Interested in ancient history and archaeological sites?
The history of Peru is rich and varied. For fifteen thousand years, some ancient peoples replaced others, leaving in memory of themselves first petroglyphs, and later - pyramids, temples, mausoleums filled with skillfully made ceramics, elegant textiles, products made of precious metal and semi-precious stones. In addition to the well-known mysterious Machu Picchu, Peru has the most ancient city South America - Caral (the same age ancient egypt), or Chan Chan - the capital of the ancient Chimu culture, one of the most beautiful and largest ancient cities built of clay bricks (adoba).
Prefer to admire the unspoilt wildlife?
Peru is a very diverse country geographically and climatically. It is usually divided into three parts: coastal desert (Pacific coast), mountains (Andes), jungle (Amazonia).
But these three zones are also diverse in themselves: sandy deserts with huge dunes, stone deserts, sharp peaks of rocks with snowy peaks, lower green mountains, high-altitude flat steppe, valleys of volcanoes and deep canyons, rain forest at the junction of mountains and jungle, dense jungle the Amazon Basin and much more.
Do you like outdoor activities?
There are many routes for mountain hiking in Peru: one-day, multi-day, any level of difficulty. A paradise for trekking lovers is the city of Huaraz in the Ancash department, from where everyone sets out to hike through the lagoons and valleys of the Cordillera Blanca (“white mountains” in Spanish). In addition, tourists have recently fallen in love with the rainbow-colored Vinicunca Mountains in the vicinity of Cusco. In addition to hiking, Peru has plenty of surfing opportunities - although the cold Humboldt Current requires wetsuits in most places. The most famous exception is the warm Mancora and the beaches around the town of Tumbes in the north of the country. In the capital of the country - Lima - paragliding is very popular.
Getting to know the local cuisine?
Peru has something to surprise gourmets. This is one of the most interesting cuisines of the continent: a successful fusion of Japanese, Creole and traditional Indian. It is not for nothing that Lima is considered the gastronomic capital of South America: for several years in a row, local restaurants occupy one of the first places in well-known international ratings. If possible, be sure to book a table inRestaurant Central or Maido in the Miraflores area.
Peru is a country that is definitely attractive for travelers. But even here there are some peculiarities. What should be taken into account when preparing for a trip in order to avoid unpleasant surprises and get the most out of it?
Distances and choice of transport
Peru is the third largest country in South America. At the same time, planes fly far from everywhere, and moving ground transport from point A to point B can take 6-8 hours or more. Also, due to the peculiarities of the relief, Peru is not the most suitable country For independent travel on a rented car: there are serpentines and primers all around, communication is far from everywhere, there is often no lighting on the roads, the highlands throw up surprises due to rarefied air.
Much easier to move around public transport: by plane, if there are such flights, or by bus. The quality of Peruvian cama and executivo buses is impressive: wide reclining seats, a toilet, a TV, an English-speaking steward and sometimes even wi-fi will make your trip comfortable. Meals are included in the ticket price.
Highlands problem
Many tourist places are located at an altitude of more than 3000 meters above sea level. If you are flying from Lima, which is located on the ocean, to Cusco (altitude 3400 meters), then there is a chance to feel the symptoms of altitude sickness: headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, chills. So that the malaise does not spoil the impression of the beauty around you, you need acclimatization - a few calm days upon arrival. There are also recommendations:
- on the eve of the trip and in the mountains, exclude alcohol and heavy fatty foods from the diet;
- drink more water and tea from coca leaves. The latter is often offered free of charge in hotels;
- less physical activity and sudden movements in the early days, better sleep.
Trekking with a rise of 4000 meters above sea level is better for beginners to leave the day for the fourth or fifth. If you plan to climb to a height of 5000 meters above sea level and above, then it is better to do this not earlier than the end of the week in the mountains.
When should you come?
You can travel around the country all year round. But when planning a route, some features of the climate should be taken into account. In the mountains and jungles, from about the beginning of December, the rainy season begins, which lasts until mid-late April. The start and end of the season depend on the area and change from year to year. If you are planning trekking in the mountains or visiting the jungle (especially the Amazon basin), then it is better to choose the dry season - walks will be much more comfortable.
The language of communication
In the capital and in the most tourist places(hotels, restaurants and travel agencies) you will be able to communicate in English. But it is worth moving away from the main tourist route how knowledge of English among the population ends. Take a few Spanish lessons: an elementary level will not be superfluous.
Vaccinations and health
There are no specific vaccinations required to travel to Peru. Malaria pills are also not needed - there have been no outbreaks of the disease for a very long time. But if you want to be on the safe side, you can get vaccinated against yellow fever, typhoid, and hepatitis A and B: these vaccinations are valid for ten years and are useful for every fan exotic countries. In the selva, do not forget about repellents and closed clothing.
To visit the mountains and the Pacific coast, you will need glasses, a hat and sunscreen from 50 SPF. The sun is strong here, and you can get burned quickly even in cloudy weather. For trips to the highlands, just in case, it is better to stock up on altitude sickness pills. You can buy them in advance, after consulting your doctor, or already on the spot at the pharmacy.
Currency. Cash or credit cards?
The official local currency is the Peruvian Nuevo Sol. But in tourist places, US dollars are often accepted for payment. True, when paying in dollars, the exchange rate will not be very profitable. There are many exchange offices (casa de cambio) in tourist places. IN big cities you can also exchange euros, but the exchange rate will be less favorable than when exchanging US dollars. In most tourist places, you can pay with cards, especially in cities. But there may be an additional commission, it is worth clarifying before payment. When it comes to ATMs, most banks charge a withdrawal fee. You can withdraw money without commission, for example, at BCP ATMs (up to 700 soles). It is convenient to have several cards: some banks have restrictions on withdrawing salts from a foreign card.
Safety
Peru is a travel-friendly country. It's quite safe here locals usually friendly and hospitable. But still, care and caution will not hurt. General recommendations:
- be more careful with your bag and expensive equipment in crowded places;
- do not walk alone at night along unlit, deserted streets;
- in Lima, specify in which area the hotel is located - so, in the city center it is also better not to walk at night; Historical Center in a Latin American city - does not always mean the best and safest area;
- Be careful on buses. Do not check in equipment and money in luggage, and do not leave personal belongings unattended.
(beaches and condors)→ Lima→ home (Madrid→Vilnius→Minsk)
We traveled all the way across the land in buses. They watch the same for two weeks, flying by planes.
They wanted and succeeded, but no:
▫ Amazon jungle: Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado
▫ Huaras: national park, Pastoruri glacier, one-day hikes to the lagoons in the mountains of the Cordillera Blanca. After Bolivia, there was no strength to climb 5000m+ again
Can be viewed twice more places. Or fly to Lima and fly home from La Paz so as not to return the same way. Or drive from Bolivia to Brazil via Argentina to ocean to ocean.
There are a lot of options, but my goal was to feel at least a little bit of Peru, and not jump around the sights. already published, below practical infa.
Flights to Peru
* rt- two-way ticket
ow- one way ticket
There are no direct flights from Russia and Belarus to Peru. Standard price from Moscow 1000-1500$rt for KLM, Air France, British Airways tickets with transfers in London, Paris or Amsterdam. Options:
1. Buy six months to a year
2. Catch a sale. There were no adequate prices from the Russian Federation for a long time, at the sales of Lima from Msk from 1000$+rt
3. Fly with a transfer to the USA ( need a US visa even if you don't plan to leave the airport)
4. Fly from Europe(Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome), need multi schengen.
5. fly to neighboring country. Brazil (Sao Paulo) from Russia is cheaper - from $790 rt Turkish Airlines from Moscow with a change in Istanbul. Just keep in mind that the distances in South Africa are gigantic, and flights between countries are expensive.
6. To Panama, Argentina, Chile happens on 400-500€ rt from European cities: Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid. To Brazil a couple of times a year with TAP for 130-180€ one way, also from Europe (Lisbon, Rome, Milan).
Our option
It was not possible to plan, so we chose the easy way. Madrid-Lima tickets can not be bought in advance. Standard Price 650-730$rt both a couple of days before the flight, and six months to a year.
Only Madrid is expensive to get to. Ryanair raises prices if there are several days before departure. You have to play with the dates, watch the tickets to Barcelona.
flew Air Europe direct flight Madrid-Lima-Madrid 684$ for a ticket. Bought three days before departure. To Vilnius by train, from there Ryanair to Madrid, night and day in Madrid.
About Air Europe:
▫ low cost, aircraft not older than 5 years
▫ fly 11 o'clock, fed twice
▫ choice of seat - surcharge 20-45€
▫ for free hand luggage up to 10 kg, luggage 1 piece up to 23 kg
▫ queues at Madrid airport are moving at space speed
▫ at the Lima airport, the flea market is out of the blue. If you are flying with Air Europe, arrive at the airport in advance. KLM and other decent companies are not affected. We stood in line for 2 hours, online check-in and machines in Lima did not work. Without luggage, you can immediately go to the counter without a queue.
Well hello Lima! Prices in Peru
Housing and food prices in Peru are comparable to those in Asia. It came as a surprise to me - I always thought South America outrageously expensive. Peru and Bolivia, this fact concerns only partly. Yes, not very cheap, but not enough to give up the dream.
The main expense is airfare there. Domestic flights also from $50+. It will not work to fly for $ 5 in Peru, and even more so between the countries of South Africa.
Vacation 10-14 days to Peru-Bolivia will cost the same as 30-40 days budget backpacking. Average, 2000-2500$+ from a person for everything, including air tickets. The amount can be both reduced and increased indefinitely. Tourism is well developed, there are options for people with any needs.
For two weeks I want to squeeze the maximum. Therefore, a tight schedule, planes, excursions every day, food at prices for tourists. There is simply no time to save.
Can be cheap if a lot of time. Cheap hotels, buses on the ground, cook yourself, order menu del dia or dishes from the offer in a cafe. Proficiency in Spanish helps reduce the budget.
Housing prices
When it’s like this around, you can score on everyday comfort for a while Visa not required for Peru
Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians up to 183 days(tourism). Free stamp at the airport and at any border. There are no entry and exit fees.
The border was crossed twice. They ask the purpose of the visit and how many days you will be in Peru. I have the first stamp for 54 days, for M. for 90, the second stamp for both of them is for 20 days.
According to reviews, everyone is put on 60-90 days. 183 days you have to ask. They didn't ask for return tickets.
Vaccinations
There are no mandatory vaccinations. Vaccination against no yellow fever unless you are going to the Amazon jungle. Nobody asked for a certificate.
Yellow fever vaccination in Lima
Vaccinated against yellow fever Lima airport arriving from Madrid.
Why vaccination?
A). there was a plan to fly to Iquitos (Peruvian Amazon)
b). Belarusians need a certificate for a Bolivian visa
Where do they do it?
We flew to Lima, went through passport control and customs, changed money in the exchange office at a bad rate. We don't leave the airport. We go left to the very end at the Domestic departure terminal.
Office to the right of the escalator Servicio de Sanidad. They instilled us at 6 in the morning in 15 minutes, gave us yellow books, payment only in cash, 148 soles ($49)/piece
Certificate is valid after 10 days after vaccination. Fly for a short time and plan for the Amazon - get vaccinated at home in advance.
Ordinary Peruvians have no time to learn languages Language
Spanish is spoken in Peru. Basic words, questions and numbers are best learned. You won't get lost without knowledge of Spanish, it's just cheaper with the language. Bargaining in cafes, hotels, markets in Spanish or with a calculator.
I learned Spanish for a long time with the Rosetta Stone program. In Mexico, I went to a tutor for a week, I regularly listen to books and songs. Conversations with locals in their language, English in Peru only for communication with travelers.
Security in Peru
We went to tourist places, got into street taxis, walked around the cities in the dark, went to the mountains alone. All OK. There were two controversial points:
1. In Puno, I overheard a Russian girl telling her friends that an earring with a diamond was missing in the hotel. It is standard here: we leave jewelry and valuables at home. Or we carry it quietly in a pocket so as not to provoke people.
2. On the Lima-Nasca bus, the driver yelled at us because they didn't check in our backpacks. Like, the south of Peru is dangerous, the bandits will come in and take everything away. Didn't come.
The rest of the stories are from the category “grandmother told grandmother”, that is, gossip. According to the Peruvians, there is a security problem in the country, there are a lot of police on the streets and along the highway, but not enough. Whether the danger concerns tourists, I do not know.
altitude sickness
At an altitude of 3000-4000m+ mountain sickness can begin. To avoid it, we build with gradual climb.
✔ Lima → Paracas → Huacachina → Nazca → Ollantaytambo (or Urubamba) → Machu Picchu → Cusco → Puno → Arequipa → Colca Canyon → Huaraz → Lima
✔ Lima → Puerto Maldonado (or Iquitos) → plane to Cusco (we don’t spend the night, we immediately go to Machu Picchu or Urubamba / Ollantaytambo) → Cusco → Rainbow Mountains → Puno → Bolivia
✘ Lima → Pastoruri Glacier (5000m) → La Paz (3600m) → Uyuni (3500-5000m)
Mountain sickness manifests itself in different ways. Some don't feel anything. Someone in Cusco arrives from the coast and hello. Or from Lima immediately rushes to the Pastoruri Glacier (5000m) in Huaraz. Do not do it this way.
To stay energized:
a) sleep at night
b) to drink a lot of water
V) set aside a day or two (or more) for rest and adaptation at an altitude of 3500+ (for example, in Cusco)
G) coca tea - buy a bag of leaves for 1 salt and pour boiling water over them - relaxes the body, relieves headaches.
Across Peru-Bolivia they rush at a gallop. They sleep in night buses, do not undergo proper adaptation at altitude. Holidays are short, but you want to catch a lot.
The body works at the expense of its internal resources. If the energy is not replenished, failures begin (dizziness as with a hangover, indigestion, lethargy).
A miner attacked me in Uyuni during an overnight stay at 4400m. Until this month, no symptoms.
What to take with you
Dressed up in the markets of Peru. You don’t look like that at home, but on the way you can There was no Instagram diva in our duet, therefore, in a simple way, without flying dresses. Cloth layers in any season. It is warm on the coast and in the deserts, but not in the mountains at night.
AND: pants, fleece, jacket (preferably with a hood), 4 T-shirts, shorts, leggings, sneakers, socks, flip flops, underwear, swimsuit for hot springs
Bought there: jacket, T-shirts, sneakers, hat, gloves, warm socks for Uyuni.
M: sneakers, pants, fleece, jacket, 3 shirts, shorts, socks, swimming shorts
Bought there: 6 shirts, gloves, hat
Laundries in any city 1-1.5$/kg Dropped off in the morning, picked up in the evening.
Trekking boots and warm pants were not needed. Good thing I didn't take it.
My backpack weighed 4 kg on the way there and 6 kg back. Plus a small backpack 2 kg with a laptop and wallets.
Easy with a suitcase too. The buses have a luggage compartment, you can carry up to 20 kg even with the cheapest ticket.
10 facts about Peru that you should know
1. Money
The currency of Peru is the Peruvian Sol (PEN)
1$ = 3.3 PEN
1€ = 3.9 PEN
1 PEN = 20 Russian rubles
▫ $ exchange rate: 3.03 at Lima airport, 3.23 at some generous banks.
▫ More profitable change $ or € than to withdraw from the card. Rubles are not worth taking.
▫ They accept dollars in hotels, on excursions at a bad rate. We change $ for salts in any bank and pay in salts.
▫ Withdrawal fee 17-19 soles ($5-6). According to data from the forums, an ATM Scotiabank does not take a commission (he took from me)
▫ Maximum 400sol at a time ($120). You can withdraw, for example, 1200 soles in three amounts and pay a $15 commission ($5 for each withdrawal). Only one ATM in Urubamba dispensed 700 soles at a time.
If you know ATMs with an increased limit that do not charge a commission, please tell us in the comments.
2. Bank card
▫ Cash in Peru is easier and more profitable, cards are not always accepted.
▫ Have VISA card. Preferably in dollars. Visa and mastercard badges hang everywhere, while in cafes and hotels there is a commission of 5-7% (ask about the commission before paying).
3. Housing
▫ We rent a hotel for booking for 1 night(genius status at a discount), then we extend it on the spot - the second night will be cheaper by 5-10% (relevant for the low season, when there are many free hotels).
▫ You enter for the first time from the street - the price is higher than at booking.com. We look at the real price in advance online and bargain if there is a craving for finding housing on the spot.
4. Communication
▫ Wifi everywhere in hotels and cafes. We didn’t buy a local SIM card, I didn’t study the issue.
▫ Transfer banks to push notifications(they only need internet).
▫ MTS roaming sometimes disappeared in the mountains, SMS came late. In Peru it is not so important, in Bolivia problems with roaming are more common.
5. Taxi
Uber there is in Lima, Arequipa, Cusco. Enjoyed the function uber pool(the driver can pick up other passengers along the way). Once a girl sat down in Lima, usually it was just us.
In other cities, look on the street (there are a lot of cars at every step) and bargain. Often the hosts were so generous that they called or hailed a taxi for us - even cheaper than Uber.
6. Tours
Book online only if you need a specific individual tour or Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, where they fit in six months.
One day group tours Peru is a cheap way to see natural attractions. It’s cheaper on the spot than online. We arrived in the city, go to the center, find out the prices and conditions in travel agencies. You don't need to book in advance. Bought in the evening and left in the morning.
The guide is usually bilingual. Explains in detail in Spanish, then a short translation into English. Tours where the guide speaks only English are more expensive.
7. Souvenir stamp
On Machu Picchu put in the passport souvenir stamp(If you want and are ready to stand in line). Such a stamp = an invalid passport, in the future there will be problems with Schengen and obtaining other visas.
You are a citizen of Russia and dream of a Machu Picchu stamp - take it old passport or second foreign for these purposes. Otherwise, the passport with a souvenir stamp will have to be changed.
8. Sockets
Like ours, no adapter needed
9. Discounts in cafes
Standard price for a dish in a decent cafe 10-15$ . BUT! You can bargain. I first encountered this in Peru. IN tourist cities like Cuzco, Ollanta or Machu Picchu there are barkers waving menus.
— Hello, welcome blah blah blah
- Seriously? $10-15 for a serving of potatoes with salad?
— Oh, do you speak Spanish? - the promoter breaks into a smile, switches to his native language and chatters about offer, which is ready for $ 10 to serve three dishes and compote.
For example, pizza on the menu is 45sol ($14), the offer is 30sol ($9) for pizza and 2 drinks. Or a burger on the menu 25sol ($7.5), under the offer 15sol ($4.5) for a burger, fries, drink.
It seems like a trifle, but when it is daily, the savings are significant. Are looking for menu del dia, lunch menu or offer.
10. What to bring from Peru
Poncho 100$, after bidding 50$ For home: ethnic pillowcases, plaids, tablecloths.
Cloth: sweaters with alpaca 9$ ), poncho ($50/piece, if the wool is natural), T-shirts ( 5-7$ ), backpacks, Peruvian colorful sneakers ( 7$ ).
You yourself will see everything when you go to the San Pedro market in, the Witches Market in or any other.
In Peru, you can also buy urban clothes. They have the coolest lightweight cotton. I bought myself blouses and pajamas in the shops of Arequipa 5-7$ .
✗ It is impossible to import into the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan any goods and products that containing coca. In Peru and Bolivia, coca is legalized, even duty-free shops sell tea with coca, chocolate with coca, icicles with coca, etc. There is a temptation to take the "taste of Peru" with you. Not worth it.
What to try in Peru
People try ayahuasca and a decoction of the San Pedro cactus. I have no such experience, so about the banality.
3 salts ( 1$
) at Lima's fisherman's place or 30 soles ( 10$
) at the gringo cafe. 1. Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian cold dish. Pieces of raw fish marinated in lime juice for 15 minutes. Served with onions, corn kernels, sweet potatoes or cassava.
2. Chicha, 0.5-1sol in the street, 3-8 sol in the restaurant
Chicha morada- black corn compote
Chicha de hora(chicha de jora) is a traditional Andean drink made from white corn. Made in clay jugs, alcohol 1-3% (like kvass). It is better to look for such chicha in the villages. We saw a house near which there is a stick with a red bag wrapped around it - we knock and ask about chicha.
There is chicha from quinoa, chicha frutiyada with strawberries.
3. Kui- a guinea pig that starts breeding 15 minutes after birth. Festive meal for the whole family. Serve whole, rarely sliced.
4 Bistec de Alpaca- alpaca chop or fried llama. In any cafe of the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Ollantaytambo, Cusco).
5. Fruit
▫ mango juicy and large, red and yellow - divine!
▫ granadilla- seeds in sweet liquid - super!
▫ passion fruit(similar to granadilla)
▫ pepino- melon pear. It tastes like a mixture of plums, pears and melons.
▫ cherimoya- like a sweet apple with strawberry and banana flavor
▫ avocado- 3 pieces for $1. Satisfying, useful.
Papaya, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, pomegranates, grapes are also in abundance. In supermarkets, fruits and vegetables are hard and tasteless. It is better to stock up on the markets.
6. Tea and chocolate
Liked the bars Sublime for 1.5 sol/piece. Sold in any village. At the height of chocolate is useful.
In Peru, they drink herbal tea in bags with the taste of coca, anise, chamomile, apple. If you want coca tea, buy a bag of dried leaves for 1 salt and pour boiling water over them - much tastier than the factory one.
Fast food in Cusco, 2 plates for $11 7. Other food There is a lot of food in Peru, mostly meat dishes. The side dish is always the same: a duet of rice and French fries. From what is clear:
▫ Milanesa de pollo— chicken fillet fried in breadcrumbs + rice, potatoes, salad
▫ Milanesa de pollo a lo pobre- added egg, sausage and fried banana
▫ Lomo (pollo) saltado- beef (chicken), fried with onions and tomatoes
▫ Pau pau pollo- chicken fillet pieces in vegetable sauce
▫ Chicharron de pollo- chicken nuggets in batter
▫ Сhicharron de mariscos- seafood nuggets (squid or octopus)
For Vegetarians rice and salad. French fries are always served (rice with potatoes, pasta with potatoes), just boiled is unrealistic to find.
If you don't eat meat, remember that Carne only called here red meat. pollo(chicken) is not meat for them. That is, you ask for quinoa soup without meat (sin carne) - you get chicken bones in the broth.
Salad, 7$ We spent on food 415$ a month for two. Personal record low. Peruvian cuisine (which is the best in the world) did not suit me. 2 poisonings in a row hinted at this opaquely. Probably, you need to go to pretentious restaurants in order to be imbued.
Peru has delicious fruits, vegetables, sheep cheese. The first days we ate in a cafe, then we tried to rent a house with a kitchen and cook salads with vegetables, avocados, cheese, eggs and boiled potatoes. This is a special case. People without problems like Peruvian cuisine.
Preparation: in advance or on the spot?
Vacation 1-2 weeks
There are a lot of questions on the spot that need to be addressed. "Base" is best prepared in the comfort of home.
At home:
✓ Buy round-trip air tickets
✓ Create a route
✓ Think over logistics
✓ Book accommodation, flights and buses. Especially if you don't know Spanish.
✓ Get vaccinated against yellow fever if you plan to visit the Amazon
✓ Download map of Peru in the app maps.me, put marks of the necessary places
✓ Install Uber
✓ Switch banks to push notifications in case of roaming problems
✓ Put money on the card Visa
✓ If you have only one bank card, and in rubles, it is more profitable to withdraw money from it at home in dollars.
✓ Exchange rubles for $ if you are traveling with cash
On site: buy one-day tours in local agencies (2-3 times cheaper than online), order a taxi, pay for tickets to attractions.
Travel 1 month+, our option
✓ Tickets purchased from mid-April to the end of May, arrival and departure from Lima
✓ Accommodation for two nights in Lima (Miraflores)
✓ Wish List
✓ Guide Lonely Planet Peru on the phone
✓ Installed map of Peru and Bolivia in the application maps.me, marked cities along the route
✓ The evernote hodgepodge of useful tips: what to try, how to save money - only the most important
✓ List of sites that may be useful: bus companies, blogs, forum reports
The longer you drive, the less you want to follow the plan. The downside is that every evening I spent 2-3 hours on further planning (booking a hotel in the next city, buying tickets, searching for interesting local places). We traveled only by buses (airplanes a day or two before departure are more expensive).
Rest? in Peru
The questions people ask Google include the word "holiday" in Peru (haha). You can relax if the weekly budget is $5000+, but active budget travel can hardly be called relaxing.
My trips to DO are now perceived as vacations at my grandmother's country house. In Peru and Bolivia, height, food for an amateur, long journeys, mountains, wind and cold.
If the sun, then you immediately turn into a mountain woman with reddened burnt cheeks.
April-May is autumn in South Africa. Cool, but clear, the prices are not too high. Cheap hotels don't have heaters. Well, if there is a boiler, but it happened that the sun heats the water. no sun no hot water. Se la vie.
Dry skin and stomach problems at home disappeared without a trace and were forgotten. The rest of the heap of memories and fulfilled cherished desire.
May your Big Dreams come true! (mine already)
Mila Demenkova
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru is truly worth seeing at least once in a lifetime. This post is about how to get to Machu Picchu including different alternatives and practical advice. By the way, Machu Picchu means “old peak” in Quechua.
How to get to Machu Picchu?
Those who follow me Instagram, remember that I shared tips on how to get to Machu Picchu. In this post, I have organized all the information.
In short, there are two options.
1) Difficult but economical.
2) Expensive and simple.
We went rather the second comfortable way, but in its moderate version. If you don't plan to travel as a backpacker, but go to the other extreme and spend a couple of thousand dollars is also not in your plans, then it suits you. Therefore, first I will tell you how to get to Machu Picchu, following my path.
Do as I do or step by step instructions
1️⃣ Fly from the Peruvian capital of Lima to the city of Piece - this is the closest to Machu Picchu Big City with the airport. On the way 1.5 hours, LatAm, Peruvian fly. We flew with LatAm.
Advice. Most cheap flight to Cusco from Lima with the Peruvian low-cost LCPerú (67 soles). Another economical option to get to Cusco from Lima is by night bus. Reviews about him are good.
2️⃣So, you are in Cusco. Now you need toBuy a Peru Rail or Inca Rail train ticket for a direct flight from Cusco to the nearest town to Machu Picchu. It is called pueblo Machu Picchu, another name for it is Aguas Calientes. We traveled from Peru Rail, I’ll tell you more about these trains below.
Advice. You can go from Cusco with a tour of the Sacred Valley ($ 25 + entrance 70 soles) and ask to leave you on main square the city of Ollantaytambo (abbreviated as Ollanta). From there you take a direct train to Aguas Calientes, the city of Machu Picchu, which is exactly what we did. In this scenario, you skip the last point of the excursion program, the Chinchero complex, but it is not so important.
3️⃣ The next morning you get up at 5 am in the town of Machu Picchu, where you spent the night the day before, and go to the bus stop, from where buses depart every minute to the entrance to Machu Picchu. since all hotels are located within a radius of 400 m from bus stop. You can also opt for a free walking trail.
Advice. If you were prudent and bought tickets for this bus in advance in Cusco (at the Consettur office), you can afford an extra hour of sleep.
4️⃣ You get back down on the same bus, and go to the same railway station. From there, the already familiar train departs to Ollanta. Upon arrival in Ogliatna, a forced transfer to a bus to Cusco, since the train does not go further. But everything is included in a single ticket and you will be taken literally by the hand to a stop five steps from the station.
Now that you have a general idea of how to get to Machu Picchu, let's dive into the details.
Trains to Machu Picchu
Two companies provide transportation from Cusco to the lost city of the Incas: Perú Rail and Inca Rail. Trajectories: Cusco-Urumbamba-Ollantaytambo-city of Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes). They have one railway track, and the prices differ little, only the departure time,so the choice is irrelevant.
The most comfortable, fastest and most direct trajectory Cusco-Aguas Calientes costs $65 in Expedition class (single timetable 0640-0954) and $105 in Vistadome class (departure 735, arrival 1052). In this case, you will not see the Sacred Valley, as you are simply driving past it.
The difference in classes is small, the Vistadome has more panoramic windows and more space between the seats, but the price is almost twice as much.
Advice. You can also buy tickets upon arrival in Cusco - one office is located at the airport itself at the exit, other points are at the railway station in Cusco and on central square the city of Plaza de Armas. There were no queues at these offices when I was there.
Any ticket of "bimodal" companies, that is, combined: train + bus. All schedules are on their websites. I bought tickets in advance on the Peru Rail website, there were no problems (and even commissions) with the Chilean card, I don’t know how it will be with the Russian one💳. The company also has an office in Cusco, in the same place as the Poroy railway station.
Advice. You can also buy a ticket for the Peru Rail Urumbamba-Machu Picchu train ($93). It makes sense if you plan to stay in the Sacred Valley for the night.
Peru Rail has three classes of service:economy Expedition, premium Vistadome, and business Belmond Hiram Bingham, in honor of the discoverer of Machu Picchu. In the latter, everything is serious: leather chairs, furnishings, menus and more. Passengers of this class are even given a special pass to Machu Picchu, a sort of turnkey trip. Belmond is an independent company and only leases the Peru Flight train. Belmond also owns a luxury hotel right in front of Mount Machu Picchu - you can make morning run with a view of a million. So many stars stayed at the hotel that I'm too lazy to list.
We traveled with Perú Rail twice
🚆First time: from Ollantaytambo to the city of Machu Picchu by Expedition class, the latest flight at 21:00 ($66), as I was afraid not to be on time after the tour of the Sacred Valley. And in vain: we were left in Ollantaytambo at 16 pm and in the end we whiled away the time at the station. Conclusion - it was necessary to take the train at 19:04. We arrived in the town of Aguas Calientes at 23 pm, checked in and immediately went to bed. All the hotels in this tiny town are within a 5 minute radius of both the station and the bus stop which is a big plus.
🚆Second trip: from Machu Picchu to Cusco on the very first flight at 16 pm in the Visitadome class ($109). single ticket includes a train to Ollantaytambo and a subsequent bus to Cusco. The advantage of this class is the huge panoramic windows, really worth the pleasure, you can see the jungle up close. It was comfortable, and besides, we were also entertained - there was even a performance in a costume reminiscent of a Chilean carnival in the north of La Tirana. Business is not needed at all with such a premium.
How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco cheap (economy way) via Hydroelectrica
🚌A mini bus departs from Cusco to the Hydroelectric station, from where you will still have to walk about 12 km to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). The distance can be covered in an average of 2.5-3 hours. Trip price: 60 soles, $20. The trajectory passes with a stop in Ollantaytambo, so you can combine the route somehow else if you wish. These tickets are sold at agencies in the center of Cusco on Avenida de Sol, and are the most common way of economical transportation as far as I know.
🚌Also, you can get from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes in half an hour by train if you are too lazy to walk: with Peru Rail for $31. Departure times at 14:30 and 16:05.
The return train runs at 12:00 and 13:00.
Entrance fees to Machu Picchu
Whichever way you choose to get to the lost city, you will have to buy entrance tickets to the MP, and you need to do this in advance - there are no ticket offices at the entrance to Machu Picchu. Everywhere they are afraid of the need to buy at least a month in advance (up to 2,500 people a day are allowed into the complex), but to be honest, I think this is slightly exaggerated.
There are four types of tickets:
1️⃣Common access to the complex (Machu Picchu solo) – $70. The ticket is valid for 2 days. 3267 tickets of this type are issued per day.
2️⃣With climbing the popular mountain Huayna Picchu $86. They let only 400 people a day, in two groups: at 7 and 10 in the morning.
3️⃣With climbing Montaña Machu Picchu $86. Access restrictions, as well as Huayna Picchu.
4️⃣Machu Picchu+ Archaeological Museum Manuel Chavez Bayon.
It is curious that for citizens of the Andean Community Comunidad Andina (includes Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia), the price of all tickets is almost two times lower.
By time, tickets are divided into 2 groups
Ciudad Inca Machu Picchu Turno 1: from 06:00 to 12:00 hours. They give 4 hours to stay in the citadel.
Ciudad Inca Machu Picchu Turno 2: entry from 12:00 to 17:30 horas.
Where and how to buy tickets to Machu Picchu?
I bought on the site boletomachupicchu, everything is simple and fast. Therefore, all the above prices are the prices of this company. True, this is an agency, so their prices are at an extra charge. You can also buy tickets on the official website of the government machupicchu.gob.pe, but personally, the purchase did not go through on this very slow site (plus, on the site, of course, only Visa is accepted for payment, as elsewhere in Peru). Physical offices where they sell entry tickets, only 3 - two in Cusco at the Plaza de Armas, and one more in Aguas Calientes.
Bus to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes
Having seen enough passions about long queues for tickets at 5 am in AK itself, I decided to play it safe and buy them in advance in Cusco. There is such an opportunity - exclusively at the Consettur office on Av. Infancia (quite far from the center, it is better to take a taxi for a couple of salts). The ticket costs $24 round trip (78 soles).
Advice. The alternative is to climb on foot (the path is a little further than the stop along the riverbed). Unless, of course, you are not afraid of a couple of hours of intensive lifting - from one to three, depending on physical fitness.
The lines that weren't there
And what was my disappointment ... When we came to Aguas Calientes for a stop and ... did not see any queues! Two meters away from the stop there is a ticket office where they sell bus tickets (where everyone buys them) - there were only two people in line! Can you imagine? We spent much more time in Cusco looking for the Consettur office. There were no queues for the bus either. In addition, they come up every minute and several pieces at once.
What is the best time to go to Machu Picchu
One of the possible explanations is that we arrived at the bus stop by 6 am. And the very first bus leaves at 5:30. Most likely, there was a blockbuster. But it makes no sense to come to Machu Picchu before six in the morning (at least in March and if you do not climb one of the two peaks) - the sun comes out after 6. Until then, one gloomy fog creeps over the peaks. An exception is if you plan to climb one of the two peaks. And what beautiful road leads there! It was with great pleasure that we examined the surroundings and the faults of the serpentine.
P.S.
The moral is that Machu Picchu is not as scary as they are scared. I hope this post was helpful and clarified how to get to Machu Picchu on your own with different budgets. Comments are always welcome.
In the next post you will find a detailed photo report of a walk to Machu Picchu and a story about my impressions.
FOR ORGANIZATION OF TRIPS AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT WITH A GUIDE IN PERU - WRITE TO BLOG@site
How to get to Machu Picchu on your own detailed information and advice was last modified: October 17th, 2017 by Anastasia Polosina
This time I will give a hundred tips on how to safely and comfortably travel independently in the distant country of Peru, where to stay, how and where to get to, what, where and how much, in short, everything you need to know for those who are going in the near future or in the future to go to one of the most interesting countries the world or those who are only dreaming about it so far, so that your dream would take on a more realistic shape.
dangers
One of the first questions I get asked is: is it safe in Peru? And is it safe in South America at all? The continent is quite remote, and there is little actual information about it.
Consider the fact that the world is changing rapidly. The information that was relevant ten years ago has long become history. South America is becoming a safer and more tourist-friendly continent. Thanks to the development of technology and transport, today tourists are becoming commonplace for the local population, and in almost any locality, even in a small village, even on a distant island, even in a village in the jungle. And the economies of South America are growing, even if different countries at different rates, but this growth is felt. All this contributes to the reduction of crime and increases the level of security.
Let me share with you my own observations. In South America, all countries located on the western and southern coasts are practically safe for tourists; if you look at the map of the mainland, then - on its left side. These are Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. In these countries, you can travel on your own, considering only normal security measures.
But the countries that are in the northern and east coasts- dangerous for independent trips. These are Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil and Paraguay. In these countries, it is still better to travel as part of a tour group.
Peru is safe. Some sources advise to be careful in cities at night, to travel only by taxi. This is especially true of the capital Lima. In practice, everything is easier. We were in the center of Lima in the evening when darkness fell and the danger was not noticed. Tour buses traveled, tourists walked, churches and cathedrals were opened, people went shopping and dined in restaurants.
It is advised not to go out into the streets at night, i.e. after ten o'clock in the evening. In Lima, late in the evening, we needed a pharmacy, and the night boulevards turned out to be safe place. The police are on duty here, but outwardly everything is very, very calm.
In Cusco at night, remote from the capital, everything was even more calm. In the evening, temples worked and all shops and cafes were open, we walked along the streets at night quite calmly.
It is perfectly safe to travel by taxi at night, in this case, it is better to order it at the hotel or take it from the official taxi rank. All taxis are marked and have an official number, remember it before getting into the car.
But I repeat once again - Peru is safe in terms of crime.
But here you may face a completely different danger. This - mountain sickness. So many interesting places are at high altitude and the behavior of your body is completely unpredictable. Altitude sickness itself chooses its victims and can spare an elderly and not very healthy person, but completely undermine the strength of a young and energetic person. Several factors work here at once - at what altitude do you live at home, how much your body is able to adapt, how often before that you were in places at high altitude, as well as the work of your lungs, heart and many unaccounted for factors. Symptoms of mountain sickness are severe dizziness, high blood pressure, weakness of the whole body, like with the flu, nausea, even vomiting. Symptoms usually appear immediately, sometimes already on arrival, while still on the plane.
What to do in such cases? Do not panic!
If you are in a hotel, immediately contact the reception, call the phone, let your partner come there. Almost all hotels have altitude sickness pills and bottled oxygen. At altitude, the air is thinner due to the low oxygen pressure that your lungs need. Try all the ways that the locals offer: drink coca tea, chew coca leaves, drink pills, breathe extra oxygen. You may need to rest in bed, even during the day. You may not be able to sleep at night. Don't panic, let your body get used to it. But don't underestimate these symptoms. In acute conditions, swelling of the lungs or even the brain can occur.
If you are in the city and you feel sick, find the nearest pharmacy and buy medicines. Better yet, stock up on them ahead of time, they're inexpensive. Altitude sickness is called Soroche or sorojchi (pronounced "shirts") in Spanish. This is the English equivalent of Altitude sickness. You will need Soroche pills. The same medicines, most likely, will be offered to you at the reception. In places where there are many tourists, they are even found in restaurants.
If you still have mild symptoms, then try to take long breaks, spend more time in the fresh air, mountain sickness is more easily tolerated in Inca ruins, walk slowly, you may even have to change your plans.
Drink Coca-Cola, but only store-bought with original packaging. She was very helpful to me personally.
How to make a route
This is not easy to do. First of all, because there are a lot of interesting places in Peru, but they are all at a considerable distance from each other, because Peru is a large country. The main place that most if not all tourists fly to Peru is, of course, Machu Picchu. First, decide how much time you have for this trip. You will need at least one week, and better days ten. If you have two weeks, then you can see the maximum of interesting things.
So, you will start in Lima, arriving on an international flight. From there, local airlines fly to the city of Cusco - ancient capital Incas. Day trips are made from Cusco to Machu Picchu and other sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will need a week for this route.
If you have ten days, then you can add the city of Puno and the reed islands of Uros to the south, or the valley of the Nazca hieroglyphs to the north.
If you have two weeks, you will be able to get to Arequipa - a beautiful but remote city on south coast and visit the beautiful Colca Canyon. Or you can drive north, to the Amazon area or to the Nazca area and north coast Balestas.
Consider the vast distances in Peru when planning your itinerary. To overcome them, you will need a few days. For example, moving from Cusco to Puno takes all daylight hours. It will take even longer to move from Puno to Arequipa.
If you are not sure how to make an itinerary, open the website of any travel agency that organizes tours to this country. Take their route as a basis. After all, they offer not just like that, but routes that have been proven over the years and are in tourist demand.
Read more about our itinerary here From Bolivia to Peru - two in one. True, we added a little more Bolivia, but maybe you will find it interesting. There are also many useful practical tips.
What are the prices in Peru and is it expensive to travel there?
Peru - absolutely inexpensive country. The most expensive part of your trip will be the flight. That's where you pay the most attention. If you have a program to collect air miles or points for a flight, be sure to use it. Many airlines now offer credit cards with which you can pay for any purchases, but their benefit is that these payments earn you accumulated miles. Sometimes their accumulation takes a couple of years, but as a result you get a very cheap flight.
Inside the country, everything is very inexpensive. Therefore, feel free to reserve high-level hotels, eat in good restaurants, not in street eateries, take taxis and local transport. All this will be at very reasonable prices. The only exception is the day when you go to Machu Picchu. You will have to pay quite a lot for Railway tickets, and for entrance tickets to the complex itself.
The local currency in Peru is the Peruvian sol. They look nice, they depict Peruvian architectural monuments.
What hotels are there?
The hotels in Peru are excellent. Given that they are all inexpensive, I advise you not to save too much and settle in hotels of medium and medium-high category. Then you will be guaranteed safety, convenience, high quality, clean rooms, delicious breakfast and high level service.
Given the great tourist popularity, I strongly advise you to book hotels in advance, on any service. We do not use booking, so I can not say anything about this. But on tripadvisor.com you can easily find any hotel in any city in Peru (and not only) with numerous photos and guest reviews. Of course, you can use any site for booking and selection, just be sure to pay for the hotel before departure.
In Lima, we had a hotel in the safe coastal area of Miraflores. It was the most new hotel with clean rooms, quite spacious.
Separately, I must say about the bathroom, it was perfect. Cleanliness - almost sterile.
On the top floor of the hotel - open and covered terraces for breakfast. The breakfast was excellent, as everywhere in Peru there is a wide choice and variety - fresh fruits, pastries, cheeses and hams, cereals and cottage cheese, yogurts, juices, drinks.
In Cusco we lived the longest - four whole nights. The hotel was very good, located almost five minutes from the main square, in the off season it was almost empty. It was locked at night, and it was built on the site of an old house, with a covered patio, traditional for South American countries, with internal balconies on the floors.
Here we had to change the room. The first night we stayed in a room with a balcony. It was spacious enough.
But in the morning it turned out that there was a lot of noise coming from the street, it was completely impossible to sleep, and it was Sunday. We asked to change the room. After reviewing about a dozen rooms, we chose the most remote from the road. The room itself was small, at first I was even upset, but then it turned out that silence was more expensive, and the room itself was sufficient, and even more comfortable than the first one. So the rooms in this hotel are unequal. Separately, I want to say about the breakfast - it was great. A dozen fresh local fruits, numerous European pastries, warm egg dishes, lots of cheese, ham, various drinks, sweets.
In Puno, we checked into a hotel that overlooked the cathedral in the central square.
Both the room and the hotel are excellent.
Very friendly and knowledgeable front desk staff. We ordered an excursion from them to the reed islands of Uros, they advised us good restaurant, they suggested where the bureau of the Incaexpress agency is located, in which we bought tickets to Cusco.
The room was a little out of the ordinary. That is, it had everything, as always, even a jacuzzi bath, and a comfortable bed, a personal heater
Its unusualness was that its one wall was completely glass and closed at night with a dark curtain.
In addition, he had a tiny balcony, and even without going out on it, thanks to the glass wall, one could see part of the cathedral.
We liked. It’s even a pity that we spent only part of the day and one night there and left early in the morning of the next day.
In more detail, following the results of our trip, my husband wrote tips about our hotels, there are also the names of hotels and more photos, and prices:
Peru - hotels in Lima
Peru - hotels in Cusco
Peru - hotels in Puno
Bolivia - hotels in Copacabana
Bolivia - hotels in La Paz
How to move?
This is a very important issue for any traveler, and especially in the countries of South America.
As I said, Peru has very long distances. This is a minus. But the transport here is very well organized. This is a plus.
So, the main artery of Lima-Cusco is best and fastest to overcome by plane. The flight is short, just over an hour, the planes are good, the airport in Cusco is not far from the city, the ticket prices are moderate. The alternative ground transportation will take you daylight hours and it will be a complete waste of time. Buy air tickets in advance at home, on the LAN airline website.
There is a special train from Cusco to Machu Picchu.
From Cusco to different places of the Sacred Valley can be reached in different ways. For example, in Pisak, you will be taken by taxi, but it will be expensive. We found out at the hotel and took a minibus with locals. Comfort was average, but fast and inexpensive, I think about 8 soles for half an hour drive. Pisac is the nearest Inca city, located near Cusco, except for the Sacsayhuaman fortress, located almost within the city, you can even walk there, but it's better to take a taxi, because it will take a long time to climb up the mountain.
also in sacred valley located Ottagliatambo, Maras, Moray. We did not get there, but you can get there by local buses. You can also rent a car and move around comfortably. the roads in these places are good, with asphalt pavement.
It is best to travel around the city of Cusco by taxi, you will need it at least in order to get to Train Station and airport. The prices here are moderate. From the hotel to the airport we paid only 10 soles.
The big question is how to get from Cusco to Puno? This is a huge distance.
There are several options here.
Railroad crossing. The train takes 10 hours, it has a restaurant car and a view car for photos and in general for a convenient tour of the surroundings. A good option, although in the off season it does not go every day. Check the schedule.
Transfer by night bus. A good option, because in Peru, as in many developed countries in South America, there are double-decker buses with folding seats for the night that turn into a bed. On the first floor there are ordinary seats, though wide and comfortable, and on the second floor there are about 10 seats - beds with pillows and blankets. To be honest, I really wanted to ride such a bus, they say that this saves a night in a hotel, but for two trips to South America and four weeks spent on this continent, it didn’t work out. So I can’t say anything about my experience, but the reviews on the Internet are very, very good.
We chose the third option - the day bus. To be honest, at first I was more inclined towards the train, it seemed to me that it was much more convenient.
But it turned out that this option with the bus was wonderful. It was also the cheapest. It turned out to be not an ordinary bus, but a special transport and travel company Inka Express.
The bus made three (!) stops for sightseeing, one respite stop at a mountain pass, and one stop for lunch. Travel time is also ten hours, but they were not heavy. There was also a guide and conductor on the bus who handed out free drinks.
Inside it was very comfortable.
During the trip, we stopped in a town with a museum about the history of pre-Inca culture, where at the same time we talked with alpacas and vicuñas.
We saw a place completely unknown to us - the Inca city of Rakchi with the remains of the temple of the Sun (the rest of the temples were destroyed by the conquistadors)
We saw a masterpiece - a Catholic cathedral, inside, unfortunately, you can not take pictures.
At a stop at a mountain pass, we bought some of the national alpaca wool products
And had lunch at a great mountain restaurant,
where there was a large selection of food form buffet, live music and clean toilets.
How and where to eat?
I will say right away: in Peru, they cook very tasty food everywhere. In addition, the local cuisine uses a lot of vegetables, fruits, different types of meat, seafood, local cereals. The result is a great variety, especially when compared with neighboring Bolivia, where everything is much poorer. It is said that even in Argentina the diet is less varied, mostly meat and white bread. Peruvian cuisine is considered in South America, along with Brazilian, the most gourmet. Indeed, everywhere we ate, everything was very tasty, in addition, beautifully decorated and varied. Starting with the breakfasts in the hotels, which were very plentiful and varied.
We are not meat lovers, we practically don’t eat steaks, but in Peru we tried alpaca meat several times. They cook very tasty, side dishes are especially interesting - different types of vegetables, several unfamiliar types of pumpkins, multi-colored potatoes.
We did not go to expensive restaurants, but we also avoided eateries. In tourist places there are enough restaurants at average prices and safe in terms of hygiene. For example, in the city of Cusco, not far from our hotel, on a quiet street, we were all alone in the whole restaurant. We ate and ate with pleasure.
A good breakfast was served on the train that took us to Machu Picchu, and the breakfast was completely unexpected, I generally keep quiet about plates and cutlery. Everything is like in a restaurant.
On a mountain pass, alone standing restaurant surprisingly there was lunch in the form of a buffet. There I was lucky to eat a delicious soup-puree of vegetables (I cook these at home), local dishes from local cereals - kinoi, different types of meat.
Prices are moderate everywhere. Again, I refer to our budget Cost and route: Peru + Bolivia.
Avoid street food vendors, better buy something in a store, there are modern supermarkets in Peru. True, we bought boiled corn a couple of times, it is very special in Peru, large, juicy, sweet, probably from the time of the Incas.
Separately, I want to say about drinks. If there are no problems with food, then be careful about what and where you drink. In Peru something happened to me that hadn't happened in a long time. I got poisoned. And she got poisoned twice. And each time because it violated the well-known rules of tourists. I must say that poisoning, together with altitude sickness, ruined a few days of my trip. So, let's remember the basic rules:
- Never drink drinks with ice. Ice is made from unfiltered water and it can be the cause of your poisoning.
- do not order or drink freshly squeezed juices, as well as do not eat salads from fresh vegetables. All guidebooks warn about this. Because vegetables for salads are washed again in tap water, which is of very poor quality in Peru, and juices are squeezed out of fruits washed in the same water.
- Drink only bottled water, factory-packed juices, tea, beer (kills bacteria) and Coca-Cola (also kills food bacteria and helps fight altitude sickness). Usually we still drink local wine on trips, but Peru is not a country that can be proud of its winemaking, like neighboring Chile. To be honest, I'm not sure if they make wine at all.
The right season to travel.
There is no right season to travel to Peru. There is something for everyone. But how to choose the right season?
Let's start with the fact that Peru is located in the Southern Hemisphere and the seasons there are opposite to ours. That is, if you are used to traveling in the summer, remember that you will end up in winter. But the winter here is completely different, the country is not so far from the equator, there is no snow and frost here. But it will be cold, especially at night and especially in mountainous areas, and there will be less greenery. In addition, there will be many tourists at this time.
If you want to shorten your winter and travel to Peru in the winter, then you will get into the summer, which, however, will not be hot, especially in the mountainous regions. True, it must be borne in mind that in February the Urubamba River is sometimes so diluted, through which there is a train to Machu Picchu that it is canceled and your trip to meet the wonder of the world may be at great risk.
My personal favorite season for traveling to South America is the end of our autumn and the beginning of winter, that is, the end of November-beginning of December. Why? Firstly, there is the end of spring-beginning of summer, such as our May-June break. And this is the most beautiful and blooming time of the year. Secondly, at this time the longest daylight hours, which is very important when traveling. Thirdly, it's so nice to leave for warmer climes in the most depressing and dark time of the year, and return almost right before Christmas.
I really hope that my advice will seem interesting, useful, and someone will help move forward towards his goal. With it, I also complete my cycle about Peru. I hope I didn't bore you too much. Thank you all for your careful reading, for your interest and for all your comments and ratings. For those who are interested, I give links to all previous works.
The dream of my life - everything at once!!
