justbackfromPeru

I used this community to prepare for my recent trip to Peru. I just returned and wanted to share the following observations as a thank you to everyone that provided help in the past.

1. check the details on your itinerary for time conflicts - we were supposed to see Sillustani on our trip from Puno to the airport, but the flight was scheduled to leave early (about 8am i think) and there was no way to fit in the side trip.

2. If you have older travelers in your group be sure to make check that either the hotels in the smaller cities have elevators (not very common in my experience) or there are sufficient rooms on the
lower floors

3. Always take small quantities of basic pharmacy items with you. It is very difficult to find a "Pharma" at 1am in a small city. This probably saved the last half of our trip when one person developed severe vomiting and diarrhea after midnight. Some Pepto Bismol allowed her to settle her stomach and get much needed rest prior to a 10 hour train trip. If she hadn't been able to make that train, the rest of the schedule would have been at risk.

4. Tip the drivers directly, as well as the guides. I don't think the guides share - and you are putting your life in the hands of the driver, not the guide. $5 means a lot over there.

5. Don't try to do too much after first getting to 10,000 feet. You really can use a day at rest n Arequipa or Cuzco.

6. Don't do the Colca Canyon trip in a mini-bus (20 passenger or less). It is a 4 to 5 hour drive up over 15,000 feet, with a lot of climbing and curves and not really good road. Sitting in the back
of an underpowered, older, smelly van isn't worth the savings. Either check that you have a full size bus or spend about $60 a person more for a private van (for 4 people). With the private van you get
an english speaking guide, lots of room and (in our case) a new van (and you can take all your luggage with you - in the mini-bus you can only take a small carry-on).

7. If at all possible don't stay overnight in Cuzco until after you have seen Macchu Picchu. Just arrange for a tour pick up at the airport, and have them take you to the Sacred Valley. You can see an "camilid" ranch (pet llamas and alpacas), see the Pisac market and visit Ollanaytambo ruins on the way to your hotel. Cuzco is 10,000 feet elevation, Urubama is 8,000. It gives you more time to acclimate.

8. Hands down, BEST "Hotel" in Peru (in my humble opinion) , Kuychi Rumi, in Urubamba . spend two nights here - it is GLORIOUS. Wonderful facility (private homes for each couple, wonderful
yard/garden, great breakfasts, helpful hosts.) .If you make this the half-way point in your vacation, it gives you a great chance to unwind. You can visit a local Art/Pottery studio that is uite well known internationally.

9. If you stay in Lima, know in advance it will be noisy. Take sleeping pills with you if you ave trouble with noise. Horns and alarms will be constant until at least 11pm. Windows are single pane and not well sealed. That is in the 3 star hotels (about $100 / night). Downtown Miraflores near Park Kennedy is great, lots of banks, stores, Pharmas, restaurants etc. The park itself is very relaxing. But it is even more noisy.

10. If a Lima taxi driver says something (like a museum) is closed, try another taxi. Either they don't know how to get there, or just don't want to go.

11. I don't know if this will work for you, but before taking a taxi to the Museo de Oro, we had lunch in Miraflores. When we asked at the desk for help with a taxi after lunch, they flagged one down, argued him down about 30%, and sent us off. Almost all the Peruvians we met during the trip were kind, helpful and very interested in us.

12. When leaving Lima to return to the US, get to the airport AT LEAST 3 HOURS EARLY. I am serious. The lines are incredible. There is a line to get in a line to check baggage. there is a line to pay the $30 exit fee. There is a long line to get your passport stamped. There is the (very high) security line. There is a second security check at your gate. Don't try to take water n the airplane. Even if you buy it at the airport, it will be confiscated at the second security heck.

13. When flying internally in Peru, you can carry water onto the aircraft. The security checks are less invasive and getting to the airport 1 hour early is enough. Keep your passport handy.

14. If you get a cell phone from the tour director, (for emergency calls) make sure they remember to add enough time to be useful. Our phone ran through its few minutes half way through the tour - and didn't get replenished until the last few days.

15. be flexible, this is a different culture - things will go wrong or get confused. Listen for options and do some research before you leave so you can make informed decisions.

16. Altitude sickness. There were 4 people in our group. Only I got altitude sickness. I used acetazolamide and it worked for me. I have always had trouble with long flights. I now think that since the plane is only pressurized to be equivilent to 10,000 feet, that the headaches and other symptoms were an early indication of a tendency to altitude sickness. I took Acetazolamide on the flight home and felt much better. The only side effect of the Acetazolamide i had was tingling fingers. A half pill at night and a half pill in the morning the day before reaching altitude (and each day at altitude thereafter) is what worked for me. I couldn't buy it in Peru without a prescription - i used some extra pills from another traveller. The stuff they sell over-the-counter is just aspirin.

17. If you travel from Macchu Picchu to Cuzco by train (the Hiram Bingham) DON'T go all the way on the train. Save money and time by getting off the train at Ollanta and taking a taxi to Cuzco. it will be A LOT faster and the last 1- 1/2 hours of switchbacks in Cuzco drag on forever.

18. Note that the train from Cuzco to Puno (Andean Explorer) leaves from a different station then the Macchu Picchu train arrives at. And be aware that the seating is "table" style with half the seats facing forward and half facing backwards. Some people have trouble with long rides acing backwards. Our train was full and seat switching was not possible.

19. If you need to buy or sell Macchu Picchu tickets (or shuttle bus tickets), be aware that he Macchu Picchu "police" will confiscate and invalidate any "scalped" MP tickets they see exchanged. they are NOT transferrable. (i don't know about bus tickets). Ask a guide about the unofficial "ticket broker" near the bus station in Aguas Calientes. Two of our party had to skip the second day due to illness and we got about 70% of the face value of the bus and MP tickets.

20. If you can fit it in, the side trip from Lima that visits Caral is very worthwhile. This is 5000 year old civilization (probably the first in the Americas) that built pyramid like buildings over hundreds of acres. There are not a lot of visitors, many of the buildings have been excavated, and the tour guide we had was VERY knowledgeable. She spoke only spanish, but our tour guide spoke excellent english and translated everything. This is a day trip, leave about 8am, back by 5pm. The ast 35 km near the site is dirt road and BUMPY.

21. If you are short of time, you can do the Nazca lines and Ballesta Islands in one (LONG) day. you leave at 4:30 am and get to Paracas about 9am for the boat trip. By 10:15 you are back and
ready to drive to ICA. Here you have a choice (depending on what tour you signed up for). You can continue the drive down to Nazca, do an overflight and drive back to Lima (returning about 10pm).
OR, you can go to the ICA airport and start your overflight there. The flight is longer and more expensive, but when you return to the ICA airport and drive back to Lima you should arrive by 7pm.
Your choice. Time or Money. Its a 1000 km round-trip if you drive all the way to Nazca. Tip the driver !

22. If you can, try to stay at the Taypikala Hotel in Puno that is ON the lake. (Taypikala Lago) not the older Taypikala Spa that is across the street and further away from the lake. There is some construction going on, but the sunrise over the lake is beautiful. Ask for at least a second floor room with a view of the lake. They have very good meals, but are a good 30 minutes outside of Puno. but on our tour, we wouldn't have had time to see Puno anyway. You can buy water at the marina where all the boat tours leave from.

23.

justbackfromPeru

somehow item 23 got cut off.

23. I used Saul Jara in Cuzco ([email protected]) as a tour guide and Arturo Jurado (arturo)[email protected])as a driver. They were excellent. I recommend them highly.

hopefulist

Great post!! Thanks for sharing!

petite43

Thanks for posting!

Tuni01

thanks for putting together the list. We leave on Tues for Peru. We have Diamox but wasnt' sure how long to take it. some say only 2-3 days after you arrive. Have others taken in the entire time at high altitude? We'll be there 2 weeks. thanks!

scdreamer

Thank you for a great post. We will be in Peru in February - will take into account your suggestions.

One question - our flight out of Peru back to the USA leaves at 7:30 a.m. --- would you advise our arriving at the airport at 4:30 a.m?

cmcfong

Great post. Thank you!

emd

I hope others will add to this!
Thank you, justback.

eenusa

Thanks for the info ... this would be a good thread for others to add their tips...one stop shopping, so to speak.

wanderlust5

Thank you so much. We leave 5 weeks from today. This is most helpful.

Huentetu

Excellent advice, especially #15.

Captainwindsock

Quick question about No18. I will be taking this train from Puno to Cussco. How do I go about ensuring I get the best seat? I would be one of those wanting to face forward. Is there a better side to sit? Is it a free for all? Can yuo pick a seat airline style? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

rolncathy

One note on Macchu Piccchu. The train may drop you off in the downtown and expect you to be at the station for the return trip. We nearly missed our return train, but literally ran to catch it, and made it with 2 or 3 minutes to spare.

We also used the Diamox for the altitude and had no side affects except for slight tingling shortly after taking our dose of medication. It didn't continue.

Farmacias are everywhere, but you are right - not at 1:00 am!

We stayed in Lima, at the Kamana Hotel on Camana St., near the Plaza de Armas. We felt we were well located, and being near the government buildings there were armed police everywhere! The staff was very helpful, but as you say, it is NOISY, with horns honking well into the night!

We gave up on the cell phone and used the internet and phones at the internet shops - very cheap! And they are EVERYWHERE!

Always ask where you will meet your bus, train, etc. for the return trip. It may not be where you got off. In La Merced the bus line we used picked up in the morning at the station, but in the evening in front of the bus office behind the station.

La Merced, in the jungle near Lima, was well worth the trip. It is supposed to be a 7 1/2 hour trip that actually takes closer to 9 hours. I wouldn't want to take that road in 7 1/2 hours. The scenery was fantastic. We then used Max Adventure and took a day trip farther into the jungle, including a swim below the most fabulous water falls and a visit to a native village, with dancing, crafts, etc., a short boat trip, a stop at a coffee packing plant. They seemed to have a tour for everyone.

Tempusfugit

ttt

rolncathy

I am going to add one more thing I wish we had known before we went to Peru. Listen carefully to hotel clerks, taxi drivers and vendors and be sure you know if they are quoting the price in dollars or soles. Sometimes the same person will quote a price once in soles and the next time in dollars.

emd

If you are taking internal flights in Peru, have a Peruvian travel agent book them for you from inside Peru. They can get the same flights for about half of what you pay making the same reservation on LAN's website from the USA. Really.

georgewoodie

We have not yet been to Peru [going this winter] but from other travel in South America, be prepared to show your passport.

That means you will be recognized as a non resident and may be forced to pay the additional amount at the last minute.

Any other traveler experience along these lines?

Woodie

JEStraveler

Mind you, I was last in Peru in 2004, but in terms of booking domestic flights, I would agree with others recommendations about either purchasing there or using an agent. They moved one of our flights up by 5 hours and never notified us. Needless to say, we got stranded near Puno in a town where English was not well spoken. It worked out OK, mostly because in hindsight the experience was pretty funny, but we lost nearly an entire day of planned sightseeing in the process. Several other flights were significantly delayed without comment, so you just have to be very flexible about your time and plans. Other than that, we found Peruvians to be charming and helpful at every turn. For those who are a bit more physically fit, I strongly recommend you consider hiking into Machu Picchu rather than taking the aforementioned lengthy train ride. It's a once in a lifetime thing to see Machu Picchu rising from the mists at dawn.

skibumette

Tuni01:
I work in a Travel Clinic; for Peru we recommend taking it just 2-3 days to HELP you acclimatize. We only recommend non-stop use at altitude for something like climbing UP Kilimanjaro (19,000 ft at peak) -- you don't bother for the descent.

rolncathy

On carrying your passport. We put our original in the hotel safe and carried a copy, or just put it in the money belt and left it there. This was used at a number of museums, where they took down the information on one or more of us before we were admitted - like the National Reserve Bank. We also got admitted to a private club for lunch on the beach in Lima by leaving a passport copy with the front desk. No one blinked an eye at using the photocopy. There were a few times where a non-resident paid more, but they knew that as soon as we opened our mouth. they didn't need to see our passport. That was no different than some of the states in our US of A, charging residents a smaller entrance fee to state parks and the like.