Trujillo vs. Tumbes and other Peru recs
 

We're considering a trip to Peru sometime this month or next. Very last minute, I know (and if you search my posts, you'll see I was asking about Argentina earlier this spring but that fell through so hopefully this pans out).

We will have 10-11 days on the ground and plan to go to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca (Inka Express bus Cusco-Puno), and 1 additional location, in addition to spending a day in Lima. Before you chime in and tell me you can spend an entire week or two in the Sacred Valley, we're just not up to spending that much time on ruins and if we love it enough we'll go back some day. We will not be hiking the Inca trail. I have talked to several people who spent only 1 day at Lake Titicaca and thought that was sufficient, so I thought we'd spend 2 days in Puno. Anything else we should do in that area? (I think the homestay on a floating island isn't out thing and friends of ours had a terrible experience.)

As for a 3rd location, my husband really wants to go to Mancora but I'm a little hesitant because (1) it's a 1.5 hour drive from the Tumbes airport and (2) looks like nothing special, especially since we spend time visiting family in South Florida every year and it kinda looks like that from the photos I've seen. Is there maybe another area in northern Peru that is beachy, closer to the airport, and maybe has some culture?

I really want to go to Chan Chan and think maybe 2-3 days in Trujillo would be a better option. Reviews on the nearby beach of Huanchaco are not great on Trip Advisor though, although we're pretty sporty and I'd love to take some surfing lessons there (my husband has never tried but I've surfed some in South Fl.). Does it make sense to spend 3 days there (1 day to visit Chan Chan and Huaca del sol y la luna, 1 day on beach, 1 day around Trujillo)?

Any thoughts on which place to go to (or a 3rd destination)? I'd like to plan a trip with variety of activities. Any recommendations for additional sport activities (rafting, biking, etc. - other than hiking the Inca trail) greatly welcomed.

I can't comment on Mancora as we haven't been but we really enjoyed our time in Trujillo last year. We spent 3 nights there en route from Chachapoyas ( very special place!) to Lima.

We spent one day visiting Huaca del Sol y La Luna and Chan Chan ending up on the beach at Huanchaco at sunset. Lots of surfing going on there.

I guess you could combine it with a trip to. Chachapoyas but that would involve a long bus journey. Alternatively, Chiclayo may be worth alook?
Some photos on my blog entries 14-15 http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blo...ai/6/tpod.html

Travelling from Cusco to Puno, I would go via the Inka Express tour bus . Takes around 8 hours stopping along the way. Amazing scenery.

Maybe Ica for Pisco touring, Huacachina for dune buggy, Paracas for the boat ride to the Ballestas, Nazca for the overflight of the lines or a desert jeep tour.

June is not the middle of summer, it is the middle of winter and beach resorts are likely to be quiet. I would not really suggest Peru for a "beach" vacation.

Does it make sense to make Ica a base for 2-3 nights and spend one day seeing Nazca and another day to the Ballestas Islands, and the third day do dune buggy at Huacachina? It looks like there is an airport at Pisco, so I assume we can fly there from Puno/Juliaca, right? Then after spending a few days around Ica, we'd fly to Lima to spend a day there before our flight home. Does that make sense?

More likely you will fly back to Lima.

The bus Lima to Ica takes about 5 hours.