Peru from A to Z: holidays in Peru, maps, visas, tours, resorts, hotels and reviews. How to get to Machu Picchu on your own - detailed information and tips What hotels are there

Peru is a remote South American country with an intriguing history. unique architecture and extraordinary natural diversity. As the owner of one of the new seven wonders of the world - the mysterious city of Machu Picchu, Peru is rightfully proud of the rich heritage of the Inca Empire. This colorful country, full of contrasts, attracts tourists not only with its rich archaeological heritage, but also with authentic colonial architecture, exquisite gastronomy, and virgin nature in the mountains and jungle.

Located in the Andes Mountains on the west coast of South America, the country is bordered in the northwest by Ecuador, in the north by Colombia, in the east by Brazil, and in the southeast by Bolivia and Chile. In the west, its coastline is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Peru is considered one of the largest countries in South America by area, according to this indicator it ranks third after Brazil and Argentina. Its area is very impressive and amounts to 1,285,216 km2.

The country's population as of 2018 exceeds 32,495,510 people. The capital of Peru is the city of Lima with a population of 9,562,280 people. Human. The country's national currency is the Peruvian Nuevo Sol, PEN. On average, the exchange rate against the dollar is approximately two and a half to one, that is, for one dollar they give 2.7 soles. State language in the country it is Spanish, but in regions with a predominant Indian population, the official languages ​​are Quechua and Aymara.

Peru is a very religious country, the main religion in the country is Catholicism

Current time in Lima:
(UTC -5)

Customs regulations

There are no overly strict customs regulations in Peru. As elsewhere, the import of drugs, weapons and ammunition is prohibited. The import of sausages and, in particular, dry-cured ham requires a special certificate of suitability from the manufacturer. It is allowed to import up to 2.5 liters of strong alcoholic drinks per person, as well as up to 400 cigarettes. The import and export of foreign and national currency is not limited. Export is limited only to previously imported amounts. It should be remembered that the export of items of archaeological or historical value from the country is strictly prohibited.

How to get to Peru

It makes the most sense to start your trip from the capital of the country - this is the most large city, and flights there will be much cheaper and more frequent than to other cities in Peru.

The easiest and most logical option to fly to Lima () from Russia is flights from one of European airlines with a connection at its home airport. These are Iberia, Air France, KLM, Air Europe and Lan. See all flight options from your city to Peru using the form below.

How to get from Peru to Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador

Recently, tourists are increasingly combining visits to Peru with Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador. The most convenient way to get from Lima to these countries is with direct flights from LAN. Today, this airline is considered the undisputed leader in the Latin American aviation market. LAN is famous for its impeccable service and reliable aircraft, but its ticket prices are quite high. The average cost of an economy class airfare on the Lima-Santiago-Lima route will be approximately $400, provided that the ticket is purchased several months before departure. Just before departure, prices can reach $700. Travel time is four hours.

Cities and regions of Peru

Administratively, the territory of Peru is divided into 25 regions, which in turn are subdivided into numerous provinces and districts. Each region has its own interesting specifics and features, both natural-geographical and cultural-historical.

№ Region Capital
1 Amazonas Chachabelt
2 Ankash Huaraz
3 Apurimac Abankay
4 Arequipa Arequipa
5 Ayacucho Ayacucho
6 Cajamarca Cajamarca
7 Callao Callao
8 Cusco Cusco
9 Huancavelica Huancavelica
10 Huanuco Huanuco
11 Ica Ica
12 Junin Huancayo
13 La Libertad Trujillo
14 Lambayeque Chiclayo
15 Lima Lima
16 Loreto Iquitos
17 Madre de Dios Puerto Maldonadlo
18 Moquegua Moquegua
19 Pasco Sierra de Pasco
20 Piura Piura
21 San Martin Moyobamba
22 Puno Puno
23 Tacna Tacna
24 Tumbes Tumbes
25 Ucayali Pucallpa

Sights of Peru

As a rule, a visit to Peru begins from the capital. The rest of the attractions and interesting places are quite scattered and distant from each other. Below you will find links to attractions in Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Puno and other regions of Peru.

Sights of other regions of Peru

  • Oxapampa-Ashaninka-Yanesha Nature Reserve
  • Hera Falls
  • National Peruvian Railway Museum
  • Mancora Resort
  • Resort Puerto Pizarro

National parks of Peru:

The country is home to many natural parks, the most interesting and worth visiting of which are the following:

  • Manu National Park in the region of Madre de Dios
  • Tambopata-Candamo National Reserve in the region of Madre de Dios
  • Paracas National Park in the Ica region
  • Huascaran National Park in the Ancash region
  • Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in the Loreto region

Where to go in Peru

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Parks and Recreation

Transport

Private guides in Peru

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Peru in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Things to do

In addition to the myriad of different attractions, Peru can offer its guests a wide range of activities, such as sports and entertainment, and educational in nature. Here you can walk in the mountains, go horseback riding, mountain biking, motorcycles or jeeps, rafting down rivers, surfing and alpine skiing and even go paragliding! The latter fun is especially common in the capital. Since Lima is located above ocean level, the very structure of the city is conducive to paragliding. In the Miraflores area you can easily fly over the ocean and terraces coastline feeling like a bird. Almost constant flows of warm air allow you to take off and land in the same place.

Festivals and holidays in Peru

Being a deeply religious country, Peru has an incredible number of different religious holidays on its calendar. The main holidays - Good Friday and Easter - are celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country. In the most religious cities countries - Lima, Cusco and Ayacucho host massive colorful ceremonies and solemn processions. And All Saints Day is celebrated throughout the country with a traditional ceremony of visiting the graves of ancestors. The most important holiday in life local residents- “Inti Raymi” - the summer solstice holiday is celebrated on June 24. The colorful ceremony of welcoming the Sun and worshiping it is held annually in Cusco and Sacsayhuaman, attracting countless tourists from all over the world. On November 5, Puno hosts an unusual celebration of the symbolic appearance of the first Inca, Manco Capac, and his girlfriend on Lake Titicaca.

In addition, each region has its own local holidays in the format of events of local history and veneration of the patron saints of this particular area, which makes such events unique in their own way and unlike others.

So, in February there is the Marinera Dance Festival in Trujillo, in March - the Vendimia wine festival in Ica, in June - the San Juan Festival in Iquitos, in April - the Peruvian horse competition in Pachacamas, and in November - the Bullfights in Lima. It is also interesting to see what cockfighting is like, a popular entertainment among Peruvians, which is held in the capital throughout the year.

Getting around the country

Public transport It is developed quite well in Peru and is represented by planes, buses and trains.

Planes in Peru

In a country with such complex terrain as Peru, air travel plays an important role - after all, many difficult places can only be reached by air. Moreover, if you are traveling long distances, then it makes sense to use the services of one of the local airlines, for example, TACA, StarPeru or Peruvian Airlines. Best airline in the Peruvian aviation market, TACA is considered to be the leader in all indicators, and accordingly has the most high tariffs for tickets.

Before purchasing tickets for domestic flights, you should keep in mind that there are pitfalls here. The fact is that in Peru there is differentiation in tariffs for foreign and national passengers, but this only applies to the top two tourist destinations— Cusco and Iquitos. And the difference in price is quite significant - for comparison, a ticket from Lima to Cusco for a Peruvian will cost about 80 dollars, and for a foreigner it will cost as much as 170 dollars!

Buses in Peru

The choice of a bus company should be approached with the utmost seriousness, because your safety and comfort directly depends on it. The undisputed leader among bus companies Peru is considered Cruz del Sur. The buses of this company are comfortable and reliable, and the price-quality ratio is one of the best on the entire Latin American continent. In Peru, there are different types of buses according to the degree of comfort and seats, the most popular of which are semi-folding seats - semicama and fully folding seats - cama. The bus is the most popular view transport in the country, inexpensive and comfortable. Net bus routes of various companies covers almost the entire territory of the country. It makes sense to take a bus for medium distances, for example from Cusco to Puno or Arequipa. It doesn't make sense to take a bus from Lima to Cusco or Piura, it will take too long and be quite tiring. But if you have a limited budget and a lot of time, then this option will be quite acceptable. For example, a bus trip from Lima to Cusco takes on average about 12 hours and costs approximately $30.

From other bus companies having positive reviews, we can name the following:

  • Buses Flores Hermanos
  • Tepsa
  • Linea
  • Ormeno
  • Oltursa

Peru attracts travelers from all over the world not only for its mystery and the opportunity to wander through the ancient cities of the Incas (Machu Picchu), but also for its beautiful nature. The first step in planning your trip is deciding how to get to Peru.

A trip to Peru, like any other country in Latin America, will not be a budget event. Let us dwell in detail on the various options for how to get to Peru.

Getting to Peru by plane

The fastest and easiest option is an airplane. Main airport country Jorge Chavez is located in the capital - Lima, from where you can get to other cities of Peru (Cusco, Tarapoto, Iquitos, Arequipa, Ayacucho, etc.) local airlines(Lan Peru, Taca, Star Peru and others).

There is no direct connection between Russia and Peru, so you will have to fly with transfers in Europe, the USA or Latin America. When connecting to the USA, you will need a US visa.

Get to Peru by bus

Since railway transport is poorly developed in Peru (5 internal lines railways), get to Peru from neighboring countries only possible by car or bus. When planning trips around the country, it is better to familiarize yourself with the routes in advance, as well as the travel time along the route, because buses cover a distance of 500-600 km in 12 hours. Lima connected regular buses with Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and other countries. You can view some of the routes on the official Cruzdelsur website.

Get to Peru by boat

This type of travel is quite expensive, but it has its own charm. Cruise ships they depart to Peru from Chile, USA, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama and other countries.

by Mikhail Ikhonsky | Jan 11, 2019

Peru truly is the perfect place to have a good time.

High Andes, forest tropics, modern megacities and much more can surprise you in this quaint country. However, this is not the only thing Peru can boast of. So, these are 10 reasons why you should go to this place.

Nature

As you know, almost the entire western side of the continent is fenced by the Andes, the longest mountain range peace. Fortunately, on the territory of this state there are also these high mountains. In addition to the great slopes and hills, there are real tropics here, teeming with dangerous animals and having damp soil. In some places in the forests you can meet wild tribes who chose to live according to the example of their ancestors instead of joining a more developed society.

It is also worth noting the surviving Inca cities, built in the Middle Ages, and maybe much earlier. They are usually found on hillsides or mountain tops that are not easy to reach.

Machu Picchu

One of the most famous city ancient times was also located here. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire, one of the most developed tribes of pre-Columbian America. Fortunately, the site is quite well preserved and has not undergone any significant changes, which allows us to understand the level of skill and intellectual development of the people of that time.

Throughout its existence, Machu Picchu was quite famous, as a result of which many legends and tales arose around it. However, it is still unknown why the city suddenly became empty and how it was built...

Flora and fauna

Peruvian wildlife and vegetation are incredibly diverse and exotic. Crocodiles, piranhas, cheetahs, anacondas, monkeys, tarantulas and even sharks are found in the Amazon rainforest.

The local climate is very favorable for many birds, reptiles and mammals. That is why Peru has always been famous for its extraordinary representatives of the living world, and this is matched by good zoos and extensive nature reserves.

Titicaca

The funny name is the deepest alpine lake in the whole world. Peruvians have long adapted and live in houses built near the South American pearl.

In addition to warm water and beautiful local views of nature, the place is rich in a variety of fish, especially there is a lot of tasty and expensive trout. So the local shores will definitely appeal to both novice fishermen and the most experienced ones.

Amazon

Another miracle local nature. The most long river It begins its long journey from the peaks of the high Andes and ends at the confluence with the Atlantic. The Amazon is surrounded by mysterious jungles, and the waters themselves are home to bloodthirsty crocodiles, strong snakes and the famous piranhas. So, it’s better not to swim on your own. It would be much better to take a cruise on a special ship. The pleasure is expensive, but the views and atmosphere of the Amazon are priceless. No one has yet regretted the money spent.

You don’t have to worry about safety, the matter is in the hands of professionals, because the profession is very prestigious and requires many skills and knowledge. Thus, the Amazon is a very mysterious, majestic, incredibly beautiful and noble place, where the war for life does not subside for a minute.

Kitchen

Traditional cuisine can also amaze tourists and vacationers. The dishes are incredibly tasty and filling, but sometimes too spicy, so it’s better to prepare the right drink in advance or negotiate with the chef.

The national cuisine consists of a mixture of Inca and Spanish, but gradually Peruvian dishes acquired their own characteristics and differences. As a rule, seafood dishes, mainly fish, and often raw.

In general, the cuisine is very extraordinary, but, as they say, you will lick your fingers. Be that as it may, it’s better to stock up on pills, you never know.

Identity

Peru is a country of surprises and surprises for the whole world. This is a completely different world, with Indian tribes in the thick of the forests and llamas as a means of transportation in the hills. Even the architecture is its own, since in today's cities many structures and buildings from different eras have been preserved, but especially many buildings from the time of the Conquest (that is, the colonization of the entire continent by Europeans).

As already written above, even their kitchen is in no way similar to another, exactly the same as nature, unique and inimitable.

Nazca

The famous Nazca Desert is considered the fourth wonder of the Peruvian world. Many people think so, because the place is truly elegant, sometimes a bit gloomy, but still beautiful. The desert itself is not something extraordinary, but as soon as you look at it from a certain height, you get an excellent view from below of the entire sandy expanse with huge drawings of people and animals made on stone. Simply unimaginable!

Our ancestors created such masterpieces about 3000 years ago, that is, it was before our era, when even “ Eternal City"there wasn't. This picture allows us to understand the entire performance and spiritual development of a person at that time. I'm filled with pride!

This time I’ll give you a hundred tips on how to safely and comfortably travel independently through the distant country of Peru, where to stay, how and where to get there, what, where and how much, in short, everything you need to know for those who are going to future to go to one of the most interesting countries the world or to those who are still only dreaming about it, so that your dream takes on more realistic shape.

Dangers

One of the first questions people ask me is: is Peru safe? Is it safe in South America at all? The continent is quite remote, and up-to-date information a little about him.

Consider the fact that the world is changing rapidly. The information that was relevant ten years ago has long since become history. South America is becoming an increasingly safe and tourist-friendly continent. Thanks to the development of technology and transport, today tourists are becoming commonplace for the local population, and in almost any locality, even in a small village, even on a distant island, even in a village in the jungle. And the economies of South American countries are growing, albeit different countries at different rates, but this growth is felt. All this helps reduce crime and improves safety.

I will share with you my own observations. In South America, all countries located on the western and southern coasts are practically safe for tourists, i.e. if you look at the map of the mainland, then - from its left side. These are Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. In these countries you can travel independently, subject only to the usual safety precautions.
But the countries that are located on the northern and eastern coasts are dangerous for independent trips. These are Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil and Paraguay. In these countries, it is still better to travel as part of a tour group.

Peru is safe. Some sources advise to be careful in cities at night and only travel by taxi. This is especially true for the capital Lima. In practice everything is simpler. We were in the center of Lima in the evening when darkness fell and we did not notice the danger. Tour buses drove, tourists walked, churches and cathedrals were open, people went shopping and dined in restaurants.

It is advised not to go out on the streets at night, i.e. after ten o'clock in the evening. In Lima, we needed a pharmacy late in the evening, and the night boulevards turned out to be safe place. There are police officers on duty here, but outwardly everything is very, very calm.

In Cusco at night, far from the capital, everything was even more calm. In the evening, churches were open and all the shops and cafes were open; we walked along the streets at night completely calmly.

It is completely safe to travel by taxi at night; in this case, it is better to order one at the hotel or take it at an official taxi stand. All taxis are marked and have an official number, remember this before getting into the car.
But I repeat once again - Peru is safe in terms of crime.

But here you may face a completely different danger. This - mountain sickness A lot of interesting places are located at high altitudes and the behavior of your body is completely unpredictable. Mountain sickness chooses its victims and can spare an elderly and not very healthy person, but completely destroy the strength of a young and energetic person. Several factors are at work here - at what altitude do you live at home, how capable is your body of adaptation, how often have you been to places in great height, as well as the work of your lungs, heart and many unaccounted factors. Symptoms of mountain sickness are severe dizziness, high blood pressure, weakness of the whole body, like the flu, nausea, even vomiting. Symptoms usually appear immediately, sometimes upon arrival, while still on the plane.

What to do in such cases? Don't panic!
If you are in a hotel, immediately contact the reception, call the phone, and have your partner come there. Almost all hotels have tablets for altitude sickness and bottled oxygen. At altitude, the air is thin due to the low pressure of oxygen, which is exactly what your lungs require. Try all the methods that the locals suggest: drink coca tea, chew coca leaves, take pills, breathe extra oxygen. You may need to rest in bed, even during the day. You may not be able to sleep at night. Don't panic, let your body get used to it. But you shouldn’t underestimate these symptoms. In acute conditions, pulmonary or even cerebral edema may occur.

If you are in the city and feel unwell, find the nearest pharmacy and buy medicine. Better yet, stock up on them ahead of time, they're inexpensive. Altitude sickness in Spanish is called Soroche or sorojchi (pronounced "sorochi"). This is the equivalent of the English Altitude sickness. You will need Soroche pills. These same medications will most likely be offered to you at the reception. In places where there are a lot of tourists, they can even be found in restaurants.

If you still have mild symptoms, then try to take longer breaks, spend more time in the fresh air, mountain sickness is more easily tolerated in the Inca ruins, walk slowly, you may even have to change your plans.
Drink Coca-Cola, but only store-bought cola with the original packaging. She personally helped me a lot.

How to make a route

This is not easy to do. First of all, because there are a lot of interesting places in Peru, but they are all located at a considerable distance from each other, because... Peru is a large country. The main place that most, if not all, tourists fly to Peru is, of course, Machu Picchu. First, decide how much time you have for this trip. You will need at least one week and better days ten. If you have two weeks, then you can see the maximum of interesting things.

So, you will start in Lima by flying international flight. From there, local airlines fly to Cusco - ancient capital Inc. From Cusco, day trips are available to Machu Picchu and other sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will need a week for this route.

If you have ten days, you can add the city of Puno and the reed islands of Uros in the south or the Nazca Valley in the north.

If you have two weeks, you can travel to Arequipa, a beautiful but remote city by south coast, and also visit the beautiful Colca Canyon. Or you can go north, to the Amazon region or to the Nazca region and north coast Ballestas.
When planning your itinerary, consider the vast distances in Peru. It will take you several days to overcome them. For example, moving from Cusco to Puno takes up the entire daylight hours. It will take even longer to travel from Puno to Arequipa.

If you are not sure how to create a route, open the website of any travel agency that organizes trips to this country. Take their route as a basis. After all, they offer routes that have been proven over the years and are in tourist demand for a reason.

Read more about our route here From Bolivia to Peru - two in one We, however, added a little more Bolivia, but maybe you will find it interesting. There is also a lot of useful practical advice there.

What are the prices in Peru and is it expensive to travel there?

Peru - absolutely inexpensive country. The most expensive part of your trip will be the flight. So give him the greatest attention. If you have a program for collecting air miles or points for a flight, be sure to use it. Many airlines now offer credit cards that you can use to pay for any purchase, but the benefit is that these payments earn you miles. Sometimes it takes a couple of years to accumulate them, but as a result you will get a very cheap flight.
Everything within the country is very inexpensive. Therefore, feel free to book high-level hotels, eat in good restaurants, not in street eateries, take a taxi and local transport. All this will be very reasonable prices. The only exception is the day when you go to Machu Picchu. You will have to pay quite a lot for train tickets, and for entrance tickets to the complex itself.
The local currency in Peru is the Peruvian Sol. They look nice, they depict Peruvian architectural monuments.

What hotels are there?

Hotels in Peru are excellent. Considering that they are all inexpensive, I advise you not to save too much and stay in hotels of medium and medium-high category. Then you will be guaranteed safety, convenience, high quality, cleanliness of the rooms, delicious breakfast and high level service.
Considering the great tourist popularity, I strongly advise you to reserve hotels in advance, using any service. We don't use booking, so I can't say anything about this. But on tripadvisor.com you can easily find any hotel in any city in Peru (and not only) with numerous photos and reviews from guests. Of course, you can use any website to reserve and select, just be sure to pay for the hotel before departure.

In Lima we had a hotel in the safe coastal area of ​​Miraflores. It was the most new hotel with clean rooms, quite spacious.

Separately, I need to say about the bathroom, it was perfect. Cleanliness - almost sterile.

On the top floor of the hotel there is an open and covered breakfast terrace. Breakfast was excellent, as everywhere in Peru, a wide choice and variety - fresh fruit, pastries, cheeses and ham, cereals and cottage cheese, yoghurts, juices, drinks.

We stayed in Cusco the longest - four whole nights. The hotel was very good, located almost five minutes from the main square, and was practically empty in the off-season. It was locked at night, and it was built on the site of an old house, with a traditional covered courtyard for South American countries - a patio with internal balconies on the floors.

Here we had to change rooms. The first night we checked into a room with a balcony. It was quite spacious.

But in the morning it turned out that there was a lot of noise coming from the street, it was completely impossible to sleep, and it was Sunday. We asked to change the room. After looking at about a dozen rooms, we chose the one farthest from the road. The room itself was small, I was even upset at first, but then it turned out that silence is more expensive, and the room itself was sufficient, and even more comfortable than the first. So the rooms in this hotel are unequal. I would also like to say about the breakfast - it was great. A dozen fresh local fruits, numerous European pastries, warm egg dishes, lots of cheese, ham, various drinks, sweets.

In Puno, we checked into a hotel that overlooked the cathedral in the central square.
Both the room and the hotel are excellent

Very friendly and knowledgeable reception staff. We booked an excursion with them to the reed islands of Uros, they advised us good restaurant, they suggested where the Inkaexpress agency office was located, where we bought tickets to Cusco.
The room was a little unusual. That is, it had everything as always, even a Jacuzzi bath, a comfortable bed, a personal heater

It was unusual in that one wall was completely glass and was closed at night with a dark curtain.

In addition, he had a tiny balcony and even without going out onto it, thanks to the glass wall, you could see part of the cathedral.
We liked it. It’s even a pity that we only spent part of the day and one night there and left early the next morning.

Based on the results of our trip, my husband wrote more detailed tips about our hotels, including the names of the hotels and more photos, and prices:
Peru - hotels in Lima
Peru - hotels in Cusco
Peru - hotels in Puno
Bolivia - hotels in Copacabana
Bolivia - hotels in La Paz

How to get around?

This is a very important question for any traveler, especially in South American countries.
As I already said, there are very long distances in Peru. This is a minus. But transport here is very well organized. That's a plus.

So, the main artery of Lima-Cusco is best and fastest traveled by plane. The flight is short, just over an hour, the planes are good, the airport in Cusco is not far from the city, ticket prices are reasonable. Alternative move by land transport will take away your daylight hours and it will be completely wasted time. Buy air tickets in advance at home, on the LAN airline website.

There is a special train from Cusco to Machu Picchu.

There are different ways to get from Cusco to different places in the Sacred Valley. For example, to Pisak, you will be taken by taxi, but it will be expensive. We found out at the hotel and took a minibus with locals. The comfort was average, but it was fast and inexpensive, I think about 8 soles for half an hour’s drive. Pisac is the closest Inca city, located near Cusco, if you don’t count the Sacsayhuaman fortress, located almost within the city, you can even walk there, but it’s better to take a taxi, because you’ll have to climb the mountain for a long time.
Also located in the Sacred Valley are Otagliatambo, Maras, and Moray. We didn't get there, but you can get there by local buses. You can also rent a car and move around comfortably. The roads in these places are good, with asphalt surface.
The best way to get around the city of Cusco is by taxi; you will only need one to get there. railway station and the airport. Prices here are moderate. From the hotel to the airport we paid only 10 soles.

The big question is: how to get from Cusco to Puno? This is a huge distance.
There are several options here.

Railway crossing. The train takes 10 hours, it has a dining car and a view car for photographs and in general for a convenient exploration of the surrounding area. Good option, although in the off-season it does not go every day. Check the schedule.

Transfer by night bus. A good option because in Peru, like in many developed countries in South America, there are double-decker buses with seats that fold out at night and turn into beds. On the first floor there are ordinary seats, although they are wide and comfortable, and on the second there are about 10 seats - beds with pillows and blankets. To be honest, I really wanted to take a ride on such a bus, they say it saves a night in a hotel, but for two trips to South America and four weeks spent on this continent did not work out. So I can’t say anything about my experience, but the reviews on the Internet are very, very good.

We chose the third option - the daytime bus. Honestly, at first I was more inclined to go by train, it seemed to me that it was much more convenient.
But it turned out that this bus option was great. It was also the cheapest. It turned out to be not an ordinary bus, but a special transport and tourism company Inka Express.

The bus made three (!) stops for sightseeing, one rest stop at a mountain pass and one stop for lunch. The travel time was also ten hours, but they were not difficult. There was also a guide and conductor on the bus who handed out free drinks.
It was very comfortable inside.

During the trip, we stopped in a town with a museum about the history of pre-Incan culture, where we also talked to alpacas and vicunas.

We saw a place completely unknown to us - the Inca city of Rakchi with the remains of the Temple of the Sun (the rest of the temples were destroyed by the conquistadors)

We saw a masterpiece - a Catholic cathedral; unfortunately, you can’t take pictures inside.

At a stop at a mountain pass we bought some national products made from alpaca wool

And we had lunch at an excellent mountain restaurant,

where there was a large selection of food buffet, live music and clean toilets.

How and where to eat?

I’ll say right away: in Peru the food is very tasty everywhere. Besides, local cuisine uses a lot of vegetables, fruits, different types meat, seafood, local grains. In the end it turns out great variety, especially when compared with neighboring Bolivia, where everything is much poorer. They say that even in Argentina the diet is less varied, mainly meat and white bread. Peruvian cuisine is considered in South America, along with Brazilian, to be the most gourmet. Indeed, everywhere we ate, everything was very tasty, in addition, beautifully decorated and varied. Starting with breakfasts at the hotels, which were very plentiful and varied.
We are not meat lovers, we hardly eat steaks, but in Peru we tried alpaca meat several times. The food is very tasty, the side dishes are especially interesting - different types of vegetables, several unfamiliar types of pumpkins, multi-colored potatoes.
We didn't go to expensive restaurants, but we also avoided fast food joints. In tourist areas there are enough restaurants at average prices and safe in terms of hygiene. For example, in the city of Cusco, very close to our hotel, on a quiet street, we were completely alone in the whole restaurant. We had lunch and dinner with pleasure.

A good breakfast was served on the train that took us to Machu Picchu, and the breakfast was completely unexpected; I’m generally silent about the plates and cutlery. Everything is like in a restaurant.

On a mountain pass, in a lonely restaurant, there was unexpectedly a buffet lunch. There I was lucky enough to eat a delicious vegetable puree soup (I make the same at home), local dishes from local grains - quinoa, various types of meat.

Prices are moderate everywhere. Again, I refer to our budget Cost and route: Peru + Bolivia.

Avoid salespeople street food, it’s better to buy something in a store; there are modern supermarkets in Peru. True, we bought boiled corn a couple of times; it is quite special in Peru, large, juicy, sweet, probably dating back to the times of the Incas.

I would also like to say something about drinks. If there are no problems with food, then be careful about what and where you drink. In Peru, something happened to me that had not happened for a long time. I got poisoned. And she was poisoned twice. And every time because I violated known rules tourists. I must say that poisoning along with altitude sickness really ruined several days of my trip. So let's remember the basic rules:
- Never drink drinks with ice. Ice is made from unfiltered water and it may be the cause of your poisoning.
- do not order or drink fresh squeezed juices, just as do not eat salads made from fresh vegetables. All guidebooks warn about this. Because vegetables for salads are again washed in tap water, which in Peru is of very low quality, and juices are squeezed from fruits washed in the same water.
- drink only bottled water, juices in factory packaging, tea, beer (kills bacteria) and Coca-Cola (also kills food bacteria and helps fight altitude sickness). We usually also drink local wine when traveling, but Peru is not a country that can be proud of its winemaking, like neighboring Chile. Honestly, I'm not sure if they even make wine.

The right season to travel.

There is no right season to travel to Peru. There's something for everyone. But how to choose your season?
Let's start with the fact that Peru is located in the Southern Hemisphere and the seasons there are opposite to ours. That is, if you are used to traveling in the summer, remember that you will end up in winter. But winter here is completely different, the country is not so far from the equator, there is no snow or frost here. But it will be cold, especially at night and especially in mountainous areas, and there will be less greenery. In addition, there will be many tourists at this time.
If you want to shorten your winter and go to Peru in winter, you will be in summer, which, however, will not be hot, especially in the mountainous areas. However, we must take into account that in February the Urubamba River, through which the train to Machu Picchu goes, sometimes becomes so flooded that it is canceled and your trip to meet the wonder of the world may be at great risk.

My personal favorite season to travel to South America is our late fall and early winter, which is late November to early December. Why? Firstly, it’s the end of spring and beginning of summer, like our turn in May-June. And this is the most beautiful and blooming time of the year. Secondly, at this time there is the longest daylight, which is very important when traveling. Thirdly, it’s so nice to go to warmer climes in the most depressing and dark time year, and will be back almost right in time for Christmas.

I really hope that my advice will seem interesting, useful, and will help someone move forward towards their goal. With this I also complete my series about Peru. I hope I didn't bore you too much. Thank you very much to everyone for your careful reading, for your interest and all your comments and ratings. For those who are interested, I provide links to all previous works.

The dream of my life is everything at once!!

Total travel budget including excursions, internal travel and hotels: $1,567

Let's go?

Preparing for the trip:

Visa
Russian citizens traveling for tourism purposes can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa. When entering the country, you must fill out a migration card and keep it throughout your trip; it will be collected upon departure.

International flight
There are no direct flights to Peru from Russia. The most convenient flight options are offered by Iberia, KLM, Air France - with one transfer in Madrid, Amsterdam or Paris, for which a transit visa is not required.
A more economical flight option can be found with Delta. But to transfer to the USA, a transit visa is required.
The most economical flight option is with two transfers through Europe and Venezuela.
You need to look for tickets to Lima - international airport is located in the capital of Peru. From Lima you can then fly to other cities in the country.

Ticket prices start from approximately 44,000 rubles (with two transfers) to 60,000 rubles (with one transfer). The expensive flight is compensated by the fact that everything in the country itself is very inexpensive.

Vaccinations
If you are planning a trip to the jungle, you should be vaccinated against yellow fever in advance. No one will check it anywhere; this is an entirely voluntary matter for your safety.

Money
The currency of Peru is the Peruvian Nuevo Sol. Exchange rate against the dollar: 2.6-2.7 soles per dollar. You can bring dollars with you - exchange offices there's a lot everywhere. Or take some dollars and bank card, and on the spot withdraw from ATMs in local currency.
Important: Never change currency from street money changers! Only in bank branches!

Safety
Peru today is very safe country. Perhaps only in Lima outside the tourist areas you need to exercise caution and it is advisable to avoid walking at night. In other cities everything is calm and you can drive safely without fear of anything. Of course, you need to follow the usual precautions: do not leave things unattended, do not carry your wallet in a backpack behind your back - but nothing more.

Route

Day 1: We arrive in Lima. The capital of Peru is always the starting point of any route. If time is limited, it is not worth spending it on Lima; you can immediately go south, to Nazca. There are many bus routes in this direction; you can choose a convenient time. The journey from Lima will take 7.5 hours. Overnight in Nazca.

Budget:
Transfer to Nazca by bus the best company Peru Cruz del Sur: approximately $30.
3* hotel in Nazca, for example Kunan Wasi Hotel: approximately $22

Day 2: In the morning we are going to fly over the Nazca Lines. Small 5-seater planes fly over the Lines. Before approaching each of the geoglyphs, the pilot warns which figure is about to appear in the field of view, and then tilts the plane to the right and left so that everyone can see the Lines and take good pictures. After a 30-35 minute flight, you can have lunch and walk around the city, and at 10 pm take the Cruz del Sur night bus to Arequipa.

The route was planned this way for a reason: the fact is that the location of Arequipa and the Canyon allows you to gently adapt to the altitude, so that you can then rise higher in Puno and Cusco and not suffer from altitude sickness.

Buses in Peru are very comfortable, the seats recline almost to a horizontal position, each passenger is given a pillow and a blanket, so it is quite possible to sleep the entire journey, which will take 10 hours.

Day 9: You can see the sunrise at Machu Picchu! I know some people don't like popular tourist places. But it’s not Machu Picchu’s fault that it is so beautiful and so many people come to look at this wonder of the world! You can climb higher, find a secluded corner and enjoy the beauty alone :) And you can also climb Mount Wayna Picchu - the same one that is visible in all the photographs of Machu Picchu right behind the ruins. The climb to Wayna Picchu is steep and difficult, but the view from there is crazy!

In the evening we return to Cusco.

Budget:

Day 10: You can relax, walk around Cusco, go to museums, climb to the statue of Christ, see the ruins of Sacsayhuaman and even ride through the mountains on horseback - such walks are offered near the ruins of Sacsayhuaman. And in the evening we need to get ready for the road, the Amazon jungle awaits us - National Park Manu!

Budget:
Hotel in Cusco, for example Golden Inca: $25

Days 11-14: We leave Cusco before dawn, since we have quite a long road. This is very interesting and unusual experience- drive from the Sierra (mountains) to Selva (jungle). Nature, plants, landscapes change right before your eyes. In the morning we were among rocks, eucalyptus trees and rare vegetation, and in the evening - in the humid hot tropics, where a bright red cock of the rock crows, where a mountain river rustles under the windows of the lodge, and giant butterflies and tiny hummingbirds flutter above the flowers!

After lunch we will reach the point where the road ends. Then you can only sail by boat. But first, we'll go down the river on rafts - it's a lot of fun! The bravest ones can even take a swim :)

After a long day and a delicious dinner, there is nothing better than sleeping to the sound of the river!

The following days merge into one long and impossibly beautiful day with walks through the jungle and lakes, skiing cable car and catching piranhas, night forays into the forest and watching animals and birds. It’s very sad to leave here, you always want to stay longer!

Budget:
4-day excursion to the Amazon jungle - Manu National Park: $440
The price includes transportation, accommodation in lodges, meals, rafting, cable car rides, etc.
Overnight at a hotel in Cusco after returning from Manu: $25

Day 15: That's it, it's time to fly to Lima and home.
If you still have time, I would highly recommend driving along the coast to the north of Lima: to Trujillo and Chiclayo - see the sights of the “Moche Road”, go to the Cordillera Blanca to the lagoons among the glaciers and the giant flowers of Puya Raymondia, climb to ancient city civilization Chachapoyas - Kuelap. About interesting places I can talk about Peru for a very long time :)

Budget:
Flight Cusco-Lima with Star Peru: approximately $100

Total: total budget for the trip including excursions, travel and hotels: $1,567

N.B.


  • The route is designed taking into account the current schedule of bus and air flights.

  • The tours included in this itinerary are in English or Spanish. Organizing excursions with Russian-speaking guides is possible, but the cost will vary.

  • Hotel rates are per person based on double occupancy. Check-in dates are arbitrary; prices for specific dates may vary slightly.

  • The calculation does not include meals other than those already included in the cost of hotel accommodation or excursions. When planning a route, I usually budget 20-25 dollars a day for food.

  • The cost of entrance tickets to museums is not included in the calculation. national parks and other additional costs.

  • Price bus tickets and air travel from Cusco to Lima is indicated for arbitrary dates, the price for specific dates may vary slightly.

 

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