The friends from Toronto who embarked on an 8-day adventure in Peru were overwhelmingly delighted with their experience. Here are some key tips to enhance your journey:
➡️ Secure your Machu Picchu tickets as early as possible. If you’re joining a local Cusco tour, ensure that the ticket is included in the package. Some tours might require you to purchase your own ticket upon reaching Aguas Calientes. If you have a ticket for line one but prefer line two, ask your guide if there’s a way to switch when traveling in a group, or try negotiating with the staff at the fork in the road if you’re on your own.
➡️ You might come across online claims that you must have a leader for Machu Picchu [laughing and crying emoji], but even a guide isn’t mandatory, let alone a leader. This is often a marketing ploy by some to promote their guiding services.
➡️ For those eager to sample alpaca meat or cuy (guinea pig), it’s wise to start with one portion for two people. The Toronto friends ordered cuy and found it impossible to finish over two days. In another instance, Chinese friends struggled to consume the alpaca meat, even with drinks, and still had plenty left over.
➡️ When entering or exiting the airport area in Lima, avoid looking down at your phone if the car window is open to stay alert and safe.
➡️ To ward off altitude sickness, if you haven’t brought prescription medication from the US or Canada, you can easily find acetazolamide at pharmacies in Peru. Sorojchi pills are now scarce, but Alti Vital is a good alternative. If flying into Cusco, consider heading straight to Aguas Calientes or Urubamba, where the altitude is much lower, to help with gradual acclimatization. If staying in Cusco on the day of arrival, take it easy and don’t rush the itinerary. For travelers from Europe, America, or China with more flexible budgets, it’s not advisable to book early morning tours at 4-5 AM. If traveling in a group, renting a car is a great option; a standard vehicle costs around $100 per day. Oxygen tanks are widely available at many pharmacies in Cusco.
➡️ For the Amazon rainforest, if you want to see the Amazon River, Iquitos is the only place to do so, as the river does not flow through Puerto Maldonado. If possible, opt for places like Ceiba Tops; the difference in experience is significant, and if you can afford it, there’s no need to endure hardship.
➡️ For the train journey to and from Aguas Calientes, if taking the PeruRail Observatory one-way, it’s recommended to travel from Ollantaytambo/Cusco to Aguas Calientes for the best views and experience.
