Cranberry

Hi all,

My husband and I are visiting Peru in June, and I'd like advice on the itinerary. We like to see different places but don't like to rush around on vacation. We're more city people but enjoy nature sights as well. I'm most excited about Machu Picchu, and my husband is flexible.

I'm wondering if we would get bored or antsy with so much time in SV/Cusco area? Are there too many days in Lima? I would like to add in an Amazon or Madre de Dios trip, but I don't think we have enough time without it being a rushed trip. Esp, given that we don't like to rush and may be affected by altitude. Any suggestions on alternate places to visit?

One variation would be to stay in Lima on day 2 and fly to Cusco on Day 3 instead, and everything else would be pushed back a day. Any thoughts on that? I thought doing Lima at the end would be nice so we could relax after a lot of hiking.

Saturday, Day 1 (June 7): Arrive in Lima (late night)
Sunday, Day 2 (June 8): Fly to Cusco and travel directly to Ollantaytambo; Explore Sacred Valley
Monday, Day 3 (June 9): Explore Sacred Valley
Tuesday, Day 4 (June 10): Train from Olly to Macchu Pichu, explore MP, Stay in Aguas Calientes
Wednesday, Day 5 (June 11): Explore MP, late train to Cusco
Thursday, Day 6 (June 12): Explore Cusco
Friday, Day 7 (June 13): Explore Cusco
Saturday, Day 8 (June 14): Fly to Lima, explore Lima
Sunday, Day 9 (June 15): Explore Lima,
Monday, Day 10 (June 16): Explore Lima, depart at night

Thanks in advance!

crellston

f you don't like rushing then i certainly would not add in another destination. In terms of balance, i think you have your itinerary about right. The only possible change i might make is to lose a day from Lima and add it to Cusco. there is a huge amount to see and do in Cusco and the SV. tour of the highlights of the SV can be done in a day but is better spread over two or three. Ollantaytambo can be done in half a day and likewise for MP itself.

I am not sure where the hiking fits in unless maybe you are doing the 2 days hike to MP?

a great hike around Cusco can be done from Tambo Machay to Sacsayhuaman. I would try to fit in a trip to Pisac from Cusco which almost as impressive in some respects as MP (i actually preferred it although i accept i am in a minority!)

some photos and more detail on these are on our blog http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blo...ai/6/tpod.html entree 16 on

As to whether you go straight to Cusco on arrival or defer it a day, i think i would be inclined to head straight there as long as you can get suitable flights and o/n hotels sorted

Cranberry

Thanks for the info. I will definitely check out your blog.

In terms of another location, I was thinking of shaving days from SV, Cusco and/or Lima to allocate to a different place, but it sounds like you think we'll have enough to do in these places.

We are not hiking to MP, but I'm interested in hikes once there (e.g., Huayna Picchu although the Youtube videos have made my husband nervous) and in the Sacred Valley.

Pisco is on my list of activities for the area as well. Thanks for the hike rec as well.

mlgb

Pisac, for hiking. Pisco, for drinking.

Taking a taxi to the top of the Pisac ruins and hiking down in to town is a great way to spend 3-4 hours. There are little side trails along the way. Can be hard to find a map so you may want to search one out before leaving, although locals are around to guide the way.

Sunday is also a good day to go since there will be others out there that know the routes.

Kristina

I think your plan sounds fine. In fact, it's very similar to one I'll be doing myself this month, though we'll be staying in Urubamba and not up in Aguas Calientes. If you click on my name you'll see my itinerary questions from back in March.

About the Lima question, if you are arriving late, I would stay near the airport and get on the earliest flight to Cusco in the morning. I always feel it's easier to stay in one place longer so breaking up Lima with another day at the beginning just increases your time traveling back and forth to the airport. We are arriving in the AM and going straight to Cusco. Lima on the way home.

I am wondering though, when you say "Explore MP" on day 4 and 5 does that mean you are going to go up twice and buy two days worth of tickets?

Cranberry

mlgb: Haha, Freudian slip maybe? I'm definitely looking forward to Pisac AND Pisco Sours!

Kristina, thanks for the advice. And yes, we would buy two tix to MP. I have read that it's worth two days. Enjoy your trip!

pantanal

Oh, I'd skip all those days in Lima and see the Amazon! Lima is fine, though not one of the best cities in South America by any means, and the Amazon is much more of a unique and impressive, and different, experience.

Cuzco and MP are great, and you could easily spend the time you allotted there, but I think if you had to shave a day (in addition to dropping those days in Lima) in order to see the Amazon it would be worth it. With 1 day in Cuzco after MP, the hike already mentioned (Tambo Machay to Sacsayhuaman) plus seeing the city itself would be a good plan.

sf7307

We just got back. We spent 2-1/2 days in Lima (day of arrival plus 2 more), 4-1/2 days in Cusco and the Sacred Valley (day of arrival plus 4 more), and 7 days trekking the Salkantay Trail and at Machu Picchu.

Lima - didn't much like. I mean it was fine, but I wouldn't go out of my way, and felt like 2-1/2 days was at least a day+ too long. Great food though.

Cusco and the Sacred Valley - we were actually IN Cusco a half day (arrival), then we hired a driver who took us on a tour of the Sacred Valley (Saqsaywaman, animal sanctuary, Pisac, Urubamba) and dropped us off in Ollantaytambo, where we stayed overnight. We spent the next 3/4 day in Ollanta at the "sanctioned" ruins, and the other side, as well as in town, and then got a car back to Cusco, where we spent that evening and the next two full days. Perfect.

I would personally not do two days at Machu Picchu itself. I'm just not sure what you'd see on Day 2 that you wouldn't have already seen on Day 1. (By the way, we saw a baby llama that was born two days before we were there). Know that if you want to climb Huayna Picchu you need a permit in advance -- only 400 people per day are allowed to climb (at two times - 200 at 7 a.m. and 200 at 10 a.m.).

sf7307

Oh, by the way, you cannot take the train from Aguascalientes all the way to Cusco at least at the moment. You have to get off in Ollantaytambo and take another means of transport the rest of the way (bus, taxi, collectivo).

mlgb

What sf7307 is referring to is the 'bimodal service' which means in rainy season they don't run the trains beyond Ollantaytambo, even if you buy a ticket from Cusco. There is a notice on the PeruRail.com website. At the moment it says this will run until the end of May.

Travel choices are personal things. I have no desire to go back to the Amazon, I can't manage the heat and humidity. However I love Lima!

sf7307

mlgb, don't get me wrong - I didn't dislike Lima, I just honestly don't think it has much to offer tourists. Besides the Museo Larco (which is an outstanding archaeological museum), the Central Market and a stroll around Barranco and Miraflores on a beautiful day, I found it to be a not very interesting big city (and I love big cities - London, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Rome, Istanbul, all places I love to visit)

mlgb

For ideas about what to do in Lima, there is a great website, www.limaeasy.com

My favorite neighborhood is Barranco, an area that has galleries and cafes as well as crumbling mansions. Also convenient to the Metropolitano rapid bus system which can take you to the historic center without needing to brave street traffic.

mlgb

Did you miss walking down Jiron de la Union from Plaza San Martin (after a peek inside the Bolivar hotel and lunch at Taberna Queirolo), stopping at Casona O'Higgins and a visit to the San Francisco Monastery and Catacombs? There are of course other things to do around the historic center, the old train station is now a literary museum as well as many, many other museums besides Larco.

Probably my favorite museum is the Amano, although the most amazing artifacts are at the very pricey Poli collection.

Barranco has some interesting galleries and museums also, including the new MATE, Pedro de Osma, and Las Pallas.

Of course there is also the nightlife although I don't do as much of that as I used to! Ayahuasca Bar in Barranco or one of the penas.

And yes, there is the food.

sf7307

And the food is awesome! I made a solterito salad just last night.

mlgb

sf7307 having quite a few good Peruvian restaurants in SF, will help with the cravings.

crellston

I love Lima and found loads to do and see there and, on a nine day trip certainly would not drop it in favour of an Amazon visit ( much as I love the rainforest). It would simply be too rushed and you wouldn't have enough time to see the best of the Amazon. Leave that for another trip.

Given your wish not to rush, On wthrough would be a trip from Cusco to Puno to spend a day on Titicaca. You could get the Inka Express to Puno which stops at many places of interest on the altiplano along the way. Really spectacular scenery, it is a great trip in its own right. You could take a day trip out to the Uros islands and Taquile before returning to Puno and then Juliaca for your flight back to Lima.