Has anyone here been to Peru?

jdluvr06 · December 2013

We're going to Peru for our honeymoon. We're mainly going to see Machu Picchu because we are huge history buffs. Anyway does anyone have an suggestions for other things to do or see?

cruffino · December 2013

Peru was one of our top honeymoon choices! Unfortunately, we're traveling in February which is the rainy season and we didn't want to risk not being able to visit machu pichu because the roads were washed out. So we're going to Costa Rica instead. Don't have any advice, just want to say enjoy!

Bruins63 · December 2013

Hi- I have been! Are you doing the 4 day Inca Trail hike to Macchu Piccu or just taking the train? I did the hike and can tell you anything you need to know about that like what to pack and what to expect! Words of advice- spend all of your time in Cuzco and none in Lima. I had a few days in Lima and I was terrified by the crime rate and scared to walk around sightseeing. We met a couple from DC, who were sitting in a taxi at a stop light and someone literally punched the glass window out, stole their purse and ran! I did not feel safe in Lima at all, but Cuzco was absolutely gorgeous and safe and MP was the coolest thing I've ever seen, maybe even cooler than the Great Wall (I've been all over)

jdluvr06 · December 2013

We're doing the hike! We're both so excited. It's like the one place in the worst we both agreed was a must see. We hadn't talked about going to Lima, I'll let my FI know how dangerous it is. Anything you can tell me would be super helpful!

Bruins63 · December 2013

Have you booked it yet? You must do the hike with a licensed tour group that has a permit from the Peruvian government- you're not allowed to just "show up" and hike on your own. That being said- be prepared to spend your honeymoon in a group of about 12 strangers. Our group was amazingly fun and friendly and we sat up at camp each night playing games and getting to know each other but of course you could go to your tent and just be alone. My mom is a travel agent and she booked me through G Adventures, a Canadian tour company, and it was superb- seriously can't recommend them highly enough. They provided better equipment that other groups we saw and stellar food. I went in late May and the weather was great during the day (70's sunny) but at night it gets down to 30 degrees and freezing since you're so high up....this was my kryptonite, I was frozen sleeping each night! You have very limited packing space so you can't bring winter jackets you just have to layer on like 5 shirts and a fleece. The actual hiking part is not that ridiculously hard but you should train a little beforehand and make sure you can run/walk 5+ miles daily. I ran a half marathon 2 weeks prior so I was in amazing shape yet the high altitude killed me- I had the hardest time breathing!! Well this is kind of lengthy but feel free to ask any additional questions you may have, even private message me anytime! I've been to 23 countries and that was probably my number 1 or 2 favorite!

Bruins63 · December 2013

Also, while in Cuzco since you're a history lover like me you must take a taxi to see this

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294314-d311726-Reviews-Sacsayhuaman-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html

I had seen a show about it on the History Channel and it was absolutely amazing to see in person!! They don't know how people constructed it. It was about $30 to get in but so worth it.

jdluvr06 · December 2013

We haven't booked yet because we were looking a travel agency. I'm writing down G Adventures so I can check them out. We're really outdoorsy so we hike and stuff all the time. Last year we did part if the Appalachian trail. We wanted to do it all but couldn't get enough time off work. I heard that about the altitude, I'm trying to quit smoking so I don't have such a hard time with it. I might be sending you some private messages. I'm sure I'll have more questions. Thank you so much!

Bruins63 · December 2013

No problem!! You guys will love it!!!

this is me & best friend at the peak

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/6a/cb/1a/6acb1ab4baf7f5936bb5bd3752a20fc2.jpg

jdluvr06 · December 2013

Wow.. That is an amazing view. I really can't wait.

hoffse · December 2013

OP, I'm not sure about this in terms of the hike, but generally you should visit the Sacred Valley/Macchu Picchu in the following order:

1) Sacred Valley/Urumbamba area - you could see Salinas, Maras, & Moray here

2) Then Macchu Picchu

3) Then Cusco

4) Then Sascayhuaman if you want to see it - half day from Cusco but do it at the very end

That has you starting at the lowest altitude and going up to the highest at the end. Altitude sickness is a real thing, and personally I would not start a 4-day hike without at least 2-3 days beforehand in the Sacred Valley to acclimate. Preferably a bit longer.

You will need to fly into Lima. Odds are you will land around 9 or 10 pm. Spend the night near the airport (there's a hotel directly at the airport that I would use - you can literally walk there and you don't have to go into the city). Then the following morning you take an early flight. You land in Cusco and then make sure you have a driver lined up to immediately take you to the lower altitude of the Sacred Valley. Do not drive yourself - it's very trecherous, and hired drivers are cheap.

Have no plans for day 1. Just relax and acclimate. Then keep plans light - but somewhat active - for days 2 and 3. You might then start your hike on day 4, if that's what you want to do - though personally, there is plenty of nature to do me without adding the hike on top of things. I wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon with 12 strangers and sleeping in a tent when it gets below freezing at night. Doesn't really scream romantic honeymoon to me... but that's just me.

In lieu of a hike I might look at a horseback trek if that's something you enjoy. They have multi-day treks where you stay in nice hotels/lodges at night and tour the major landmarks of the sacred valley by day. You're with strangers, but at least you have a bed at night. It's also much less strenuous than hiking, and I would imagine you're less likely to have issues with altitude on horseback.

Just my $0.02. Not saying the hike is bad - it sounds pretty cool - but it would have killed me on my honeymoon. I was exhausted from the wedding, and between that and altitude you would have lost me halfway through day 2.

Bruins63 · December 2013

Hoffse makes good points- the tour with G Adventures does take the altitude into consideration and it does the itinerary that she described. They pick you up from the Lima airport and they handle everything from there- getting you to a hotel, getting your local flight to Cuzco and hotel there, showing you the Ollyentotambo Valley the day before the hike, getting you back to Cuzco and Lima for your departing flights. Don't book a company that doesn't include all of this!!

While I agree that it's not the most romantic honeymoon- the hike is really the only great way to see MP. It makes you so much more appreciative of the site, walking first hand in the trail that the Inca's took. I felt that I really "earned" my view over the people who took trains up there. Also horses must be a different area, there were none on the actual Inca Trail.

jdluvr06 · December 2013

We will take that into consideration when we book the trip. It might not seem like the most romantic honeymoon to most people and I guess it isn't in the traditional way. We've been together a long time and we've done the uber romantic trips before. The hiking is just more us. It's something we've wanted to do a long time and we figure there is no better time than now.

Has anyone here been to Peru?

Re: Has anyone here been to Peru?

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