xyz99

After spending a lot of time to plan our 2011 summer vacation to Norway (I know, I am an early planner), we decided to totally switch and go to Peru instead. I am so excited, Peru looks fascinating! A lot of familiar names on this board, too, from my CR and Europe planning days...I know I am in good hands. I had read a lot and for now I have 2 basic questions, just to make sure I am on the right path.
Most likely we will have 13-14 nights in Peru , flying from NYC.

1) The places we would like to see are: Sacred Valley, MP, Nazca Lines (only interested in the flight over the lines), Manu park (probably the 4 days/3 nights tour) and Lake Titicaca . Is this too ambitious? Do we have time for all this? Is there any way to include Colca Canyon, for a chance to see the condors? Or maybe swap Nazca Lines for the canyon? How do I choose?

2) We could go at the end of June or mid-end August. Because I read that the Macaws are not present at the clay lick in Manu in June (is that true?), I am leaning towards going in August. Please comment on this – will MP be all dry and brown in August, compared to green in June?

Ok, I realize that is more than 2 questions....and this is only the beginning. Thanks

fball

It sounds pretty ambitious to me! We were there 17 days & spent 10 in the Sacred Valley & 7 in Manu. Our choice was to spend more time in each area to get to know it better rather than so much time moving around. The macaws were definitely at the clay leks when we were there in June. We saw lots of wildlife. I don't think Machu Pichu is ever brown as it is in the cloud forest & it does rain some, even in the dry season. June was a lovely time to be in Manu as well as MP. It was chilly in Cusco as it is winter.

LatAmForLess

It is ambitious, but totally doable. The highlights are really MP, Arequipa, and Manu so I would focus on those three places and try to allow some wiggle room for Nazca and Lake Titicaca. I'd spend at least 5 days seeing MP, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley, and at least 3 nights in Manu, and 3 in Arequipa. The Sacred Valley and MP are green year round, although during August the crowds are the heaviest. It is true that you won't see as much clay-lick activity in May, June, and July and the best time is August and September.

Have a great trip!

xyz99

Thank you both.
The truth is, I knew this would be too ambitious for us, who was I kidding? We don’t like to rush...we do not attempt more than 4 in 2 weeks.

So for Peru, priorities are: Sacred Valley, MP and Manu. We can do probably one more, and after much thinking, I decided Titicaca is not for us – way too high, and my DH had altitude issues in Bryce. Cusco is also high, but I am still considering it for a day or 2 (maybe as a day trip frpm SV?). I don’t think Nazca is worth the effort to get there, for a ½ hour flight, and Colca Canyon is still very appealing, especially for its wildlife (although not a lot of info about that on that forum).

So I guess that would be our 4th place – how does that sound? I have no concept yet of the order to see them, and even more, the logistics of how to get from A to B, but here is what I am thinking: 3 nights Sacred Valley, 2 nights MP (we’ll stay in AC), 3 nights Manu and 3 nights Colca Canyon. The other nights can be used for transfers or added to any of the above. Thoughts?
Thanks

mlgb

I thought that to travel to Colca Canyon you have to go over a high mountain pass, I mean like nearly 16,000 feet?

xyz99

mlgb,

Really? I did not know that, thanks a lot. I need to read more...16,000 feet is very high

mlgb

According to my guidebook the Pata Pampa pass on the road from 4825 meters. Chivay, the main town, is 3500 m.

Diane60030

If your budget allows it, flying between Lima, Cusco, and Manu is the most time efficient.

If I may suggest:
Fly into Lima overnight near airport or if you don't mind sleeping in the waiting area stay at the airport.
Fly to Cusco - go directly to SV to aclimate. Spend 2 days there in Pisca or Ollanytambo (Olly).
Take train from Olly to MP. Stay overnight in AC
Take afternoon train back to Olly. Pick up luggage go by car to Cusco.
Spend 2 nights in Cusco fly out in afternoon of next day to Manu.
Do Manu portion of trip.
If possible take a flight straight back to Lima, but I think most of them route through Cusco.
Spend two nights in Lima. You want to give yourself a day's leaway just in case weather in Peru disrupts your flights. It does happen over the Andies.

Enjoy.

xyz99

Diane,
Thanks - this sounds like a sensible itinerary, and I like it. Can we fly Manu - Cusco - Lima in one day?

Is weather an issue in August, too? Would prefer an extra night in SV, rather than Lima ...

Diane60030

Yes you can do a Manu- Cusco - Lima in one day. Often it will be the same plane the whole way through. Weather is always an issue in the Andes. If it isn't rain it is wind.

Give Lima a chance. There are some very stunning things to see and some amazing food to eat.

mlgb

If you have 13 14 nights you can spend another night in the SV. My itinerary was very similar to the one posted by Diane but after visiting MP, I returned to Ollantaytambo and spent another night there. Then the next day I took a tour back to Cusco via Moray, Salineras, and Chinchero.

Another option for the jungle part is to fly Lima Iquitos at the beginning or end of the trip. I haven't plotted out the cost and time comparison between the two Amazon regions, but it is now possible to get some inexpensive flights Lima to Iquitos on Star Peru at about the same cost as getting to Manu by light plane. Then you have the bonus of seeing the actual Amazon River.

xyz99

Diane,
Thanks for the flight info, and yes, we will give Lima a chance, if we have time. We will not be interested in museums, but the coast view and the good food, so maybe one night there, considering that will give us almost a full day – the flights home seem to be late at night.

mlgb,
I had not looked into Iquitos – we are more interested in wildlife, rather than just “jungle”, and I heard that Manu is the best. Also, we would like some comfort (I know, I know, but that’s how we are) – so we need running water, a shower, private bathroom and mosquito nets over beds. Sleeping in tents is not an option. We loved Bosque del Cabo in Costa Rica, and I am hoping that the tour organized by InkaNatura at the Manu Wildlife Center will somehow compare to that.
Am I wrong in not considering Iquitos?

fball

You can't fly Manu - Cusco - Lima in one day. The flights from Boca Manu are once per day, depending upon the weather. The plane from Manu to Cusco is an 18 seat prop plane. It does not fly to Lima. You cannot depend on the flights from Manu due to the fact that, if there is cloud cover over Cusco or over Boca Manu, the plane does not leave Cusco until it is clear. This can delay a flight for more than a day.

Our guide radioed from the reserve zone of Manu the day before we were due to fly out to determine what time the plane would arrive in Boca Manu from Cusco. Consequently, we left the reserve zone at 5:00 a.m. to make it to the Boca Manu landing strip in time. When we arrived at the National Park check-in point for Manu, he again radioed to determine flight arrival time & was told that due to cloud cover, the flight would not leave Cusco until noon, arriving in Boca Manu at 1 p.m, giving us an additional 2 hours on the river that day. When we arrived in Boca Manu, it was yet another radio call to determine if the flight had left Cusco & we were told it would not leave Cusco until 1 p.m. Our guide stayed with us until he knew the plane had taken off from Cusco as we would have otherwise been stranded at the Yine Lodge at Boca Manu overnight. The plane finally took off from the Yine landing strip at Boca Manu at approximately 3:00.

We were told very specifically by Marianna of Pantiacolla tours not to book a flight from Cusco to Lima on the same day we were flying in from Manu as we were very likely to have delays of several hours to a day. We decided in order to not miss our flight to Lima, to allow for 2 nights in Cusco at the end of our Manu trip. We were very happy to spend this time as it gave us a chance to have all of our jungle clothes washed by the hotel.

If you are looking for comfort, I don't think Manu would be my choice. We never had a private bathroom & the accomodations were very rustic. Perhaps other lodges in Manu are different, but I doubt it. The wildlife makes up for everything & it is a wonderful experience you will never forget, despite the accomodations.

mlgb

Ceiba Tops in Iquitos is the luxury type of jungle resort.

Whoever gave you the impression that there isn't wildlife around Iquitos?

mlgb

Here is their link

http://www.explorama.com/

Diane60030

I will defer to fball on the details of the flights. I was working off of the flight schedules I saw when I was in Cusco.

xyz99

fball,
All the Manu-Cusco-Lima info is very helpful, and we have the time to spend a night in Cusco between the two flights.
However, after 3-4 days at sea level (I assume), can we do a night in Cusco without major altitude problems?

mlgb,
From reading various trip reports, it seems that Iquitos does not have too much wildlife. Some people said they only saw a few pink dolphins, others that they did not see much wildlife at all. We are not interested in fishing piranhas, or visiting the Amazon villages, so I thought Manu would be better. Maybe I am wrong…I am open to consider Iquitos.

mlgb

I saw 7 types of monkeys, poison dart frogs, other frogs, sloths, caiman, of course the pink dolphins and birds.

I think I forgot to put a trip report flag by my name.

I think what I saw is pretty typical for the Iquitos jungle lodges.

http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...orth-coast.cfm

As long as you don't need air conditioning there are lots of lodges to choose from.

fball

We were in Manu for 7 nights & did not have a problem with the altitude in Cusco.

ancientsummit

You can also see a lot of wildlife in the Tambopata region - the Cusco Jungle if you will. There are very comfortabel lodges and there is much to see. As with any part of the jungle, one never knows what wildlife will feel like being observed. I have been to different parts of the jungle at different times over 27 years in Peru and have even caugth cold snaps and saw nothing. Tambopata has at least 3 flights a day in and out so your odds of making it in and out are much better and yes, you can get from there (Puerto Maldonado is the name of the airport) to Cusco and Lima in one day. If you go at the end of your visit you can fly from Cusco and then just book to Lima. The flight does make a stop in Cusco to pick up more passengers but you don't have to get off or change planes. Same on the front end. You can fly Lima/Puerto Maldonado,and on the Cusco at the end of your Jungle visit.

Arequipa is about half the altitude to Cusco and a great place to start your trip. Spend at least a day there. The high pass is a very quick one and you don't have to walk around or hike in ii before you get to the Colca Valley.

Hope this helps.