Machu Picchu to close for seven weeks!

[marazul]

Thanks for the update. Hope Marazul is making her way through Peru and to Machu Picchu okay. We "had" a reservation as well for the train, so I suppose it is time to start figuring out if our reservation will be in place or if we have to make different arrangements!

 

We are in the Valley tonight. On to MP tomorrow morning. Our driver is taking us to the train stop in Piscacucho. Reportedly, the vans provided by PeruRail are hot and crowded.

 

The valley is amazingly beautiful. Saw Moray and Mars today and they were extraordinary!! Enjoyed the weavers in Chinchero and also their small archeological site. Do not shot change Cusco, it is beautiful and lots to see. I would spend an extra day in Cusco rather than in MP. (I´ll let you know soon if I change my mind after seeing MP.) More when I can.

 

BTW, the Casa Andina Private Collection hotels in Cusco and the Valley are a real class act. Highly recommend them.

 

More soon.

[j2ink]

Glad to hear things are going well. I'm also glad to hear the Casa Andina Private Collection hotels in Cusco and the Valley are good, because that's where we will be staying in both locations.

[Coolcruise02]

Thanks for the updates!

[marazul]

MP was amazingly beautiful. We are really happy we stayed at the Sanctuary Lodge. It is really worthwhile.

 

The train worked fine. Strongly recommend to have your driver take you and pick you up at Piscacucho. The PeruRail minivans looked like sardines.

 

The area that got completely washed out before Piscacucho is being worked on. They are raising the ground level by two meters. That seemed nearly done, but the track beds have not been built yet. Can´t tell whether it will really be completed or not by June 30.

 

Further prgress: the train to Puno is an amazing ride. It is beautiful going over the Andes. This is one of the great train routes and the best way to get to Lake Titicaca. It did help with the gradual altitude change. And the Casa Andina PC is just as good as the others.

 

WARNING: DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO BUY TOURS FROM THE STREETSIDE VENDORS IN CUSCO. Heard horror stories from other people in the train who were scammed by the supposedly licensed operators.

 

One great find that could be of interest to others. A beautiful inn on the Urubamba riverside where the track from the Maras saltmines ends. It is called Arcoiris del Puente (Rainbow at the Bridge). Idyllic setting, great lunch and very nice rooms with tiled bathrooms, hotwater and heat (qualifying for 3 stars) The owner speaks several languages and her English is excellent. We stopped there for lunch after a hike and I asked to see the rooms. They were very nice and ONLY US$50 including breakfast. The owner told me they will pick up at airport and provide transport and experienced guides. I was impressed. They do have a website I think it is arcoirisdelpuente.com, but do a google search. I´ll post it when I find their card.

[marazul]

We are back home after a wonderful trip. All I can say is that you will love Peru. If you have any questions, please ask. We had wonderful guides and activities. As greatam says, do your own arrangements. You'll save lots of $ while staying longer and at the same or better hotels as the package tours. This is an experienced group of readers. We can all reserve our own hotels and flights. A little research will let you decide on your itinerary and local guides.

 

One word about AMS. We were a little light headed on arrival at Cusco and Puno. Our guide in Cusco recommended two things: coca tea and about 5 minutes of preventive oxygen when you get to your hotel. All our hotels had oxygen on request. We sat at the lounge drinking coca tea while they brought the tank out. We each had a short 5 minute session to restore the O2 levels in the blood and that was plenty. No further effects. Of course, we took it very easy the first day in Cusco. Just a walk around the Plaza de Armas and a visit to the cathedral in the afternoon. (One of our friends has mild respiratory problems and did have a second 5-minute session before going to bed the first night in Cusco.) Taking the train from Cusco to Puno made things a lot easier going to the higher altitude. Since you get to Puno after 5 pm, you simply take it easy at the hotel that evening.

 

And http://www.arcoirisdelpuente.com is the correct website for the little hotel on the banks of the Urubamba river. Just outside the town of Urubamba in the direction of Ollantaytambo.

[xcountry]

And are back safely! So now that you are back, lots of questions. First, when flying into Lima, we will connect to a flight to Cusco -- will we need to pay an airport "use" fee for the transfer? I take it that we will have to pay a fee on the return when we leave Lima and move on to Quito.

 

We are staying in the Urubamba Valley for 2 nights before moving on to MP. What would you recommend as highlights of the Valley? We plan on stopping by Pisac on the way to Urubamba. Are the ruins easy to access there? We are traveling with kids, so I do not want to overwhelm with too many archeological sites. I figure they can last 4 to 6 hrs at a time. Also, did you use a guide to see any of the sites or did you rely on a guidebook (we have Peter Frost's "Exploring Cusco").

 

How was the train to MP? Are they still planning on opening the entire length from Cusco to MP? Also, when you buy your tickets for the sanctuary in Cusco, is it good for a day or two days? We will be staying overnight at the Sanctuary.

 

Thanks for all your help and for the periodic updates. Glad to hear you had a great time!

[marazul]

Thanks, xcountry.

Here are the answers:

1. Peru is charging a US$7 fee for domestic flights. That includes your transfer to Cusco. The fee for the international flight has gone up to US$31.

 

2. Urubamba valley:

a. If you are staying in Cusco one night before going to the valley, see Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Kenko, Pucapucara and Awanacancha on the way to Pisac. The road to the Pisac ruins is damaged and could be a lot of walking. We skipped them.

 

b. If you are going to the valley directly from the airport, stop in Awanacancha (see the llamas, etc and wonderful textiles and shop) and then stop in the Pisac market. You could see the Ollantaytambo fortress in the afternoon instead of the following day.

 

c. Next day: We spent a full day going fist to Chinchero to see the weavers and the small archeological park, the Moray circular terraces (spectacular), the Maras salt mines and, after lunch, the Ollantaytambo fortress. All different, the kids would like them except maybe the weavers.

 

3. We did use an excellent guide and driver. Part of the deal was that they had all admission tickets bought for us so we did not have to waste time getting them.

 

4. Train to MP is just fine, still leaving from Piscacucho. Nice cars with big windows and they do serve a snack. Do have your driver take you to the station. The PeruRail vans from Ollanta are crowded. It's a beautiful train ride.

 

They are still saying the train tracks from Piscacucho to Ollanta to Cusco will reopen June 30.

 

5. MP: The entrance ticket is good for only one day and you can use it to enter multiple times. You need to show your passport (or photocopy of passport) each time you enter to verify it is your ticket. You will need another entrance ticket the next day. The tickets are NOT sold at MP, you must buy them in Aguas Calientes or Cusco. Better yet, have your guide buy them for you and also buy the bus tickets for the trip up the mountain. Our guide took us around for a couple of hours. We went back after lunch to wander around ourselves, the crowds are less than half in the afternoon.

 

It was daylight around 6 and the sun actually came out over the mountain around 6:45, so you have plenty of time to pick a spot for the sunrise. Ask at the desk the times when the sun comes out and be very specific: "daylight" and "seeing the sun". On the other hand, since it is the tropics, the times will be just about the same year round. When you come out of the Sanctuary at 6, you will see a long line of people who came up in the early buses to climb Huayna Picchu. The line moves in fairly quickly into the park. (No, we did not climb it.)

 

Anything else, ask.

M

[Bobocasey]

Am interested in the answers to xcountry's questions. Is there anything you would recommend not missing that is not usually done on the tours? Were there any restaurants that you found the you thought were outstanding and out of the ordinary?

[marazul]

Am interested in the answers to xcountry's questions. Is there anything you would recommend not missing that is not usually done on the tours? Were there any restaurants that you found the you thought were outstanding and out of the ordinary?

 

Do not shortchange Cusco. One day is not enough. Don't miss La Merced church, one block from the Plaza de Armas - beautiful cloisters and gold work in the museum. If you can, don't include Sacsayhuaman, etc as part of your Cusco sightseeing, leave it for a separate day. Spend the rest of the day seeing Cusco. Leave Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Kenko, Pucapucara for another day, preferably, on your way to the Valley.

 

Tour out of Cusco to the Southern Valley. Andayhualillas has the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas," a beautifully painted church by Cusco school painters, Rumicolca (Inca gate), Pikillacta (Wari culture city) and Tipon (aqueduct). Hardly any tourists at all and really worth seeing. While there, make a stop in Oropesa to see one of the bakeries and at a little town by the road where they make clay roof tiles by hand. It all takes a good half day.

 

Restaurants: The MAP Cafe (Museum of Precolumbian Art) is outstanding. (Some of us liked it better than Astrid y Gaston in Lima, the others thought it was just as good quality.) Three-course menu with pisco sour for US$50. Lots of choices. Very good wine cellar.

 

Pachapapa in San Blas district. Traditional Peruvian cuisine. The soups are excellent and big, try several of the appetizers. Delightful courtyard.

 

Limo at the Plaza de Armas is very good. Lots of fish, ceviches, etc and some Japanese fusion dishes.

 

Greens, above Incanto is very good too. Organic food dishes.

 

We ate at the Casa Andina PC restaurant the day we arrived. It was above average for hotel restaurants.

 

For dishes, try the alpaca. It is quite good. Nothing in the world would get me to eat cuy, so I can't comment. We became quite fond of coca sours made with coca infused pisco.

[xcountry]

Just so I know what to expect, once we arrive in Lima, do we check in with our next gate and then go to the airport fee window to pay our "use" fee? No problems giving them our US $'s?

 

Did you eat anywhere in the Urubamba Valley that you would recommend? We are adventurous and would be willing to try cuy (at least most of us are, I have one little one who is already a declared vegetarian...).

 

Thanks for the heads up on all the ticket business. I knew that we couldn't purchase tickets at the gate, but I will also ask that the bus tickets be purchased in advance as well. I'm sure I will have more questions...:rolleyes:

[marazul]

Just so I know what to expect, once we arrive in Lima, do we check in with our next gate and then go to the airport fee window to pay our "use" fee? No problems giving them our US $'s?

 

We stayed in Lima for two nights, but my understanding is that you go through customs and then check in for the next flight and pay the fee. However, no first hand experience to tell you for sure. They do take $.

Did you eat anywhere in the Urubamba Valley that you would recommend? We are adventurous and would be willing to try cuy (at least most of us are, I have one little one who is already a declared vegetarian...).

 

We ate both nights at the Casa Andina PC restaurant. Good alpaca. Had lunch (grilled trout) at the Arcoiris restaurant by the river. Ate lunch at a little restaurant outside Pisac (Doña Clorinda???) - simple country food.

One of us actually had cuy at the MAP cafe. Liked it.

 

Thanks for the heads up on all the ticket business. I knew that we couldn't purchase tickets at the gate, but I will also ask that the bus tickets be purchased in advance as well. I'm sure I will have more questions...:rolleyes:

 

No prob :)

[marazul]

Restaurants in Lima:

 

Astrid y Gaston - excellent

 

Cebicheria La Mar - one of the finest seafood restaurants we have ever been to - anywhere. Also a Gaston Acurio restaurant. Opens until 5 pm. So go for a big lunch. Start with the cebiche sampler and, if enough of you, the causas sampler. Then order your main course. The scallops (conchas de abanico) are really good, as is anything else. And the best coca sours in Peru.

 

(Peruvians spell it cebiche instead of ceviche.)

[xcountry]

Dona Clorinda received good reviews on Trip Advisor. One post said that eating in Peru is different -- she said there were dogs everywhere and even a small deer in the restaurant -- is this to be expected (animal lovers in the family will be happy, just want to be prepared...)?

 

Have both Dona Clorinda and the Arco Iris on my list. Did the guide steer you to both restaurants? I saw on the Arco Iris website that you can contact them in advance to let them know you are coming for lunch -- is this something you had to do?

 

Thanks again for all the info.

[marazul]

Dona Clorinda received good reviews on Trip Advisor. One post said that eating in Peru is different -- she said there were dogs everywhere and even a small deer in the restaurant -- is this to be expected (animal lovers in the family will be happy, just want to be prepared...)?

 

 

Have both Dona Clorinda and the Arco Iris on my list. Did the guide steer you to both restaurants? I saw on the Arco Iris website that you can contact them in advance to let them know you are coming for lunch -- is this something you had to do?

 

 

Thanks again for all the info.

 

Didn't see any deer at Doña Clorinda's. The owner's small fluffy dog was napping by the entrance. There was a Peruvian harp player playing during lunch. Eating in Peru is no different than any place else, except that the food is better than in most other countries. You will enjoy eating some of the 300 varieties of potatoes native to Peru and the wonderful corn with huge kernels.

 

The guide took us to Doña Clorinda after some other restaurant had a big van pull in in front just as we arrived. Can't remember the name. Arcoiris happened when I refused to take another step after our hike, but the guide knew it and knew it was good. There was another small group there and, I think, a couple of hotel guests. You might as well let them know ahead of time, it is a small place (8 rooms) and not on the bus tour routes. Hikers do stop there, but it is not a huge crowd. We were picking where we ate, the guide made a couple of suggestions, but did not push any places. The guide's recommendations for Cusco were very good, but we went on our own, so we were not "taken" to any particular place.

[2552phxcrzr]

xcountry ... you will go through customs and then check in for your domestic flight to Cusco. The departure tax windows are on the way to the gates; you pay your departure tax (USD OK; any change you receive will be in soles) and then go to your Cusco departure gate. Each time you get on a plane, you will pay a departure tax.

 

We were in Peru in April 2009; had a fantastic time ... enjoy your time. If you want to browse through it, our trip blog is at http://2totravelperu.blogspot.com/

[xcountry]

xcountry ... you will go through customs and then check in for your domestic flight to Cusco. The departure tax windows are on the way to the gates; you pay your departure tax (USD OK; any change you receive will be in soles) and then go to your Cusco departure gate. Each time you get on a plane, you will pay a departure tax.

 

We were in Peru in April 2009; had a fantastic time ... enjoy your time. If you want to browse through it, our trip blog is at http://2totravelperu.blogspot.com/

 

 

thanks for the insight! will read your blog!

[j2ink]

marazul, I'm glad to hear that you had a great time.

 

I'm still trying to get my train tickets straightened out. I was told that they would not be changed more than 30 days in advance, but my travel date is now closer than that, and the on-line system is still indicating no change in my tickets, even though I'm on a train no longer on the schedule. I've sent PeruRail another email, so, hopefully I'll have some kind of response tomorrow. They promptly answered two earlier emails.

 

Did there seem to be any restrictions on the number of admissions being sold each day to MP, or is it limited by the reduced number of passenger seats available on the railroads? I heard that the number of Inca trail permits has been sold out quite a bit in advance, but I'm hoping I'm going to be able to get a train ticket before they are sold out.

[marazul]

Thanks, j2ink. The trip was great and well worth the aggravation with the tickets.

 

I hope you get an answer from peruRail. At the end, our guide changed them in person as I reported before. As the last resort if the time is getting really close, you may have to buy extra tickets to make sure tyou have a place and then show up at the train station with all your documentation, receipts, emails, etc to get a refund. I hope not for your sake.

 

There did not appear to be any restrictions. The admission tickets to MP do have the admission date on them, but I think they figure you would not be buying them unless you had a train ticket to get there. So it is self-controlling. Plus don't forget, some people who stay overnight buy one ticket for each day they stay. Again, our guide got them for us ahead of time, but I did talk to a lot of people there and noone seemed to have had any problems with the admission tickets.

 

Inca trail tickets are different because they do limit the entrance very strictly. They are very mindful of the ecology, camping facilities, number of porters, etc. Things are looser with the regular admission where there is much more capacity.

 

Good luck.

[xcountry]

xcountry ... you will go through customs and then check in for your domestic flight to Cusco. The departure tax windows are on the way to the gates; you pay your departure tax (USD OK; any change you receive will be in soles) and then go to your Cusco departure gate. Each time you get on a plane, you will pay a departure tax.

 

We were in Peru in April 2009; had a fantastic time ... enjoy your time. If you want to browse through it, our trip blog is at http://2totravelperu.blogspot.com/

 

 

I wanted to say thank you again for sharing your travel blog -- one of the best that I have seen. Your photos are beautiful! Nice to see the details of the sites, so I have an idea of what to expect and what I really would like to see on our much shorter stay in the valley. I can already tell that my kids will have a great time visiting Peru. I still have to finish reading your blog (and I'm sure I will peruse it again right before our trip!)....:)

[2552phxcrzr]

The blogs are my way of journaling now so we can relive our trips virtually anytime we want. If they are enjoyed by and useful to others, so much the better.

[xcountry]

The blogs are my way of journaling now so we can relive our trips virtually anytime we want. If they are enjoyed by and useful to others, so much the better.

 

Would it be okay for me to share the link to your blog with others interested in visiting Peru?

[marazul]

h2so4,

I also enjoyed your blog when you first posted it. I used Allways travel in Puno for our sightseeing based on your blog and can also recommend them. Our guide, Ivan Nuñez, was outstanding.

Thanks.

[xcountry]

I have another question. When you went on your tours, did you always have both driver and a guide (it seemed like you did, H2so4)? When you stop for meals during the tours, is it also expected that they join you (and you pay) for the meal?

[marazul]

I have another question. When you went on your tours, did you always have both driver and a guide (it seemed like you did, H2so4)? When you stop for meals during the tours, is it also expected that they join you (and you pay) for the meal?

 

We always had driver and guide. In some places the restaurant comped their meal. The guide seats with you and at the end you get a bill for your meals only. This usually happens when there are other tourist groups around like in Doña Clorinda.

 

Other times we invited. The usual sign is when the guide tells you "I'll leave you here for your lunch" - that means they are not getting comped. At that point it's up to you to invite them. We did, we really enjoyed the three guides we had in different places and we were happy to do it.

 

In the evenings we were always on our own, so it was not an issue.

[2552phxcrzr]

Xcountry … absolutely; feel free to share the blog link with others. I love to share travel adventures.

 

As for meals for the guide and driver … our driver usually went off somewhere with the car, so he didn’t eat with us. On one occasion, because our day ran long and he had a long drive ahead of him back to Cusco, we gave him a little extra so he could get himself a meal and take a break before he got back on the road again. As for our guide, yes … we always invited him to eat with us during the day (and one evening I believe). It wasn’t something he expected, but we enjoyed his company and had lots of fun together … and learned a lot from our conversations with him. On those occasions, we paid for his meal. Although he was obviously known to the owner of several of the restaurants, there weren’t any occasions when he was comped. It made us feel better about the places we ate that he didn’t seem to have a “thing going” with the proprietor. (I should point out that he often bought water and soda for us when he was buying for himself; and he paid for the picnic fixings for lunch at Lago de Huaypo. Sure, the cost was minimal, but it was the thought that counts.)

 

Marazul … glad you enjoyed the blog too.