Hi Fodorites,

My husband and I are planning a trip to Peru. We have traveled to Europe, but never been to South America before. We are planning to spend a week in Sacred Valley around the end of Nov/beginning of Dec.

1. How is the weather like? What should we be prepared for?
2. We are vegetarians - is food a big problem?
3. We are looking for budget, clean accomodations. A bit particular about cleanliness.. Any hotel suggestions.
4. As of now, thinking of a few days in Ollaytantambo/Urubambo, day trip to MP, and then the rest in Cuzco. How is this itinerary?
5. I saw flights for about $350 from Lima to Cuzco. Is it usually this expensive??

Thanks in advance!

Haven't been yet, so I will leave it to others to comment on the itinerary, etc.

On the Peru board on Trip Advisor there are lots of postings about getting tickets for domestic flights within Peru. Some have successfully used LAN's Peru website to buy cheaper tickets, others have purchased their tickets through Apunake - again significantly cheaper, but they charge a small fee. We're getting our tickets through a local agency/guide in Cusco ... quoted estimate for the airfare is about half of what the LAN site quotes if you select US as home.

Thank you.
Would you recommend any local travel agents we can talk to for the Lima-Cuzco tickets?

I could be wrong, but for Dec, I think you'll be heading into monsoon season. We did the inca trail around new year's eve a few years back, and had rain every day. Not a biggie, but I'd bring good lightweight rain gear so that you could easily stow away and bring with you (always).

Being vegetarian is always a challenge, but at least Cuzco is very well stocked with restaurants catering to tourists. (It is a bit of a tourist trap, but so pretty that you sort of agree to live with it.) I bet you'll find something there. They have some excellent steak and guinea pig restaurants too, of the more local flavor, but the menus were heavy on the meat side.

As for cleanliness, well, it's Latin America. You'll pay extra if you are expecting Switzerland clean. We staid at Rumi Punku in Cuzco and found it to be very nice. My # 1 concern when traveling safety and convenience. Rumi scores highly in both. The website is www rumipunku com. (Link didn't work if i just typed it in normally.)

travel_12 - We're using Vidal's services for planning our trip; he will be guiding us as well. You can reach him at: [email protected]. (Let him know Ms. Erin gave his name ... and no, I don't get a kick back for referring him).

Others have used the services of Percy Salas and David Choque - not sure if they assisted with airline tickets as well, but if you search on their last names, you'll find some posts.

And of course, you could contact Apunake and see how much the airfare is through them -- I think the service fee is $18.

Have fun planning your trip.

Thanks everyone.

Is Apunake a travel agency?

Yes, we are aware that we are heading into rainy season, but that is the only time that might work for us.

I looked up Rumi Punku - thank you. Any idea of Hotel Ninos in terms of safety and cleanliness?
Please also suggest hotels in Ollaytantambo. Pakaritampu is a bit expensive for us.

Hi, We have just spent a little over a month in the Sacred Valley, mostly in Ollantaytambo/Urumbamba - here is a link to our blog
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...5800/tpod.html
1. Weather should be the start of teh rainy season (but it doesn't rain all day (or so I was told
2. Veggie food should not be a problem - Hearts Cafe in Olly does great veg food - tell SoniaClive says hello
3. Most of the budget hostels are clean enough - We used El Grial in San Blas Cusco $40 pn - $80 per night gets you something really nice - Rumi Punku etc
4. Ollantaytambo is nice, Urumbamba is OK but you must visit Pisac - IMHO the Inca ruins were better than Machu Picchu
5. As a previous poster says, the Peru Lan website is a lot cheaper than US or UK sites. I think we paid around $160 pp for Lima- Cusco. You book you flight online and then take the printout confirmation to a supermarket or bank to pay (novel, but it works)

I don't know what Rumi charges now, but I'm fairly certain I did not pay $80. Which you sohuldn't either since it is not high season. Nor was it when I was there, and I got additional discounts because I have friends in low places.

It is nice. I would not (by western standards) call it high end, though.

I have seen comments on tripadvisor and lonely planet about Rumi Punku's prices increasing over the last ear. I think it perhaps has something to do w/them getting listed in one of the guidebooks. Yes, the rate is $80 for a double, and a local guide has not been able to get it lower for me.

Check out my trip report. Lots of details...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35080146

Your itinerary sounds good and is easily doable.

Thanks everyone.