Advice on PERU

[jess24]

So I am arranging to head to Peru for 2 weeks by myself -end of May/beginning of June and had some genral questions. I figure that a natural split of the trip is Lima/Cusco/Machu Pichu/Amazon Jungle. Is there a beach area that is close and that i should also go to?

1. What is the natural order. Could I first start in Lima then do the Amazon and then Machu Pichu? I looked at the permits for May and they are already sold out but there is availability in June so that is why i would do it at the end. Do I need to book the tour in advance or can I just show up and book it there (either in Lima or Cusco). I am interested in the 2 day short overnight trek - please help me on this point.

2. How much should I expect to pay for the 2 day trek? How important is it to book in advance? Can I do it over the internet - please some advice on reputable and inexpensive companies. How does one get to Cusco - train or flight? Is the altitude issue something to worry about?

3. Is there a backpackers area in Lima - where is it? Is this a good place to buy train/flight tickets to get around Lima? What are some neat things to do in Lima?

4. How much USD money should I budget for 2 weeks - I want to do things cheap

5. How much and how to get to the Amazon Jungle lodges - should I be taking yellow fever and malaria medicine - how far in adavance before my trip should I be taking it?

6. Is it safe to travel alone?

What do i need to book before I go to Peru - train/flight tickets etc?

[kaphein]

I spent two weeks in Peru myself last year. My best advice is to buy the Lonely Planet travel guide.

So I am arranging to head to Peru for 2 weeks by myself -end of May/beginning of June and had some genral questions. I figure that a natural split of the trip is Lima/Cusco/Machu Pichu/Amazon Jungle. Is there a beach area that is close and that i should also go to?

You can go to the beach in Lima, but I would give you a word of warning, my cousin got all of his stuff stolen there, luggage, passports, everything. Obviously YMMV.


1. What is the natural order. Could I first start in Lima then do the Amazon and then Machu Pichu? I looked at the permits for May and they are already sold out but there is availability in June so that is why i would do it at the end. Do I need to book the tour in advance or can I just show up and book it there (either in Lima or Cusco). I am interested in the 2 day short overnight trek - please help me on this point.


You definitely need to book the Machu Picchu in advance, and as fast as possible. There is a fixed number of ppl that can get on the trek everyday, is usually is recommended to book up to one year in advance to have a guaranteed place. I would suggest the Thorn Tree forum (google it) for a good review of the companies that offer the trip. I took the train to Aguas Calientes myself and rode the bus up to the site. ;)


2. How much should I expect to pay for the 2 day trek? How important is it to book in advance? Can I do it over the internet - please some advice on reputable and inexpensive companies. How does one get to Cusco - train or flight? Is the altitude issue something to worry about?


I took the flight from Lima to Cusco with LAN Peru. I booked all my intra-peru flights on the web on the LAN PERU site. IIRC booking flights using the spanish web site was significantly cheaper than the english site. Apart from the price, there was no difference in the fights or the service and noone ever mentioned anything (we took 4 different LAN PERU flights).

Altitude is definitely something you don't want to underestimate. The first few days you will fell as if you have a bad hangover, feeling weak, pulsing headache, etc.


3. Is there a backpackers area in Lima - where is it? Is this a good place to buy train/flight tickets to get around Lima? What are some neat things to do in Lima?


Didn't spend enough time in Lima to comment, maybe someone else can help


4. How much USD money should I budget for 2 weeks - I want to do things cheap

5. How much and how to get to the Amazon Jungle lodges - should I be taking yellow fever and malaria medicine - how far in adavance before my trip should I be taking it?


Call a travelers clinic today. Some of the vaccines you need are not effective right away. You most definitely need the Yellow Fever vaccine if you want to go to the Amazon. Malaria medicine you should start two days prior to getting in the Jungle and then keep on taking for one week after you leave.

As far as recommending a lodge I had an unforgettable experience with Inotawa. You can visit their website http://inotawaexpeditions.com/ and if you have questions (i had a lot!) you can send email to Cristina at rsvinotawa@inotawaexpeditions.com


6. Is it safe to travel alone?


I never felt threatened in any way even when walking through big protests. There was a national strike while I was there and many roads were blocked by debris, the police and the army made there presence felt. Some flights were canceled because of the strike. That definitely changed most of our plans. But I still keep a good memory from this trip, Peruvians are great people and you should not fear for your safety. As a traveler, just keep your eyes opened and be aware of your surroundings.

One last tip about this point, only take "official taxis" to get to and from the airport in Peru, you are most vulnerable at this point of your trip since all you belongings are with you in that car. Don't get in a car with a stranger that greeted you at the airport without checking that its an official taxi, there should be stickers on the windshield and most of them will have signs on the top of the car.


What do i need to book before I go to Peru - train/flight tickets etc?

I suggest you book flights and trains. but keep in mind that you will most probably still need to change your plans half-way through your trip.


And most importantly HAVE A GREAT TRIP ! :D

[Mattones]

Go fishing!!! Bass and Piranha!

[peterk]

Just wondering, when you're referring to booking ahead to go to machu pichu is that on some guided tour thing? or do you have to book ahead just to be allowed to access the place, by yourself?

Not that i'm planning on going there in the next few years, but it would be good to know for future reference.

[heymikey]

Just wondering, when you're referring to booking ahead to go to machu pichu is that on some guided tour thing? or do you have to book ahead just to be allowed to access the place, by yourself?

Not that i'm planning on going there in the next few years, but it would be good to know for future reference.
Peru is one of my next go-to destination and I've read somewhere that you can't do the Inca Trail hike on your own. You need to be on a tour group. I think you can go to Machu Picchu independently. There are some good advice on this website (http://travelindependent.info/america-south.htm#Peru).

[rdmsgirl]

Hubby and I just got back from Peru today (just the Amazon Jungle and Lima). We ran into a tour group that was doing a tour similar to what you seem to be looking for - Lima/Cusco/Machu Pichu/Amazon Jungle. They seemed to be having a great time - a group of 12, with a couple of solo travellers - all ages . We were all booked through GAP adventures. I was very happy with GAP's service.

We spent two nights in the Miraflores district of Peru - it's a lot safer than I thought as there is a high police/security presence, and security cameras everywhere. Taxis from the airport have should be arranged inside the airport, not outside , however we did run into a Canadian couple who was actually robbed while on their way from the airport (thieves smashed the taxi's window and grabbed the woman's unsecured purse) so don't keep valuables in plain site when travelling to and from the airport.
Getting around Miraflores is fairly easy , and it's safe to hail a cab within Miraflores. I believe Cabbies expect you to negotiate price before you get in. Other than our airport transfer, I don't think it cost us more than ten Soles to get anywhere - about 3 US dollars! We ended up walking to most of our destinations.
PM me if you have any specific questions about the city - it's all a little foggy at the moment (Only just landed 10 hours ago!)
Have fun on your trip!

[redbimmer]

I did a whirlwind tour of Peru last April for two weeks by myself as well, on a semi-student budget. To answer your questions:

Is there a beach area that is close and that i should also go to?

There is a beach in Lima, but I didn't see the need to actually spend any time there. The water is rough, the beach is only 40-50 feet wide in most places, and it's right next to the highway. It doesn't surprise me that your stuff would be an easy target for thieves while you swim. Personally I think your time is better spent on the promenade on the cliffs overlooking the sea.

What is the natural order. Could I first start in Lima . . .

You can start in any order you want. Machu Picchu is VERY popular and the permits sell out months in advance of the peak tourist season. You can check the availabilities online, but I guarantee you hour by hour you will see the dates snapped up as the season approaches. You must book it ASAP or you may find yourself SOL. I would argue to book your permit first, and then arrange the rest of your trip around it. There might be some flexibility with the 2 day trip, but I'm not sure exactly (I did the 4 day hike). Once your permit is booked, you cannot change your itinerary in any way- this is to prevent fraud and scalping.

2. How much should I expect to pay for the 2 day trek? How important . . .

I used SAS Travel Peru for my entire trip and was very, very happy with them. They are the largest, and one of the most reputable tour companies in the country, and have very competitive rates. My "el condor pasa" package was about $1100 USD. http://www.sastravelperu.com You can check their prices online and book everything by email. Another good company is Llama Paths. I've heard GAP Adventures is decent too, but I'd rather see my money go entirely towards the indigenous population by using a local company. Most people generally fly into Cusco via Lima. Altitude sickness can be a problem, depending on your physical health. Personally I did an hour of cardio at the gym each day for three months before my trip, and apart from a slight headache the first day, didn't have any issues with Cuzco or even the four day Inca hike. If you're not sure, best to see a doctor at a travel clinic.

Is there a backpackers area in Lima . . .

I don't know about a backpackers' area per se, but I imagine any hostel would be a good start. My tour company put me up in a surprisingly snazzy hotel for the 2 days I spent there, so I don't know. You can walk into any hotel or travel store and book whatever you need, so don't worry about those things. I got a one day tour as part of my package and they took us around the city in a nice bus to see all the major attractions. I couldn't imagine trying to get around Lima otherwise- traffic is brutal. IMO two days is more than enough to see Lima- Cuzco is much more interesting.

How much USD money should I budget for 2 weeks . . .

I spent $2500 CDN total for my 2 weeks, including airfare, my tour package, food, souvenirs, etc. I normally don't book packages when I travel because I like to do my own thing, but it was totally worth it for this trip. You can't negotiate the big discounts without the clout of a good tour company. Again, SAS had very competitive rates.

How much and how to get to the Amazon Jungle lodges . . .

I skipped the jungle, so I don't know. You can check the SAS website for their jungle trip prices. You need both yellow fever vaccination and malaria prophylaxis, although I'm not sure of the inoculation window for the former- again, best to see a travel clinic.

Is it safe to travel alone?

IMO Peru is a very safe place. You'll see police patrolling everywhere, and they'll be plenty of other backpackers and tourists wherever you go. There are some undesirable elements like drugs in the popular destinations like Cuzco (I was asked if I wanted to buy cocaine, twice!), but that's no different that any Canadian city. Just use common sense as you would at home.

What do i need to book before I go to Peru. . . .

INCA TRAIL PERMIT at minimum. The tourist season is busy, so I would recommend any domestic flights as well. Bus/train/tour tickets can be done in person.

[heymikey]

So to confirm, you only need a permit to do the Inca Trail, but not for Machu Picchu (if taking the train)? If you book a tour for the Inca Trail, will they handle the permit, or do you have to get the permit before you book for a tour? How much is the permit generally?

[redbimmer]

So to confirm, you only need a permit to do the Inca Trail, but not for Machu Picchu (if taking the train)? If you book a tour for the Inca Trail, will they handle the permit, or do you have to get the permit before you book for a tour? How much is the permit generally?

Right. They are two separate permits. You must have the Inca permit in advance of doing the hike. This is handled by your tour company. When you hike into Machu Picchu, there is a checkpoint where you are issued the park permit. Again, this is usually handled by your tour company, so you don't need to carry extra money. If you are just taking the train, you can buy the park pass in person when you get there. The park permit by itself is about $70 USD if I remember correctly, but you can double check online. There isn't a specific "Inca trail fee", since everyone must use a tour company (or if you're very rich, a personal tour guide) and thus you have to book an entire Inca trail package, which includes a 2-3 local guides, food, tents, porters, etc. Trail packages start at about $400 and go up depending on how much luxury you can afford.