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Final Itinerary for 4 Weeks in Peru
Hi all! After a couple of months of endless research, booking, tweaking, cancelling, rebooking, and overthinking this is how our itinerary stands as of today, two weeks prior to departure. Flights have been booked, as well as the tours with Alpaca Trek for Machu Pichu and Nasca Flights for Ica/lines/Paracas. I have made reservations with Taxidatum for our arrival night in Lima and for the transport from Cusco to Ollantytambo. I have bought the tickets for the Inka Express from Cusco to Puno. Hotels are all still cancellable.
We arrive on October 31stand depart on November 28 Lima: 3 nights at 3B Barranco B&B Arriving Ollantytambo: 4 nights at Sol Natura Hotel,
Aguas Calientes: 1 night at wherever Alpaca Trek books us
Cuzco: 4 nights at El Andariego
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Should be nice!
I hope you enjoy the Mirador del Titikaka as much as I did :) |
kja, I hope so too! I let go of the Libertador without much regrets, we were not big-hotel kind of people. But then the prices for 4-5 star hotels in Perú are so appealing that I was (briefly) tempted. The Mirador seems lovely (at a quarter of the price) and the overlooking the lake probably makes for better views than from the lakeside.
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I loved the views from the Mirador! Sunset and at night from the hotel; during the day from the hotel's walk. :)
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With all that time I would probably add Chiclayo and another day to actually go to Nazca e.g. half day to see Cemetery and Cantalloc and lines on the ground. P
You should be ok in Chivay if you've already been to Titicaca.Lots to see in AQP..Liked Catalina, Eiffel market, Ice Maiden, old casas and just wandering historic sector, painted chapel ( La Compañía).Skip the Cathedral, and yellow bus tour. If you want to go to Yanahura take a taxi, not tour. |
If you're in reasonably good condition, I highly recommend a day trip to Rainbow Mountain over a trip to Pisac Market.
You'll get to see plenty of other markets and archaeological sites on the rest of your trip, but a trip up to Rainbow Mountain is a once in a lifetime experience. Here's a link to a video I made of the day trip to Rainbow Mountain. (To watch full screen copy link to another tab or window.) Here's a link to some photos I took. https://photos.app.goo.gl/KXiDdxg4PJTEP4jC6 (click on the individual photos and view in full screen for best enjoyment.) You can go on a group tour for about 70 Soles pp, or, as we did, take a private taxi for 300 Soles. When you get to the trail head, you can walk up or have one of the campesinos take you up, while you sit on a horse, for 60 Soles. A ride down on the horse cost 30 Soles. We took the horses up and walked down, which is what I recommend to do. The walk down is easy and the scenery is absolutely spectacular. The experience of being up in the high valley and seeing the people who live up there and the way they live is incomparable. Rainbow Mountain, at the top, is, of course, one of the natural wonders of the world. My full 16 day trip report is on Fodors, if you haven't read it already. https://www.fodors.com/community/sou...ights-1658656/ |
mlgb, Thanks! I think that if I add another destination my husband will pull out his veto card, lol.
Governator, I just finished reading up on your great report. I've had the Rainbow Mountain in my radar for a while but I think I'll wait until Cusco to decide if we do it or not, depends on how altitude ultimately affects us. Thank you for the video, it helps a lot to get a good scope of the effort level. |
Marigross, Thanks again for reading and replying to my report. I hope you found some useful tips in it. Have a great trip!
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Looks like a great itinerary.
Arequipa - allow half a day for Monasteria de Santa Catalina. Last time we went we hired a guide at the entrance and it was one of the few occasions when I felt a guide was really worthwhile. Also, it is now open at night. I really wished we had had time to go back for a second look in the evening. Every time we have been to Arequipa there has been some sort of fiesta or parade going on. You can probably find out about thatbin arrival. Great fun! A few thoughts on restaurants: In Lima, La Cuadra El Salvador is a great steakhouse and pisco bar. Lovely location in Barranco, literally just across the street from 3B Barranco - set in an ex Casa Cor house. Our "local" there when renting an apartment in Barranco was always Canta Rana. Lively with locals at lunch, much quieter in the evenings ( usually closes early). popular for Sunday lunch! Excellent ceviche and Causas. La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla near Parque Kennedy in Miraflores does really excellent sandwiches. Lots of small bars, brew pubs and restaurants around Barranco. Bodega Piselli on Avenida 28 De Julio a really old fashioned bar is one of out favourites and worth a quick pre dinner drink Also good on a Sunday, is the buffet restaurant in the JW Marriott in Larcomar, Miraflores. Wonderful views and a good place to sample a variety of Peruvian and International cuisine. Punta Azul, also in Miraflores has fantastic seafood. Usually have to queue for a table at lunch as it gets very busy. Huge portions - be careful not to order too much. Nice wine list. In Cusco, Encantasqa, is a small place in San Blas run by a husband and wife team. Limited menu but excellent food. Chicha Por Gaston Acurio, just off Plaza de Armas is Good for modern Peruvian Cuisine. IME the service is much better in the evenings ( reserve a table) than at lunch. In Puno, eating options have improved in recent years. Head to the Cathedral in the centre and in the Main Street off from there there are dozens of reasonable places. Also some really good Pollo Asado places in the side streets but take car not to wander too far from the main streets. In Arequipa there is another branch Chicha por Gaston Acurio. Zig Zag is also good. Looking forward to your Instagram posts, I miss the food! |
Thanks crellston!!!!
We are adventurous and enthusiastic eaters. We love to try things and will try almost anything at least once. On my 'must-have' list are: as much ceviche as I can, ají de gallina, anticuchos, tacu tacu, causa, some Nikkei cuisine,... missing anything? A question about cuy. Does it get all the talk just because it is unusual for most foreigners or are there really worthwhile local/regional dishes which are based on it? I don't have a problem eating it, just wondering. In addition to the usual suspects, there are two regional dishes I want to try: arroz con pato (rice with duck) and cabrito con frijoles (goat with beans), Any suggestions of where to have them? I'm guessing in Trujillo or would there be places featuring 'northern' specialties available in the cities I'll visit? I've also read somewhere of duck ceviche, would this preparation be similar to a beef carpaccio, tartare or just like a regular fish/seafood ceviche? I've read from kja's report to avoid unpasteurized cheese, is it found everywhere? DH had a nasty, nasty stomach bug during out last vacation so I would like us to be a tad more careful with foodstuff than we have been in the past. How is it known locally, maybe 'queso fresco'? |
To my surprise, I found that I really like cuy. I believe the traditional preparation throughout Peru is to roast it.
I could be wrong, but I believe that arroz con pato is a specialty of Chiclayo and cabrito con frijoles a specialty of Trujillo (that is difficult to find in the evening). I don't remember seeing either on menus elsewhere, which doesn't necessarily mean that you won't find them. I saw unpasteurized cheese on dishes throughout Peru. According to my travel physician, any cheese that was cooked would have been fine, and I had no problem with any cooked cheese I had. The problem is, I believe, only for uncooked cheese. So I think you just need to pay attention to whether the dish is hot or cold. I love ceviche, but admit that I wouldn't (and didn't) order it except in cities along the coast. If you have a chance, I'd recommend alpaca. :) |
Fiesta Chiclayo Gourmet has a branch in Lima for arroz con pato at Ave Reducto, see their website for info and to make reservations.
https://www.restaurantfiestagourmet....ospatitas.html A good place to go for ceviche in Lima, since you speak Spanish is El Cevichano at Surquillo Market No1. The staff at 3B can tell you how to get there using the Metropolitano (very easy). It's one of the markets that Gaston Acurio has promoted. They have a Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/El-Cevichano-147191132112043/ It's kind of hard to find bad food in Lima, you have to really get unlucky... however one of the least fresh ceviches I had was at crellston's favorite "local" Canta Rana... you shouldn't smell anything fishy when they put the plate in front of you! Everyday Peruvian cooking is so good that you don't need to go to a "name" restaurant. I am just as likely to pop into a local restaurant that I'm passing if it has a menu that looks good for that day. I'm not big on spots with a huge menu and big tourist trade.. eg, the likes of Canta Rana, El Señorio de Sulco, Isolina Taberna, Marriott Brunch, etc... often bigger on atmosphere and presentation than flavor of the food. Be sure to ask the staff at 3B what their suggested restaurants nearby are these days. They have a handy map. They turned me on to LA73 when it first was opened (Ivan Kisic who was killed in a car crash was then one of the founders). Causas can be found at all of the ceviche restaurants, it's a Lima specialty. I like the anticuchos at Pardo's Chicken which you can find in Miraflores near Larcomar. The most famous and best anticuchos are from Grimanesa Vargas, you can check the facebook page to see if she is open. Location might be inconvenient, though..If the link doesn't work, search grimanesavargasanticuchos on FB https://www.facebook.com/https://www...asanticuchos// Cheese is not a typical ingredient in most Peruvian dishes, although if you are going to Arequipa don't miss the Rocoto Relleno. The best food I had in Arequipa was in the market on the ground floor. I had trouble finding a good sit down restaurant so maybe ChiCha is a good option for dinner. For really good sandwiches in Barranco, you may find Mostruous half a block from 3B (just past the Chinese place on same side of street and across Ave Grau)..I don't like to eat a huge dinner (and it starts too late for me) so often had their turkey sandwich with red sauce. I would also go to Sofa Cafe across street during their weekday "Lonche" which was quite a good deal for teatime...small sandwich, drink (Pisco Sour) and a nice dessert. A place that I wanted to get to my last visit but didn't was Barra Khuda..maybe you can be the first Fodorite! https://barrakhudarest.wixsite.com/c...dZHU6GBnjWOd38 |
We tried Cuy a few times, in places as varied as a private home in a village on a trek fro Lares, to Chicha in Cusco where they put a modern Peruvian spin on it. Is is ok but not especially memorable. Peruvians seem to love it though and prices reflect the demand.
Seems you were unlucky at Canta Ran mlgb. I have lost count of the man bet of ceviches I have eaten there an they have always been great - huge portions. I second the suggestion of Grimanesa Vargas for anticuchos. Expect a long wait though, I think we queued for 30-40 mins. Worth it though. I agree with kja, suggestion to try alpaca. Cusco is probably the best place. Chez Maggy in San Blas did a interesting trout and alpaca pizza, plus a few other decent alpaca dishes. |
It may also be that they have upped their game and I hit them during a bad spell, crellston. There are so many other ceviche choices that I haven't been back. 3B still did recommend them so if there had been continuous bad feedback I think they would not.
I had a nice alpaca steak at Greens in Cusco. Also a good place to indulge in salads since they have their own farm. Usually baked, but there are some rural places where cuy is fried..It's all about the skin, not much meat and can be tough if not done well. I like the flavor, though..tastier than chicken! The back end has a bit more meat to it..you don't want the head end! It's also kind of expensive. There is a Peruvian Chinese Restaurant in downtown Lima (Chifa San Joy Lao) that was famous for inventing a Chifa Cuy ( which I had at one of the early Mistura food fairs)...nice not to be distracted by all of the appendages. Speaking of Mistura, if you like sweets I also recommend looking for the famous cart for Picarones Mary if you are in Parque Kennedy in Miraflores. And if you take the Metropolitano downtown from 3B, another tasty deep-fried snack when fresh is Yuquitas from the cart nearby the Balta station. |
Cuy - "It's all about the skin," absolutely. Reminds me a lot of Peking Duck. In fact i think it is prepared in a similar way.
In one homestay we stayed at in Cusco I watched as it was prepared. Took some photos but not sure anyone would appreciate me posting them here! They are not pretty! |
Thanks all! We are so excited, only 10 days to go. I really appreciate all the suggestions and they have been entered into the spreadsheet.
mlgb, we do not seek out 'big' name restaurants, particularly when there seems to be so much amazing food around in much more casual restaurant. Though, I admit that the prices in Perú for 5 star dinning and lodging make it tempting. If I was on my own I would go for it but I could never get DH to sit through a 25-course tasting menu, lol. He is a big fan of 'grandmother' cuisine. My sweet tooth is not too big but I will seek out those picaranes if only for a taste. We will definitely try alpaca, I asume it is a lean meat (like horsemeat?). I checked the menu at Killawasi lodge and it is heavy on alpaca meat so we are almost bound to have it there if no where else. Interesting about cuy being all about the skin and the comparison with Pekin duck. Now I really have to try it, lol. |
Originally Posted by crellston
(Post 16813105)
Cuy - "It's all about the skin," absolutely. Reminds me a lot of Peking Duck.
Originally Posted by marigross
(Post 16813291)
I admit that the prices in Perú for 5 star dinning and lodging make it tempting..
Originally Posted by marigross
(Post 16813291)
We will definitely try alpaca, I asume it is a lean meat (like horsemeat?).
BTW, if you haven't seen it, you might find some useful information in my planning thread about dining in Peru: https://www.fodors.com/community/sou...-peru-1649290/ |
Alpaca is very lean, less dry than horse and a stronger flavour, perhaps more like venison.
PS the food at Killawasi was really good! |
As mentioned in my trip report, I really liked the alpaca stew at Inkazuela in Cusco, (Inkazuela Alpaca in Red Wine Pears, Figs and cashews), for only 45 soles. The service and ambience was primo! The food muy rico.
The cuy we had at the restaurant attached to Hostal Carmen in Huallanca, was fried giving it a crunchy exterior and moist meat, tasted great with a squeeze of lime. Another Peruvian dish to try Papa Rellenos, a big fried mashed potato ball stuffed with various ingredients. The best one I had was at Isolina in Barranco,Lima. |
Thanks for the continued feedback! Less than a week nnow.
Kja, we will NOT be visiting Central, lol. I think we will go to the Gastón places in either Cusco or Arequipa. I might seek out that gooseberry alpaca in Puno. crellston, I love, love, love venison so that is a good thing to hear. I also love duck so I think we are going to do exceedingly well. Than governator, that stew sounds absolutely heavenly. |
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