Trip report for Peru, Machu Picchu [View all]

Peru is a wonderful country to visit. There are many more things to see besides Machu Picchu, but I'll start with that.

Machu Picchu:
Getting here is a bit of a challenge. Lima is one of the few, if only, international airports in Peru, so generally speaking all roads go through there. The most common and probably easiest way to go is fly into Lima, clear customs, fly to Cusco, and then take the train to Aguas Calientes, from which it's a short bus ride to Machu Picchu. I'll cover more of the challenges later.

Weather is very much unpredictable. It rains a lot here all year long, so best to plan for this and hope you get a window of clear weather. The rainy season runs from December to March, and personally I'd avoid that time. Wear shoes that are moderately weather proof, comfortable, and grip well on smooth, uneven surfaces. Good hiking boots would work well, but I wouldn't say you really need them. Take a rain jacket and umbrella, or whatever you'd use for getting caught out in the rain as this will probably happen. Definitely take sun screen as it's a bit difficult to find in the markets. You'll need a decent hat that protects you from the sun, but those are readily available pretty much everywhere and are cheap.

The terrain is uneven with a lot of steps going up and down which can't be avoided. I wouldn't call it difficult, but those who are mobility impaired or very much out of shape are going to have a tough time. It takes about 3 hours minimum to do the entire site justice. The biggest climb is at the beginning and if I were to guess I'd say it's about like climbing 5-6 flights of stairs or perhaps a bit more. The remaining climbs and descents are much shorter.

If I had it to do over again I'd plan on arriving late at Aguas Calientes and spending the night there so you can hit the site early the next morning before the crowds get bigger. There's some good hotels, restaurants. and shopping here so you could definitely make a day of it. The train drops you off right in the middle of everything and it isn't a long walk to anything.

There are many options for hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu with 1, 3, and 5 day options being the most common. If I had it to do over again I'd probably do the 1 or 3 day hike. You don't really need to be a seasoned hiker to do this, but you do need to be in decent shape as the ascents are going to be moderately challenging. From what I saw of the trail it's well maintained.

There were a lot of people at the site, but I wouldn't say the crowds are prohibitive as the site is quite large and there's plenty to see.

Cusco:
Nice place to visit and at least for now pretty much all roads to Machu Picchu go through here. There's a lot to see and do so plan at least a full day here if not two. The main square contains most of what you'll want to see here. It's also a good launching point for day trips throughout the Sacred Valley.

More than likely you'll fly into Cusco as a bus over the Andes can take 19-24 hours. The airport is at 11,000' which presents significant problems for aircraft operating at such high altitudes. Flight delays and cancellations are common as is having your bags thrown off due to weight considerations. This happened to me and was a big pissor as I'm still waiting for my bag to get back home. There is another airport planned in the Sacred Valley which is reportedly going to be operational in 5 years, but the altitude is higher and will most certainly have some of the same issues. My advice is to pack very light and keep everything you need in a carry on for the entire trip. Wash your socks and underwear in the sink at the hotel or have them do your laundry. Take a compact duffel bag to use for souvenirs as a single checked bag.

Lima:
Lima is a large cosmopolitan area and offers most of the things you'd find at pretty much any large city. I stayed in the Miraflores area, which is a nice place. Traffic is bad and the options for public transportation aren't that great. If you like big cities there's plenty to see and do.

Peru in general:

Altitude can be a big problem here outside of Lima. Machu Picchu is at 8,000' and Cusco is at 11,000'. Some areas in the Sacred Valley go up to 14,000'. I saw people who I thought were quite healthy succumbing to altitude sickness, while elderly people had few problems. Personally I knew how I was going to react at high altitude, but if you don't know you'd best be prepared for the worst of it. The hotels in Cusco have oxygen available and you can buy portable oxygen kits at the hotels and pharmacies for about $10-15, but they don't last long. I have a bit of experience operating at high altitudes. If you feel symptoms, just sit down and breathe deeply and slowly for at least 5 minutes even if symptoms disappear sooner. The bottom line is altitude effects everyone differently and you shouldn't think that just because you're in good shape you won't have symptoms. I'm in great shape, but at 14,000' I can definitely feel it and I'm sure most people who aren't fully acclimated to high altitude will feel it there and at lower altitudes.

The language barrier isn't much of a problem. I know many Spanish phrases, but I'm certainly not fluent. The hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists will have English speaking employees. If you have a smart phone, Google Translate and others have options for downloading language sets which I found handy.

WiFi was available for free at all the hotels where I stayed. Public wifi can be found at many restaurants and coffee shops. Data roaming and cellular talk is expensive so check with your provider before you go to see what your options are. Skype is a good way to keep in touch.

I didn't see a single mosquito the entire trip, but was advised to keep the hotel windows closed at night. Repellent was readily available in the markets, which are everywhere in the tourist areas.

The local currency is soles which is currently 3.24 to the US dollar. Many places that cater to tourists will take USD, but it isn't like some places where the dollar is preferred. It's best to deal in local currency where possible. A few market vendors will take plastic, but most won't. Pretty much all restaurants and hotels that cater to tourists will take plastic. Some credit and debit cards will charge you an exchange fee while some will not. If you have an account at a bank (not credit union) you may be able to order soles ahead of time for no charge beyond the normal exchange rate. I found the prices to be quite good pretty much everywhere. Expect to pay about half what comparable goods and services will cost in the US and in some instances much less. A 15 minute Uber ride cost $2.78 USD and I picked XL over the basic option.

The CDC recommends Hep A and Typhoid vaccination for the entire country and others for the rain forest areas. I opted for the first two. The biggest risk is TD, which every seasoned traveler is going to be familiar with. I always pack loperamide wherever I go. You can decrease your risk by always drinking bottled water and hot drinks, and avoiding uncooked foods, but even at that you stand a good chance of getting it. Disinfectant wipes and good hand washing practices are your friend.

Cops are everywhere in the tourist areas and beyond. You'll also see a lot of concertina wire, fences, bars, and spikes around most homes and businesses. Seems a bit intimidating, but I never felt unsafe at any time.

The food is excellent and one of the best things about the country. Seek out local recommendations for the best restaurants and expect to pay about half what a comparable place in the US will cost for most things. As is the case with most places, buffet restaurants tend to cater more to the tour buses and the quality of food is lower, but the options are more plentiful and some feature excellent local entertainment. Many full service restaurants can be found at very high levels of quality and service.

Tourist markets are everywhere and lots of people are selling hand made goods on the streets. Most of it is textiles made from Alpaca wool with varying degrees of quality. You'll find pretty much the same stuff everywhere, so avoid the urge to buy the first thing you see. The best experience I had was taking a Cusco hotel organized day trip to see Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez in Chinchero. She gave us and excellent presentation on how goods are made from Alpaca wool. She has given seminars at major US universities on the subject and has been featured by National Geographic a couple of times. I highly recommend buying stuff there as you cut out all the middle in the marketing chain. IMO baby Alpaca wool is the best in the world and is much more environmentally friendly than cashmere. Yes you can bargain with them, but no I did not. $100 USD for a sweater made from the best wool in the world which took a month to make by hand is a helluva deal anywhere. They also have goods that are cheaper because they are made from lower quality wools, but are still excellent and can be had for about $20 USD for a nice sweater. At higher end shops you can also find very high quality goods made from baby alpaca wool at factories in Lima using more modern weaving methods. Expect to pay a premium in price and some of that stuff can be found online anyway from Lima retailers.

The toilet water spins the same direction.

If anyone is interested I can post pics later, but still waiting for my camera from my checked bag that didn't make the trip home with me.