It's a great trip. The Sheraton in Lima is across from the government offices that were burned during the political problems. Spouse jogs, left to run and came right back. It is not a nice area and you would want to stay in the hotel. The hotel is beautiful, I believe it had a casino on ground level with a great buffet. We were upgraded and the customer service was excellent. There will be no less than 100 drivers more than happy to take you to the hotel. We hired a driver for a day, went to the gold museum, etc. Really it was not worth staying in Lima. I would have preferred to stay longer in Cusco. As far as Machu Picchu, look for a tour if you don't want to bargain. You will take a one hour flight from the international airport in Lima (check the carrier because I found out the one I took was on the black list). The flight will take you to Cusco, and you will want to get a local guide to see the great ruins in the area. From there, take a bus or taxi to the train that takes you up to Macchu Picchu. If you get the train from Cusco, it takes about 1 1/2 hours longer, if you drive over the hill to the next train station it is about 40 minutes. You don't need a guide for Machu Picchu, explore on your own. Go up to the Puerta del Sol, that is the first view of Machu Picchu from the Inca Trail. Accommodations are easy to find, backpackers delight. Recommendations: Don't stay in Lima, get a guide for Cusco for a couple days, go to Frommers, Fodors or Lonely Planet and search the messages for a good guide and recommendations for accommodations in both Cusco and Machu Picchu, be willing to bargain for everything-it is part of the fun and they expect it, but don't pay more than $4.00 for an embroidered t-shirt, and watch the Pisco sours!