SometimesFlyer

Gosh, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. If you lean towards the Opus Ones or Islay single malts, you are certainly better of buying duty free or bringing your own. I don't recall ever seeing things like these being sold retail in Cusco/SV. Lima has a couple high end shops.

Local beer and pisco on the other hand is widely available. I think the gas station across the road from TdI has some. There is also at least 1 liquor store at the plaza in Urubamba selling mostly local liquor and beer. Maybe some vodka too.

Cheers,
SF

Thunderroad

Wow, thanks for the quick reply! No, we're not Opus One types. Not quite Two Buck Chucks, but as for wine we'd be looking for something that would bein the $10-$20 range in the U.S. As for the liquor, we're not picky as we would just be mixing it with tonic water.

Speaking of which, am I correct in assuming that tonic water is easily available in shops there? In some countries it's a somewhat exotic item.

SometimesFlyer

I would suggest that you just throw in couple bottles in your baggage as insurance. Local wines are really a hit a miss, usually a miss. I hauled some of my own. No idea about the tonic water ...

Have a good trip. You leaving soon yah?

Cheers,
SF

Thunderroad

Yep, leaving this Thursday. I'd say "can't wait!" but as usual lots to do work-wise and otherwise before going. Already looking forward to that first pisco sour.

Speaking of alcohol...did you simply take Duty Free in your carry-on all the way through to CUZ? Or did you pack bottles in your checked baggage?

SometimesFlyer

I just packed a couple bottles of wine in my baggage with these padded wine carriers. Duty free in hand luggage would not work as you have to come out landside in Lima when you arrive and there is another security check to get back airside for the domestic flight to CUZ.

Have a coca sour for me when you arrive at TDI.

Cheers,
SF

Thunderroad

Funny...I just got word over at the LAN forum that in fact it's possible to buy duty free upon arrival in LIM after clearing immigration.

Regardless, will have a coca sour (whatever that is), a pisco sour and whatever other sours to toast you for your help!

iahphx

It looks like I'll be headed back to the Sacred Valley next year. As the early posts in this thread indicate, I was one of their early guests in 2010. Redeeming points was a sweet deal back then, as they even gave us free breakfast (a bonus quickly ended).

But now I see that the property is Cat. 5. Yuck. And with the devaluation of C&P, even that's not a very attractive option. This is not an expensive part of the world, and the Tambo will cost me almost twice what any other 4 or 5 star hotel in the area would. Too bad. I liked the property but I'm bringing my family this time, and I can't justify that level of expense for the hotel. I wonder if they will be "downgraded" to Cat. 4 next winter. The room prices, while high ($195), don't seem Cat. 5 worthy.

andyandy

I've got a stay coming up here in early November. Trying to line up a daytrip to MP and contacted the in-house agency for a quote. $880 for two. Yikes! I'm now leaning toward making the arrangements myself but wondered if anyone had had any luck negotiating with Tikariy. I'd prefer not having to fool with making arrangements but booking myself could cost less than $600 and others have reported that they paid $750/two http://www.eatori.com/2013/03/machu-pichu-by-train.html with Tikariy.

Andyandy

BayAreaTraveler

That's a ripoff. Totally DIY. You just need to purchase MP tickets (can be done online or through an approved agency), rail tickets, and bus tickets (can be done in AC). Tour guides will be available before you enter MP and you can negotiate on an individual/group rate.

andyandy

Yeah, that's the way I'm leaning. From what I can tell DIY will be (for two people):
$368 Perurail Train Urubamba-Aguas Calientes w/ AC-Olantaytambo return incl. lunch
$10-20 taxi Olant. to Tambo del Inka
$37 for return bus tickets from AC to MP
$164 MP + Huayna Picchu tickets from ticket.machupicchu.com (repeated tries and failures with the official site)

So, I'm looking at $589 all-in w/o a tour guide. $880 is just crazy. I'm going to e-mail an offer to Tikariy, but I think I'll end up booking everything myself. I could cut another $60 out of that by skipping the buffet at the Sanctuary Lodge and am contemplating that. Reports seem to indicate that it is possible (if not sanctioned) to pack in (and pack out!) a lunch.

Andyandy

BayAreaTraveler

I would skip the buffet at the Sanctuary Lodge and pack my own lunch or eat at AC. I don't think you are allowed to eat in MP and you probably wouldn't want to since you'll be doing a lot of walking. When I went, I had the hotel (not TdI but another one in CUZ) pack breakfast for me as I was departing very early in the morning and I ate on the train ride, but you could also eat in AC or right before the entrance to MP. The Vistadome train (assuming you are taking that one) will provide small food service but it won't be enough.

The MP ticket site is a royal pain to use and I was never able to purchase tickets on the site as my CC kept getting denied. I eventually gave in and went through an agency as I didn't want to deal with the stress of getting the tickets.

Have a great trip! You'll be glad you went.

iahphx

Day-tripping from the hotel is silly and terrible bang for your buck. What you should do is the following.

Take a short taxi ride to Urubamba where you catch the train to Aguas Calientes -- many trains a day from there. Seat61.com has the details, book in advance. I'd recommend taking a late afternoon train after a pleasant day in the Sacred Valley. Check in to your Aguas hotel (many to choose from, cheap, look at tripadvisor reviews), have a nice dinner (I recall there's a great French restaurant in town). Wake up early (lots of people go pre-dawn, I think that's nuts, but whatever) -- way before the daytrippers arrive. Take the shuttle bus up the mountain to MP, spending as much time as you like. Afterwards, head back into town. You can soak your feet at the hot springs, go shopping and/or have a nice meal. Take an evening train back to Urubamba, and a short taxi ride will take you back to the Starwood.

You'll spend a fraction of the amount of money you think you're going to spend, and have a far superior experience.

Oh, and book the cheapest train fare there is. It's pointless to pay for the better car; there's little difference and it's a short ride.

BayAreaTraveler

I don't totally agree with that statement. OP is still going to have to pay for MP tickets, train tickets (either thru PeruRail or IncaRail), bus tickets for the ride up and down MP. Those are pretty much fixed costs and I do agree on getting the cheapest train tickets possible, Expedition or Tourist class, which in of itself is a ripoff considering the price you pay for the distance traveled.

If OP has an extra day, then I would agree that he'll have a far better experience staying the night in AC. But if OP wanted to solely minimize cost then the hotel is a BTI and staying at TdI would probably not be a good idea... hostels would probably be a better choice and one of my former coworkers stayed at one years ago for his MP trip. IMHO, you only really need a couple of hours in MP so I ended up doing a daytrip. I didn't find AC that appealing to he honest and had a much better time in Cusco.

iahphx

It seems like everyone has a different opinion of Aguas Calientes. Given my low expectations, I thought it was fine. You're really just using it as a "base camp" for MP. And it serves that function perfectly. Also, any town with a good, affordable Franco-Peruvian restaurant can't be half-bad.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...co_Region.html

Personally, I think it's essential to stay in AC the night before your MP trip. I can't understand why you wouldn't. Why pay more to be inconveniently located at the Tambo for that night? And you'll save at least $100 on the hotel room.

After that, I think the (overpriced) train tickets start at about $100 roundtrip, admission is about $50 each, and the bus was something like $15. Add in some taxi fares to the Tambo and you're at well under $400 per couple. And then you'll easily save $100 (probably more) on the much cheaper Aguas hotel. It's a much better MP experience at a much lower cost.

travelswithmyself

Haven't been to Peru (or S America for that matter), but your comment begs the question - why stay at Tambo at all then? I ask in all seriousness.

I'm thinking of June next year