dkrt

In early October 2011, I am planning a trip to Machu Picchu and feel I have a pretty good handle on that part of the trip. We won't be doing the 4-day hike due to time constraints.

Am looking for advice/suggestions on more to do. Myself, wife, son (22) and sisters are adventurous and don't mind venturing off into another country or whatever. We don't want to find ourselves spending a half day sitting around or shopping.

We are allocating about 5 days for Lima/Cusco/Machu Picchu and have about 4-5more days to travel. If FT's advise less or more time for the Peru stuff, we can adjust.

Ideas - Bolivia ?, Chile ?, the Amazon ? Costa Rica (on our way home north)? Don't think the Galapagos Islands would interest us.

Thanks in advance for any ideas, suggestions and information.

MarLim

I would add something not too far away in order not to loose too much time travelling, if you have only 4-5 days left. If you like tropical areas, think about the Manu National Park or Puerto Maldonado, both make sense to reach from Cuzco. On the other hand, given the fact that your bodies have acclimatized to the altitude after some time in Cuzco, I'd continue to Puno and Lake Titicaca where you can visit the Uru islands or cross over to Bolivia. If you have still time left, you could then go down to Arequipa, before flying back to Lima.

If you are as adventurous as you say, think about renting a car in Lima and drive up to Cuzco. This gives you a lot of flexibility, but you should calculate at least 10 days for such a trip.

If you just fly up to Cuzco, think about the Soroche (altitude headache) and that you'll probably need 1-2 days to acclimatize to the altitude. It might help to get a hotel at a lower altitude in the valle sagrado to start with and to make Macchu Picchu from there before you visit Cuzco (it's about 500 altitude meters less, but that can make a difference).

Doc Savage

Don't miss Lake Titicaca. It is beautiful, and just a few hours from Cuzco. It is worth at least 2-3 days, definitely visit the floating islands and Taquile Island in the lake.

Embuexpat

Puno and Arequipa make sense if time is limited. Just to clarify, MP is about 2.4k metres altitude, Cuzco approx 3.4k metres. Titicaca is even higher so take it easy.

adiosbasecamp

If you don't have time to do the 4-day hike, you might enjoy the one day hike. With a guide you board train Ollantaytambo and then get dropped at KM 104 to start the hike to Machu Picchu. Arrive MP mid-afternoon and take bus down to Aguas Calientes for one night, then go back up next morning to tour and explore the ruins. Does require permits, so you do have to arrange soon. But there are still openings in October.

Outside Cusco, about 45 min drive is town called Chinchero, where local women have formed co-ops for producing and demonstrating traditional weaving. It's a great way to support local, cottage industries and help preserve those dying traditions (no pun intended!)

If you have extra days, consider Titicaca. I like the bus ride because it rambles through the countryside with stops. Some people prefer the train. But I think there's less interaction with the environment. With a small group, you can hire a driver and van.

If you have 4 days for Titicaca trip, consider a homestay on Amantani Island. It's a great way to support the local families, who feed and house you and it is very authentic. You can fly out of Juliaca back to Lima for your international connection.

You could fly to Arequipa, but I would not drive yourselves! The roads are paved, but there are no services for breakdowns or assistance. Hire a private vehicle or take the bus. (8 hours from Puno, or 8-10 from Cuzco, depending on the route) Flying is less than an hour. You can hire local operator to take you out to Colca Canyon to see condors. Overnight in Chivay, a nearby town if you have time. The local market there is very authentic.

If you want to leave Peru, consider Ecuador. Fly Lima to Quito. Rent a car and go Pan American highway south to Black Sheep Inn (allow 5 hours driving time no matter what they say) Hike Quilatoa Crater or head over to Cotopaxi Volcano and stay in Tambopaxi Lodge. The lodge is an incredibly comfortable wooden structure, fairly new, reeking of character and charm AND with a view of the volcano that will blow your mind. Nothing else is there. Incredible place to visit. You can drive right up to the front door. Plenty of day hikes in the area. Recommend hiking to the climber's hut for a little extra zing in your trip.

So many choices, no matter what you choose, you'll have a blast. Enjoy.

SanDiego1K

Welcome to FlyerTalk, adiosbasecamp. That's a terrific first post.

choster

We added an Amazon tour to our trip to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley a few years ago. The natural environment is rather the opposite of the Andes— warm and lush— and beautiful in an entirely different way, with the appreciation coming from nature tours highlighting the plants and wildlife— caimans, capybora, tarantulas, piranha, and all manner of birds, monkeys, butterflies, frogs, and so on. Most of the tours leave from Puerto Maldonado, which has nonstops from Cuzco and Lima.

I would recommend against Bolivia for the time being. Despite the recent end of the general strike and government moves to nationalize the mines, there is real disenchantment with the high inflation, and virulent anti-foreigner sentiment abounds.

manneca

We went to Port Maldonaldo and then on to a wildlife reserve. We did an early morning canoe to a site where the macaws come. It was fantastic. We also did Aeroquippa and Lake Titicaca. Any of these would be a wonderful addition to your trip.

x712xdamx

If you are an adventurous group then adventures abound all over the Cuzco region of the Andes!!

For example, you can sign up to do any of the following things on a day trip in Cuzco for a fraction of what it would cost in America or other bigger countries:

- Paragliding

- Bungee Jumping

- 1 Day to 3 Day Whitewater Rafting trips (Class III-V+) (October may not be in season, would have to email operators)

- 4 Wheeling

- 1 Day - 14 Day mountain treks. Summitting glaciered mountain passes, etc.

etc..




Have you considered biking "The Death Road" in Bolivia?
Based out of La Paz, Bolivia. La Paz is the highest capital city in the world in terms of elevation. Very cheap country for foreigners to visit.
This is the road that the UN declared as "The Worlds Most Dangerous Road". It's been closed off to thru-traffic for awhile ever since they built a nice, paved highway, but you can pay a little money to bike it!!! It's a dirt/rock, 1 lane road scaling down a foggy, misty mountain. Always steep, always narrow, and almost always a 300-1,000 meter drop off on the edge that you're biking on...... WITHOUT ANY RAILINGS!!!

Google Image search "Death Road".

I booked a trip in 2009 for my friend and I that included 2 nights in a hotel in La Paz, 1 night in Coroico (the small mtn city you arrive in after the bike ride), & the bike trip for a very reasonable price.

C. Howitt Fealz

From Lima, fly Aerosur over to Sucre. It's a city you absolutely will not want to miss. Simply one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The central plaza area is quite nice, and make sure to head to the market for food. Upstairs toward the back is a busy stand serving traditional food. Good stuff. I went back the next morning and toward the front of the stands they had breakfast (bunuelos and tojori - yum!). One day in Sucre, then fly to La Paz.

Hotel Cruz de los Andes was a really neat little place to stay in La Paz. After arriving from Sucre, go to Plaza Murillo and the indigenous market. Stop at the Coca Museum (the museum is "meh," but the gem is the bistro upstairs - everything made from coca. Book your tour for the Road of Death.

When I did the Road of Death I absolutely did not want to bike it. I love biking, but I wanted to take video and pictures, and didn't think I would if I biked it. So I stopped at one of the tour bookers (you'll see them on the streets of La Paz), and told them I wanted the tour, but wanted to ride in the van. They annotated my reservation as such and I sat in the front seat for most of the trip. Incredible photos and videos (some of the bikers later told me they wish they had done the same thing). That's honestly the best way to see the Road of Death - the driver was explaining where the accidents happened, what I was looking at, etc. One of the best experiences of my life.

The next morning get up really early and go to the cemetery (they have microbuses that run to Copacabana). You'll get to cross at Tiquina (that's neat), and then visit Copacabana. Make sure to try some perch and trout while in Copa...I arrived too late for the Islands, but did rent a boat for an hour and cruised on the lake.

Bolivia's worth the price of the visa.

x712xdamx

Agreed, that it's worth the price of the visa!!

Very interesting that you didn't bike the road. I felt like I saw more than enough of the mountains and the road while biking it. Definitely was a hair raiser, but that's what I wanted! I love adrenaline.

I didn't do the optional up-hill bike part of the paved section. Everyone that did it looked like they were going to die - including my friend. He had to stop b/c he blacked out! Intense.

The whole trip they told us that we could stop at any time to ride in the van. They said someone died on the trail the day before by biking off the edge and that after that, several of them opted to stay in the van.

YMMV, I guess :/

dkrt

Thanks everyone for your input and advice.

A homestay around Lake Titicaca seems interesting - details or contacts on that ?

The "Road of Death" thing is also enticing. I would love to scare the ---- out of my fellow travelers. Recommendation on contacts for that ?

Amazon excursion is appealing - do advice and contacts are appreciated.

Thanks in advance everyone!

JohnnyColombia

I'll give a ^ to lake titicaca too, it is spectacular.

If you want to save a few bucks (actually many bucks) then don't take a tour for up to $175, go to the bus station in Cusco, get tix to Puno, then walk to the harbour, bus tix 25 soles per person, full day tour of the uros and taquille 25 soles each too. There you go, you just saved 600 bucks for a family of 4.

The buses leave at silly o´clock (10pm I think) and roll into Puno at about 6am. They then come back at about 7 or 8pm and get you into Cusco at 2 am ish (Or 6am if you bus breaks down in Juliaca and they send you back to Cusco on a bus full of geese and hens that stops everywhere)

I don't know if you'd really want a homestay near Lake Titicaca, you obviously cannot stay in a wigwam on the uros, and Puno isn't a particularly appealing town.

If you don't want to go to Bolivia or Arequipa, you could check out a couple of days in the sacred valley. Pisaq is cute and an adventurous family like yours would probably relish the walk up to las ruinas de pisaq. It's one of those walks where you spend about 3 to 4 hours thinking you are nearly there. Pisaq gets touristy once a day when they ship the lesser gringos in from Cusco to shop at the Artesan market but apart from that it is a great place to stay. The scenery is mindblowing.

PM me if you want the details of some nice adobe bungalows to stay in in Pisaq

C-Kay

I would recommend Bolivia. Out itinerary was Cuzco & Machu Picchu, Puno (with some stops on the way), Lake Titicaca, La Paz, Uyuni, Salt Desert (which is an amazing place), stay overnight in some salt hotel at the foot of a volcaco (quite an adventure, not electricity after 9pm), then next day back to La Paz for our flight.

magsmeplease

If you are planning on staying around the Peru area there is Huacachina, which is a little town that is a desert oasis.

Pretty cool sand dunes, and the dune buggy trips are amazingly cool!

If you are a nature buff the Islas Ballestas are known as the Peruvian Galapagos islands, and taking a boat out there is phenomenal as you will see a ton of wildlife and neat landscapes.