Sacred Valley of the Incas
Sep 21st, 2008, 03:02 AM
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Sacred Valley of the Incas
Looking into a trip that includes Machu Picchu. The more I read, the more I am intrigued by spending several days in the towns on the road to MP. Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, Pisac, and Cusco, all seem to have great sites of interest. Have any of you done this? What can you recommend/suggest? Did you book this as a custom package? Which travel agent? How safe?
Any feedback is welcome.
Any feedback is welcome.
Sep 21st, 2008, 04:07 AM
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I am planning a trip for April to Peru and there are many recent trip reports describing stays and touring all over the Sacred Valley on this board. Some people get a guide, and recently one person rented a car and drove themselves in the area.
I suggest you search for "Peru trip report." In particular, the ones by P_M, lov2globetrot (who rented the car), and KarenandJulie, julies, and 61luv2travel are recent and include the info you are looking for. Those reports will come up in the first 20 results if you do that search. There is a wealth of detail and description in those reports, and they are all from the last few months w/recent info.
I suggest you search for "Peru trip report." In particular, the ones by P_M, lov2globetrot (who rented the car), and KarenandJulie, julies, and 61luv2travel are recent and include the info you are looking for. Those reports will come up in the first 20 results if you do that search. There is a wealth of detail and description in those reports, and they are all from the last few months w/recent info.
Sep 21st, 2008, 06:06 AM
#3
We stayed in Ollantaytambo for the first 4 nights of our SV trip and loved in (in Hotel Sauce) - we booked our private trip through a local guide/travel planner in Cusco (David Choque) and highly recommend him.
Here's a link to our blog to give you an idea of the SV and sites to see - we were there 13 nights including Lake Titicaca
http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...lake_titicaca/
David's website is
http://www.cuscotoptravelperu.com/
Here's a link to our blog to give you an idea of the SV and sites to see - we were there 13 nights including Lake Titicaca
http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...lake_titicaca/
David's website is
http://www.cuscotoptravelperu.com/
Sep 21st, 2008, 05:01 PM
#4
Thanks, emd, for mentioning my report. Here's the link:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35080146
Some quick recommendations:
- Stay in Ollantaytambo. It's small and very quaint with beautiful ruins. And the train to Machu Picchu stops right there, cutting quite a bit of time off the ride from Cusco.
- Urubamba is a much larger town, but I didn't find it particularly appealing.
- Pisac is the other highlight, besides Ollantaytambo, for the market and also the ruins, although we didn't get up to them (too much time in the market!).
- Cusco is worth a couple of days. Recommend staying here AFTER the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The altitude is higher in Cusco and it's easier to acclimatize in the Sacred Valley. If you're coming from Lima, fly into Cusco, and transfer directly to the Sacred Valley.
My daughter and I spent most of our trip last year in that area, plus 3 nights at Lake Titicaca. We felt very safe the entire time. I booked most of the hotels myself over the internet. And I used Percy Salas as a guide/driver (see my trip report for his contact info). Both he and David, mentioned by Liz, are often recommended on this board. My daughter and I both thought Percy was terrific - like we had a local friend to show us around, yet also very professional.
Check out my report (and photos) for more details. Happy to answer add'l questions. Peru is wonderful.
Karen
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35080146
Some quick recommendations:
- Stay in Ollantaytambo. It's small and very quaint with beautiful ruins. And the train to Machu Picchu stops right there, cutting quite a bit of time off the ride from Cusco.
- Urubamba is a much larger town, but I didn't find it particularly appealing.
- Pisac is the other highlight, besides Ollantaytambo, for the market and also the ruins, although we didn't get up to them (too much time in the market!).
- Cusco is worth a couple of days. Recommend staying here AFTER the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The altitude is higher in Cusco and it's easier to acclimatize in the Sacred Valley. If you're coming from Lima, fly into Cusco, and transfer directly to the Sacred Valley.
My daughter and I spent most of our trip last year in that area, plus 3 nights at Lake Titicaca. We felt very safe the entire time. I booked most of the hotels myself over the internet. And I used Percy Salas as a guide/driver (see my trip report for his contact info). Both he and David, mentioned by Liz, are often recommended on this board. My daughter and I both thought Percy was terrific - like we had a local friend to show us around, yet also very professional.
Check out my report (and photos) for more details. Happy to answer add'l questions. Peru is wonderful.
Karen
Oct 3rd, 2008, 06:37 PM
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Elizabeth, for my trip this coming April I have booked a room w/ a view of the ruins at the Hotel Sauce that you and Richard stayed at in Ollantaytambo. Your pictures, including the ones of that hotel and the things you saw right outside the hotel, which I looked at over a yr. ago, made such an impression on me. Thanks for your report (which I have gone back to read several times) and ongoing posts. We will be there during Semana Santa (the Sunday before Easter) so I am hoping there might be some kind of procession or happening in town.
Oct 6th, 2008, 04:13 AM
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jjmb, many people do us a local guide to help them w/reservations, both hotel and domestic air (which can be obtained significantly cheaper by someone in Peru) and to drive them and guide them once in Cuzco/Sacred Valley.
I've been in contact with both David Choque, who has been frequently cited on this forum as a guide people have used, and Vidal at Adventure Holidays Peru, who is newly mentioned on this forum. Both have been responsive, but David sent me a nice proposed itinerary and I am going to use him. You can put his name in the search box here. Other people use a guide named Percy Salas- again, search for his name here.
Aside from David, I am also booking my overnight stay at the Ramada at the Lima airport through a Peru agency (enjoyperu.com) because they got me a rate about $100 less than the Ramada website.
I have never used a local guide before, but I think it is a good idea for this area. I had trouble right away getting replies from emails to hotels. And to get from one town to another in the Sacred Valley, either taking a taxi or a guide seems to be the way it is done. I have only seen one report where a couple used a rental car from Cuzco to tour Sacred Valley.
Also, hotel rooms in Cuzco seem to be notoriously loud from the (hundreds) of reviews I have read. Many of the hotels, even the nicer ones, are built around courtyards, so the roosm face in toward a central courtyard. They can be noisy as you hear people coming and going from their rooms into the central courtyard, esp. very early in the morning when people are getting up to go to Machu Picchu. I am counting on my local guide to be sure I get booked in a quiet room. They can go to the hotel and talk to the people, check out the rooms, etc. for you.
I think this is an area where a good guide can give you lots of info about Inca history, culture, and archeology, so you aren't just looking at ruins and trying to read about them yourself. And a guide can also get you into places you wouldn't otherwise go to, like visiting a local school in a weaving town, etc. if that is of interest.
Elizabeth, Graciela at Hostal Sauce emailed me back and said there are processions in Ollantaytambo during Holy Week (Semana Santa), starting on the Monday night before Easter while I am there. I am really excited about that, as I could not find info online on Semana Santa in Ollantaytambo.
I've been in contact with both David Choque, who has been frequently cited on this forum as a guide people have used, and Vidal at Adventure Holidays Peru, who is newly mentioned on this forum. Both have been responsive, but David sent me a nice proposed itinerary and I am going to use him. You can put his name in the search box here. Other people use a guide named Percy Salas- again, search for his name here.
Aside from David, I am also booking my overnight stay at the Ramada at the Lima airport through a Peru agency (enjoyperu.com) because they got me a rate about $100 less than the Ramada website.
I have never used a local guide before, but I think it is a good idea for this area. I had trouble right away getting replies from emails to hotels. And to get from one town to another in the Sacred Valley, either taking a taxi or a guide seems to be the way it is done. I have only seen one report where a couple used a rental car from Cuzco to tour Sacred Valley.
Also, hotel rooms in Cuzco seem to be notoriously loud from the (hundreds) of reviews I have read. Many of the hotels, even the nicer ones, are built around courtyards, so the roosm face in toward a central courtyard. They can be noisy as you hear people coming and going from their rooms into the central courtyard, esp. very early in the morning when people are getting up to go to Machu Picchu. I am counting on my local guide to be sure I get booked in a quiet room. They can go to the hotel and talk to the people, check out the rooms, etc. for you.
I think this is an area where a good guide can give you lots of info about Inca history, culture, and archeology, so you aren't just looking at ruins and trying to read about them yourself. And a guide can also get you into places you wouldn't otherwise go to, like visiting a local school in a weaving town, etc. if that is of interest.
Elizabeth, Graciela at Hostal Sauce emailed me back and said there are processions in Ollantaytambo during Holy Week (Semana Santa), starting on the Monday night before Easter while I am there. I am really excited about that, as I could not find info online on Semana Santa in Ollantaytambo.
Oct 6th, 2008, 09:40 AM
#8
emd - that's wonderful news about the Holy Week processions in Ollanta!
Obviously I'm happy you booked with David Choque - we were so happy with our trip with him. As a matter of fact he called us last week (we stay in touch) as he is planning to visit Toronto next year for a travel conference.
Our hotel in Cusco wasn't too bad for noise - our room was tucked away in a corner that at first we didn't like but David said - no, no - it will be quiet(er). He was right!
Obviously I'm happy you booked with David Choque - we were so happy with our trip with him. As a matter of fact he called us last week (we stay in touch) as he is planning to visit Toronto next year for a travel conference.
Our hotel in Cusco wasn't too bad for noise - our room was tucked away in a corner that at first we didn't like but David said - no, no - it will be quiet(er). He was right!
Nov 24th, 2008, 06:01 AM
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We did Cusco, the Sacred Valley, MP, Lake Titicaca/Puno, and Arequipa/Colca Canyon - and back to Lima in July in two weeks. We put the trip together ourselves from info found here and elsewhere. But we also hooked up with a family member's school trip to MP. Wanted to say that that group (U.S university architecture students) fired the first guide provided and replaced him with a really wonderful woman who freelances. Thought I'd lost her card, but found it today. Her name is Katherina Pinto Torres "Qaty. She lives in Cusco and can be contacted at [email protected] or [email protected]. She speaks excellent English, is very knowledgeable, and just charming. She went out of her way to help us with some other transportation needs, even though we were not officially part of the school group who hired her for Sacred Valley trip.
May 5th, 2009, 01:24 AM
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betsym56
Altitude sickness can affect anyone regardless of age or fitness levels and, just because you have been ok once does not meen you will be ok the next time at altitude. The secret is to reach altitude slowly. We are both fit and spent well over a month at altitude in Cuzco, the sacrd valley and Titicaca. We flew into Cuzco from Lima @ 3000+ meters. Because of the abrupt change in altitude I was affected quite badly (severe headaches, inability to sleep, shortness of breath etc.) my wife was not affected in the slightest.
The only thing that made me feel better was oxygen. But after a couple of days I was fine and the rest of the time I was unaffected even at altitudes of 4500m on the Lares trek.
Some people swear by diamox (I haven't tried it so cant comment) I found chewing coca leaves on the trek helped but basically most people's bodies will adapt if given the time to aclimatise gradually.
Anyone who is at all concern should check it out with a doctor (who knows what they are talking about!) particularly if they have any medical history.
Altitude sickness can affect anyone regardless of age or fitness levels and, just because you have been ok once does not meen you will be ok the next time at altitude. The secret is to reach altitude slowly. We are both fit and spent well over a month at altitude in Cuzco, the sacrd valley and Titicaca. We flew into Cuzco from Lima @ 3000+ meters. Because of the abrupt change in altitude I was affected quite badly (severe headaches, inability to sleep, shortness of breath etc.) my wife was not affected in the slightest.
The only thing that made me feel better was oxygen. But after a couple of days I was fine and the rest of the time I was unaffected even at altitudes of 4500m on the Lares trek.
Some people swear by diamox (I haven't tried it so cant comment) I found chewing coca leaves on the trek helped but basically most people's bodies will adapt if given the time to aclimatise gradually.
Anyone who is at all concern should check it out with a doctor (who knows what they are talking about!) particularly if they have any medical history.
May 5th, 2009, 08:24 AM
#13
Before staying overnight in Cusco, start with a few nights in the Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo has the lowest elevation. Machu Picchu is also lower. After a few nights at these lower elevations, where you will probably be out of breath but not sick, then you will be a little acclimated and can spend some time in Cusco.
Most places will have access to oxygen. I didn't need any. I just drank the coca tea. In Cusco I needed to take a Tylenol in the evening for slight headache. You could ask your doctor about diamox but there are side effects and not everyone can take it.
Most places will have access to oxygen. I didn't need any. I just drank the coca tea. In Cusco I needed to take a Tylenol in the evening for slight headache. You could ask your doctor about diamox but there are side effects and not everyone can take it.
May 5th, 2009, 08:37 AM
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How someone is going to react to altitude is unpredictable. We started out with 4 days in Cusco, and except for some breathlessness (which dissipated when we slowed our pace) we did not have any altitude problems. (We came from sea level, by the way.)
Diamox does not suppress altitude symptoms, nor does it prevent it, it just helps speed up the process of acclimating to altitude ... not everyone can take it, so discussion with doctor is important. We started taking 2 days before we arrived in Cusco. Had the typical tingling in the extremities. Hubby took 250 mg, once a day; I split the pill and took half dose twice a day (reduced the tingling quite a bit). With no altitude symptoms after two days in Cusco, we stopped taking the Diamox and continued problem-free our entire trip, including at Lake T. We stopped drinking the coca tea at the same time we stopped the Diamox.
Diamox does not suppress altitude symptoms, nor does it prevent it, it just helps speed up the process of acclimating to altitude ... not everyone can take it, so discussion with doctor is important. We started taking 2 days before we arrived in Cusco. Had the typical tingling in the extremities. Hubby took 250 mg, once a day; I split the pill and took half dose twice a day (reduced the tingling quite a bit). With no altitude symptoms after two days in Cusco, we stopped taking the Diamox and continued problem-free our entire trip, including at Lake T. We stopped drinking the coca tea at the same time we stopped the Diamox.
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