Lima, Peru to Cusco, Peru

We will be getting off our cruise ship in Lima, Peru and getting a flight to Cusco, Peru. Does anyone know if you have to go through customs in order to fly domestic to Cusco? Thanks!

We will be getting off our cruise ship in Lima, Peru and getting a flight to Cusco, Peru. Does anyone know if you have to go through customs in order to fly domestic to Cusco? Thanks!

Yes for leaving the ship in Lima.... however, your planning the trip to Cuso.... like every one else, dealing wit a day lay over and 11K elevation..... but wait there is a much better plan cheaper and healthier. Fly to Cuso....but take the 30 min cab to Olantambo 4000 ft lower at 6000..... there the train runs every 2 hours to Agua Calente which has good hotels no altitude problem. Not staying in Cuso ! :o Now by 3pm you will be at the foot of Machu Pichu... buy your tickets for the first bus up the mountain, to watch the dawn with about 30 people. ( Later at 10 am the train shows up from Cuso with 200+) Relax linger toe full day and explore after the Cuso people leave at 2pm, you will have the place to your self, watch the sunset and take the bus down the mt to your hotel... Next morning take the train to Olantambo and Taxi back to airport... :D This gives you 8-9 hours at Machu Pichu rather than 3-4.... Avoids the altitude and is cheaper. If you really want to see cuso... you can take a cab from the airport on your return...( its no garden spot) Better to enjoy what you came for...Machu Pichu instead of spending 2 days in Cuso waiting to get there.;p

Just to clarify, there is a custom area we have to go through when we leave the ship. Is it right there, or at the airport. Also, thanks for your tip. We are already planning to go from Cusco directly to Ollantaytambo. We plan to stay there for 3 nights and go to Machu Picchu for a day from there.

We have been to Peru twice, once on a land tour and once on Regent. On Regent, we disembarked in Lima. You go right off the ship. You do not go through customs there at the port.

Since you are going to Cusco, you will go to the airport, but again no going through customs. You will just go through security like you would on any domestic flight.

Thank you. That will help us decide which flight to take.

Yes for leaving the ship in Lima.... however, your planning the trip to Cuso.... like every one else, dealing wit a day lay over and 11K elevation..... but wait there is a much better plan cheaper and healthier. Fly to Cuso....but take the 30 min cab to Olantambo 4000 ft lower at 6000..... there the train runs every 2 hours to Agua Calente which has good hotels no altitude problem. Not staying in Cuso ! :o Now by 3pm you will be at the foot of Machu Pichu... buy your tickets for the first bus up the mountain, to watch the dawn with about 30 people. ( Later at 10 am the train shows up from Cuso with 200+) Relax linger toe full day and explore after the Cuso people leave at 2pm, you will have the place to your self, watch the sunset and take the bus down the mt to your hotel... Next morning take the train to Olantambo and Taxi back to airport... :D This gives you 8-9 hours at Machu Pichu rather than 3-4.... Avoids the altitude and is cheaper. If you really want to see cuso... you can take a cab from the airport on your return...( its no garden spot) Better to enjoy what you came for...Machu Pichu instead of spending 2 days in Cuso waiting to get there.;p

I totally agree. Go to Sacred Valley or Agua Caliente. Lima Airport is just like any other Airport. Domestic and International Gates. Cuszco is of course Domestic. Be aware you need to shed luggage before you go to Cuzco. Weight limitations for the high altitude airport. There is a luggage storage facility at Lima Airport.

Yes for leaving the ship in Lima.... however, your planning the trip to Cuso.... like every one else, dealing wit a day lay over and 11K elevation..... but wait there is a much better plan cheaper and healthier. Fly to Cuso....but take the 30 min cab to Olantambo 4000 ft lower at 6000..... there the train runs every 2 hours to Agua Calente which has good hotels no altitude problem. Not staying in Cuso ! :o Now by 3pm you will be at the foot of Machu Pichu... buy your tickets for the first bus up the mountain, to watch the dawn with about 30 people. ( Later at 10 am the train shows up from Cuso with 200+) Relax linger toe full day and explore after the Cuso people leave at 2pm, you will have the place to your self, watch the sunset and take the bus down the mt to your hotel... Next morning take the train to Olantambo and Taxi back to airport... :D This gives you 8-9 hours at Machu Pichu rather than 3-4.... Avoids the altitude and is cheaper. If you really want to see cuso... you can take a cab from the airport on your return...( its no garden spot) Better to enjoy what you came for...Machu Pichu instead of spending 2 days in Cuso waiting to get there.;p

I respectfully disagree. We spent 3 days in Cusco and loved it - it is a charming town with lots to see - beautiful churches, great restaurants and a fantastic market. We took the train to Agua Calente in the morning, spent the day at M.P. and also got to explore the market and took the train back that evening. Cusco is definitely worth seeing in its own right.

We have been to Peru twice, once on a land tour and once on Regent. On Regent, we disembarked in Lima. You go right off the ship. You do not go through customs there at the port.

 

Since you are going to Cusco, you will go to the airport, but again no going through customs. You will just go through security like you would on any domestic flight.

That was our experience too when we disembarked from Marina (no customs either at the ship or the domestic terminal for our flight to Cusco). The real surprise was after we returned to Lima for our flight to the States and the Peruvian immigration people had no record of us in their computer as to our arrival in the country and all of us who had gone directly to Cusco off the ship had to line up to meet individually with one immigration supervisor for clearance to leave the country....fun!????

I respectfully disagree. We spent 3 days in Cusco and loved it - it is a charming town with lots to see - beautiful churches, great restaurants and a fantastic market. We took the train to Agua Calente in the morning, spent the day at M.P. and also got to explore the market and took the train back that evening. Cusco is definitely worth seeing in its own right.

I agree. We are arriving in Lima in early December And we are going to spend a night in Lima, and then fly to Cusco/Machu Picchu for 3 nghts, 2 in Cusco and 1 right in Machu Picchu. Lots to see in Cusco.

We also enjoyed Cusco. We were on a private six day tour (for a group of six) culminating with MP. I do advocate not trying to fly in to Lima, immediately go to MP, and come back. That's just too exhausting, if only because of the need to acclimate to the altitude.

We had been at 12000 feet when we did the Galapagos Islands in 1989 -- not in the Islands, of course, but when we did a trip up to the Andes from Quito -- but we were obviously a lot younger then! I had anticipated problems when we did MP in 2015, but while we had the pills on hand we never had to use them. I did initially feel a bit short of breath, but not seriously. The coca tea is helpful, but then it tastes good as well!

This is a fascinating area and I think it is well worth to spend extra time to see the area rather than just rushing to MP. I have a friend who just did it that way (she didn't ask advice beforehand so I didn't know she was going), and by the time I advised her otherwise, it was too late. Besides, she didn't have the $$ for a longer trip.

Mura

Leave yourself plenty of time at the Lima airport. We flew from Equator to Lima and immigration's was a breeze. We then had to get boarding passes to Cusco, check luggage and go thru security and it seemed to take an eternity. Everybody lined up in a single long line snaking back and forth up to the checkin counter. Make sure you are at the Lima airport at a minimum of 2 hours before your flight to Cusco allowing sufficient time to disembark your ship and getting to the airport.

I agree. We are arriving in Lima in early December And we are going to spend a night in Lima, and then fly to Cusco/Machu Picchu for 3 nghts, 2 in Cusco and 1 right in Machu Picchu. Lots to see in Cusco.

One more +1 to Cusco!

We loved it there.

Thanks to all of you for your advice.