JNelson113

Hi all, looking at visiting Peru for the first time in late May/early June and need some advice. The travelers will be me, my husband (we are fit and in our 40s) and my 10 year-old daughter (great traveler but not as athletic). We live at sea level so the altitude concerns me, especially for my daughter. I don't see her doing really strenuous hiking.

Right now I'm looking at:
5/21 arrive late at night in Lima. Overnight at the Holiday Inn at the airport.
5/22 fly to Cusco and stay at the Tambo del Inka resort in the Sacred Valley
5/23 Tambo
5/24 Tambo
5/25 train to Machu Picchu, stay at the Jaya suites
5/26 visit Machu Picchu, stay at the Jaya suites
5/27 train to Cusco, and stay at the JW Marriott
5/28 Cusco/JW Marriott
5/29 fly back to Lima and stay at the JW Marriott Miraflores
5/30 Lima/JW Marriott
5/31 Lima/JW Marriott
6/1 fly back and the plane leaves at 12:45am

I'm starting to feel that this is a bit rushed and am considering tacking a day onto Cusco and either Lima or the Tambo. Any opinions? We all love traveling and sightseeing but since my daughter was born we're leisurely travelers; we like to tour for 4-5 hours then relax at the hotel or just walk around the town and people watch. We won't be cramming ever single thing into every day.

Thanks!

HaleiwaFlyer

Definitely do-able, but the first trip is great to check out places that you like and don't like. There is just so much to do in Peru and each city, and there won't be enough time for everything. As for altitude sickness, consult with the pediatrician/physician for possible medications and tips/hints.

For the Cusco flights, take the early flights, as delays/cancellations may occur in the afternoon due to weather.

Make sure you reserve your tickets to Machu Picchu early ( book on the government site), and chose the hike you would like to do: Machu Picchu Ruins + Huayana Picchu (think of the photos of the Mt. top, looking down on the ruins) vs Macchu Picchu Mountain. Plan to choose only one mountain and the ruins. Also plan to pick up tickets before the bus ride up from Aqua Caliente to the ruins, and plan on purchasing tickets for the bus rides ahead.

Tambo del Inka is awesome, and one of my favorite resorts. You can spend a lot of time at Sacred Valley exploring the different ruins. Sacsayhuaman has lots of ruins around it too, don't miss out on the natural slide in the backside.

Have a great trip.

JNelson113

Thank you for the great tips! I think that we'll stick with the current itinerary, and just try to see and do a reasonable amount, with the plan of returning and seeing more at a later date. Thanks again!

andreadbc

I also think it sounds reasonable, it's good to take time and not feel to hurried and have extra time if something might happen. I do like when visitors go to the valley first and Cuzco at the end. You could also probably manage with just one night at Aguas Calientes but it would also be tiring to visit Machu Picchu and go back to Cuzco on the same day... I would try to return during the morning (5/27) though. The advice is to have cushion time in the event that the train might not run at the time it's meant to for whatever reason (weather, strikes... it can just be unreliable sometimes).

It's unfortunate that you're likely to run into restrictions on some activities as things are still very much not back to any sort of normal yet (nor will they be in a couple of months). Good luck!

JNelson113

Thank you!

Astrophsx

I've been to MP three times and we visit Lima yearly. The Tambo is a very nice hotel. I've stayed there once for five nights and enjoyed it. That said, it is a bit secluded and feels more like a retreat. I guess it depends on the type of trip you are looking for. My suggestion would be to spend five or six nights in Cusco and make it your hub. You can take the early morning train from Cusco and do MP in one day and not feel rushed. I'd then do one or two private Sacred Valley tours with an English-speaking guide. There is one tour that takes place just outside of Cusco and then a Cusco city tour. There is just so much to see, do, and eat in Cusco that you might miss out on staying at the Tambo.

I'd also recommend looking at the AC Hotel that is in the Marriott chain and has an amazing ocean view. It is also next to Larcomar and it is typically a better value than the JW Marriott (which I believe is aging on the inside). Feel free to reach out if you need any tips on what to see in Lima or where to eat.

MNSWEEps

JNelson113 how was your trip? any trip report? Me, wife and 17 year old daughter planning to travel next April (first week).