Windward Side of Life

I'm wondering if any fellow FT’ers could help me out with some information. I’ve read thru many threads here and elsewhere to get information, but want to make sure of info as much as I can before we leave. Forewarned and all that…

My wife and I leave this week for a LAX-LIM-UIO r/t on Latam with a 7:40 AM arrival into Lima and a 9 hour layover before our onward connection to UIO at 4:40 PM. We are visiting some friends in Quito who run a non-profit foundation working with teenage girls. We are planning on taking some items with us for them to use in the craft classes they have with these girls, and we are also taking a few clothing items to give as gifts to some of the people working in the foundation. Nothing really fancy/expensive, but all together the items’ values - craft supplies plus gifts - probably total around $600. I’ve been to Quito before but this is my first time transiting LIM so I would appreciate any help in regards to the transit. My questions then are these:

• We are ticketed thru to UIO. I assume any checked baggage we have will not have to be claimed in LIM to go thru customs there? If checked baggage is inspected then I may have some follow-up questions.
• Immigrations/customs in LIM will take maybe an hour assuming #1 above is true?
• I understand that LIM traffic is not pleasant, say our arrival is on-time and we clear immigrations/customs and get our carry-ons stored by 9 AM or so does that leave enough time to go Miraflores and would 3-4 hours be worth it? I know “worth it” is highly subjective, but if I could have around 4 hours there instead of an airport with marginal lounges I’m pretty sure that would qualify.
• Would Miraflores be best for such a short timeframe? Subjective again, I know…
• Would the new shuttle be recommended instead of the taxi gauntlet?

Thanks much.

rubesl

We've used & I recommend, taxidatum.com for transportation. Their rate is US$20 each way between LIM & Miaflores (you make arrangements with them ahead of time & pay the driver with cash). The traffic is lousy & the ride will be over an hour each way. It's subjective if it's worth it, but if it was me, I would leave Miaflores by 2 p.m. for 4:40 flight.

Windward Side of Life

Thanks much for your input. I’ll admit that I’m kind of leaning towards the shuttle bus since it can be booked online ahead of time, no need for cash w/d at the airport. Plus wifi enroute would be nice though not critical.

I’m thinking that maybe we’d take it to the first stop (Hotel Torreblanca) then just walk along the chain of parks atop the sea cliffs and end up at the Larcomar area for some lunch. From there we can either catch the shuttle bus or, probably better, a cab back to the airport. It looks to be between 1.5-2 miles of walking thru the parks between the Torreblanca and Larcomar, do I understand correctly that there are footpaths the whole way? The weather forecast for Lima on Thursday is pretty decent, so if it holds then a nice walk along the ocean front seems like a good idea after the flying.

And we will definitely leave before 2 PM, probably 1:30 PM is as late as I’d be comfortable going. I think even 3 hours would be worth it to me to get out and be able to walk in ocean air, have a nice lunch and see the city from a taxi window.

Eastbay1K

Luggage will be checked through. No issue there.

Your not-previously-discussed issue is that you will not have paid the int'l departure tax/fee as a transit passenger, and when your BP is scanned as you enter the departure area, you'll probably be denied entry and have to arrange for payment. I can't help you with the details (i.e., how you specifically fix this if you voluntarily enter Peru) but when it once happened to me (IRROPS on LAN, and they put me at the airport hotel for the night, and my new connecting BP wasn't coded for tax payment - so I had to return to the counter to fix it).

Windward Side of Life

A salient point, thanks for mentioning. I did pick that up from prior reading so we are prepared to pay the fee (~31USD I think), but I will make sure I know where/what is involved in doing that prior to leaving the airport. I too believe it is at the counter but will double-check.

If the checked bag is indeed checked thru and not claimed for immigrations/customs then it makes the idea of trekking downtown a much more realistic possibility, brief as it may be. Having to possibly/probably go thru the bag and explain the craft items as not being for commercial use, the few clothing items being gifts, etc. would seem unavoidable in creating delays and protracted explanations. Perhaps I'm reading too much into the Peru customs descriptions but the whole red light green light process seemed to make it a very distinct possibility.

Again, much appreciated

rubesl

I believe the departure tax is now included in your ticket. When we left LIM for ATL in March, after 10 days in Peru, we did not pay any departure tax at LIM.

Eastbay1K

It is included in your ticket if you have a LIM departure, but not a LIM int'l to int'l connection.