awayfromitall

Per a previous post, we have 12 days in Peru. DH has decided he wants to at least see the Amazon and we're hiking the Inca trail so I've reworked the itinerary. Can you tell me if there are any gotchas in here...knowing that we have to be in Cusco 48 hours before our hike begins on Wednesday:

Day 1…leave Raleigh at 2:45 PM, arrive Lima 11:10 PM
Day 2, sandboarding in Lima in morning, Fly to Cusco 5:45 PM, Arrive Cusco, 7:05 PM (LAN Airlines)
Monday, Cusco, Sacred Valley
Tuesday, Cusco , Sacred Valley
Wednesday – Saturday: Hike
Sunday – Tuesday, Fly to Iquitos from Cusco, stay at Posada Amazonas
Tuesday – Fly to Lima (LAN Airlines) and from Lima home (red eye flight)…arrive home 11:35 AM, drop from exhaustion.

colduphere

It's not a gotcha but we were happy not to be going anywhere the day after the IT. The last two days of the hike are the easiest but it was still nice to relax and do a bit of laundry. But your schedule may work for you.

dwdvagamundo

This may work. I did something similar years ago--long flight from Cusco, however, as you have to change in Lima.

I'm not seeing a Posada Amazonas near Iquitos, however--the only one I see is in or near the Tambopata Reserve near Puerto Maldonado. Many people like that part of the Amazon better than Iquitos, and it ought to be easier to get to from Cusco.

awayfromitall

Thanks, I got my resorts mixed up. It would be "Fly to Puerto Maldonado".

How much can you count on the LAN flights going out close to "on time"? or at least not cancelled for that day? Are they usually as reasonably reliable as US flights?

burry

Watch the LAN flights as the amount quoted is often for Peruvian nationals with the foreigner rate being much higher. It looks like people don't always realize this, though, and end up having to pay around $180 more per ticket at the gate. Maybe this so called "gringo tax" would not apply to the flight you have noted, but I would keep it in mind.

crellston

I don't think you can count on anything running to time in Peru! Of all the airlines, Lan runs the most modern aircraft and are less likely to suffer delays and cancellations than there competititors. July is the dry season so the weather, which is the primary reason for delays in that part of the world, will be less of an issue.

If it were me, I would be inclined to forego the sand boarding in favour of getting a morning flight to Cusco and allow for more time acclimatising before your hike. But then, I am the sort or person who insists on getting to the airport three hours ahead of time, just in case

mlgb

If you are booking your flight from the US, you don't need to worry about the gringo tax referenced by burry above.

He/she is working with outdated internet postings, I believe.

LAN has more flights than many other options, and their equipment is newer, but as crellston implies, there are no guarantees.

Is there sandboarding in Lima these days? Or were you planning on going somewhere such as Huacachina? If so, I wouldn't. There is plenty to see in and around the Sacred Valley near Cusco. Probably a better use of time, and you'll be better acclimated with the extra time.

Also, I do not advise flying from Cusco to Lima on your international flight day. Even more so from Puerto Maldonado. Too much can go wrong.

awayfromitall

There is sandboarding in Lima that takes you to a place 72km away for a 4 1/2 hour trip.

Every time I read about the Sacred Valley, I don't really read about the "lots to do". There seem to be the 3 major Inca ruins sites besides Machu Picchu, and the Pisac market. However, while we find the history interesting, 2 or 3 sites is probably enough for us...and the Inca trail will provide those.

We could go rafting or biking, it seems, but I think we may need to acclimate more before doing those, which makes it sort of chicken/egg.