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Advice needed Peru 15 day itinerary MP/SV/Colca Canyon

We are flying into Lima on the evening of 9/2. We are scheduled to begin our Inca Trail trek on 9/10 (4day/3 night). We will be flying home the morning of 9/17 from Lima. We are considering flying early on 9/3 to Arequippa and trek into Colca Canyon for 3days/2 nights. Do we need a guide for the trek or can we make the arrangements ourselves?? Then get to Puno to take the train from Puno to Cusco on Wednesday. I am not even sure we can do this time wise. The other choice would be to fly to Arequippa, trek into Colca canyon, spend another day in the area to see the condors, and then fly from Arequippa to Cusco and spend the rest of our time touring the Sacred Valley till we leave on the trek. We also wanted to stay a night in Aquas Caliente so that we can get a ticket to hike up to Huaynu Picchu the day after we end our trek. But now I understand that there is a fee to hike Huaynu Picchu and I can make a reservation online to get a ticket so I could possibly do both MP and Huaynu Picchu in the same day. One last thing, how many days should we stay in Lima? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I can't help with trekking, but I may be able to with timings. I did the Gringo Trail (Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, Cusco, Macchu Pichu) last year in a about the same time. But I'm not a trekker. So, allowing for your trekking times here is a suggested itinerary including Nazca, which you missed:

02/Sep Arr Lima
03/Sep Bus to Nazca, see Lines from the air. Overnight bus to Arequipa.
04/Sep Stay Arequipa, arrange Colca trek
05/Sep Stay in canyon during trek
06/Sep Stay in canyon during trek
07/Sep 4m bus to Puno, departs midday, arrives in the evening.
08/Sep Stay Puno, visit reed islands.
09/Sep Andean Explorer to Cusco
10/Sep Inca trail
11/Sep Inca trail
12/Sep Inca trail
13/Sep Inca trail, it arrives at MP, see site, stay Aquas Calientes
14/Sep Travel to Cusco
15/Sep Stay Cusco
16/Sep Fly to Lima
17/Sep dep Lima

Some notes. The bus to Nazca leaves in the early morning and arrives about 11 am and the night bus to Arequipa departs about 10 pm and arrives in the early morning. That gives plenty of time to do a flight over the lines in the desert. The buses are excellent; it is worth paying the slightly extra price for VIP seats on the night bus. See http://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/inicio_2.php for details.

There are lots of agencies in the side streets off the main square in Arequipa that provide treks or tours to Colca. No need to book in advance, wander around and choose. I stayed at Los Tambos and highly recommend it; my review: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_R...-Arequipa.html. I notice the prices have gone up a little. I suppose that's what happens when they top Tripadvisor :)

If you're going to trek the Inca trail, it may be wiser to do the bus tour of Colca, but that's up to you. It would save a day. For timing note that the 4m bus departs from the main square in Chivay at lunch-time and takes about 6 or 7 hours to Puno: http://www.4m-peru.com/whoweare.php

There are mixed reports on TA but apart from a bone-jolting road for the first 25km I had no problems.

I loved the Andean Explorer; it is expensive but worth it in my opinion.

I wrote reports of my own trip starting here and continuing for about a dozen pages: http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/2010/03/lima-peru.html

PS I stayed two nights in Lima (Miraflores). That was enough for me :)

adventures.worldnomads.com/destination/168/itinerary/23.aspx

Personally always follow the Gringo Trail to adjust to

altitude best and see it all ... usually go with private

driver/guides from $50 half day or downstairs VIP seats

www.cruzdelsur.com.pe

www.casa-andina.com best hotels everywhere Private Collrction

very best www.libertador.com.pe even better in some areas.

You have time to do Ballestas Nasca Colca on your way

really like www.casa-andina.com or www.colca-lodge.com there

then driver/guide or www.4m-express.com to titicacaperu.com

then inkaexpress.com or griver/guide to Cusco with touristic

stops all adjusted for your trek.

Not a big fan of the Andean Explorer faky long expensve flat

no touristic stops one of the biggest rips in Peru after money

change for me locals hop on off for 1/100 of what they make

tourist pay so ANYTHING but that for me.

perubesttours.com mysteryperu.com kuodatours.com good folks

to help you if u do not want to self guide...

Do respect the altitude mdtravelhealth.com Peru

2 days at least in www.mirafloresperu.com

insuremytrip.com for strikes theft etc always wise...

Happy Travels,

People coming down the Inca Trail do not look like they want to do anything other than take a hot shower. Unless you are extremely fit you may want to go back on day two for the Huayna Picchu climb.

When I did the Inca trail with PeruTreks two years ago I had to meet them in their Cusco office 2 days prior to the trip. That was mandatory with anyone hiking with them; It was a way for them to ensure that you've allowed yourself at least two days at high altitude prior to hiking. Does your Inca Trail outfitter have similar requirement that might affect your schedule as to when you arrive in Cusco?