Distance between Callao, Peru port and Lima, Peru airport

[pjunction]

I'll be leaving the Explorer on Nov. 9th and heading to the airport for a flight to Cusco. What is the time needed and mileage from the port to the airport. There is a flight that leaves around 10 am that I wanted to get on. Anyone with experience at this location in doing this? My destination is Machu Picchu and would like any other info. you can provide. Thanks

Keith

[dougburns]

Not sure of the mileage, but that's really not the issue; traffic is the issue. Callao/Lima is a zoo as far as traffic is concerned. Also, the airport is a very confusing place. If you're doing the trip on your own and not with a group you may need some extra time. We went with a group from the Regent Mariner, but we spent a night in Lima before going to Cuzco. If you're going to Machu Picchu as soon as you arrive Cuzco you would have a problem. The train from Cuzco leaves early morning. When we went we spent a night in Cuzco at the Monasterio Hotel and then took the train to Machu Picchu the next morning at 0 dark 30. Also, the altitude in Cuzco may cause you some problems if you're a flatlander. It's at @ 11,000 ft, whereas Machu Picchu is @ 9,500. The additional problem can be weather at Cuzco. There is no instrument approach to the airport there, so there are often delays. We were delayed 5 hours returning to Lima. I would recommend you do some hard research on all of this. The trip was great, but my bride was glad to get back to Lima. She's in fantastic shape and she had real trouble with the altitude.

[pjunction]

Our plans are to leave the Explorer on the 9th and fly that same day on a fight that leaves at 8:55, 10:50 or 11:10 am. to Cusco. We are then spending two nights at the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco and then the train on Fri. morning to Machu Picchu. We spend Fri. night at the Hotel Machu Picchu Sanctuary. On Saturday we return to Cusco for one more night at the Hotel Monasterio and on Sunday fly to Lima for one night at the Miraflores Park Hotel and then fly on Monday morning back to to Florida. Should this be adjusted in anyway in ones opinion who has done this trip.

Keith

[dougburns]

You should be able to make the 1100 flight. There is a lot of interesting history @ Cuzco. You might want to request a room at the Monasterio that is oxygenated. They only have a few and it will cost a few extra bucks, but well worth it for sleeping and keeping the headaches away. Your plan sounds basically good for the trip. In Lima the Swiss Hotel is a nice place to stay and the La Rosa Nautica is a wonderful restaurant if you like seafood. The hotel will arrange a limo for you to go there. Price is reasonable

[crusinbanjo]

You should be able to make the 1100 flight. There is a lot of interesting history @ Cuzco. You might want to request a room at the Monasterio that is oxygenated. They only have a few and it will cost a few extra bucks, but well worth it for sleeping and keeping the headaches away. Your plan sounds basically good for the trip. In Lima the Swiss Hotel is a nice place to stay and the La Rosa Nautica is a wonderful restaurant if you like seafood. The hotel will arrange a limo for you to go there. Price is reasonable

 

Very good advice if you are prone to altitude sickness. The Monasterio is a really nice hotel, but sleeping at altitude can be difficult. If you don't get the special room, leave the window open to keep fresh air circulating, it helps. Also, resist the temptation to walk briskly or even fast, you will be out of breath quickly. Mrs Banjo & I are in pretty good shape, and work out regularly, we still found the altitude a bit of challenge. Despite all the challenges, enjoy the city, it is fascinating.

 

Finally, have patience when flying in or out of Cucso as the weather changes quickly and flight schedules change with the weather. :)

[oregon50]

The overnight at Sanctuary should be the highlight, good for you! Not sure how you will feel about doing a third night in Cusco. I'm guessing the taxi ride from port to airport to be about twenty minutes. The ship overnights in Callao, so you can begin your journey at 5 AM if you wish. You have alloted plenty of time for Cusco, so an early arrival is not what I would advise.

 

A shuttle will take you from ship to main gate at port. Plenty of taxis available, but few drivers speak English. Suggest taking shuttle to gate

the day you arrive and you can confirm travel time to airport and maybe find a driver you like that will take you to plane the following morning.

 

I have a regular driver in Lima and if her card can be found, will forward the number to you. Your plans sound great, you're doing it right!

[jpalbny]

I'll be leaving the Explorer on Nov. 9th and heading to the airport for a flight to Cusco. What is the time needed and mileage from the port to the airport. There is a flight that leaves around 10 am that I wanted to get on. Anyone with experience at this location in doing this? My destination is Machu Picchu and would like any other info. you can provide. Thanks

Keith

 

We will be in Lima/Cuzco/MP Nov 6-11 prior to a Celebrity Xplorer Galapagos cruise! We're doing a similar time allotment (2n Cuzco, train to MP, one night @MP Sanctuary, then back to Cuzco for the night). Then we fly to Quito to start the Galapagos cruise. Looks like we'll not cross paths in the same place, though.

 

Glad to hear from others that this is a good time allotment.

 

Dougburns, have already reserved an oxygenated room at Monasterio. I have a keen interest in respiratory physiology and am way too familiar with the derangements seen at high altitude! Will probably have to bring some meds to keep from worrying about it...:)

[Emtbsam]

We took acetazolamide tablets recommended by "Wellseasoned" and prescribed by our internist prior to and during our trip to Cuzco and had no problems with altitude sickness. We did pay extra for the oxygenated room at the Monasterio, but I can't really say whether it made a difference. We also partook in several Pisco sours with no ill effects! It's better to be safe than sorry. MP was fantastic - well worth the effort to get there.

[jpalbny]

We took acetazolamide tablets recommended by "Wellseasoned" and prescribed by our internist prior to and during our trip to Cuzco and had no problems with altitude sickness. We did pay extra for the oxygenated room at the Monasterio, but I can't really say whether it made a difference. We also partook in several Pisco sours with no ill effects! It's better to be safe than sorry. MP was fantastic - well worth the effort to get there.

 

We are SO looking forward to seeing it! And we've heard lots about the Pisco sours. Did you try cuy (guinea pig)?

 

I've found that there is so much individual variability in the tendency to get (or not get) altitude sickness that it's completely unpredictable. It seems to have nothing to do with what kind of "shape" you're in; you're either prone to getting it, or you're not. I wish we (the medical field) could figure it out so that I'd stop worrying about it.

 

Most likely the anticipation will be worse than reality! We've run around on the top of Mauna Kea for an hour without getting short of breath or a headache, and that's almost 14K feet. Different, I know, than staying for a few days, but at least I know that I won't need to be carried through the streets of Cuzco!

 

I will be scrounging up some acetazolamide too. I have heard that Peruvian customs are a bit uptight about drugs - any issues with Rx drugs at customs in Peru? Did you "declare" your prescriptions?

[Emtbsam]

I never thought to declare drugs. We boarded the Whisper in Buenos Aires and cruised to Pisco where we got off for two days on the SS tour to Machu Picchu. We reboarded in Lima after a city tour and finished in Fort Lauderdale. 34 days of bliss!

 

Hope you enjoy your tour.

[freddie]

We did not declare any drugs when we flew into Lima from Quito. We were on a similar itinerary to jpalbny, although in the reverse, last year. We flew into Quito from the U.S., spent two nights there, then flew to the Galapagos for the marvelous 7-day cruise on Xpedition, then back to Quito for one night before going on to Peru. In Peru, we spent the first night in Lima, then flew to Cusco in the morning. We'd been advised to take a morning flight, as the afternoon flights are often delayed or cancelled due to fog at Cusco. We spent one night at Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley, then 2 nights at Santuary Lodge at MP, and finally three nights at Monasterio back in Cusco.

 

We did the trip in that order in the hope of becoming more easily accustomed to the altitude by starting lower on the first day and not staying in Cusco until the end of the trip. As it turned out, my partner had a problem with AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). We were armed with Diamox and used an oxygenated room at the Monasterio. Otherwise, we'd have been forced to decamp back down to Lima at sea level.

 

We've been to other similarly high altitude places, such as the Jungfrau, without any problem; but those visits had been only for a few hours, rather than a few days. It seems that AMS is not easily predictable, unless one has had it previously. In that case, it is really quite predictable, according to our travel doctor.

 

The Peruvian version of Diamox, Soroche (the same name as the illness), is available in every drugstore in Cusco, without a prescription.

 

As far as cuy goes, the most popular way to serve it is skinned and grilled. Unfortunately, in that form, it still looks way too much like the little guinea pig that it is. The only way that I could manage to try it was in "cuy ravioli" at Gaston Acurio's trendo restaurant, Chi Cha, in Cusco.

 

Have fun. MP is one of the great travel destinations. Staying at Sanctuary Lodge is certainly the way to go. Be warned, however, that the good old stories about staying there in order to be the first ones into the ruins in the morning are no longer accurate, as by the time the gates open, a few hundred 20-something backpackers may have hiked up the mountain from Aguas Calientes (where the train station is) or taken the first bus up in order to be first in line to make the restricted list for the climb up Huayna Picchu. Unless one has a high tolerance for the scent of unbathed backpackers, it is prudent to hang back for a few minutes to allow the first contingent to make it through the ticket gate for their mad dash across the ruins to the Huayna Picchu sign-up hut on the far side before entering the ruins. We found that we then had a very pleasant hour or two at the ruins before lots of buses arrived.

 

Cheers, Fred

[koalabear6314]

Hi Keith,

 

My partner and I will be on the same sailing on the Explorer as yourself. We will also be flying on to Cusco on the 9th. I've booked our flights for 11.40 (TACA).

We're staying 2 nights at the Hotel Casa Cartagena (looks ok on trip advisor ) and then to satisfy my partner's 'wander lust' we 're doing a private 4 day trek up to Machu Picchu !

At least I insisted we take the Hirham Bingham train down on the monday evening..:)

I understand the aiport in Lima is on the Callao side of the city and shouldn't take too long. At least we have the luxury of being in port the night before.

 

Andrew.

[claudiaYVR]

In addition to having some altitude meds at hand, any tour guide worth his/her salt will tell you that upon arrival in Cuzco one MUST rest for a few hours. By that I mean lie down and have a cup of coca leaves tea (sounds silly but it works).

 

Unfortunately Cuzco is a beautiful, interesting place and it is tempting to go out right away and make the most of your time. Don't. Take it easy for the first 3 or 4 hours and chances are you will be fine.

 

I'm originally from Lima and have been to Cuzco and MC a few times.

[jpalbny]

Our plans are to leave the Explorer on the 9th and fly that same day on a fight that leaves at 8:55, 10:50 or 11:10 am. to Cusco. We are then spending two nights at the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco...

Keith

 

Upon re-reading your post, I think that we will both be at Hotel Monasterio on November 10th. We will not return from MP until almost 10PM though, and we fly out the next morning for Quito to join up with X for the Galapagos cruise. Would love to hear about your cruise - Costa Rica is definitely on our list. Maybe we can meet up at the Oxygen bar?

 

Heading out to board Silver Explorer in 2 weeks now... We will make sure it's all in good shape for you!