Peru DIY
Change
The Peruvian currency is Nuevo Sol (PEN)
1 Eu = 3.68 PEN
1 PEN = 0.26 Eu
Flight
Iberia
1109 Eu incl. tax
8/8 Turin-Madrid IB 8817, Madrid-Lima IB 6651, Lima-Santa Cruz TA 925
9/8 Lima-Madrid IB 7758. Madrid-Turin IB8822
Purchased through it.lastminute.com because it costed 300 Eu less than on Iberia web site.
I do not know if it’s worse Iberia, which changed twice the flights, and lost my bags, forcing me to stay 2 nights in Santa Cruz, or Lastminute, whose workers are completely stunned, and they made me wait 1 week for a re-booking.
Very narrow seats, fortunately on the Madrid-Lima flight leg I managed to take a seat in the emergency exit row. No complaints about the food, and punctual
Avianca
138 USD tax incl.
9/6 Cuzco-Lima TA 836 9.40-11.05
Purchased on line a few days before departure. Booking in advance I would have saved at least 50 USD, but I wanted to be free to decide at the last second what to do, and so who cares… .
Domestic travel
Train
Inca Rail
9/2 Ollantaytambo – Aguascalientes 16.36 – 50 USD
9/3 Aguascalientes – Ollantaytambo 19.00 – 53 USD
The most expensive railway in the world, 1 USD per km.
Bus
Cruz del Sur is bloody expensive, and absolutely it’s not true it is the only safe company. Civa, Julsa, offer same service, and cost much less.
The important thing, if you want to travel more comfortably, is to choose “cama” seats, basically a small armchair which reclines almost completely.
The “semi-cama” are normal seats
The night trips involve time and money saving, but if you travel in July and August, better inquire about the weather conditions, to avoid getting stuck by ice during the night, in the middle of nowhere, in the cold, at 4000 meters height, as happened to me (see Arequipa)
Do not take too seriously any information concerning the transfers time announced by the various companies stuff, the buses are always late! If possible, try to take direct or express buses.
The Perùbus, Soyuz group, on the route Lima-Paracas, contrarily to what is said in the web forum, is not bad at all. The Lima Soyuz terminal is attended by respectable people (I was there at night time). For sure there are some criminals, like everywhere else, but as you read on the internet it seems that these buses are infested with swindlers, or thieves, which is not. Obviously a bit of alertness is necessary, but without being paranoid !! 🙂
All long-distance buses I took always had two drivers, and it did not seem to me they drove in a reckless way.
Weather
August is dry, but cold. You need boots, jacket, woolen hat. I also had a sleeping bag (mainly I brought for the Salar de Uyuni), but I also used it in Peru, as some hotels were really cold.
Be careful, it can snow! It happened to me in Juliaca , and then again in Chivay
Hotels
In Lima I had a hard time finding one hotel without reservation, same in Cusco, in the evening. It’s possible to bargain prices. I got evidence that, booking in advance, the price is higher. The Misti Arequipa by email asked a high price, so I did not confirm anything. Arrived in town, I showed up at their door, and price was cheaper. Names, costs, and comments in the various sections
Communications
I took a Movistar Sim, 15 PEN, then top up a couple of times (20 PEN each time) but it did not work well
Food
Nothing really special, the cheap restaurants frequented by Peruvians, and even tourist menus, always offer the usual things. It’s possible to eat lunch at markets, (typically they close at 17.00). It’s cheap, but hygiene is not certainly at its best. Not for the picky ones! 🙂
Due to the altitude, it is better to eat light. I ate many tubers and cereals soups of Inca origin. Sometimes, they put in these soups also some bones, or fat, or pieces of cheap meat.
The quinoa (a highly protein cereal) soup is excellent and nutritious.
It is said that the modern Peruvian cuisine is one of the best in the world, and that there are excellent restaurants in several cities I visited, however, despite being cheaper than European ones I would not still spend money on this side, it is a personal choice
Shopping
A paradise.
For those visiting Bolivia. Better to buy there, same things are cheaper.
For example, the classic wool sweater with Andean geometric patterns in Lima costed 45 PEN (11.45 Eu), in Potosi, Bolivia, costed 70 BOB (7.2 Eu), in Sucre 100 BOB (10.28 Eu)
I made almost all my purchases in Lima, at the end of my journey, because I wanted to travel light, in the Avenida Petit Thouars markets. There is not only the Mercado Indio, but many others as well.
The thing that most impressed me were magnificent Inca golden workmanship jewels, displayed in Plaza de Armas shops, Cuzco, and golden masks. I did not even get inside to ask for the price 🙂
Rip off / Crime
I was very alerted. The guides are certainly very alarming, but even some Peruvians who live here suggested to be very careful and not undervalue the problem. I went around dressed with old dresses, a down jacket I used in the 90’es, internationally unknown brands, money in a hidden waist belt, and, in some cases, (the infamous Soyuz terminal and taxis at night in Lima) even rolled around the calves in socks and … nothing happened.
I never felt remotely threatened. I met a Korean boy who has been robbed of the shoulder bag which contained more than 2000 USD .. I would not have kept 2000 USD in a shoulder bag ..
In two words, better not to show wealth, and follow the normal rules of common sense.
Conclusions
It is worth to go there? Claro que sì It is not exactly a cheap trip, because it’s impossible not to spend money in Cuzco, Aguascalientes, Machu Picchu, where foreigners are mercilessly legally robbed. See the sunrise at Machu Picchu, however, is priceless 🙂 and well worth 36 Eu … What I find outrageous is the cost of the train, the absolute lack of competition between Inca Rail and Peru Rail, and the lack of alternative transport systems, if not walking for kilometers along the railway .. I do not know if they are just urban legends, yet unspecified voices on the web whisper that a road which arrives to Aguascalientes exists … The rest of the country is relatively cheap, and it’s easy to move around.
A place that surprised me, much better than what I expected, is the Paracas Reserve and the Ballestas Islands, truly wonderful.
The colonial city are extraordinary, cultural heritage is immense. Regarding Titicaca, the Bolivian side is much better ..