The search for Macchu Picchu! Peru is a fascinating country of biodiversity and natural wonders, we chose to go at its peak in May – just at the beginning of (Southern hemisphere) winter when the skies are clear and air is dry (fog is terrible for Macchu Picchu photos!). We travelled with local bespoke agency Coltur – ask for their seasoned guides Alberto in Lima and Boris for Cusco/Macchu Picchu!
Tips: Cusco is at 3,400m above sea level, highly recommend to get a prescription for Diamox pills and start taking them 2 days before arrival. Pack sporty attire, layers advised, as it can warm up to 15-18 Celcius during the day versus 2-10 Celcius at night. UV rays are strong so pack your sunblock and moisturizer. At immigration, they will issue a white slip of paper. Do not lose it! Peru requires you to travel with your passport and immigration slip at all times or you will receive a fine. Sales tax is high at 18%, and it is customary to tip at restaurants. Credit cards are widely accepted, but better to leave your tip in local currency as proprietors do not pass it on to service staff. Best to exchange money (USD) after you land in Lima airport, there are also a lot of money changers in Cusco. We rented a data only sim card from local operator Claro at the airport for US$6/day – just return it when you leave Lima. 4G is available in most places. Oh and the cuisine! Don’t miss out on ceviche, causa, rocoto salsas, quinoa and it is very easy to find vegan or vegetarian options. Save room for dessert; delicious local chocolate and abundance of indigenous Amazonian fruits such as the lucuma.
Recommended route:
Lima (1.5 days) -> Sacred Valley (1.5 days) -> Macchu Picchu (2 days) -> Cusco (2 days)
Aside from these stops, Lake Titicaca, the Amazonian rainforest, Nasca Lines are also popular destinations. However the extra travel time would probably be better spent adding on an additional leg to Bolivia for the salt flats or Ecuador for the Galapagos experience.
<Lima>
Lima is the capital of Peru, and key hub for international flights. Best connections are via the USA from LA, Miami, NYC – we chose to fly CX to LAX then connect OneWorld with LAN to Lima. Do try to book your connection on the new LAN Dreamliner 787 as the cabins have added moisture control systems and a much more silent engine. We spent a full 2 days in Lima as there were many restaurants that we were hoping to fit into our schedule. For those less interested in the food side might find a half-day city tour sufficient before taking a connecting local flight to Cusco.
Food: Lima is the culinary capital of South America. We had arranged a half-day food tour of Barranco (local bohemian arts district) with journalist Jorge Riveros-Cayo (jorge.riveros.cayo@gmail.com ). Also made reservations at San Pelligrino World Top 50 restaurants Central, Astrid Y Garcon (now renamed Casa Moreira) and Maido. Tasting menus recommended for each. Personally was underwhelmed by Central vs its World #4 rating but its set in an old house in one of Lima’s nicest neighbourhoods and they are very committed to introducing uniquely Peruvian ingredients. Maido was our favourite, we chose the 10 course Amazonian menu. Did Astrid for lunch at their a la carte dining room which is a wonderful patio of an old colonial house but did leave wishing we went back for the full dinner experience. If you have more time for meals do try out Amaz, which specialises in jungle food.
Hotels: We stayed at the JW Marriott in Lima, which is the top hotel in the city and set in the nice Miraflores district overlooking the sea. Adjacent to Larcomar shopping mall set into the cliff and great place for a coffee and last minute shopping. Also recommend the Hilton for similar location, or boutique B&B “Second Home Peru”.
Sights: A stroll around downtown to see the colonial architecture should be sufficient, would also make some time to visit Museo Larco (an excellently curated private collection museum).
Shopping: Recommend to make most purchases in Cuzco as Lima is more expensive and less well stocked for souvenirs. There are however bigger selections of alpaca in the Lima stores as they are generally larger and higher end, top 2 brands are Kuna & Sol Alpaca. I personally much prefer the styles at Kuna, they also are the best place to buy vicuna which is the finest fiber (check out Loro Piana website for price comparison!).
<Sacred Valley>
Transit point for heading to Macchu Picchu – suggest to fly into Cusco and drive immediately down to lower altitudes in the Valley as a way to ease altitude sickness.
Food: Usually guides will recommend a packed lunch; we had a box by Cicciolina in Cusco which was excellent.
Hotels: The best hotel experience on our trip was at Tambo Del Inka. An SPG hotel, would be much better deal if you can redeem points. Really give yourself enough time to enjoy the grounds (spa, pool, fireplace in main lobby).
Sights: My top request before the trip was a visit to Awanakancha which is a farm that introduces Ilamas and alpacas (you get to feed them!). They also have a good introduction to local weaving culture. This is on the way to Pisac, a pre-Inca archeological site. Be prepared for steps and walking at Pisac, gets a bit dusty so would suggest to wear long pants and enclosed trainers. Ollantaytambo is a larger Inca remain which is less expansive/less steps but shows an interesting cultural development post Pisac. One stop I wish we made but didn’t have time; Pablo Seminario’s ceramic workshop. He is the most famous modern pottery artist in Peru, worth picking up a few pieces as souvenirs (best known for those with silver decor). Some people also request a stop at the Maras salt fields which we didn’t do.
<Macchu Picchu>
Highlight of the trip~ Suggest to take the Vistadome train up from Sacred Valley in the morning – only 1.5h it has a glass ceiling which gives a great view of the Andean mountains. The more adventurous can hike 3-4 days on the Inca trail, or the more comfortable Salkantay lodge trail. We took the Belmond Hiram Bingham luxury rail on the way down, it is an evening rail serving a 4 course dinner and takes 3.5h directly back to Cusco. This combination would give you a more varied experience. Be sure to bring your passport (inclusive of your white immigration paper) or they will deny entry. Just past the entrance gate there is also a table you can stamp your passport with a Macchu Picchu ink seal – don’t miss it!
Food: Limited options, there is a snack bar outside the site. Most restaurants are in Aguas Calientes.
Hotels: We chose to stay at the entrance of the site – Belmond Sanctuary Lodge which is the only housing at the top of mountain. Small rooms, but all inclusive service; they offer Pisco cocktail classes and musical shows in the evening with breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner all included. Smooth transition to the Hiram Bingham train, would view this as an extension of the old charm Orient-Express experience. There are many other options in Aguas Calientes (Sumaq is the best) but those will require some line ups for buses in the morning as tourists all try to get to Macchu and enjoy the sunrise.
Sights: All trains stop in Aguas Calientes, and require a bus transfer up to the site. There is less traffic if you arrive around noon, stop for lunch and start a tour of the site at 2pm as mornings are the most crowded. We chose to revisit on Day 2 with a 8am morning hike up the very steep Huayna Picchu (1,000 feet) but do note this requires a separate entrance ticket. Huayna takes approximately 1h to the peak for newbies as there are no railings and tall steps. Do not recommend children under teens to attempt for safety reasons, but for adults the view on the top is entirely worth it. They allow only 200 hikers on the mountain per 2h session, suggest to be ready in line before 745am to ensure your spot and be prompt on your way down to avoid hitting the next batch of traffic (same path up and down).
<Cusco>
What a lovely colonial town! Everything is in walking distance on narrow cobblestone streets. This would be the stop I would stay on for longer if I had the time. This is also the home of Cacao beans so be sure to buy lots of chocolate home! It’s easy to navigate after the 1st day so worth getting some free time without the guide to do some exploring and shopping.
Food: Very high quality everywhere. Best meal of my trip was lunch at MAP Cafe, delicious cocktails and limonades and very original takes on Peruvian classics set in a quiet courtyard. Really enjoyed dinner at Cicciolina, other popular spots include Inka Grill, Chicha (run by Astrid & Garcon). Wish I made time to visit the Choco Museum.
Hotels: We stayed at Belmond Monastario for something more romantic, but highly recommend JW Marriott Cusco which is in a newly restored colonial courtyard and rooms are pumped with extra oxygen for better sleep.
Sights: Sacsayhuaman Fortress is a great piece of architecture, ask your guide to bring you around the back to walk through the labyrinth rock tunnels. Rest of your time use it to walk around the old town, cathedral, Plaza del Armas.
Shopping: Ask your guide to bring you to the san Pedro market where you can buy all your foodstuff. Popular things to buy – Macas pink salt, quinoa, maca powder, coffee, chocolate. All significantly cheaper than supermarket and tourist shops on the street.
Tried & Tested 
Great photos! Liked the information as well 😁
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