Peru- Trip report
 

We just got back from a 2-week vacation to Peru (Aug 19th- September 3rd, 2007). Here is a short description of our trip. Our group included my two sons (14 and 9). We used InkaNatura for most of the trip. We also used the services of David Choque on certain days.

Day 1: Overnight flight from the U.S. to Lima and then to Cusco- Overnight at Novotel, Cusco
Day 2: Visited Pisac Market and the ruins at Ollantaytambo in the Sacred valley. Overnight at Pakaritambo hotel in Ollantay.
Day 3: Early morning train towards Machu Pichu. Got down at Km 104 to start the short Inca Trail (12 kms). Reached Machu Pichu in the afternoon. Overnight at the Pueblo Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Day 4: Machu Pichu in the morning. Train back to Cusco in the evening- Overnight at Novotel, Cusco
Day 5: Day trip to the weaving village of Huilloc. Visited a local school. Overnight at Novotel, Cusco.
Day 6: Travel to Manu Wildlife Center (a 45 minute flight in a small 12-seater Cessna aircraft and a 2 hour boat ride through the Rio Madre De Dios). In the afternoon, hiked for over an hour through the rain forest to the Tapir clay lick. After seeing a Tapir visit the clay lick around 10 P.M hiked back to Manu Wildlife Center.
Day 7: Early morning visit to the Macaw clay lick. Jungle Hike in the afternoon. Overnight at MWC.
Day 8: Early morning visit to the Oxbow lake. Afternoon jungle hike and rain forest canopy platform visit. Overnight at MWC.
Day 9: Boat ride and small aircraft ride back to Cusco. Overnight at Novotel.
Day 10: Flew to Juliaca. Overnight at hotel Libertador on the shore of Lago Titicaca.
Day 11: Visited Titicaca islands of Uros Tequile. Overnight at Hotel Libertador, Puno
Day 12: Drove through very picturesque “puna” country to Chivay, in the Colca Valley. Visited the thermal springs of La Calera in the evening. Overnight at Casa Andina, Chivay.
Day 13: Spent the day in Chivay, visiting the village and markets. Overnight at Casa Andina, Chivay
Day 14: Early morning drive to Cruz del Condor to see the Andean Condors. Later looooong drive back to Cusco, overnight at Casa Andina private Collection, Cusco.
Day 15: Flew back to the U.S. through Lima.

We were all very impressed with the services provided by InkaNatura for our trip. We had corresponded with them extensively prior to the trip. They had very professional and knowledgeable guides. Prior to each leg of our trip (Sacred Valley/Machu Pichu, Manu, Titicaca), we had a comprehensive briefing at the hotel that prepared us well for the trip.

For our trip to Huilloc and to the Colca Canyon, we used David Choque’s services. David is a very personable man and knew the area really well. However, given that David’s rates were almost the same as that of InkaNatura, I would choose Inkanatura for guiding excellence and David for flexibility should you need to change your itinerary once in Peru for any reason. Another point of distinction is that David requires cash payment (including hotels), whereas InkaNatura accepts credit cards.

We needed medical services twice during our trip, when my sons developed gastroenteritis. Both times, a quick call to the front desk of the hotel (once in Novotel, Cusco and another at Casa Andina, Chgivay) got us a doctor to visit us in the room. Both times the doctors were very good. It cost us $80 in Cusco and $50 in Chivay. It included all needed medications and follow-up visits. We couldn’t help but think of the expenses such an event would have involved here in the U.S.

All the hotels we stayed at in Peru were good. Our favourite was the Pueblo hotel in Aguas Calientes. That hotel had beautiful grounds with orchids and humming birds. We would have liked to spend an extra night there rather than rushing back the next morning.

In Cusco, our rooms were upgraded to the colonial part of Novotel the first night that we were there. Those rooms are excellent. We felt that the Casa Andina private collection rooms were better than the non-colonial style rooms in Novotel, Cusco. Although very comfortable, we were not big fans of the Puno Libertador hotel.. It did not have the ambiance and Peruvian charm of the other hotels we stayed in.

Peru is beautiful. Here is a link to some of our travel photos.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...hrzxd&Ux=0

Waxwing,
I have been to Peru and also loved it but.. looking at your photos makes me want to book another trip. Your photo's are incredible. The photo's of the children are just wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

We went to Peru 10 years ago, and it is still my best trip. We enjoyed Pueblo Hotel, especially room #1, where we stayed 2 nights. ((*))

We returned from Galapagos - Machu Picchu and Peru trip August 12 2007 as well. Loved your report and your photos are excellent! Hope that you are having photos done up in nice photo book as they are outstanding. The photos of condor, macaws and other birds are especially unique and excellent, as well as the photos of the people of Peru.

We loved the Pueblo Hotel in Agua Calientes and wish we had stayed longer than one nite. The nature hikes around hotel all limited in number of hummingbirds and orchids at that time of year, were still great hikes.

-Granny Joan

Hello Waxwing.....your report is very helpful and your photos are amazing. A few brought tears to my eyes, they were so evocative of a place and culture.

Can you tell me a bit more about your tour to Huilloc? How far and in which direction is the town from Cusco? Can anyone visit there? We will have a local guide with us for several days in the Cusco and Sacred Valley area, and this is exactly the type of activity we are looking for.

marthag,
Yes, you can easily visit Huilloc from Cusco or the Sacred Valley. It is about a 2-hour drive from Cusco. You have to drive north through the Sacred valley to Ollantaytambo. Sacred Valley becomes a bit narrow around Ollantay, and Huilloc is perched on the hillside above ollantay. From Ollantay, it will take a little over half an hour along winding dirt roads up the hill to reach Huilloc.
Most of the men of this village work as porters on the Inca Trail. The women are weavers. We drove into the village, and went to the school. The 6th grade teacher was very happy to take us into his classroom. We talked to the kids with the help of our guide who translated Quechua into English. We had a small bag full of pens, pencils, crayons, markers etc that we brought from the U.S. which we distributed to the children.
On the way to Huilloc from Ollantay, you will pass through a couple of other villages. It was great watching the villagers go by their daily routine, untouched by mass tourism.

We are off to Peru later this month so I read your mini-report with interest. Loved the photos. I noticed that in your photos of the Inca Trail, your son(?) was only wearing tshirt, shorts and sneakers. Is that sufficient? I keep reading about all the elaborate gear one needs for the hike (we, too, are doing the km104 version) and it seems like overkill. Do you think it is possible to do in just hiking boots, shorts, and several layered tops or do we really need the hats (knit, not sun), gloves, zip off pants, etc? Also, what about bugs? Did you need lots of DEET or were you okay? Can it be purchased there? We are connecting through Miami and have only had bad luck with that airport and so we are doing our best to not check bags and every little bit helps.

Thanks.
taitai

taitai,
The days are sunny, dry and hot around the Sacred valley through October. On the short Inca Trail, you will be very comfortable with t-shirts shorts and a sturdy pair of sneakers. Remember to take a hat (and sun block) with you as there is very little shade (with the exception of a small area of cloud forest after you cross Winay Wayna) on much of the trail. I carried a small day pack with me with my camera, water bottle and lunch. The trail has many steps and I was happy not to be carrying extra suplies which were not needed

It is a good idea to use a bug-repellent, although bugs were not too much of a problem in the dry season. I used a repellent without Deet and that was sufficient. We bought it from a store in Ollantaytambo where we spent the previous night.

We had a problem with our luggage too. We had booked it directly from the U.S. to Cusco. Apparently we had to clear the customs at Lima which we did not do. As a result, our luggage arrived in Cusco three days after we landed. Meanwhile we had already done the Sacred valley, Inca Trail and Machu Pichu. We were forced to travel light on the Inca Trail, but in retrospect, it was O.K. since we didn't need a lot of the cold-weather gear we had packed.

Wow,that is great to hear. You can really do it in sneakers? I would love to just bring running shoes and leave the heavy hiking boots at home especially as we are only doing the km104 and not 4 day trek.

I keep hearing mixed reviews of the km104 version. Is it super hard (hard, of course, being relative) and is it scary?

I will probably bring the bug spray wipes with DEET to get around the 3oz rule with carryons and supplement as needed there. We are spending several days in the Sacred Valley prior to MP.

I really appreciate your advice.

Taitai

taitai,
I too was nervous about the short Inca trail prior to actually doing it. I had worried that my 9-year old would be overwhelmed by it and that we all would be affected by the high altitude.
In reality, the short Inca trail is of moderate difficulty and anybody in reasonably good shape can do it. It is not a high altitude hike, as at no point would you be higher than 9000 ft. From Km 104 to Winay Wayna you will gain about 2000 ft elevation, but it is a gradual ascend, over 4-5 miles. From Winay wayna the trail is flat to Inti Punku from where you descend towards Machu Pichu.
My 9-year old had no problems whatsoever in hiking the trail. As for me, I found the numerous steps along the trail a bit cumbersome, but on the whole it wasn't very difficult. I am a middle-aged woman in relatively good shape, although all that I do for exercise is walk 2-3 miles daily around my neighbourhood in new jersey.

I am so happy to hear it. I am not too worried about finishing as I do work out and have been doing a couple miles a day on the stairmaster in preparation for all the steps. However, my husband is in amazing shape and is a super athlete. My biggest fear is that he will have to constantly wait for me to catch up.

Glad you had a great trip. I am getting very excited for ours.

Taitai

ttt