Peru - Advice Please - LIM-CUZ-Paracas

My wife and I are planning 12 day trip to Peru for end of August/early September, using miles and points. My 2nd trip to South America (Venezuela in '99) and my wife's first. We have Lonely Planet and Insight guides for Peru, but respect fellow travelers' opinions.

Here's our itinerary as it stands now:

Day 1 (Sat): Arrive LIM 10pm. Taxi or hotel shuttle to Doubletree El Pardo in the Miraflores area.

Day 2 (Sun): Explore Lima/Miraflores. Looking for restaurant rec's and general rec's.

Day 3 (Mon): Fly LIM-CUZ probably 8AM flight. Thoughts on LAN, StarPeru or Taca? We've seen threads about the "gringo tax/fee". Considering weather issues, we hope to fly nonstop, even tho a connecting option may be slightly cheaper. We just want the least amount of hassle to maximize time in CUZ/MP/Sacred Valley. 3 nights at the Tambo del Inka in Urubamba. Considering our expected arrival time of approximately 10AM, we were thinking of hiring a guide to meet at the airport, tour Sacred Valley and then to the hotel.

Day 4 (Tues): MP - train directly from Tambo up, then on return, off at Ollantaytambo, explore there, then taxi back to Tambo.

Day 5 (Wed): Cuzco - possibly hire a guide again to maximize our time. What are the not-to-be-missed sights in Cuzco? We'd also like to allow a few hours for relaxing at the beautiful Tambo.

Day 6 (Thur): Early return flight to LIM. Next stop, Doubletree Paracas. Thoughts on bus or rental car? Also, thoughts on road quality of the Pan Americana highway Lima-Paracas, realistically, how long would this drive take? Any other important facts?

Day 7 (Fri): Islas Ballestas

Day 8 (Sat): Pisco (maybe winery or Pisco-producer tour?), Ica (museums), Nazca lines

Day 9 (Sun): relaxing around the hotel

Day 10 (Mon): drive back to Lima, perhaps stopping at Reserva Nacional de Paracas along the way. Overnight at Doubletree El Pardo

Day 11 (Tue): relax at hotel, maybe some shopping and one last tour around Lima, late flight back to the States

I'd love feedback. I realize we probably should have added another day to the MP/Sacred Valley area and cut out a day in Paracas, however, I've already reserved on points in Paracas, and can't make changes. Perhaps we might be able to pick up another Cuzco day on the front end by flying from LIM to CUZ on Sunday instead of Monday.

Early september is still good weather in the mountains so you shouldn't have flight delays, at least because of weather. I recommend Lan or Taca.

The not-to-be-missed sights in Cuzco are the ruins near the city (Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Kenko & Puka Pukará - this is a typical half-day short circuit), plus those within and some churches, like the Cathedral and Koricancha (mix of ruins and monastery).

About Paracas, if you have not driven in Peru before, don't do it. We peruvians drive too wild. Take a bus (Ormeño, Cruz del Sur, Oltursa) or coordinate transport with your hotel. It's about 240km, not less than 3 hours.

You have to take a plane from Ica to Nazca Lines to avoid the bus trip from Pisco/Paracas to Nasca (230km). Ica is 80km from Pisco.

September is still winter and though the winter is not so strong (and this year is even less strong), it's usually cloudy every day in this season. Keep in mind this.Anyway I think it is worth it.

You have quite a full program, but I think it is doable with the following remarks:

day 4: train to MP and back to Ollantaytambo. You will probably arrive in Ollantaytambo too late to explore the archeological site there and after a full day tour to MP I would just go back to the hotel and relax.

day 5: allow a full day for Cuzco, all sights are pretty close to the Plaza de Armas, you should not miss Sacsayhuaman (you can walk up from the Plaza de Armas). I don't think you need a guide for Cuzco if you have your tour books.

day 6: car rental is no problem, Panamericana is good quality, no problem driving your own car, however, be aware that you have to cross Lima (traffic is "slightly" more chaotic than in the US). According to your schedule this will be late morning, so trafficwise not a big issue. If you drive your own car, get lunch at El Piloto in Canete before Pisco.

day 7: doing Pisco, Ica and Nazca on 1 day to/from Paracas is too much IMO. If you want to take a flight over the Nazca lines, you should reserve at least the day before and be there in the morning. You could maybe cut the last day in Lima and add a day for Nazca. August/September is not really a good time climatewise for Lima.

Agree with Villavic. Driving / drivers in Peru are crazy so if you plan to drive you are by definition crazy :D:D Seriously, with the quality and low cost of bus transport, why take on this risk and headache?

Driving in Peru is a piece of cake compared to driving in Cairo or at night in the Baltics or Eastern Europe. Of course your hair was going to turn grey anyway, right?:D

Agree with Villavic. Driving / drivers in Peru are crazy so if you plan to drive you are by definition crazy :D:D Seriously, with the quality and low cost of bus transport, why take on this risk and headache?

Driving in Peru is a piece of cake compared to...

You know they turn right from the left lane, crossing two lanes because of the combis, right? And the honking is not a cacophony, it is an intricate communication of 4 vehicles occupying 2 lanes. And of course the first time in Peru driver knows the unwritten procedures (in Spanish) if something happens? Just say'n. ;)

Thanks all for the great suggestions. We added another day from the beginning of our trip to spend more time in Cuzco/MP/Sacred Valley.

As for driving, your replies led us to reconsider the bus. My wife is a great navigator, I'm a native LA boy and am used to the stereotypical Italian driver (my wife), having driven in Rome & all over Southern Italy, but I think we're busing it Lima-Paracas. The loss of freedom from taking the bus may be well worth it to avoid the headaches if we were to be involved in a traffic accident in a Spanish speaking country. Hablamos un poco espanol, but not enough to deal with another driver and local officials. ;)

... I think we're busing it Lima-Paracas. The loss of freedom from taking the bus may be well worth it to avoid the headaches if we were to be involved in a traffic accident in a Spanish speaking country. Hablamos un poco espanol, but not enough to deal with another driver and local officials. ;)Although I have driven in many chaotic countries, I think this is wise.
Peruvian buses are much better than USA,
yet you may wan't to try for a car with driver.
Hotels can arrange such, but usually at a stupid price.
Sometimes I pay it, though, especially when
much of the other transport/hotel comes in free.
Going door-to-door and stopping when you like is worth a lot.

When taxi-ing around LIM,
ask your driver for a price on a one-way to Paracas.
He may not wan't the job, but his brother might.
Then again, the brother could be a secuestero.:o

yet you may wan't to try for a car with driver.
....
When taxi-ing around LIM,
ask your driver for a price on a one-way to Paracas.
He may not wan't the job, but his brother might.
Then again, the brother could be a secuestero.:o

That's a good idea, and a driver can give you the freedom you don't get by bus.

I wouldn't suggest to ask any taxi driver in Lima. Not necessarily kidnappers :), but many of them are too informal, not in time, etc. But maybe asking at a travel agency you can find a reliable driver and not so expensive than thru hotels.

OK, we've adjusted our schedule at the front end of the trip to fly LIM-CUZ on Sunday, giving us another day in MP/SV/CUZ area, which I think we'll definitely fill.

Now, any rec's on a specific travel agency in Lima (including e-mail) who could quote prices for a private car & driver? I tried Fertur's website, but there seemed to be some issue, as it would never take my info. I also e-mailed limatours and am awaiting their reply.

Also, is the Islas Ballestas tour worth it? My wife is prone to motion sickness, but is willing to try this adventure and will bring ginger pills. I just don't want her to be completely miserable if it's very rough. I've read morning tours tend to be somewhat calmer than afternoon. Can anyone give me contact info for the best tour company?

Also, contact info for pisco producers who may offer tours of their facilites?

Thank you!

Also, contact info for pisco producers who may offer tours of their facilites?


That's an interesting question, and a bit complicated to answer. I was checking for pisco tours few days ago and found some "bodegas artesanales", kind of craft or artisan (not sure about the translation) wineries/cellars, in Ica (80km from Pisco), but those are brands I don't know, except El Catador (artisan) and Vista Alegre (more industrial), I think those are good piscos though I have not tasted.

http://www.peruviajesyturismo.com/tours/tour-de-bodegas-de-ica.html
http://www.vistaalegre.com.pe/

I've heard good comments about (artisan) pisco El Catador, from friends. However if you look for reviews in tripadvisor, you'll find good and bad comments about the visit and its pisco (as usual in tripadvisor, I always find good and bad opinions about everything).

When I was in Mendoza, I got some tours, all of them were to artisan or small wineries and found they were not the best argentine wines. I had to call Fabre Montmayou or Nieto Senetiner to visit them by myself (2 of my fave argentine wines). I guess it's similar in Ica.

I do recommend visiting Tacama and Ocucaje by yourself (with a driver, Tacama is near Ica city, 20 minutes from the highway thru a dirt road, it's a beautiful old farm house). Both wineries offer good piscos.
http://www.tacama.com/english/visitenos/index.htm
http://www.ocucaje.com/
Ocucaje is near the higway but more far than Tacama (specially if you depart from Pisco).

You must know that not all piscos are from Pisco town (or even Ica region). At the duty free airport you will a very good pisco called Biondi (always I take Biondis as gifts to my peruvian friends in the US, they are delighted)
http://piscobiondi.com/en/main.html
Biondi is a pisco from Moquegua, a southern region in Peru. And Arequipa produces good piscos too.

Another good pisco I like is produced 80km south of Lima, called Sarcay. Not sure if you can find it in the airport. But a visit to the cellar would imply a full day tour from Lima, not Pisco or Ica.
http://elsarcay.pe/

Viejo Tonel is another good pisco in Ica, you can find it in any market and the airport. Don't know if the cellar receives visits.
http://www.viejotonel.com/index-ingles.html

take the bus from Lima to Paracas. don't drive !:eek: You can get to all the places around Paracas i.e. Ica etc. with the major Peruvian bus lines: Ormeño, Cruz del Sur, Oltursa. the buses can be quite comfortable also. Especially in 1st class.