I know achu Picchu tickets must be bought in advance. I looked at the MP website, but the "English" version is about 60% Spanish, which neither of us knows. We can buy the tickets in Cusco, which we fly into the day before, but I know that there is a ticket quota. So my question: in mid-April, can we safely wait until Cusco to buy these tickets? Or should we look for a ticket agent in Lima when we arrive, which would be 4 days earlier?
Next question: After Cusco/MP we plan on taking the tourist bus to Puno, and want to do a boat tour of Lake Titicaca, but don't want to do the overnight homestay. Does anyone have recommendations for companies/guides there?
Thanks in advance for any useful info.

colduphere

We used this company for a day trip on Lake Titicaca.

http://www.titicacaperu.com/

In fact we used that company for a couple of things. They were very good. We found the trip on the lake a little Disneyesque but that made it even more fun.

I wrote about it in my trip report about the Inca Trail (very close to the end of the report).

crellston

We used the same company as colduphere and found them to be very good. We decided against staying overnight on Taquile as my wife was feeling the altitude a bit. The walk around the island was nice though. We also found the Uros Islands a little like a theme park, fun though!

Some photos and detail on our blog

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...1440/tpod.html

It is from a few years ago but I doubt much has.changed

mlgb

yes, that website can be a bit of a pain and I'm not even sure the English site version works at all.

Why not ask your hotel in Aguas Calientes or Cusco (if you are staying there), to book your MP tickets for you?.

It probably depends on your exact dates, if you are going around Easter/Spring break I don't think it's a good idea to wait.

nfldbeothuk

Thanks cold and crellston for the company rec.
No mlgb, we're going to be in Peru in the second half of April, so Easter holidays and festivals will be over. HOpefully that means that the latter part of April is otherwise a bit slow tourist-wise.

mlgb

nfldbeothuk, you could keep an eye on the ticket sales for MP online, even if you can't manage the purchase. If you aren't planning on going to Huayna Picchu, then you will probably be okay. You can also get an idea of how full it will be that day by monitoring train seats. Lots of availability, likely to be able to purchase ticket. I did purchase my ticket same day in town in Aguas Calientes instead of Cusco, since I was not stopping there when I arrived. Expect that there will be a line, however. And I'm not sure about the cash vs credit card situation this year. I would bring cash (Peruvian nuevo soles) if possible.

AndrewLondon

Hi
Make sure you book the train as otherwise you can't get to MP. I was there a few weeks back in LOW season and the train was full. Inca Rail or Peru Rail both have good websites.

You can have a look at my trip report for some background:
http://andrewchum.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/peru.html

Andrew

mlgb

Hi AndrewLondon, enjoyed looking at your blog. I noticed you also went to Colombia. You might want to post that link on the Colombia Forum.

I agree that Peru is getting expensive, not helped when you get two-tiered pricing for locals and foreigners.

Also with Peru beoming safer for travel and the economy rising, many more Peruvians are now touring their own country. Eg from Huaraz I went on several of the inexpensive minivan tours to outlying places like Chavin and Pastoruri where the clients were nearly entirely Peruvians (a few were US residents touring with their Peruvian families). One of the disadvantages of traveling off season is that often there is not enough demand to run these inexpensive group tours.

mlgb

Jerk.

ETC