Machu Picchu, Peru Travel Recommendations

News

Posted on: Jan 11

Getting to Peru

Nonstop flights to Lima operate daily from New York, Newark, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Houston, and Los Angeles. There are hourly flights from Lima (LIM) to Cusco(CUZ) on Latam, Peruvian Airlines, Lan Chile, Star Peru, Viva Air and Avianca .

A full list of all the airlines that fly to Lima can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Chávez_International_Airport

Arrival Information:

A passport valid for six months is required to enter and depart Peru. Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. Travelers to Peru will receive a card from Peruvian Immigration upon arrival stating the length of approved stay (usually 90 days) There are no required vaccinations to enter Peru. It's always a good idea to be up to date on your tetenus shots. Hepatitis A and B are also recommend for those who travel to third world countries.

Money

The local currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (New Sun) You can exchange US dollars at hotels, restaurants and banks. You may have issues with exchanging $100 bills, so its best to bring US bills in multiples of $20’s. There are plenty of ATM’s around Lima and Cusco so withdrawing funds should not be an issue. The exchange rate fluctuates daily. There is a really cool app that I carry on my phone http://www.xe.com/apps/iphone/ Be sure to call your banks and credit card companies before you depart for Peru and let them know you will be out of the country.

Airport Hotel Lima

Manhattan Inn

Simple 3 star hotel near Lima Airport. Manhattan Inn is located 5 minutes away and they will pick you up at the airport for a small fee. To schedule airport pickup you must email them your flight arrival details and get a confirmation reply. Rooms average around $51 a night. The staff is very friendly and rooms are basic. This is a great option for short overnights when catching flights to Cusco. https://hmanhattan.com.pe

Wyndham Costa del Sol Airport

Located across the street from the airport. It's a little pricey at $180 plus a night but if money is not an option you will enjoy this property. https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham/lima-peru/wyndham-costa-del-sol-lima-airport/overview?CID=LC:HR::GGL:RIO:National:16013&iata=00093796

Downtown Lima Hotels and Bed and Breakfast

Tourist are recommended to stay in the Miraflores area in downtown Lima. Here are some of my favorites.

Belma Boutique bed and breakfast. (my favorite)

https://www.belmahotels.com

Marriot Courtyard Miraflores

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/limlm-courtyard-lima-miraflores/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2

Electricity

Electricity in Peru is 220 volts. You will need a power adapter only if you are bringing an appliance or hair dryer. (The hotel has hairdryers) Your laptops and phone chargers will not require a power adapter, but you may need an outlet convertor. Most of Peru's wall outlets are designed to accept both the flat two prong with parallel blades and the round two prong blades.

Water

The water in Peru is not suitable for drinking, plan on drinking only bottled water.

Cusco Altitude

Some people may experience altitude sickness in Cusco which is about 11,500 feet. Here are some suggestions to help you overcome this usually temporary condition. Drink coca tea which is readily available in restaurants and hotels. Another natural cure is to bring chlorophyll drops which can be purchased at a health food store or on Amazon. A few drops of this in your water everyday 5-7 days before arrival may help. Also, avoid drinking excessive alcohol if you experience altitude sickness. I would say for most of our guests when they arrive into Cusco they will just experience a mild headache. Any type of altitude discomfort you may experience will quickly go away on the second day of our trip when we travel to the Sacred Valley.(altitude in Sacred Valley is 9000ft) Please read more details in the document below.

Safety

Remember you are traveling in a third world country. Be smart, dress down and do not count money in front of the masses. Leave fancy jewelry and gucci bags at home. Petty theft in Cusco can be avoided by practicing common sense. There is a US consulate in Cusco located Avienda Pardo tel (5140) 231-474.

How to Dress For The One Day Inca Trail Hike

I have also copied a link to a video that will assist you with packing for the one day Inca Trail hike. The one thing I can tell you now is not over pack for this trip. We simply do not have space for multiple bags for each guest. A roller board bag and small back pack is what we are recommending everyone bring. You do not need to spend crazy money at REI for this trip. Bring clothes that you may actually want to leave behind to locals. This will open up all sorts of room in your luggage at the end of the trip to take home some really cool souvenirs.

What to pack for our Trip

Think in layers. It can get cold, wet, and extremely warm all in one day. The humidity is mostly rather high as well, so I’d recommend you to go for cotton or, better, special fast-drying outdoor clothes. Temperature can range from 60 to 75 degrees for highs and 45 to 55 degree for lows.

Light-weighted T-shirts (preferably something fast drying)
Shorts
Long trekking pants or yoga pants for ladies.
Jeans
Underwear as you see fit
Cotton socks or wool.
A jumper/zipper (will be cold at higher altitudes, especially at night);
A light-weighted rain jacket or a poncho
a large scarf (good for the plane, good for the chilly hours in the evening)
a hat (preferably one to cover your neck)
one dressy outfit (for going out or to a good restaurant)
sunglasses
(optional) bathing suit for hotel pools & hot springs
Hiking poles are not necessary, but if you prefer to hike with them you can purchase them in Cusco.

You will spend most of your time in Peru on foot. Cusco, Machu Picchu, Colca Canyon and the Sacred Valley of the Inca all have one thing in common: big, big cobblestones. Do bring:

Comfortable walking shoes/trainers/hiking shoes.
I love these Brooks water repellent shoes because you can literary wear these shoes everyday and they are super comfortable.
Ladies https://runrepeat.com/ranking/rankings-of-brooks-waterproof-running-shoes
Mens https://runrepeat.com/ranking/rankings-of-brooks-waterproof-running-shoes
No not bring high heel shoes.

Sand Flies

Please make sure you cover up with mosquito repellent that contains deet when hiking the one day or 4 day Inca Trail. Most people do not see or feel these little critters and assume they are not around. It's very important that you wear long sleeves and long pants on the trail. Their bites can lead to constant itching for months after the trip.

I like these Repel wipes because they pack light.

https://www.amazon.com/Repel-Insect-Repellent-Mosquito-15-Count/dp/B004NRPD7G

I spray Sawyers Permethrin on the pants I plan on hiking in the week before I leave for Peru. You can get this on Amazon and Rei.

https://sawyer.com/products/permethrin-insect-repellent-treatment/

Tipping

In the provinces, away from the big city tipping is less common. In a bar in Cusco a local might tip just a few Soles for an evening of drinking (or nothing). For a 7 – 10 Soles lunch menu they might just leave a customary tip of 1 Sole per person. For local guides we recommend 20-30 Soles ($6-$10) per day. At the end of the week we pass an envelope for our guides.

Good restaurants in Cusco.

- Chicha Restaurant

https://chicha.com.pe/en/cusco/

- Marcelo Batata Restaurant. https://cuscodining.com/en/

- Tunupa Restaurant.

https://www.tunuparestaurantes.com/menu

- Inka Grill Restaurant.

https://www.cuscorestaurants.com

- El truco Restaurant.

Local restaurants with local music and local dancers, they are good for lunches and dinners.

- Emiliana Restaurant.

Address: Av Tullumayo 235, Cusco 08002, Peru