Peru has always been on my list of places to visit and only the second country in South America I’ve been to. Planning this trip was no easy task for our group of 5 but with plenty of research we were able to pull everything off without too many hiccups! Out of all the countries I’ve visited Peru has definitely moved up to the top of my list, I’d say it’s even in the top 3. With so much history and culture still alive today, Peru will amaze you at every turn. Check here for your visa requirements.
Getting to Lima
There are many airlines that fly directly to Lima from South Florida, we opted for a new JetBlue route from Fort Lauderdale as it was the cheapest direct flight from our area. The plane was very old with limited entertainment options and only one movie. I’d suggest downloading movies before you get on the flight if you’re a non sleeper like me. This was not what I expected for a 5.5-hour flight on JetBlue but this seems to happen frequently when going to low cost international destinations (we had the same experience going to Dominican Republic, but this was only a 2 hour flight.) Use Google Flights to search for the best route from your area, my favorite booking engine.
Where to stay in Lima
We stayed in the historical downtown area at the Sheraton Hotel as we were only in Lima for 2 days and wanted to redeem Mariott points. I recommend staying in this area as you can easily walk the main square, churches and other historic areas and it’s also a short drive from the popular Miraflores district along the Pacific coastline. Historic downtown is the closest area to the airport, about a 30 min drive during non-rush hour for 60 sol or US$20.
If you plan on visiting Lima for more than 2-3 days you can stay in Miraflores, this area has a large shopping area, beautiful coastal views and many seaside restaurants. Getting to and from Miraflores from the airport can be 50 minutes or more without rush hour traffic so be mindful of the flight times you book. We chose to stay here on our last night to experience the area but left the area early enough to head to the airport.
Currency
I was surprised to see that US dollars were widely accepted at each city we visited in Peru. The typical exchange rate is 3.1 Sol to US$1, you can exchange a few dollars when you arrive in the airport and get Sol for the same rate at any currency exchange in the city if you run out. It’s a good idea to exchange to Sol at a currency exchange booth as the rate with street vendors, taxis etc. is 3 sol to US$1. Try to also get coins (1 sol, 2 sol, 5 sol) and small bills to pay for bathrooms and souvenirs. Bathrooms typically cost 2 Sol or less, the cheapest international bathroom I’ve ever had to pay for!
Driving in Lima
Driving in Lima or anywhere in Peru is hectic and aggressive, don’t be alarmed at cars passing close by, cutting each other off and beeping constantly. If you’re from any Caribbean island like me, this will be totally normal! Traffic seems to be heavy at all hours of the day but can be worse during typical rush hours, so be mindful of this when booking your flight.
How to get around Lima
We used Uber to get around the city, as this is almost half the price of taxis. We opted not to take Uber from the airport to our hotel when we arrived in Lima as the Taxi associations seem to be pretty prevalent and we were worried about having issues with Taxi drivers who aren’t too fond of Uber drivers taking away their business.
We did use Uber to drop us to the airport for our flights to Cusco and back home to Fort Lauderdale which cost about 32 Sol. I suggest using Uber Black, this will give you better rated drivers who may speak a bit more English for only a few Sol extra.
My Peru itinerary
Many people have asked for my Peru itinerary, so here it is! You will need at least 5-6 days to do all the major highlights in Peru, less than that is really pushing your time & body.
Day 1- Lima city tour
While in Lima we booked a private day tour with Jose who took us around to all the major squares, churches and historical sites. We started the tour by visiting the historical downtown area and ended in the Miraflores district where we took a beautiful walk on the infamous boardwalk.
Get here to see the sunset along the Pacific Coast, the views are out of this world! Our driver and tour guide Jose really made our trip easy and educational, he is a former journalist who conducts tours full time and knows everything about Peru and its history, truly 5 star service. Contact Jose to get a quote for your trip to Lima, he can also pick you up from the airport and drive you to Paracas if you would like to add this leg to your trip.
Where to eat in Lima
We were lucky to dine in two of the best restaurants in Lima, my favorite bing Maido a delicious Japanese Peruvian restuarant offering a set menu as well as al la carte. You will need to make reservations for this place well in advance, we got lucky and showed up at 10pm to snag a seat.
Repeatidly known as the best restaurant in South America Central is a high end Peruvian restaurant known around the world for their unique tasting menu. If you’re not into being surprised with sea urchin this is probably not the place for you but it certainly a great culinary journey. Reservations are tough to get here also, call well in advance.
For more of the top places to eat in Lima checkout this article from The Culture Trip with a few more recommendations, there are also quite a few restarants with stunning ocean views in Miraflores. Be prepared to eat a whole lot of quinoa, potatoes and ceviche in Peru, these are all staples along with Alpaca, something you’ll need to try at least once!
Day 2- Cusco
Next up on our journey to Machu Picchu was Cusco! A beautiful Inca town full of boutique hotels, cobblestone streets and little shops, a great place to take some time to explore on foot, day or night. Despite being a huge tourist destination, Cusco has been well preserved and did not seem over run with travelers. We found the best deals on souvenirs and scarves in Cusco, this is where I bought a beautiful purple scarf from a lady selling in the street for only 20 sol. The only downside of Cusco is the high altitude reaching over 11,000 feet. For most of us that live near sea level that can really do a number on your body. Checkout my guide on how to survive the altitude in Cusco to help you overcome this.
Getting to Cusco
We used Star Peru, a budget airline to get to Cusco from Lima. Flights were easy to book online, on time, had friendly staff and got us to Cusco quickly and easily at a great price. The airline is small and outdated but did the job. You will have to check your luggage as you can only bring 4kg (8.8lbs) on board. However, checking your bag is free up to 25kg (55lbs)! Despite being a domestic flight, you will need to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours in advance.
Where to stay in Cusco
We stayed at three boutique hotels in Cusco, all with various price points and a 20 minute drive from the airport in non-rush hour. Breakfast and Wi-Fi were included at all three locations. All of these hotels provided a box breakfast when requested, this is great for all the early morning departures and is at no additional cost once breakfast is included in your room rate.
El Retablo
El Retablo was the least expensive option at US$80/night. This hotel was not as close to the city center as the others but still clean, had quirky Peruvian decor and friendly staff
Abittare Hotel
Abittare Hotel is a mid range option at US$95/night across the street from the famous church and convent of Santo Domingo and walking distance to all the major attractions in Cusco. Staff here were friendly and helpful in recommending places to visit and eat
Antiuga Casonas San Blas
The most expensive option at $150/night (or less based on booking dates) was Antigua Casonas San Blas which had an amazing and delicious restaurant on site called Piedra & Sal. After days of terrible food I was so happy to finally have a great meal at this restaurant. It was so good we ate here three times in our two day stay! Even if you are not staying here I highly recommend visiting for dinner.
This hotel was also located close to the city center, walking distance from many great restaurants. Just around the corner you can visit a yummy sandwich shop Eusebio & Manolo and massage parlors, the perfect place to rejuvenate after days of hiking. This cute boutique hotel showcased beautiful historic Peruvian architecture and luxurious rooms with great customer service
Where to eat in Cusco
Other than Piedra & Sal there are two great restaurants to checkout in Cusco, Deva Restaurant Tipico, Fallen Angel and Pachapapa. Both have authentic local Peruvian cuisine with reasonable pricing. If you need additional options you can always checkout the 10 Best Cusco Restaurants on TripAdvisor.
Day 3 – Bus & Train to Aguas Caliente
After staying 1 night in Cusco to get acclimated to the high altitude, we took Peru Rail to Aguas Caliente, the small town at the foot of Machu Picchu. If you’re visiting during the rainy season like we did, the train from Cusco area directly to Aguas Caliente isn’t available due to potential landslides. However, as an alternative route, PeruRail did provide bus transfer to Ollantaytambo station which was a 2 hour ride with a short restroom stop along the way. Be sure to add the bus transfer to your rail ticket when booking or you will be stuck very far away from Cusco. If traveling in the non rainy season and taking the train directly from the Cusco area you will need to taxi to the station which is about a 20 minute ride.
Booking your Peru Rail tickets
We chose PeruRail for our journey from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Caliente as many bloggers noted that Inca Rail was a very rocky and uncomfortable ride. If you are traveling with a group you must book your tickets together to sit with each other. We were lucky to meet great fellow travelers to chat with on our way back, but if you prefer to stick with your group, book everything together, you cannot choose your seats on the website or change them at the station. The seats are booth style with two seats facing each other with a table in between.
On the way to Aguas Caliente we opted for the more expensive Vistadome to catch the beautiful scenery along the way, they also provided a drink and snacks. The train ride is only 1 hour and 40 minutes from Ollantaytambo and hosts breathtaking river and mountain views. Try to get seats on the left side of the train, these run alongside the river and host the best views!
On the way back from Aguas Caliente to Ollantaytambo we opted for the less expensive option, the Expedition train. This option was half the price of the Vistadome and provided a very similar experience. The only noticeable difference was the car was a bit rocky. To my surprise, the windows were only slightly smaller than the more expensive Vistadome car. If you are on a budget, this option is perfect to book round trip, you won’t be missing anything but a snack and a slightly smoother ride.
Where to stay in Aguas Caliente
We stayed at Waman Hotel, near the town center and walking distance to everything but not directly on the riverside as we read that the noise from the gushing water can keep you up at night! I recommend booking any of your Aguas Caliente hotels directly on the hotel website and bringing a confirmation of your reservation. It’s also a good idea to confirm your stay before arriving, we heard from many travelers that their reservation was not available when they arrived.
If you are looking to spend a little more for convenience and luxury checkout the Belmond Sanctuary lodge perched right at the entrance of Machu Picchu. If you stay here you will get to visit the mountain on your own time, avoid the long lines and troubles of waiting for the bus.
None of the hotels in Aguas Caliente or Cusco have air conditioning due to the cool temperatures year round. I was a bit worried at first but it was actually cooler than expected, we even had to use the heater one night!
Wi-Fi is a struggle in hotels, get a SIM card for your unlocked phone from Claro, they have service everywhere, even at the top of Machu Picchu! Buy your SIM card in Lima as the Claro stores within the city have a wider variety of plan options. At the airport we were only offered one plan which was US$7 a day.
Things to do in Aguas Caliente
There isn’t much to do in Aguas Caliente, it is a very small tourist town primarily with restaurants and souvenir shops. There is a great local market where you can buy a poncho made from Alpaca or Llama, the perfect accessory to keep you warm and add great color to photos, I got mine for 50 Sol after a bit of negotiation. Many of the stalls have similar items but it’s still a great place to walk around, you’ll notice numerous stray dogs in the area who seems to be part of the local decor. Don’t be alarmed, they are all friendly!
Where to eat in Aguas Caliente
Restaurant options are also very limited as most places don’t have great food. However, we did find one place that we enjoyed and visited twice, Mapacho Craft Beer. Try to get a seat near the window for stunning river and mountain views!
Day 4- The reason we are here, Machu Picchu!
Machu Picchu really is an amazing site surrounded by large mountains, lush greenery and ancient sites that would wow any traveler. There are two seasons that you can visit Machu Picchu, rainy (Nov-Apr) or dry season (May-Oct). In the rainy season this site hosts about 3000 visitors a day and over 5000 visitors in the dry season. Unknowingly, we visited during the last two weeks of the rainy season which provided less crowds and bus lines but we did have to battle rain in the early morning along with heavy fog at Machu Picchu.
If you decide to visit during the rainy season it may be best to catch the first PeruRail out of Cusco to arrive in Aguas Caliente mid-day. Once you check into your hotel you can visit Machu Picchu that afternoon. If you do meet some rain you will then have another chance to go back to the site the next morning (you will need to buy another ticket), catching a later train that evening.
Reminder, your ticket is good for two entries into the park only within the time slot you booked. So if you booked the early morning ticket from 6am to 12pm you can only enter during that time frame. In July 2017 a new set of visitor rules were implemented for visiting Machu Picchu, none of which were enforced when I was there, but this may change. If you have a morning ticket and would like to stay longer be sure you get in a few hours before the end of your time slot and you can most likely stay into the afternoon. Don’t forget your passport, you will need it to enter, no exceptions.
Weather conditions
The weather can be unpredictable in Peru, no weather forecast was accurate! Be prepared with clothing for sun, wind chills, rain and make sure to bring a poncho in the rainy season. You can purchase these for 3 Sol in the Aguas Caliente market, the price increases to as much as 10 Sol as you move towards Machu Picchu.
Bus or Hike to Machu Picchu?
We opted for the bus up to Machu Picchu which took only 20 minutes to bring us up to the main site. The bus cost US$12 each way, you will need your passport to buy a ticket and you can pay with cash or MasterCard only at the ticket booth. Bus tickets can easily be purchased when you arrive in Aguas Caliente at the authorized ticket booth alongside the river near the lock bridge.
Lines for the bus can be very long particularly if you are trying to take the first bus leaving at 5:30am as this is the most popular option. We arrived at 4:15 am and still met a long line of people! Waking up at this crazy hour isn’t really necessary and is the most crowded time to visit. I recommend sleeping in and going just after the early morning rush at around 9 or 10am.
Beware of long bus lines in non-rainy season when there are 2000 more visitors, the line can be up to two hours long! Avoid the peak times as much as possible which are early morning departures from Aguas Caliente and mid day departures from Machu Picchu. If you’re more adventurous you can hike up instead of taking the bus but this will take you at least 1 hour 30 minutes each way primarily up stairs.
Guides at Machu Picchu
At all historic sites we visit we like to get a guide to really learn about the history and culture of the place. Typically guides are pretty cheap but I found the guides at Machu Picchu to be quite expensive and not really negotiable. Our guide cost US$60 for our party of five and lasted about two hours, quite expensive in comparison to other countries. The new rules for visitors also state that everyone must have a guide to enter. However, this rule was also not enforced when we visited, but this might change in the near future.
Restaurants at Machu Picchu
Surprisingly there is only one restaurant regularly open at this large site with thousands of visitors! Be sure to bring snacks and water for your hike to avoid having to wait in long lines. Snacks are also not allowed as part of the new rules but this was not enforced either.
What mountain should you hike?
Machu Picchu is a very large site with various hiking options for every fitness level. Below are a few hiking options in order of difficulty. For most people the regular park entrance (Option 1) is more than enough and will allow you to see all the major hot spots in about 5-6 hours. Be sure to use the restroom before entering the main gate, there are none inside the park. The bathroom will cost you 2 Sol and can have very long lines.
- The easiest and most popular hike is up to the iconic photo spot of the Machu Picchu mountains which is only about 10 minutes after your enter the park up the stairs on the left hand side. Just follow the signs to the Inca bridge and you will easily find it. There are NO BATHROOMS inside, and only 1 outside, lines can be very long.
- Inca Bridge, a 20 minute walk each way with breathtaking views despite the heavy fog when we visited. If you are scared of heights, avoid this walk as you will be side by side with plummeting cliffs!
- Sun Gate (Inti Punku) is a slightly more challenging trek which follows an original Inca trail taking about 3-4 hours round trip to complete. This trek isn’t easily located and is away from the main gate, ask for directions when you arrive. Once you are on the path there are signs to easily direct you on where to go
- Montana hike (smaller Machu Picchu Mountain) can be added to your general admission ticket, this hike is an hour and a half each way and may not be ideal for group traveling. This trial is easy to find as there are many signs guiding you along the way but will guide you along small pathways alongside steep cliffs. Not recommended for anyone afraid of heights!
- For the more avid climbers you can book the Huayna Picchu hike which allows only 400 visitors a day, so be sure to pre book this at least 6 months in advance
Get your passport stamped
Whatever mountain you choose to hike don’t forget you bring your passport! You will not only need it to enter the park but there is also a Machu Picchu stamp available for FREE to add to your travel collection. The stamp is located near the bathrooms and is self service.
Day 5- Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
If you have a PC with Windows 10 installed I’m sure you’ve seen the amazing images of Peru’s Rainbow Mountain cross your startup screen. A quick Google search of this site will show the breathtaking views, surprisingly close to the images you see of the purple, blue, red yellow and green mineral deposits. For me, this view was even more breathtaking than Machu Picchu as I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.
At first we were not planning on adding this leg to the trip as many reviews noted the drive was long, the site gets over run with tourist and it’s just not worth the time or effort. Luckily, I was able to find an alternative Rainbow Mountain tour up the Palccoyo Mountains, an area still very unknown to many tour operators and even locals! If you can, visit this site as soon as possible before the area gets commercialized and over run with travelers.
Booking this tour was very easy and lived up to every 5 star review posted on Tripadvisor. You can easily book this tour through Rainbow Mountain Expeditions online or directly with the tour operator Roger. He is available via email (rainbowmountainexpeditions@gmail.com) and WhatsApp (+51 973514107) to answer any questions you may have and give you the best rate.
Our tour guide Flor from Rainbow Mountain Expeditions picked us up from our hotel at 5:20am where we joined the rest of the small group of about 12 people in a small comfortable van.
The first leg of the drive was 2 hours where we took a short stop in the small town of Pitumarca for breakfast. Here’s where the packed breakfast from your hotel once again comes in very handy if you do not like the breakfast being offered, which I didn’t. I enjoyed the local character of the place but did not like most of the items served. However, this was another opportunity for a quick bathroom stop which was actually FREE and to drink some Coca Tea to help with the altitude of the upcoming hike. You’ll also have a chance to meet and chat with the other people on your tour, usually backpackers from all around the world with amazing adventurous stories to tell!
After breakfast we drove for another hour and a half to the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain going through small bumpy, windy, cliff hanging roads into the depths of the mountain range. The view of this drive was indescribable with green and red hillsides, rivers tinted red from the rocks below and herds of Llamas and Alpacas grazing the mountainside. We also had a chance to see how the local village people live and still work the land. Our tour guide Flor was extremely knowledgeable about the area and gave us a wonderful history of the Quechua people living in this area who live off the land eating only potatoes and Alpaca, that’s it!
Pulling up to the base of the hike you could already see the beautiful landscape and rainbow mountain tops from every angle. You will need to wear warm clothing with a windbreaker or weather resistant jacket and gloves for the hike, we were met with freezing cold winds and even hail at the top of the mountain! Cool experience but not fun if you are not dressed appropriately.
You can wear hiking shoes if you prefer extra grip on the soil but they are not 100% necessary, I wore my sneakers. Be sure to walk slowly up the mountain as you will feel your heart racing from the high altitude of 16,000 feet. Take a lot of breaks, sip water and ask for oxygen if you need it. Don’t’ try to keep up with the group, take your time and enjoy every moment of this unique scenery, I can’t stress enough how amazing this was. The hike takes about 45 minutes each way, but will vary with your pace, still much less time than the typical more popular Rainbow Mountain hike which can be 2-3 hours long and crowded with a long drive. On our entire hike we met less than 10 people!
Day 6- Fly to Lima & Head Home
After all this adventure you will surely be tired and ready to head back home and you’ll probably need a vacation from your vacation, though the memories are certainly worth it! We returned to Cusco on Star Peru, and JetBlue back to Fort Lauderdale, check the flight times that work best for you and book One Way tickets if possible, sometimes you get lower rates using this tactic! Checkout more views of my Peru Trip on my Instagram Stories!
Have more than 6 days vacation to spare? Add on a few more days by visiting Paracas, a small coastal city in the desert where you can visit the Ballestas Island and go Sandboarding! Read all about Paracas here
