ttravel123

Hi There,

I am planning a trip to Peru for next August with my Mom and some friends. We are planning to visit the Sacred Valley, MP, Cusco and then looking to either go to the Amazon or Colca Canyon, or perhaps somewhere else highly recommended. I am concerned with the shots needed prior to visiting the Amazon and some of the possible dangers of the jungle. I'm looking for feedback from anyone who has been to either or both and can provide some good insight! We only are planning to go for a week/10 days.

Thank you!

TTravel123

qwovadis

First Congrats!

Second make a bit more time if you can

To see it all adjust to altitude better

and save best for last follow Gringo Trail route to MP

Peru Itinerary: Gringo Trail - World Nomads Adventures - Share your experiences, your photos and connect with other travellers. Free travel blogs and language guides to ...
adventures.worldnomads.com/destination/168/itinerary/23.aspx

With 2 or more just hire driver/guide taxis from $50/half da

Car Rental always more dangerous expensive deluxe bus ok

Have been to Amazon PM and Iquitos are VERY dody.

Colca-lodge.com better than dodgy jungle towns but if

time Manu is AWESOME best wildlife inkanatura.com

manuadventures.com casa-andina.com my fav moderate

hotels everywhere... Happy Planning!

mlgb

With only a week you should just fly Lima to Cusco and spend time around Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu and Cusco. Really not enough time for either of the two add ons.

Spend the night before you fly back in Lima. There is plenty to see for a day and a half.

If you have 10 days I would consider perhaps adding an excursion to Lake Titicaca. I don't think that a short trip warrants a visit to the jungle. If you had perhaps 12 to 14 days then I would consider that. Note re Iquitos..you usually book with a lodge, they pick you up at the airport and transfer you down the Amazon. Explorama is the best-known of the Iquitos area lodges. You need to be comfortable with the humidity at nearly 90% and the possibility of seeing insects.

ttravel123

Thanks for your response. We just decided to keep it to Ollantaytambo, AC/MP and Cusco so it was refreshing to see your recommendation. We are tossing up 2 nights in SV, 2 nights in MP and 3 in Cusco. Not sure about the last night in Lima, though that might level us out before traveling home to NY. Everyone that I talked to said they wished they had an extra day at Machu Picchu, yet it seems a lot of people on this site say one day is enough! Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Also - if you have any recommendations for hotels that would be great! Not hostals as my Mom is not comfortable staying in one!

mlgb

First the Hostal isn't a Hostel (ie youth hostel). In Peru it just means a small hotel, usually with breakfast.

I would do 3 Sacred Valley 1 Aguas Calientes 3 Cusco and 1 or 2 Lima (actually I really like Lima I would do 7!). But first look at the flights times available for you. This may be a late arrival and you may want to stay at the Lima airport for the layover at the Ramada. There is a nonstop LAN flight that leaves JFK around 10 pm and gets into Lima early in the morning.

Hostals/hotels that I liked

Ollantaytambo - El Albergue (not a room facing the platform) (or Pakaritampu).

Cusco - El Balcon Cusco, Second Home Cusco or Rumi Punki, but there are lots of big hotels in Cusco

Lima Second Home Peru in Barranco..fantastic artwork and relatively quiet for Lima..though some complain the walls are thin that is better than honking horns all night!

If you want larger hotels everyone seems to rate Tambo del Inca very highly, but for me the village of Ollantaytambo is far superiour.

pezzi686

Go to Iquitos man! Iquitos is not "dody"??? It is the best place in to see wildlife. Especially if you go into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. Contact Maniti Expeditions for more info (www.manitiexpeditions.com)

I have been to Manu, Puerto Maldonaldo and Iquitos. Manu is nice but VERY expensive. Puerto Madonaldo is nothing special. In Iquitos my wife and I saw a ton of wildlife. Pink rive dolphions, monkeys, snakes, etc.