Peru - Lima/Cuzco/Machu Pichu

[Eomer]

Just booked my flights, going to do a very quick trip down there end of November. Basically fly in to Cuzco, spend a day there, hike the Inca trail for 4 days, have a day or two in Cuzco, then fly home. Anything particularly interesting in Cuzco or Lima I should try to check out? Any huge warnings or things to consider? Not concerned about the altitude of Machu Pichu, it wasn't a problem at all when I ski'd in Chile and the altitudes were about the same. I have some Diamox in case.

[Kaxmax]

My wife & I were just there in June, really fun trip. Get yourself in good shape, the trek is a lot harder than you'd think. The second day is pretty brutal, 6-8 straight hours of climbing at high altitude. Three people in the group I was with were throwing up by the end of that day. Not sure about November, but the climate was wacky in June. 70s and sunny during the day and mid 20s at night. I was sleeping in thermals, a sweatshirt, a fleece vest, and a softshell in a 30 degree ultralight bag and was still cold.

Cuzco is a really cool city, good food and a nice atmosphere to walk around in. Be prepared for people to bug you every ten steps to either buy their shit or give you a massage.

Lima was a shit hole, I'd spend as little time there as possible.

Check your PMs, will send you a link to our pictures.

[Foler]

post pics after your trip, I'm thinking about doing peru and chile next summer.

[Rhuobhe]

be prepared to deduct one day from your Cuzco trip. visitors generally spend the first day in their hotel room adjusting to the altitude. - a peruvian

[TheCutlery]

Only thing I can contribute is I have a buddy who married a peruvian...him being a 6'3", 230lb white guy, she's maybe 90lbs soaking wet. He has the family buy everything for him because they rape the hell outta the gringos there if you let them. So, make some friends, get some lobster for a dollar.

[Rhuobhe]

don't forget to try the guinea pig

[Kaxmax]

I wasn't impressed by the guinea pig, alpaca was pretty good though.

Something else I forgot, get yourself some good anti-diarrhea meds. We had some prescription stuff & were popping Pepto tablets twice a day, almost everyone else in our group got the shits bad. Believe me, you do not want to spend any more time in the 'bathrooms' (I use that term very, very lightly) on the trail than you absolutely have to.

[Fyro]

Originally Posted by Eomer

Just booked my flights, going to do a very quick trip down there end of November. Basically fly in to Cuzco, spend a day there, hike the Inca trail for 4 days, have a day or two in Cuzco, then fly home. Anything particularly interesting in Cuzco or Lima I should try to check out? Any huge warnings or things to consider? Not concerned about the altitude of Machu Pichu, it wasn't a problem at all when I ski'd in Chile and the altitudes were about the same. I have some Diamox in case.

When you say 4 day hike, do you mean the 4 Day Inca Jungle path? Or do you mean the real Inca trail part? There are a lot of different hikes now and they are all super different. I did the Inca Jungle path, which is up the Rio Urubamba (Urubamba River), and it is 4 days in total, but a lot less strenuous than the real Inca trail.

Another thing that really makes a difference is how you are getting into Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes (the town below M.P.). If you are doing the real hike then you will hike into the ruins of Machu Picchu on your last morning through the Sun Gate. If you are going to be hiking into Aguas Calientes then you will need to get up early to ascend the mountain before the tours show up on the bus. I am not sure what type of shape you are in or how adventurous you are, but if you are in Aguas Calientes you can get up and start the hike up to M.P. at about 4:45 AM to beat the crowds of fat sunburnt gringos.

You will get to the entrance before the gates open and you will get the chance to also do Wayna Picchu which is the second mountain at the ruins. Only 400 people per day get allowed in and it is a first-come type of thing. It is free and totally fucking worth it. The views looking over the ruins from atop Wayna Picchu are epic. Like the first time I raided PoFear back in EQ epic.

Other than that, try the Alpaca it is pretty decent. I would recommend the "Carne de -alpaca saltado-" it is a really good dish with the alpaca meat and french fries all cooked together. It is really interesting and awesomely peruvian. "Lomo saltado" is good as well. If you are looking to try guinea pig, in spanish it is called "cui" which sounds like "k-WEE."

Aguas Calientes is a shit hole- Don't spend more time there than you absolutely have to. Also in Cuzco I would recommend going rafting one day. It was a lot of fun, albeit freezing cold. Depends a lot on the season and the rain so check this out before hand to get a good idea.

Here are two pics; one of the Inca trail along the River Urubama and the other is of me on top of Wayna Picchu: the mountain looking down on Machu Picchu.

[Kaxmax]

Another thing that really makes a difference is how you are getting into Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes (the town below M.P.). If you are doing the real hike then you will hike into the ruins of Machu Picchu on your last morning through the Sun Gate.

That morning was fun as all hell. Woke up at four in the morning to break camp, gate opened at 5:30, and it was a full run to the Sun Gate in the dark to get there for the sunrise. Running on a four foot wide path by the light of a headlamp with a hundred foot drop on your other side

[Eomer]

So a week before departure I finally spent a couple hours actually looking in to the trip and planning things.

Originally Posted by Kaxmax

Get yourself in good shape, the trek is a lot harder than you'd think. The second day is pretty brutal, 6-8 straight hours of climbing at high altitude. Three people in the group I was with were throwing up by the end of that day.

heh, hope your definition of "good shape" is a lot less stringent than mine, because I ended up doing sweet fuck all to get in shape. Other than playing hockey and the usual physical activity, anyway. Distance wise I'm not concerned at all, it's about 10km a day, I've hiked 20+ in a day fine, albeit not consecutively. Of course that doesn't tell you much about the vertical gain or loss per day, but again having hiked and mountain biked in the Canadian Rockies I'm not overly concerned. It might just be a lot less pleasant than it could have been.

Not sure about November, but the climate was wacky in June. 70s and sunny during the day and mid 20s at night. I was sleeping in thermals, a sweatshirt, a fleece vest, and a softshell in a 30 degree ultralight bag and was still cold.

It's warmer in November, but potentially rainier as well. Not too concerned about the weather, again, I camp in the Canadian Rockies in the spring and fall all the time. I haven't figured out if I'm bringing my sleeping bag or just renting down there, but basically I'll just have to adjust what I wear to sleep. Normally even around freezing I sleep buck naked in the bag I have, which is supposedly rated for -10C.

Something else I forgot, get yourself some good anti-diarrhea meds. We had some prescription stuff & were popping Pepto tablets twice a day, almost everyone else in our group got the shits bad. Believe me, you do not want to spend any more time in the 'bathrooms' (I use that term very, very lightly) on the trail than you absolutely have to.

Good tip, thanks, will put that on the list of things to bring.

Originally Posted by Fyro

When you say 4 day hike, do you mean the 4 Day Inca Jungle path?

"Real" one. As far as I've been told. I just wired money to some dude in Peru that a friend has booked us with. We shall see.

Aguas Calientes is a shit hole- Don't spend more time there than you absolutely have to. Also in Cuzco I would recommend going rafting one day. It was a lot of fun, albeit freezing cold. Depends a lot on the season and the rain so check this out before hand to get a good idea.

Oh nice, very good call. We might be going on some other tour as well, I just kind of left the planning for the spare day or two we have in Cuzco to the girl I'm travelling with. I love rafting, canoeing and that kind of shit.

Thanks for the infoz gents. Any comments on partying/nightlife, various coke leaf concoctions and so on? What's the story on pot down there, is it super illegal or tolerated or what? Nothing better than finishing a day of hiking than sitting on a jagged rock smoking a spliff.