Critique Peru itinerary - ? add Lake Titicaca

[kpc]

Just forward planning a trip to Peru next year, and wanted some learned opinions from my fellow Affers
Attending a conference in Santiago in Nov next year and want to do a side trip to Peru.

Have 8 days, and will only transit through Lima unless someone can convince me to stay a night there.
Day 1: fly Scl- Lim- Cuz
Day 2: acclimatise in Cusco, wander city.
Day 3 (Sun): Day trip to Pisac (and market), Urumbaba, Ollantaytambo
Day 4: early am train to Macchu Piccu; one night at Sanctuary Lodge @ MP
Day 5: spend day at MP and train back to Cusco in late pm.
Day 6: either train or scenic bus trip to Lake Titicaca, and overnight there.
Day 7: day tour of Lake Titicaca; and overnight there again.
Day 8: fly Jul - (Cuz)- Lim - Scl

What do others who have been think about this itinerary? Too rushed? Missed something?
If I overnight in Lima, I will probably not have enough time to include trip to Lake Titicaca. Is this a must see?

Your thoughts and suggestions will be much appreciated!

 

[MichaelW Travels]

That is a pretty solid itinerary. I did something very similar a few years back...

It went something like this-

Day1-We flew late into Lima- had dinner, sleep & caught an early flight to Cusco.
Day2- Early flight to Cusco-took a cab straight to Pisac- awesome little town. Spent the full day, checked out the markets, ruins, lunch, relaxed, visited llama & alpaca place where they took care of and made diff textiles from the wool
Day3-Cab to Ollantaytambo- full day- ruins, wandered the old streets, visited a local home with cuy (guinea pigs) running all over
Day4-early train to Macchu Picchu- spent most of the day at the sites
Day5-Macchu Picchu visit again, hiked up Huayna Picchu, lunch & train back to Ollantaytambo
Day6-Cab towards Cusco- stopped at various sites along the way- Maras:salt pans & Moray:agricultural terraces (maybe one more, I forgot), wandered a little bit around Cusco in the late afternoon
Day7-Cusco- went to Sacsyhuaman, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara, Tambochay, saw a little of Cusco late noon, cultural show included with tourist pass..
Day8-Cusco- saw more of Cusco, went to local market- pretty interesting
Day9-Bus to Puno: long bus ride but pretty interesting- it makes a bunch of stops at minor sites, some are actually pretty interesting and it makes it a pretty good overall day & not a waste of a day. When we got to Juliaca there were roadblocks due to people protesting so it then took a bit longer to make it to Puno!
Day10-Lake Titikaka tour- very nice day- the floating reed islands are very interesting & great to see as was the other island- I forgot it's name I think Tacquile
Day11-wandered around Puno- coca museum, visited some old ship, half day tour to Chulpas- def worthwhile too
Day12-Flight to Lima- spent a few hours checking out Lima before flying home.

Overall an amazing trip. I'd love to see more of Peru some day but we definitely packed in what we saw with our time and had a blast!

 

[Homer]

Your itinerary is definitely tight but I think you're hitting the highlights. Some comments:

• Lima is worth a visit one day but not at the expense of Lake Titicaca so I think you've made the right call there.
• We spent about four days in Cusco and could easily have spent more time but I think you have identified the best things to see. Just be sure you acclimatise quickly (don't drink booze before you arrive/when you get there, lay down and rest, if your accommodation provides it, consider having some oxygen supplied to your room for a few hours) because you'll need to get out and start looking around quickly given your time restrictions.
• We had three nights at Aguas Calientes and took the bus up to Machu Picchu twice. The reviews on Sanctuary Lodge weren't great and there is nothing much to do there except visit the ruins, plus there was a newish luxury place at Aguas Calientes that caught my eye. Anyway the day we arrived it was wet but that was fine because we wanted to take it easy. The next day we awoke to bright sunshine so we spent the day on the mountain. On the third day it was raining cats and dogs but we still went back for a last look (of sorts) so we were very glad we had one day of sunshine. So given you've only got one night up there just be prepared for the fact that you might not have perfect weather on the day you visit.
• Lake Titicaca is definitely worth the effort. We flew from Cusco and that saved us a day on a train or bus so maybe you could consider that option?
• We loved Peru and we'll definitely be going back to do it all again when the kids are a bit older. Have fun!

 

[casanovawa]

Earlier this year me and a friend had flown to Buenos Aries before flying through Santiago and up to La Paz.. After spending about 2-3 days in LP we took a bus ride down around Lake Titicaca through i think Puno (which looked to me like a bit of a hot, dusty cough hole to be frank) but just changed bus there and on to Cuzco... Slept over night and went and had a look around the city, changed some flights etc before arranging train tickets from Ollyamtambo to Aguas Calientes... We took a like a 10 person mini bus thing from Cuzco to Olly (which was pretty reasonably price) before catching the train and arriving in Aguas in the afternoon... We stayed over night at the hostel but made sure to get the tickets up to MP that night so that we could be waiting in line at 4am to be able to get tickets to climb WaynePicchu (think its spelt like that, maybe not)... The tickets are free but only 400 are handed out each day so you have to be one of the first in line down there.. Then on the buses and up to MP at 5.30am for a decent look around MP before doing the WP climb... That was reasonably tough and not really for those who suffer from Vertigo or don't like challenging climbs up lots of steps which aren't always easy to negotiate..

We came back down in the afternoon and time for a massage and a swim in the spa pools before jumping on the arvo train back.. The train stopped at a town about a 20 minute drive from Cuzco but I have forgotten the name and so had to get a taxi ride back to Cuzco... Slept that night and then the next day after a bit more of a look around Cuzco we flew to Lima and stayed there over night... Not the most amazing city you will stumble upon, but went into the central square, watched the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace... Then went to this church around the corner and did a tour of the catacombs underneath... There was a big garden in Lima that was meant to have lighted fountains i think, but it was only open so many days in the week and the day we were there wasn't one of them... There was also a few works going on around the town with areas ripped up, so not showing itself off to its max...

The next day we packed up and took the bus back to the airport only to have our midday flight cancelled due to the Chilean volcano so got bus-ed back to the Sheraton and put up over night for free before having to be up at 4am to go to the airport for the replacement flight to Iguassu Falls...

So Lima was ok, MP was good but if you want to climb WP you need to be there first thing in the morning so need to arrive on a train the arvo/night before... Cuzco seemed ok, not sure i would spend many days there, but each to their own...

 

[MichaelW Travels]

Earlier this year me and a friend had flown to Buenos Aries before flying through Santiago and up to La Paz.. After spending about 2-3 days in LP we took a bus ride down around Lake Titicaca through i think Puno (which looked to me like a bit of a hot, dusty cough hole to be frank) but just changed bus there and on to Cuzco... Slept over night and went and had a look around the city, changed some flights etc before arranging train tickets from Ollyamtambo to Aguas Calientes... We took a like a 10 person mini bus thing from Cuzco to Olly (which was pretty reasonably price) before catching the train and arriving in Aguas in the afternoon... We stayed over night at the hostel but made sure to get the tickets up to MP that night so that we could be waiting in line at 4am to be able to get tickets to climb WaynePicchu (think its spelt like that, maybe not)... The tickets are free but only 400 are handed out each day so you have to be one of the first in line down there.. Then on the buses and up to MP at 5.30am for a decent look around MP before doing the WP climb... That was reasonably tough and not really for those who suffer from Vertigo or don't like challenging climbs up lots of steps which aren't always easy to negotiate..

We came back down in the afternoon and time for a massage and a swim in the spa pools before jumping on the arvo train back.. The train stopped at a town about a 20 minute drive from Cuzco but I have forgotten the name and so had to get a taxi ride back to Cuzco... Slept that night and then the next day after a bit more of a look around Cuzco we flew to Lima and stayed there over night... Not the most amazing city you will stumble upon, but went into the central square, watched the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace... Then went to this church around the corner and did a tour of the catacombs underneath... There was a big garden in Lima that was meant to have lighted fountains i think, but it was only open so many days in the week and the day we were there wasn't one of them... There was also a few works going on around the town with areas ripped up, so not showing itself off to its max...

The next day we packed up and took the bus back to the airport only to have our midday flight cancelled due to the Chilean volcano so got bus-ed back to the Sheraton and put up over night for free before having to be up at 4am to go to the airport for the replacement flight to Iguassu Falls...

So Lima was ok, MP was good but if you want to climb WP you need to be there first thing in the morning so need to arrive on a train the arvo/night before... Cuzco seemed ok, not sure i would spend many days there, but each to their own...

I would agree with you about Cusco- we really liked it but 2-3 days is max that you need there. That includes visiting the four big sites just outside of Cusco.

My wife and I climbed up Huayna Picchu (I spell it differenly each time!). It was not a tough climb but we were def tired from it. You just need to go at the pace you are comfortable with & be VERY careful as you can easily fall... We took one of the first buses up to MP from Aguas Calientes our second day. Enjoyed a bit of MP before heading for the line. We were give or take numbers 12 & 13 on line and when we came down after enjoying the climb, views and the such, people were still being allowed up to climb.
My whole point is- you don't need to be there at 6AM but do not show up to climb at 2PM either. You do need to get there early. It is true that only about 400 people per day get to climb- but it is definitely not for all to do...

 

[kpc]

Thanks for all the feedback and advice so far. Access to MP is now limited to 2500 people per day and you can buy tickets now in advance (including for Wayna Picchu) so no early morning queuing needed for WP Machu Picchu Tickets and Machu Picchu Entrance Fees - A Guide to Buying your Entrance Ticket to Machu Picchu Peru including detailed information, payment options and Machu Picchu entrance fees

We will only climb WP if it is not raining as I gather it can become quite slippery when wet. As far as Cusco and acclimatising, I was in Quito (2800 metres) earlier this year and had no problems but when I ascended to a nearby mountain (4100m), I definitely felt not well - pounding heart, headache, lightheadedness, nausea etc; so hopefully Cusco at 3300m will be OK but we certainly will take it easy esp. on day of arrival and avoid alcohol complelety 24 hours prior and for the first couple of days.The hotel that I stay must have oxygen available.

Regarding Sanctuary Lodge at MP, the Trip Advisor reviews are a little more positive ATM. I guess the main advantage is the ability to wander around when the last bus has left, and you have some isolation and peace to admire MP but I agree at USD$925 per night it is not cheap....but I'm unlikely to visit MP again. How many hours do you think I need in total at MP (including WP climb) before I get sick of it?

What are 4 "must see" sights around Cusco? Is the Pisac market on a Sunday a "must do" on a Sunday or can this be done on another day?

Regarding Lake Titicaca, I guess I could fly both ways Cuz-Jul to save time but I gather the road (bus or train) between Cusco and Puno is quite scenic with a few interesting stops along the way so maybe worth a one way trip. Am a little concerned with Juliaca airport as I gather it was closed in the middle of this year due to damage from political unrest between the locals and mining companies.. My flight back to Sydney from Santiago is at 1130pm the day after my proposed Jul-Lim-Scl flight so I will still make it if I'm delayed at most 24 nours flying Jul-Lim-Scl.

Glad the agreement seems to be not to stay a night at Lima at the expense of missing Lake Titicaca.

PS Homer, you did answer my previous Qs re MP 2 years ago, but I had to cancel that trip 2 weeks out (everything and flights had already been booked) due to floods that had washed away the railway to MP, so esp. thanks again. This time, I am adding Lake Titicaca to the itinerary

 

[MichaelW Travels]

Thanks for all the feedback and advice so far. Access to MP is now limited to 2500 people per day and you can buy tickets now in advance (including for Wayna Picchu) so no early morning queuing needed for WP Machu Picchu Tickets and Machu Picchu Entrance Fees - A Guide to Buying your Entrance Ticket to Machu Picchu Peru including detailed information, payment options and Machu Picchu entrance fees

We will only climb WP if it is not raining as I gather it can become quite slippery when wet. As far as Cusco and acclimatising, I was in Quito (2800 metres) earlier this year and had no problems but when I ascended to a nearby mountain (4100m), I definitely felt not well - pounding heart, headache, lightheadedness, nausea etc; so hopefully Cusco at 3300m will be OK but we certainly will take it easy esp. on day of arrival and avoid alcohol complelety 24 hours prior and for the first couple of days.The hotel that I stay must have oxygen available.

Regarding Sanctuary Lodge at MP, the Trip Advisor reviews are a little more positive ATM. I guess the main advantage is the ability to wander around when the last bus has left, and you have some isolation and peace to admire MP but I agree at USD$925 per night it is not cheap....but I'm unlikely to visit MP again. How many hours do you think I need in total at MP (including WP climb) before I get sick of it?

What are 4 "must see" sights around Cusco? Is the Pisac market on a Sunday a "must do" on a Sunday or can this be done on another day?

Regarding Lake Titicaca, I guess I could fly both ways Cuz-Jul to save time but I gather the road (bus or train) between Cusco and Puno is quite scenic with a few interesting stops along the way so maybe worth a one way trip. Am a little concerned with Juliaca airport as I gather it was closed in the middle of this year due to damage from political arrest between the locals and mining companies.. My flight back to Sydney from Santiago is at 1130pm the day after my proposed Jul-Lim-Scl flight so I will still make it if I'm delayed at most 24 nours flying Jul-Lim-Scl.

Glad the agreement seems to be not to stay a night at Lima at the expense of missing Lake Titicaca.

PS Homer, you did answer my previous Qs re MP 2 years ago, but I had to cancel that trip 2 weeks out (everything and flights had already been booked) due to floods that had washed away the railway to MP, so esp. thanks again. This time, I am adding Lake Titicaca to the itinerary

I pesonally do not see the need or can afford to stay at a hotel charging $925 PER NIGHT!!!! My wife and I actually enjoyed Aguas Caliente- there was something so neat about it. Maybe the fact that a little town has been built up again (yes, mainly for tourists) in the middle of no-where... Some decenet restaurants, little tourist shops and all...

In terms of how many hours you need in MP- that is extremely hard to judge- I'd say we spent give or take 10-12 hours there. Some time can be spent just sitting around, admiring the sites and watching the llamas & alpacas wandering around...

The four must see sites just outside Cusco are Sacsyhuaman, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara, Tambochay. I think Pisac is a must visit- a nice pre-MP visit. We spent a night there & really enjoyed the area.

 

[pagingjoan]

Without retracing the ground already covered by previous posters, will add a couple of points.

We did extensive travelling in South America last year, which included the areas you are now planning to visit.

At Machu Picchu, we stayed overnight at Hote Santuario, although we paid nothing like the price quoted in the earlier post. Whatever the price, though, you will of course find much cheaper accommodation a bus ride away. On the other side of the balance sheet, you have the - most likely, once in a lifetime - experience of staying right at the site, ready to take advantage of the best weather options, apart from anything else, and avoiding queues. Added to that, the room charges are inclusive (or were, when we were there) of everything, including morning and afternoon teas, coughtails and snacks, excellent meals and a wide range do wines, along with transfers to and from the site. The value should not be taken as solely the room rate.

We had four or five days in Cusco and enjoyed it very much. A delightful town, with a very amiable atmosphere. Our enjoyment was no doubt enhanced by our accommodation, which was Hotel Monasterio - a beautiful space, rich in interesting artifacts, and with impeccable service at every level. Again, the published rack rates will no doubt be higher than alternative accommodation but there will be deals available and it us definitely worth a splurge. The food is excellent there and there are other extremely good restaurant options in the town, offering both 'local' and other menus.

Have a fabulous trip. (And add the Galapagos to a future trip list. Amazing.)

 

[StevePER]

We stayed in the town at Machu Picchu as well, the hotel was pretty poor but it was cheap and convenient, and with the benefit of staying at the ruins late into the afternoon (after the day-trippers had left) we were able to enjoy the site without the crowds. The restaurants in the town were great too!

We also went to Lima and Nasca while we were in Peru, I wouldn't bother with Lima given the limited time.

 

[Homer]

PS Homer, you did answer my previous Qs re MP 2 years ago, but I had to cancel that trip 2 weeks out (everything and flights had already been booked) due to floods that had washed away the railway to MP, so esp. thanks again. This time, I am adding Lake Titicaca to the itinerary

I'm very glad to hear that you're going kpc . A friend of mine doing a "bucket list" world trip was also caught out by the closure of the railway line and wasn't able to make it all the way to Machu Picchu. He was very disappointed.

In my previous answer two years ago, did I recommend getting a private guide when visiting some of the sites? In our case we had our own minivan, driver and guide for two days when touring the sites in and around Cusco plus a separate guide for about half the day at Machu Picchu. I think this is far better than walking around by yourself and, in many ways, better than a group tour. You can also maximise your time investment by going directly to the sites that interest you and moving on as soon as you are ready. The costs were quite reasonable.

 

[Alanslegal]

if your accommodation provides it, consider having some oxygen supplied to your room for a few hours) because you'll need to get out and start looking around quickly given your time restrictions.

I am sure kpc can prescribe his own oxygen or maybe find some spare O bottles in the hospital system somewhere and take them along

Some good ideas floating around re: Peru and I think my idea of a three day stop in LIM is now something I have to delete from my wishlist for 2012. It appears one needs a good week to see Peru, so I better just bypass Peru for now Thanks.

 

[pagingjoan]

Monasterio provides oxygen in guest rooms. I didn't use it but friends who were affected by the altitude did and reported that it helped enormously.

Can't recall if Santuario did but I would not be surprised. Nothing was too much trouble for their guests, it seemed.

 

[kpc]

I'm very glad to hear that you're going kpc . A friend of mine doing a "bucket list" world trip was also caught out by the closure of the railway line and wasn't able to make it all the way to Machu Picchu. He was very disappointed.

I was distraught for a while back then as I have wanted to go to MP for as long as I can remember. Whilst many said there were other nice things to see in the area, I felt that if I didn't see MP, I would have to come back again so I cancelled the whole trip (and made a successful travel insurance claim), and spent my additional time in Argentina where I visited Iguassu Falls and Patagonia, 2 places that I was not planning to visit but were absolutely fantastic!!http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/argentina/1046132-additional-6-nights-argentina-what-see-do.html

In my previous answer two years ago, did I recommend getting a private guide when visiting some of the sites? In our case we had our own minivan, driver and guide for two days when touring the sites in and around Cusco plus a separate guide for about half the day at Machu Picchu. I think this is far better than walking around by yourself and, in many ways, better than a group tour. You can also maximise your time investment by going directly to the sites that interest you and moving on as soon as you are ready. The costs were quite reasonable.

Yes, you did. I've posted the link below so all the information re MP / Sacred Valley is in one thread:idea:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....advice-re-transitting-lima-airport-19189.html

With regards the hotel at MP itself, all points made have been considered, and I haven't made up my mind yet but given you can prebook tickets to climb Wayna Picchu, the option of staying at Agua Caliente and visiting MP 2x over 2 days is still an option open for me to consider. Previously, I would have baulked at paying that sort of price for a hotel but I have now paid over $1000 per night for a safari in Africa next year!:shock:

PS: the Galapagos was mentioned; we went earlier this year and had a blast of a time (see signature below). This will be my 4th trip to Sth America, and for those who have never have been, well you need to go....

 

[pagingjoan]

Agree with your travel gems, kpc.
We were fortunate to have combined a couple of weeks in the Galapagos, with several weeks in Argentina and Peru on the same extended trip last year.
I've been travelling o/s for more than 40 years and spend many months on the road ( or in the air ) each year, but those two trips were among the best ever!

 

[MichaelW Travels]

I was distraught for a while back then as I have wanted to go to MP for as long as I can remember. Whilst many said there were other nice things to see in the area, I felt that if I didn't see MP, I would have to come back again so I cancelled the whole trip (and made a successful travel insurance claim), and spent my additional time in Argentina where I visited Iguassu Falls and Patagonia, 2 places that I was not planning to visit but were absolutely fantastic!!Additional 6 nights in Argentina...what to see / do? - FlyerTalk Forums

Yes, you did. I've posted the link below so all the information re MP / Sacred Valley is in one thread:idea:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....advice-re-transitting-lima-airport-19189.html

With regards the hotel at MP itself, all points made have been considered, and I haven't made up my mind yet but given you can prebook tickets to climb Wayna Picchu, the option of staying at Agua Caliente and visiting MP 2x over 2 days is still an option open for me to consider. Previously, I would have baulked at paying that sort of price for a hotel but I have now paid over $1000 per night for a safari in Africa next year!:shock:

PS: the Galapagos was mentioned; we went earlier this year and had a blast of a time (see signature below). This will be my 4th trip to Sth America, and for those who have never have been, well you need to go....

I've also been to S. America four times, Central Am. two times. I love that part of the world and always tell people to go! Have you been to any countries in Central Am?