San Diego -> Tijuana -> Lima -> Machu Picchu (Videos)
 

This is a video trip report from our trip to Peru (June 2016). All the videos are in 4K resolution, so if you get a chance click the YouTube button on the video player and view them full screen.

The first video gives the backstory of why we were going to Peru. I met my girlfriend while on vacation in Peru a few years ago (love story made possible with miles ^). We found a super low rate from Tijuana to Lima and decided to fly my mom from Kansas City to Lima and invite my girlfriend's mom to go to Machu Picchu. Then we show some footage of where we live.

This video features the new Cross Border Xpress Bridge. You can pay ~$25 to cross from San Diego directly into the Tijuana Airport. We took two flights with AeroMexico to Lima (stopping in Mexico City).

This video features a bit of Lima and our LATAM (LAN Airlines) flight to Cusco. We purchased two tickets with miles and the other two with cash. The cash tickets were for my girlfriend and her mom as the Peruvian resident fare is about 50% off. From Cusco we hired a private van for the 25 minute ride to the Poroy train station. We took Peru Rail's vistadome service. Then a short bus ride up to Machu Picchu. This was my 2nd time to Machu Picchu, my girlfriend's 3rd, and her mother's 5th time.

Apologies ahead of time if you don't like the music. I know it's not for everyone!

The weather was great. was this in July?

I was told May is the best month? Was it hot?

Seeing Mission Beach again, brings back college days, even saw the old place in your drone part of the video... Excellent videos...

This was early June. It was a little toasty after 1pm. I wish I would have brought a pair of shorts. I've done MP in December and June. December was great the week of Christmas as there was almost no one there, but it was overcast. Early June was great because it was so sunny, but there are more people. Overall I think I enjoyed going in the month of June more because of the clear weather.

Thanks! Mission Beach has changed a bit with Belmont Park being a bit nicer. Though, most of Mission Beach is converting to short term vacation renters. Still a great place to live!

When I was Mission Beach (1984-6) Belmont Park wasn't open. Yes, a lot has changed in MB..

Thanks for the TR! I'm interested in trying to SD-TJ bridge, now I just need to find a good fare.

Just a heads up of a few things that aren't featured in the video w/ the bridge:

- I checked in with AeroMexico on the San Diego side. You get your boarding passes and your bridge tickets (if you purchased the tickets with your flight).

- Once you give your ticket, you walk through a duty free section, and then you have to talk to USA immigration officers, then you head up an elevator, cross the bridge, and then have to have porters grab your bags, you go down an elevator and go through Mexican customs/immigration. For some reason they don't give you this form till you are on the Mexico side. The porters have to wait for you during this process. So the bags are actually not in your possession the full time.

- Once you make it through that part you have another 5-10 minute walk to check-in your luggage with the airline. It was a weekday morning when we went and there was a massive line for AeroMexico (~30-45 minutes). So if you are flying on a cheap economy flight you may be in for a nice wait to check your luggage.

- There was then a fairly long line for the airport security checkpoint.

- You have to keep your bridge ticket for the return, otherwise you will purchase another if you lose it. This is kind of a pain if you are on vacation for more than a few days.

- Remember that if you fly out of Mexico, you will have to go through immigration/customs to get back into Mexico.

I'm mixed on my opinion of the bridge as I have Global Entry. I think our flight to Lima was $240. AeroMexico service was pretty bad for all of our flights and the Mexico City airport is the worst I've been to in North America.