South America group posting on GLOBOsapiens

A few questions about Peru

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gardkarlsen Joined: Dec 02 Points: 2833 Posts: 55 Posted: 2005-09-28 22:23:00    Hi A friend of mine and myself are in the early planning phase when it comes to a trip to Peru and Bolivia. I have bought the Lonely Planet Guide for Peru and I have started reading and Peru looks like fun I guess we will start out in La Paz (visiting family) and then the route might be something like Lake Titicaca, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Nazca, Arequipa...does this sound doable in 2 weeks? Is September a good time to go? I would love to see trip reports from others, advise on places that are worth visiting and place that I can avoid etc. I'm not really a backpacker so I'm also wondering on how lost I will be there :-) Thanks in advance for any tips. Regards Gard http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures --- Regards Gard http://gardkarlsen.c-om - trip reports and pictures Reply    Reply with quote    Contact gardkarlsen   downundergal Premium account Joined: Jun 02 Points: 12936 Posts: 221 Posted: 2005-09-29 01:57:00    Hi Gard, What you propose is probabley "doable" - just... the main concern is that you don't have the iteinary too tight that you miss ongoing connections. When we travelled a similar route but in reverse we were blockaded in La Paz & nearly missed our flight out to Brazil and we were literally stuck in Puno(Lake Titicaca) for an extra couple of days because they blockaded the roads. I think you need to allow at least 3 or 4 nights (more if poss) in Cuzco because there are so many other fabulous ruins to see and at least 2 nights in Aguas Calientes to have a full day up in Machu Picchu. I didn't make it to Arequipa or Nazca so I can't comment on that section of the journey. I am not a backpacker neither, that is I carry a backpack but I stay in decent hotels and there are plenty of these at a reasonable price. If you need recommendations I am happy to help out with where we stayed. I am sure there are loads of travel tips on globo as well. I was there in March so I am not sure of the weather in September, chilly I would imagine. Good luck, Kerrie <p>[ This Message was edited by: downundergal on 2005-09-29 01:57 ] [ This Message was edited by: downundergal on 2005-09-29 01:58 ] --- Where to next? Reply    Reply with quote    Contact downundergal   mistybleu Premium account Joined: Aug 04 Points: 53340 Posts: 245 Posted: 2005-09-30 21:53:00    Gard, I concur with Kerrie, it is possible to achieve all of that in two weeks, however I would just be careful not to crame too much in, without having sufficent time to see all the sites which was what happened to me last year. Another concern would be allowing a couple of days in the beginning of your journey to acclimatise. Davidx will be back shortly so he might be able to give you a few tips. I wrote a couple of reports not sure whether they will be of any use but check them out: http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/La+Paz-1550.html http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/Machu+Picchu-1469.html Rgds Misty --- "So many places, so little time" ((*_*)) Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mistybleu   mistybleu Premium account Joined: Aug 04 Points: 53340 Posts: 245 Posted: 2005-09-30 21:58:00    PS, I stayed in Casa Andina in Cusco and Puno and was pleasantly surprised; the rooms were nice and clean, and they were renovated last year. A very reasonable 3* hotel with great service; not sure whether its listed in the Lonley planet, but I'm quite fussy and I was impressed. Misty --- "So many places, so little time" ((*_*)) Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mistybleu   daniserralta Premium account Joined: Aug 02 Points: 11491 Posts: 124 Posted: 2005-10-01 12:08:00    Hi! Well, in my opinion all depends on if you will do the Inca Trail. ??? That's 4 days plus a couple more days to see Cuzco and all the wonderful archeological sites around. It means 6 days + maybe 3 or 4 with your family in La Paz = 10 days?? there's only 4 more days .... I think is not enough for Nazca, Titicaca lake, Puno, Arequipa, Lima ... If you go just for one day to the Machupicchu then probably is ok but in a little hurry cause thre is a lot to see in Peru. To find acomodations, etc.. I think that in Globosapiens there are a lot of Tips about. September is ok, is not that cold. The hard winter is gone and the machupicchu is in green grass!! Dani! --- The journey is the reward. -- Tao saying Reply    Reply with quote    Contact daniserralta   eirekay Premium account Joined: Aug 03 Points: 19539 Posts: 214 Posted: 2005-10-02 00:08:00    Hi, I really enjoyed hiking the Inka Trail - it was a spectacular experience, in large part because you see so many ruins along the way. That said, it required two days to acclimatize in Cusco, four days to reach Machu Picchu and we spent an extra day, taking the 4pm train back, so that we could explore the ruins fully. I agree with Kerrie - don't limit Machu Picchu to one day up and back on the train. We were able to go up to the ruins at 6am and be there almost alone. The experience was incredible. I do admit to paying for a porter to carry my gear on the trail - it's cheap ($40) and well worth it. We went in July - the middle of winter - and were fine weahter wise. I posted a slide album of the four days on the trail. There are a number of Sacred Valley tours available from Cusco that take in Pisac, Ollentaytambo and Chinchero, along with every open air market in between. I think we paid $30 for the full day tour and it was well worth it. We went on to Puerto Maldonado (near the Bolivian border) and up the Madre de Dios River to stay a week on an Ecological Reserve. I highly recommend that experience too. Eire --- Life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away. Profile Pic: Tikal, Guatemala Reply    Reply with quote    Contact eirekay