PERU TRIP PLANNING:
Peru is genuinely inc(a)redible too nosotros loved it!! We had 2 weeks during Thanksgiving holidays inward Nov 2014 too nosotros had an AWESOME see to lovely Peru.
Peru is most famous for Machu Picchu but at that topographic point is a whole spectrum of possibilities for tourists.
We chose our priorities based on fourth dimension available too logistics. We planned too executed it with no aid from agents. We had a hectic trip roofing a lot of places inward depth inward a curt bridge of time. Our scheduling had permit us acclimatize to the height too nosotros did non experience whatever sickness. We did non accept whatever medication… did non endeavour the cocoa tea also.
ALTITUDE FACTORS:
The height plays a large purpose equally most of Republic of Peru is inward high height portion too 1 has to live careful non to autumn prey to height sickness. 2,500 thousand (8,000 ft) inward a higher house bounding main degree is the elevation at which height sickness tin occur. The risk of height sickness increases equally you lot go higher. Oxygen degree is lower the higher nosotros go upwardly too this may atomic number 82 to Soroche (the Castilian give-and-take for height sickness). We had to programme our trip with this element inward heed equally nosotros came across tons of reviews where people had larn sick too some had to live hospitalized!
For an thought of the altitudes of some major landmarks, reckon below:
Highest bespeak on Inca Trail (Warmiwañusqa pass) 4,200 thousand (13,780 ft)
Puno (Lake Titicaca) 3,810 thousand (12,500 ft)
Chivay 3,630 thousand (11,910 ft)
Cusco 3,399 thousand (11,152 ft)
Huarez 3,052 thousand (10,013 ft)
Urubamba 2,870 thousand (9,416 ft)
Ollantaytambo 2,792 thousand (9,160 ft)
Pisac 2,715 thousand (8,907 ft)
Machu Picchu 2,430 thousand (7,970 ft)
Arequipa 2,350 thousand (7,710 ft)
WHAT TO SEE?
Here's a map of attractions...
OUR INCLUSIONS:
Here's a map of what nosotros covered but inward the contrary administration to what is specified here...and excepting for the flights inward too out of Peru, nosotros traveled yesteryear the road. By taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo too back, afterward yesteryear populace luxury bus Inca Express from Cusco to Puno (for Lake Titicaca), 1 time again some other bus from Puno to Chivay (Colca Canyon), too thence onward to Arequipa. So nosotros managed to reckon all the lovely scenery inward betwixt too!
MACHU PICCHU:
The ancient metropolis of Machu Picchu perched high on a ridge, 300 meters inward a higher house the Urubamba River is definitely the highlight for whatever itinerary.
Trains go out from Cusco, Ollantaytambo, or Urubamba to Aguas Calientes. From Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, a rider vehicle takes visitors upwardly to Machu Picchu, which is virtually a 20-minute drive.
SACRED VALLEY:
The beautiful sacred valley, an hour's drive due north of Cusco, comes a unopen second.. This fertile valley has many Inca ruins worth exploring too is also a peaceful expanse to soak upwardly local culture. The towns of Pisac, Urubamba, too Ollantaytambo conduct keep fabulous ruins; Moray has circular terracing used equally an agricultural testing expanse yesteryear the Incas, too Maras, the tabular array salt mines at Salinas, which conduct keep been inward work since the fourth dimension of the Incas.
Below is the Ollantaytambo fortress ruin...
Below is the Ollantaytambo fortress ruin...
[Incan empire is the largest empire inward pre Columbian days too the menses is from 1200 AD to 1572 when the Castilian brought downwardly their final bastile. In Quechua, Inca agency King,,, thence it's technically incorrect to work that give-and-take equally extension for all things pertaining to that period. However, at that topographic point is a mutual usage of referring to the people/features of that era equally Incan. So with apologies, I go along with that usage!]
CUSCO:
Cusco, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is of course of study a must do. Inca ruins conduct keep been used inward the foundations of the lovely one-time Castilian colonial buildings, showcasing the country's glorious history.
COLCA CANYON(Cañon del Colca):
We also included Colca Canyon (Cañon del Colca), which is twice equally deep equally the Grand Canyon, too is the 2d deepest after nearby Cotahuasi Canyon. The canyon reaches a depth of 3,400 meters too is the outcome of a seismic mistake betwixt 2 volcanoes. At the base of operations far below is a winding river. Condors are a huge attraction. Chivay was our base of operations here.
LAKE TITICACA:
At 3,820 meters inward a higher house bounding main level, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake inward the world, too is also an extraordinarily scenic area. Uros Floating Islands (Islas Flotantes), which sustain pocket-sized communities of Uros Indians are famous. These are man-made islands constructed of reeds that conduct keep sustained a traditional way of life since the fourth dimension of the Incas. existent charm lying inward the pocket-sized villages inward the hills along the shores of Titicaca too on the principal islands of Isla Taquile and Isla Amantani.
The principal gateway to Lake Titicaca is the metropolis of Puno. But nosotros wanted a rest inward an isle too we were thence lucky to live the exclusively residents for the whole solar daytime on an isle Isla Suasi inward Lake Titicaca.
AREQUIPA:
Arequipa, at 2,300 meters, is oft regarded equally Peru's most beautiful city. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the metropolis middle is UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's one-time architecture is constructed of sillar stone, a volcanic stone that radiates a brilliant color inward the sunlight. Most of the colonial buildings inward the historic metropolis middle are made from this stone, giving ascent to its nickname of the "white city."
Most people start their trip hither thence that they tin acclimatize before moving on to high altitude. We withal decided to make the best first... scheduling Machu Picchu early. Instead of staying at Cusco which is really high altitude, nosotros chose Ollantaytambo equally our base. Urubamba could conduct keep been an pick but nosotros preferred the pocket-sized Incan hamlet too had no regrets.
Most people start their trip hither thence that they tin acclimatize before moving on to high altitude. We withal decided to make the best first... scheduling Machu Picchu early. Instead of staying at Cusco which is really high altitude, nosotros chose Ollantaytambo equally our base. Urubamba could conduct keep been an pick but nosotros preferred the pocket-sized Incan hamlet too had no regrets.
OUR MISSES:
INCA TRAIL:
We did non make the iv solar daytime Inca trail equally nosotros tin handgrip exclusively solar daytime hikes. H5N1 comfortable bed too proper bath are essential for our preferences. There is a sense of regret virtually missing this experience though nosotros did conduct keep several awesome hikes inward the region.
AMAZON:
Amazon: one-half sixty minutes flying from Cusco, Puerto Maldonado is a telephone commutation jumping-off bespeak for tours of the Amazon. Here's hot humid jungle too a risk to reckon unique wildlife. Caimans, capybara, monkeys, parrots, turtles, too piranhas. We decided to skip this too focus on but the due south of Republic of Peru for this trip.
HUAREZ:
Huarez was on our wishlist... but logistics denied its inclusion... affair of huge regret.
BOLIVIA:
Most people cross over to Republic of Bolivia from Lake Titicaca... nosotros did non because nosotros did non desire to overschedule. We had a programme B that we'll motion to Arequipa too rest at that topographic point if nosotros encountered height sickness problems spell next our master plan. Thankfully nosotros were OK. The programme to acclimatize at Ollantaytambo worked for us.
NAZCA LINES:
Nazca lines were some other interesting characteristic nosotros chose to miss. Here's a curt concern human relationship of what they are...these lines stretch equally long equally 10 kilometers, too they are spread over hundreds of foursquare kilometers.
The lines were created yesteryear removing the black surface layer of stones too piling them at the sides of the lines, creating a contrast betwixt the black stones too the exposed lighter soil below.
From the air, it is possible to reckon lxx dissimilar flora too creature drawings equally good equally hundreds of lines too other geometrical shapes. Most notable alongside the figures are a lizard criterion 180 meters long, a condor with a 130-meter wingspan, too several others that include a monkey, hummingbird, killer whale, too spider.
The lines were in all probability the production of the Paracas too Nazca cultures betwixt 900 BC too AD 600. They may live a type of astronomical calendar for agriculture, walkways joining ceremonial sites, or purpose of a H2O cult.
Flights tin live booked inward advance to reckon these but of course of study weather condition should cooperate. We could non schedule it inward regretfully.
LIMA:
Of course of study confining ourselves to the southern corner ruled out many other areas. Lima may conduct keep been practiced equally good but nosotros but scheduled our flights with no halt inward Lima. Some reports of criminal offence inward the metropolis contributed to that but equally nosotros had avoided Buenos Aires on our trip to Argentina. I'm certain everything would conduct keep turned out to live but fine if nosotros had but followed normal precautions too included them.
WHEN TO GO:
The high flavor is June to August, but the 2 months on either side of this also reckon decent weather condition too tin live a practiced fourth dimension to see with fewer crowds. Rainy flavor is from Nov to March.
Overall, the best fourth dimension to see Machu Picchu is from Apr to October. However nosotros needed to schedule this vacation cease of Nov which is the starting fourth dimension of summer/rainy season. Shoulder flavor worked for us with hardly whatever crowds too peachy mild weather.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS:
Keeping ourselves well hydrated, too eating uncomplicated easily digestible nutrient worked for us. Drinking some Coca tea or chewing the local Coca leaves are recommended to alleviate symptoms of Soroche but nosotros never tried them. CAUTION: if you lot are due for drug testing these are to live avoided.
Slow down, avoid alcohol too give your trunk fourth dimension to adjust. I'm inward the habit of rushing around, doing chores , tidying upwardly etc...there comes a abrupt feeling equally if the tank is empty too I had to prevarication downwardly on a twain of occasions for some 10 minutes or thence to experience normal. Trick is to breathe deep too walk/ make things at a deadening criterion thence that the oxygen deprivation does non laid inward too brand you lot experience unwell.
LOGISTICS:
ITINERARY:
Nov 27, 2014: Flight from Houston landing at 11.30pm at Lima.
Nov 28, 2014: 5am flying from Lima to Cusco, landing at 6.30am. Private prearranged taxi to our base of operations Ollantaytambo with sight seeing stops at Maras too Moray on the way.
FLIGHTS:
To give a few details…Our ticketing was through United Airlines. Houston-Lima-Cusco for the flying into Republic of Peru too Arequipa-Lima-Houston for the flying out.
DAY 1: Nov 27, 2014:
We flew inward from Houston to Lima, landed at 11.30 pm, collected our checkin pocketbook too walked over to the LAN counter. They are opened upwardly throughout the black too checked us inward at 1 time for our v am flying to Cusco. We stretched out on the chairs at the boarding gate too dozed off for a curt time, too thence washed upwardly too took the flying at 5am. The aerodrome was quite comfortable 1 time nosotros got through the crowded areas.DAY 2, Nov 28, 2014:
Before boarding nosotros requested a topographic point alter to left side of airplane for sentiment of Andes when landing. They gave us these emergency seats... GREAT!
Landed at Cusco at 6.30 am. We had arranged through e-mail for driver Marco to pick us up— Maaf3000@gmail.com
His guy was inward the baggage expanse looking for us... nosotros thought he was some tout but afterward realized he was OK. We drew fifty soles from the ATM
Met upwardly with Marco who was standing exterior with our advert plate.
Marco would conduct keep been sent yesteryear our hotel if nosotros had asked them for aerodrome pickup but nosotros approached him on our ain through e-mail equally said earlier.
Aeropuerto -Ollantaytambo= 45 $ dolares.
Aeropuerto- Maras-Moray- Ollantaytambo=70$ dolares
was his quote; nosotros happily paid for the latter.
We conduct keep basic Spanish, Marco has teeny tiny chip English, nosotros got along great!
We conduct keep basic Spanish, Marco has teeny tiny chip English, nosotros got along great!
.We needed a large bottle of drinking water, Marco stopped at a store that opened that early on too nosotros sped through scenic roads too interesting one-time houses.
Reached Moray.
MORAY AGRICULTURAL TERRACES:
Moray is an Inca agricultural experiment station. Its micro climatic conditions too other pregnant characteristics led to the work of the site equally a middle for the ancient study of domestication, acclimatization, too hybridization of wild vegetable species that were modified or adapted for human consumption.
Moray is fifty km (31 mi) northwest of Cuzco on a high plateau at virtually 3,500 thousand (11,500 ft) too but due west of the hamlet of Maras. It is a image of a greenhouse or experimental biological station, really advanced for its age; so that the Andean Man could eat 3000 dissimilar spud varieties, 150 varieties of maize, too many other rich goods.
We bought the Boleto turistico (tourist ticket) at Moray which served for a host of sites inward sacred valley.
The site contains odd Inca ruins, to a greater extent than oft than non consisting of several enormous terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is to a greater extent than or less thirty thousand (98 ft) deep.
As with many other Inca sites, it also has a sophisticated irrigation system.
Their depth, design, too orientation with abide by to air current too Sun creates a temperature departure of equally much equally xv °C (27 °F) betwixt the top too the bottom.
This large temperature departure was used yesteryear the Inca to study the effects of dissimilar climatic conditions on crops.
A few early on visitors started trickling in.
The agricultural terraces are stunningly beautiful.
There are fix clean toilets at these touristy places but many don’t conduct keep whatever TP; We carried bathroom paper, thence no worries.
Marco had cautioned us to accept things slow, nosotros did so, too hiked to all the advantage points. We had had a long flight, were slumber deprived too the height may conduct keep added to the difficulty. But it was all thence scenic, nosotros felt energized. Except for slight panting, nosotros were OK!
MORAY VILLAGE PLAZA:
After an sixty minutes there, nosotros drove on.
here's Moray agri terraces;
here are the Salineras of Maras...
Bought fruits from local ladies at the market—6 tasty bananas for but 1 sole!!
Then nosotros were on our way.
MARAS SALINERAS:
Next was the salineras—another awesome specimen of the ingenuity of the Incas. They’ve harnessed a subterranean current to stream through pans where tabular array salt is produced when the H2O evaporates.
Very Scenic place.
Here nosotros are at Maras...as tin live seen, iii CUTE locals were blocking our way... a grin too a cheerful OLA solved the issue!
Matching stride with a local beauty...
Here nosotros are at Maras...as tin live seen, iii CUTE locals were blocking our way... a grin too a cheerful OLA solved the issue!
Matching stride with a local beauty...
Bought some souvenirs from a shop—-very reasonably priced.
These are Andean practiced luck symbols...2 bulls with a yoke. These bulls convey practiced luck, wellness too prosperity...
These are Andean practiced luck symbols...2 bulls with a yoke. These bulls convey practiced luck, wellness too prosperity...
People house 2 bulls inward the middle of the roof/highest purpose of the house. They human face upwardly inward the same administration equally the houses too inward betwixt them rises a cross, both a Christian symbol too something related to Illapa, the thunder god, flags, too metallic roosters.
Here are tabular array salt sacks stacked up. human carrying tabular array salt sack...
About 3000 pocket-sized pools with an average expanse of v m² (53.8 ft²), conduct keep been constructed on the gradient of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain.
People fill upwardly up or "irrigate" the pools during the dry out flavor every iii days, with salty H2O emanating from a natural outflow located on the top of the complex. Here's the subterranean current emerging...
We tin reckon the current running here...
When H2O evaporates the tabular array salt contained inward it volition piece of cake solidify.
That procedure volition live carried out to a greater extent than or less during 1 calendar month until a considerable majority of enterprise tabular array salt is obtained; virtually 10 cms. (4 inches) high from the floor.
That enterprise tabular array salt is beaten, granulated, too thence packed inward plastic sacks too sent to the region's markets. We had heard this house volition expect dingy too brownish during rainy flavor too had emailed Marco whether it would live worth visiting inward Nov end... he said YES, too it was GREAT!
HOSTAL ISKAY, OLLANTAYTAMBO:
Reached our hotel too checked in. Stay at Hostal Iskay inward lovely ethnic surround at the human foot of the mount (*hostal is inn, advert given for hotels with less than xv rooms).
This room was for 1 black exclusively too nosotros had a bigger nicer room for the adjacent purpose of our rest when nosotros returned from Machu Picchu.
This is skylight...
the mortal terrace is awesome!
This room was for 1 black exclusively too nosotros had a bigger nicer room for the adjacent purpose of our rest when nosotros returned from Machu Picchu.
It had been peachy leaving our bags inward the machine with trusty Marco too doing our sight seeing.right after landing. All the sites had no other tourist about equally you lot tin reckon from our pics—-it was such a soul stirring minute enjoying them inward such solitude!
We had the paratas , love apple tree relish too cashew sweetness nosotros had brought with us too slept off early.
The adjacent post virtually our Ollantaytambo Ruins hike too develop to Aguas Caliente is here:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=peru-trip-report-day-3-ollantaytambo
We had the paratas , love apple tree relish too cashew sweetness nosotros had brought with us too slept off early.
The adjacent post virtually our Ollantaytambo Ruins hike too develop to Aguas Caliente is here:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=peru-trip-report-day-3-ollantaytambo
How To Excogitation A Trip To Peru.Trip Written Report Twenty-Four Hours 1: Flying To Lima; Twenty-Four Hours 2: Flying To Cusco, Maras-Moray- Ollantaytambo
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