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[wakingdream]

Hiya All,

One of my best girlfriends is taking a honeymoon in Peru in October. She asked for some suggestions to fill in some free time. It's been a long while since we've been. I haven't had a chance to take a look at some possibilities yet, but thought I'd get the ball rolling here with some of you Peru experts.

Below is the e-mail she sent;

We're flying into Lima on the 14th, and right out to Cuzco on the morning of the 15th. We start the Inca Trail on the morning of Monday the 19th. So we've got ourselves Thurs afternoon, fri, sat and sun in and around the sacred valley and cuzco. I think we're looking into hotels, but are open to suggestions, looking at short day walks/hikes to acclimatize, want to hit a sunday market, maybe in ollyantanbo (sp??) and see a bit of cuzco as well. All suggestions are welcome!

i think we fly back to Lima on Friday the 23rd, and out of lima really early (1am!) on Tuesday the 27th. So we've really only got about 2 days to see Lima and parts of the coast, do a fly over of the nasca lines, and a little more sight seeing - maybe the big park just south of lima? All suggestions are welcome - as well as any recommendations of reasonably priced hotels.


Sooo, hopefully someone can recommend some things for them to do and see!

Thanks in advance!

[travelmonster]

There is also a market in Pisac, which is around 25-30km away from Cusco.

http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/destin...usco/pisac.html

[mmbcross]

Here's my suggestion:

Thu. 15th. In Cuzco. Get aclimatised to the altitude. Lots of inexpensive hotels and guest houses. See Trip Advisor. Just walk around town. It's small and very pedestrian friendly. There is an inexpensive tram tour from the Plaza de Armas which is great as an orientation. Purchase your Tourist Ticket as soon as you can. http://www.cusco-peru.org/cusco-useful-inf...-services.shtml

Fri. 16th. Visit the surrounding archeological sites. We did it on horseback, which is a great alternative.

Sat. 17th. Off to the Sacred Valley. Urubamba is the most central town, but I would stay in Ollyantaytambo. Take the route via Chincheros and try to get to Moray and Maras. Check each of these places on Travelpod.

Sun. 18th. Get to Pisac early before the tour buses. Enjoy the market, then get a taxi to ascend to the Pisaq archeological site. Amazing place. Don't drink the water from the Inca cistern! Walk back to Pisac and return to Ollyantaytambo

Mon. 19th. Where will your Inca Trail start? The actual hike usually begins along the Ollanta/MP railway. Visit the archeological site early. Your group should pass through Ollantaytambo around 9:00 am.

See my blog http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/mmbcr..._2006/tpod.html

What's the "big park just south of Lima"? Do you mean Pachacamac?

[kathryn77]

Just to add to this...it's about a 5 or so hour bus ride to the Nasca lines from Lima. I saw them from a Mirador, which basically meant you got off a bus in the midst of the desert, climbed some scaffolding, and saw a few of them...if they had been beyond my expectations I'd have forked out for the flight, but they didn't...so I didn't...I much preferred sandboarding in Huachachina in the same vicinity if your friends like adventure sport? El Huacachinero hostel was great, and I think they have private rooms too - it was like a hotel even though I was in a dorm!

If they do go to the Nasca lines by flight, the Cementario de Chauchillo (sp?) is excellent too and in the same town - not sure how it fared after the earthquake last year, but it was really interesting

[wakingdream]

You guys are awesome

What's the "big park just south of Lima"? Do you mean Pachacamac?

I'm not sure about this. I'll have to ask her......

All other suggestions duly noted.

.I much preferred sandboarding in Huachachina in the same vicinity if your friends like adventure sport?

Yeah, they are. We did that and I loved it! I'll have to mention it to them.

There is also a market in Pisac, which is around 25-30km away from Cusco

That market is great! That's on my list of suggestions for them.

It's weird how that trip's details are pretty fuzzy for me now! Everything but the Inca Trail anyway. I remember it all so vividly.

[emmad2010]

I went from Cuzco straight to Nazca and then to Paracas within wbout 3 days (by road) The Nazca lines are awesome, but I personally didn't find more than a days worth of things to do in Nazca (unless you also find mummies in deserts quite cool).

Paracas, on the coast on the was to Lima was fantastic. Boat trip to an island covered in wildlife is breathtaking (I had the Jurassic Park music in my head the whole time). Again only may take a day and then onto Lima. :-) Im sure the trip will be amazin though whatever you squeeze in!