I am planning to visit Peru in June, on a budget trip, and I have a long list of topics in which I am in desperate need for help...

Thank you, benevolent travellers who give some hints!

- can I walk from Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu? is it neccesary to take the bus?
- What impressive trails can one trek around Cusco, except for the Inca trail? Are there some shorter and cheaper trails?
- Which train trips in Peru should we take? Huancayo – Huancavelica? Cusco – Agua Calientes? Cusco – Puno? We are looking for something impressive and not too expensive…
- How is the ghost town of Zana – is it worth the detour from Chiclayo to visit?
- Are Nazca lines really awesome to see, without taking a helicopter? Or should we better see something else – such as the Colca Canyon, for example?
- Which towns around the Arequipa – Chiclayo south-north highway are worth a visit, if one is in a hurry? Nazca, Ica, Pisco, Trujillo, or Chiclayo? We cannot see them all…

Thank you - thank you!

Cosima

You can walk from AC to Machu Picchu. However, it is a very steep walk and in my opinion worth the money to pay for the bus (I think it was $6 each way).

There are hiking trails above the town of Pisac that are free. The ruins there are not as impressive as MP but worth hiking around.

The only way to AC from Cusco is the train. However, you can also take the train from Ollantaytambo to AC. I personally like Ollantaytambo much more than Cusco. It is a small village that is basically an Incan ruin that is still inhabited. I would recommend spending at least a day and night at Ollantaytambo.

Actually now that I think of it I think there was a charge to access the Pisac ruins. I was on a tour and it was included thus I don't know the cost.

I would definatly go to Pisac, I loved it. But people make the mistake of hiking from the bottom up, it is a long up hil hike, I took a cab to the top and hiked all the way back down to the city. There is a pass you can buy at Sacsayhuman, I think it was $20 that gets you into four sites and a bunch of museums arounf Cusco.

The only reason to hike back to AC from MP is to be there at dark, the hike is very tough though and takes some time and good lights! Arequipa is better than Nazca, the Colca Canyon is really amazing. I think the Nazca lines are not too great, but if ou can't take the helicopter, forget it. Although the grave yard nearby is fascinating, still skelletons, bones, etc laying out in the open. Ica and Pisco are really run, for the culture that is. Very simple, but fascinating. Las Dunas is a good stopping point for sand dune surfing and pisco sours. I would spend some time in the Amzon instead, try to get out to the Tambopata Research Center to see the McCaw clay lick, WASAI is a cheaper option and can probably still get you to the larger lick. I would go Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, fly to Arequipa, bus to Puno, Fly to Puerto Maldonado for the Amazon then back to Lima. The Amazon is my favorite part. Have a wonderful time!