I just went to Peru last month. Did you get a chance to go to Salinas, Moray, Colca Canyon, or Puno? Was the strike still going on when you were there? I heard some interesting strike stories.
Hey, it’s still possible! I saw tons of tourists from all over and I totally understand why: this trip was cheap. Insanely cheap!
What amazes me is that, according to the archeology field guide thing I read (and I vaguely remember this from a college world civ class), the Incans never invented the wheel. So, they dragged these goliath stones up a mountain I couldn’t even walk up carrying nothing, then places them so perfectly together without mortar that you couldn’t even fit a piece of paper between the rocks. Amazing.
That was actually at MP. A tour bus was backing up (beep beeping and all) and this guy was not paying attention. WHAM. He flew like 10 feet, but was fine. I looked at my friend and was like, “And, to top it all off, we’ve now seen a guy get hit by a bus. This trip is so awesome.” 
Actually, even though there were certainly many people at MP, most of the time, we didn’t encounter a single person and were totally alone, goofing off and looking at things. There are parts where there are lots, but most folks don’t go look at everything, so you can more or less be alone. I didn’t realize just how BIG MP is- I was truly surprised by that. Just massive.
Thank you!
And sure, but you don’t need to win the lottery to go to Peru! My whole 8 day journey- everything- cost me under $800.
What’s most interesting to me is that we can’t know the answers to those questions and likely never will. MP is only supposed to be around 500 years old, but no one knows for sure what it was or why it was built. Hell, or even how long it was used for- most agree under 100 years.
We planned to go to Moray and a few other places, but my friend was a bit sick and we decided there was enough neat stuff to see in Cusco, so it was ok. We did go to Sacsayhuaman because it was so close, which is in some of those pictures.
The strike was over a few weeks before we went, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the soldiers all over Lima were a residual of the strike. I heard a few Peruvians talking with each other about the strike- stories and such, but I didn’t hear much.
What did you do in Peru?
How long were you there for?
Did you wish you’d gone for longer? How much longer?
That’s good. A friend of mine had to walk 12 hours through the darkness because they closed down the roads during the strike.
We went to toured Lima and hung out in Mira Flores. Then went to Arequipa. We did a trek though Colca Canyon (we stayed at the oasis). Then to Cusco. We did another city tour there. We visited Puno, but didn’t get to see Lake Titicaca because of the strike. We then went to Oyantantambo and Aguas Calientes. Did the ruins there, then went to Moray, Moras, Salinas, and Machu Picchu. Then we went to Puerto Maldonado to visit the Amazon. Then back to Lima. It was an unforgettable trip.
Sorry to hijack your thread btw.
That looked like an awesome cab ride, with dj Bobo and The Real McCoy doing the sound track.
Declan
8 days. And honestly, on the last day, we found ourselves sitting the Plaza in Cusco going through the guide book, internet searching on the phone, and came to realize we had done everything we wanted to do and some random things we didn’t even know existed. Unsure of what else to do, we sat there and people watched :).
I suppose if we had gone to other areas of Peru (but not Lima, because that place seemed terrible), I’d have liked more time, but I think our trip was just right.
And brickbacon, you’re not hijacking at all! It’s interesting that we were there so close to one another. Plus, you did the backpacker hiking thing and I did . … well, mostly the opposite, it seems :D. It’s interesting how there are two totally different ways to approach the same area, ya know? Both are so interesting to me!
Declan, I was 90% sure we were going to plunge off of a cliff and the last thing I was going to hear was Haddaway. I’m thankful my life didn’t end like that, because I never imagine going down like that!
When I was living in Ecuador in the early 90’s we took the grand trip into Peru and Bolivia. If any of you do end up going to Peru, you will end up in Lima at some point. I HIGHLY recommend going to the Museo Larco, which features Precolombian ceramics. This was my favorite Lima museum.
http://catalogomuseolarco.perucultural.org.pe/
As for the food == Ceviche is a not-to-be missed. We stayed with family of some friends and had cuy (guinea pig). They had a pen and we got to chose our meal. It’s not bad – tastes like rabbit with thick skin. Anticuchos (beef heart) are something that I make at home – thanks to the China Store (aka Walmart), you can get beef heart and other off cuts. The first time I made them, I had to buy a 50 pound frozen box from the meat packers.
I was in Peru for the first anniversary of the capture of Abimael Guzman, the leader of the Shining Path, so the guerilla war was still going on. They blew up the power lines into the city once and the month before someone chucked a grenade into the embassy compound. All major buildings had soldiers around them, with assault rifles and armoured cars. The Plaza de Armas was blocked off with soldiers standing around it – Surreal.
Except for Lima, Peru was nice. Almost as nice as Ecuador. The most impressive thing about MP (IMHO) was the location. Sachsayhuaman was MUCH more impressive, especially when you consider how little is left.
RE the Peruvian flag – On the hill near the airport in Cuzco, they have moved the rocks to form a huge peruvian flag.
The effects of inflation where still around. I bought 2 kilos of coins from a street vendor and used them as souvenirs. The nuevo sol had been introduced, replacing the inti, which replaced the sol. 1e6 intis to the nuevo sol and I don’t remember the sol to inti conversion, maybe 1000?
There weren’t too many Americans around. Europeans and the ubiquitous Israelis.
Got invited to a wedding in Lima a few years back. Wish that I could have afforded to go.
Why are those lines painted in the road? Doesn’t seem like anyone pays them any mind. I’m just saying, the local government could probably save some money there.
Only in the SDMB would someone write one million as 1e6… 
Mea culpa – engineer and all that.
Amen to that- I could not get over how the cab drivers drove. I’ve been all over and I’ve never in my life seen anything like that. Cusco has these tiny, narrow streets- one car can fit down at a time. The cab drivers barrel down them at 50 mph, horn blaring notice at the blind intersection as they fly through. I was certain I was going to die.
I’ll be honest – I don’t remember anything special about the cars. I guess after so long there, you tune it out. I had to think whether we used any cabs. We did, I am sure, just don’t remember.
I only did a little driving in Ecuador. The intersection etiquette was hard to adjust to. The person who honked first had the right-of-way.
Ooh ooh ooh! Perfect timing for this thread as we’re planning our trip to Ecuador/Peru/Galapagos for March/April 2010. So we have TONS of questions (sorry in advance).
- I took 4 years of Spanish and was able to understand/be understood in Mexico. Is Peruvian Spanish close? Can one get by just knowing Spanish or should we seek out any of the local languages too?
2)How bad was the altitude sickness? Does it just happen at Machu Picchu or other parts of Peru? And any other tricks beside the coca leaf? (We’re flatlanders and not used to mountainous regions).
3)Were there other options to get from Cusco to MP (we’re a family of five and doing a taxi sometimes means doing two taxis)?
4)I’ve heard from lots of different places to pretty much get in and then out of Lima. Is it really that bad?
5)Should we hire a guide to arrange prices?
6)What are reasonable prices for things (since we’re white and you mentioned your non-spanish speaking white friend got some hiked up amounts).
7)What are some must have souvenirs?
8)Was your under $800 for the trip inclusive of air fare too?
9)Where’d you exchange money (are there ATMs a-plenty)?
10)Can we drink the water?
11)Any tourist trips/dangerous areas to avoid?
I’m not sure how familiar you are with Spanish dialects, but I’d say that the Peruvians speak slower and clearer than Mexicans. Which is amazing, because Mexican Spanish is pretty slowly spoken. I think you’ll be fine in Peru, because most of them speak basic English. So long as you can ask “where is ___” “how much is it to go to _" "how much is this” etc, you’ll be just fine.
It sucked. Bad. Now, I’ve heard there’s two kinds of altitude sickness and most people get both, I- luckily- only had half of it. I stepped off the plane in Cusco and I felt like I’d been punched in the face IMMEDIATELY. Then, I couldn’t catch my breath.
Now, I admit I’m far from in the best shape, but this was beyond being out of breath because I’m a fatty. I’d walk a flat block in Cusco and have to stop and catch my breath. When we went up to Sacsayhuaman above Cusco, I especially had to keep stopping to breath. It was crazy. My friend got the other half of the altitude sickness- puking and . . . well, the opposite end of puking :p.
As far as tricks, I know my friend’s doctor boyfriend said to do a lot of aerobic exercise before going so as to better prep your body, but once there. . . not really. Just take it easy, rest if you need it (we napped every single day in the afternoon), and drink the tea. Seriously, it really helps.
And remember: Cusco is MUCH higher than MP. I actually felt much much better at MP, though you can still hear me gasping for breath in the video I took there.
I’m sure there’s some sort of chartered bus van thing you can take, but I bet it’s ungodly expensive. We just had our hotel call a cab for us and I’m sure yours will be able to book you a van taxi- they have those there, too. They also had lots of taxi station wagons, so I think you’ll be ok.
Even if you don’t take the taxi all the way to Ollatambo like we did, the closest train station to Cusco is still a decent drive- maybe half an hour, if I remember right. What we did worked out well- $30 for the taxi ride to Ollatambo, $15 for the ride back.
We flew into the airport, took a cab into the city, then took the cab back to the airport, where we flew out. So, I suppose I can’t really speak to that matter. Sorry!
Meh, I honestly wouldn’t. Ahead of time, we bought:
[ul]
[li]Airfare[/li][li]Train tickets from Ollatamno to Aguas Calientes and back again.[/li][li]Hotel in Cusco and Machu Picchu (you don’t pay or even give a deposit until you’re there)[/li][/ul]
That’s it. While there, any time we got a taxi from our hotel, we had them call it for us and any time we were on the street, we tried to flag down the same company that the hotel called for us. I went mostly to the Trip Adviser suggested restaurants. Shopping, we just asked at our hotel or the cab drivers, they are super friendly with tons of suggestions.
A nice dinner should run you $10 or so. A cab anywhere in Cusco is never more than 5 soles (usually three, and this isn’t counting to and from the airport). All of the churches and museums have posted prices, so you’re ok there. We got big, hand made alpaca blankets for what was $15-$20. I got little statues for $1 each. Earrings, rings for $1-$2. Necklaces for $3-$4.
I’m trying to think of what all I bought. . . hrm. I got an oil painting and hand carved wood frame (probably 18x20 or something) for $15.
Just know everything is cheap and everything is negotiable. Prices are WAY higher in places like San Blas, so if you feel like cheaping it up, there is a … well, it reminds of an indoor swap meet here in the states: tons of booths set up and the locals sell different stuff. I can’t remember what it was called, the local shopping market or something. I don’t know. If you’re really interested, I can look it up. Point is, negotiate everything. This is where speaking Spanish in regard to purchases is very helpful.
I love my alpaca blanket- it’s tossed over my couch right now. I also about died laughing when I saw these little statues they sell everywhere- they are reproductions of ancient Incan fertility statues, but it’s basically just a statue of two people doing it. They have every imaginable position and are quite graphic. I thought these were hilarious and bought them for everyone I care for :D.
I bought a mirror almost exactly like this one for $10. Love it.
Yes. We just watched and checked every day, then nabbed it after a few days when the price dropped from like $800 to a good deal.
In Cusco, the main street has about a million money exchanges, banks, and ATMs. We’d just stop by that ATM every few days and pull out whatever we needed in Soles.
Be warned: while the Peruvian folks will take American money, it can’t be bent or beat up in any way. It has to be crisp. So, it’s easier just to get Soles, if you ask me.
I did from the tap in the hotel room a few times, though I don’t know how smart that was. I didn’t get sick. Every restaurant gives you bottled water, though.
Everything is more expensive in Aguas Calientes, but beyond that, not really. Though I suggest reading the State Department’s travel advisory page on Peru, so you know where to go and where to be extra careful. I guess if you’re hiking the Inca trail, you are in a lot more danger from terror groups.
You rock so much! Thanks!
We went to Peru late last year (and are planning on returning in a couple months), so I can add some thoughts from the perspective of another first-time recent tourist.
Neither my wife nor I speak Spanish, although we did make an effort to learn good morning/please/thank you, where are, how much, some numbers, and other miscellania. As Diosa said, if you’re planning on travelling through the tourist section of the country, as you are, then most people speak a little English. If you’re a linguophile, you could try learning a little Quechua, which is still spoken by a lot of people living in the Andes, but four years of Spanish is more than you’ll need.
Eh. We didn’t have any altitude sickness problem. Shortness of breath during heavy exertion, yes, but nothing worse. However, we also spent three days in Arequipa (roughly 2500 meters) before going to Cusco, which may have helped the acclimatization.
First of all, getting to Machu Picchu requires you either take a train, or hike the Inca Trail. I assume you’ve not gonna hike, so the train is a must. As Diosa says, you can catch the train either at Poroy, which is relatively close to Cusco, or Ollantaytabo, which is an hour’s drive. If you’re a family of five, I’d suggest going to Ollantaytambo, because the cost of even two taxis is probably less than the fare difference (leaving from Ollantaytambo is cheaper). Plus, a) there are way more departure times from Ollantaytambo, and b) it is, IMO, a worthwhile little village to visit. We stayed three days there and enjoyed it more than Cusco.
I’d say it’s more expectations. We spent a day in Lima, and it was fine…but would you rather spen 24 hours in Lima, or 24 hours visiting Incan ruins?
We did what Diosa did, pretty much, and it didn’t have any issues. I suppose someone local might have been able to drive down prices, but we didn’t do that.
What do you want? Hotel prices vary wildly depending on location and expectations. Dinners at restaurants catering to tourists run from $7 to $15, drinks and tip included. Souvenir prices also vary wildly, because the quality will vary wildly. Truly hand-made, finely-crafted items? You can get them for a fair price, but you’re unlikely to buy them for a song.
Agreed on the alpaca blankets. Decent-quality, machine-made alpaca blankets are suprisingly affordable. If you’re into textiles, you can get some nice handmade items from traditional weavers for a decent price, but not dirt-cheap.
There were ATMs all over Lima and Arequipa and Cusco. In Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo there was exactly one per. Which was fine, but if the one ATM in town had broken, things might have been a little tight. US dollars are accepted most places, so we brought along a few hunderd dollars cash as backup.
No. Not worth the risk. Bottled water is cheap and plentiful, but I’d suggest bringing along some sort of purification device.
In all of Peru? I dunno. In the touristy places, you’ll be OK as long as you stay observant. There are places less than a mile from my house that seem scarier.
Thanks Zut too!
We bought the tickets, $590 roundtrip from Minneapolis to Lima (with a stop at JFK). We arrive 6am in Peru on March 28th and depart April 11th late at night.
So now it’s the planning part. The one tricky thing we’re figuring out how to do is to get around the country. Every guide book and website recommends against renting a car. Which I would like to avoid. It also seems that the rail system in Peru isn’t the most complete either. So is it either planes or buses? We’ve been (unsuccessfully) looking for a car and driver like we had in India which was relatively cheap at about $900 for two weeks.
What would be a good sample itinerary for those 15 days? We tend to like a budget-moderate travel expenses.
After the time I spent in Peru, you could not pay me to ever drive a car there- hell, I was terrified being a passenger. I am willing to paint with a wide brush here and say Peruvians are the scariest drivers I have ever in my life encountered.
I suppose to answer your question I need to know what you want to do while you’re there. Fifteen days is more than enough time for my itinerary, in fact, I’d say it would be about twice as long as you’d need. What all do you want to see?