mlgb

I'll be returning to Peru and possibly Bolivia next month. Trying to lay out a rough itinerary. My flight is booked through to start in Arequipa and I have about a month total.
For someone who is not in a rush, how much time would you spend in the following places, if you had it to do over again? Any favorite lodgings, restaurants or markets?

Arequipa booked for 4 nights Casa Arequipa? Should I add more nights maybe at Casa de Melgar? The rooms look kind of dungeony but the location might trump that. Has anyone stayed at either place? Recommended places to eat? Day trip to coast worthwhile in November?

Colca (2 nights?) Which town/lodge?

4M Bus Chivay to Puno (or would it be easier to go back to Arequipa) 1 night in Puno

Lake Titicaca Peru side island visit, overnight>1 Book ahead or arrange when I get there..it may be around Thanksgiving hols.

Copacabana?1

La Paz 4 nights? More? I need to book a hotel somewhere in Bolivia for my visa application, I believe.

Uyuni 1 night

Salar tour...not sure what will be happening with the weather, but allowing 5 nights / I can't get any good info on whether reaching sur Lipez is even a possibility this time of year.

Sucre 3 nights? Maybe more.

Return to Lima...need to figure the best routing, probably try to fly from Sucre to La Paz and then figure it out from there. The other option is to go to Tupiza and then to the Lipez and ending in San Pedro de Atacama, but I'm not sure this is possible this time of year as a group tour, I got feedback that it could be done as a private tour and he was really cagey about answering questions about the weather..just got a boilerplate rehash of what was on the website.

(Background I like cities, food, markets, museums, landscapes, birding, moderate hikes but not trekking. I am moderately fluent in Spanish, it gets better with immersion. Budget is in the $50 range. Traveling solo ).

Thanks in advance...and Fodors needs a Bolivia handbook!

qwovadis

Looks fine to me MLGB

been a while but CHIVAY casa-andina.com and colca-lodge.com

were my favs Puno is kind of ugly but

Taquile UNESCO world heritage site was great took the fast

boat out negotiated for lodging over several days.

lokihostels.com La Paz had good Salar tours

Hostal Solar for me San Pedro... Arica Tacna back to Lima

mysteryperu.com for other options along the way.

I did my Nasca Flight with Brabant Hostel and Tours

my flight in a low wing Cessna was $55 they are the best

some scammers at the bus station try to put folks on the

bigger planes for more money and lots less of a view.

Chaucilla cemetery visit to the mummies

was pretty cool too in into that was in the latest

Indiana Jones movie... I am jealous u will have a blast.

For the sake of marital bliss I am headed to Paris Budapest

Croatia Venice on our FF miles but I wish I were headed

where you are going or to the Galapagos.

qwovadis

My fav guidebook

Highlights map showing the best sights. Detailed information on Bolivian arts and crafts and where to find them. Complete guide to the mountains, as well as the ...
http://www.amazon.com/Bolivia-4th-Fo...vel-Guides/dp/... -

Standanista on the LP TT site most knowledgeable bout Bolivia

might PM him for the inside scoop currently on everything

Totally hates the Dated LP Bolivia guides

saexplorers.org/clubhouses/lima good info discounts for me

lokihostels.com La Paz cheap good info source also

qwovadis

bothyhostel.com decent in Puno $20

Hostal Margarita was ok for me decent $20

Singles at Casa Andina Plaza sometimes from $60

peruexplorer.com good for hotels.

mlgb

Thanks for the replies I knew I could count on you.

I have on mail order a used copy of Footprint Bolivia. I did find Footprint Peru great for a bit off the beaten path.

I am reading wasley's blog although they came in from Chile on private tour it is still very helpful.

At the moment it seems Tupiza tours is the most responsive.

Maybe Europe won't be too bad!

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I know you're an experienced hand at Peru, mlgb, but don't forget that this trip will take you to elevations higher than Cusco (10,500 ft.). Have great respect for the altitude. La Paz and Salar both sit at about 12,000 ft.

La Paz's airport is at 13,300 ft. Because of that lofty height, the runway has to be 2+1/2 miles long so that planes can get off the ground. When you're in a plane taking off, it takes so long, you'll swear it will never get off the ground, but it does. When they land in La Paz, aircraft also have to deactivate the mechanism that drops the oxygen masks. Otherwise, the minute the door opens, the masks will drop.

Those are just a couple of bits of trivia.

I wouldn't worry about Thanksgiving. It's not a holiday there, of course. Americans pop down here to Costa Rica for the long holiday weekend, but Peru and Bolivia are a little too far for that. It won't be a busy travel time.

Not sure how far into December your trip extends, but Dec. 8 is a legal holiday (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) in Peru. That could be a busy travel time.

qwovadis

Title: The Art of Travel (2008) Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min. Studio: GoDigital: Genres: Action and Adventure | Drama: Description: Conner Layne (Christopher Masterson ...
www.hulu.com/watch/203069

pretty funny backpacker movie that ends up in Salar Bolivia

might check it out to get you into the spirit I identified.


Found it best everywhere to book boots on the ground

Booked my Hotels under $20/nt last Colca 2 day $30

including nice lodging Cruz Del Condor viewing transport

If you look at the mountain beyond where the Condors are

flying the thermals you will see Nevado Mismi

that is where the Amazon source is from the icefields

there it is possible but difficult to trek up there

but truly amazing to think that such a giant

river originates from the Icefields there.

I booked there with with Samuel and Herbert of Inka

Planet they are at the bus station a little green booth there

and on the square in Arequipa. Best deals I could find there.

WAY cheaper than anything I could find on line.Samuel in

particular was an awesome guy has a daughter who lives in Lima

who gave me some free transport to hostels I had booked there


In Nasca Brabant Hostal I paid $6 for a nice private room

with this super Dutch lady who has a cute little baby with

her Peruvian hubbie who did the tours $55 for the Nasca flight

a heck of a deal.


In Paracas/Ballestas (Galapagos of Peru) Hostal Santa Maria

was cheap boat tours were cheap boots on the ground.

Sand dune surfing at Ica was great ate lunch at Las Dunas

there but did not stay... In Dec-Jan 2 years ago was mostly

dry rained just a tad in Nasca One really bad PM

Thunderstorm in Puno the bolts are really impressive at high

altitudes was quite a show. That was all I got for rain.


Jeff is dead on about altitude Arequipa is at 7500 ft

good intermediate place to adjust but passes into Chivay

go over 14000 ft. Taquille and Bolivia Tiwanaku Salar even

higher I took Diamox and still huffed and puffed a lot

trekking... mdtravelhealth.com health altitude illness issues

Food and water precautions a must check seals on water bottle

I drink the con gas said to be better and easier to check the

seals if flat when I open it I do not drink it. For food

rule of thumb bake broil it peel it or leave it.


I got sick btiefly in Nasca thought the chicken soup bowl

would be ok till I got to the botton and saw the feet

sticking up with feces between the toes(yuk) took Cipro

immediately started my Pepto/Immodium lasted maybe 12 hours.

I did eat the Cebiche from nice places and did not get sick

Sonia's in Lima was cheap and great... Pollo Rico chains

are GREAT everywhere safe good chicken and grilled bull heart

thinly sliced "antichuchos" under $3 was awesome for me

there.


I LOVED it cannot wait to get back truly adventurous and

AWESOME scenery... unlike anywhere else on the planet for me.


Happy Trails!

mlgb

Thanks Jeff. I plan on starting in Arequipa then Colca Puno La Paz (with diamox at the start) but will definitely take it slowly, the backup plan for Bolivia is to retreat if necessary.

And to buy travel insurance and walk SLOWLY.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

La Paz has one of the most unusual settings for a city I've ever seen. It sits inside a canyon, meaning there are a lot of steep streets. Wealthier residents live at the bottom of the canyon: slightly lower elevation, a couple of degrees warmer. As the city has expanded, it's had to climb the canyon walls, and that's where the poorer residents have staked out their claims. The airport sits on the flat land above La Paz. As you're taking the taxi into town, at first you can't even see that there's a city there. Then all of a sudden, the earth gives way and there is La Paz down there. It's a spectacular sight. I say "down there," but it's still 12,000 feet above sea level.

Sucre sits at a comparatively low 9,000 feet. It will seem downright balmy and oxygen-rich by comparison. It is a gem of a place, and most travelers say it's their favorite Bolivian city. Mine too.

mlgb

Sucre wasn't on my radar at first and then I saw the awesome photos of the colonial architecture (and elevation below 10,000 feet). I hope to make it possibly fly La Paz to Sucre or Uyuni to start. Too many variables..I think this will only be a semi-planned trip although I need to book a room in La Paz to show the embassy for my visa.

LondonChatterBox

I loved La Paz, even though I could barely breathe!

mlgb

Hi London, did you have any favorite lodgings, restaurants or markets?

Yeah, will see how we do with the altitude. Planning on taking my time getting there by land.

jwhitt

Just went to Colca Canyon last March. Stayed in large, mostly unoccupied hotel on the outskirts of town, nestled right up next to the rock walls. Beautiful. We drove from Chivay to Puno. Awesome drive if you like views of snow-capped mountains, rocky 16,000 ft passes, llama in the roads & maybe peppered with proverbial white stuff. I like the grittiness of Puno. Not nearly as bad as Juliaca. I'm heading up to Bolivia in 2 months. I got the same story about unpredictable weather affecting my plans in Uyuni, Potosi and Sucre. Told me to add an extra day to my itinerary in case there are delays. Can't wait.

mlgb

I am here in La Paz and enjoying Bolivia immensely, especially the shopping. More US citizens need to pony up the $135 you´ll make it up in lower costs within a day or two.

Hotel Berlina just on the corner of Santa Cruz and Illampu that should be on the Fodor´s radar, I am not sure when the South American Handbook was last published. Hotel Rosario should be downgraded, really they have increased prices, have no elevator and no entertainment.

I have been very lucky with weather but not so much with road blockages, will have to fly La Paz to Uyuni on Amaszonas on Monday.

I may not even be able to get to Sucre as there are blockades between Uyuni and Potosi.

I will right a longer report when I return but Qwovadis you are right the old ladies are the worst!