Getting Around

Getting Around

By Air: Flights take between 30 minutes and an hour to fly anywhere in southern Peru, and a one-way ticket costs $50 to $100. LanPeru has daily flights between Lima and Rodríguez Ballón Airport, 7 km (4½ mi) from Arequipa. Aerocondor (www.aerocondor.com.pe) and Star Peru (www.starperu.com) also have daily flights. All three airlines operate daily flights to Aeropuerto Manco Cápac in Juliaca, the closest airport to Puno and Lake Titicaca. It takes 45 minutes to drive from Juliaca to downtown Puno.

By Bus: The road between Arequipa and Puno has been paved, so instead of 20 hours, now it only takes 5-6. Service is also good between Puno and Cusco, and so is the road between Puno and Copacabana in Bolivia. Cruz del Sur (www.cruzdelsur.com.pe), CIVA, Imexso, Inka Express, Flores and Ormeños (www.grupo-ormeno.com.pe) have offices in Puno and Arequipa. For your comfort and safety, take the best service you can afford. There have been holdups on night buses from Arequipa to Nazca and Puno to Cusco. Several bus companies sell tickets that go direct, so buy one of those. Bus stations in Peru are known for crime, mostly theft of your belongings, so always hold on to your bags.

By Car: Car rental services are in Arequipa center and at the airport. Keep your car travel to daylight hours: night driving poses a number of risks—blockades, crime on tourists, and steep roads. A 4x4 is needed for the canyons. While the road from Arequipa to Chivay has improved, the last hour of the journey is rough and has steep cliffs. Use even more caution if traveling into Cotahuasi Canyon: only a quarter of the 12-hour ride is paved.

By Train: Train travel on Peru Rail (www.perurail.com) is slow, but scenic and more relaxing than a bus playing reggaeton. A Pullman train ticket means more comfort, not to mention a meal and increased security. The train only goes from Cusco to Puno. It's a popular way to take in the dramatic change of scenery as you ride over La Raya pass at 4,315 meters (14,156 feet). The trip takes about nine hours. For a full listing of PeruRail trips, check out www.orient-express.com. It's now possible to book online.