Advice on PreCruise: Lima/Machu Pichu

[YAC]

I would appreciate any advice on a precruise tour as follows: we will land in Lima at 12:00 am! Should we stay at a hotel near the airport and catch an early flight to Cuzco and tour around the Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu before flying back to Lima and then flying to Santiago to pick up the cruise? How many days should we allow for this trip? What would you do and in what order? Any suggestions for a good tour company or should we do it on our own? Any suggestions for hotels are also welcomed advice? We're very independent travelers as well! Thanks for all your reply:D

[eh2zed]

Do a Search for Greatam Machu Picchu. Greatam has answered this many times. If she is lurking on the Board you may benefit directly from her advice.

[Mparis184]

Look into suggestions for an itinerary to best acclimate yourself to the altitude. We leave for Peru in the AM on a land trip - organized tour through Gate 1 Travel. 2 nights in Lima - 2 days Sacred Valley - Machu Pichu day 4 - 2 night in Cuzco -one night in Puno and back to Lima.

 

Enjoy Peru and have a great cruise.

 

Marion

[bellagirl]

We had this dilemma earlier this year and looking back, I would do things a bit differently. We flew into Lima early morning and flew right out again to Cusco and used that city as our base for our 4 night stay in Peru.

 

Looking back, I would have chosen either the Sacred Valley or Agua Calientes as our base as the altitude at Cusco really bothered me. Cusco is beautiful and is certainly worth a visit, but to spend 4 days there was a bit too much for us. From what I could tell, there are lots of hotels near Macchu Pichu and in the Sacred Valley from which to choose from.

 

If you want more info you can always email me at shelly dot t at hotmail dot ca. Shelly:)

[Mparis184]

I agree, that's why I am so happy with this itinerary.

 

Marion

[YAC]

thanks - I just emailed Shelley and will look up Great Am's suggestions!:o

[wrp96]

Whatever you do, give yourself as much time as possible for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

 

When I went last month, I was limited to only 3 days, 2 nights due to a flight booking error (on someone else's part). It was absolutely wonderful but we were quite limited in what we could see. We basically only got a few hours at Machu Picchu and an afternoon touring the sites around Cusco.

 

The altitude in Cusco was not a problem for us, but we had spent the previous week at high altitude in another part of Peru. Unfortunately someone in our group came down with a stomach bug, so if you do have problems I can recommend a good medical clinic in Cusco.

 

Definitely recommend greatam's advice about Peru.

[YAC]

After researching, am I too ambitious with this itinerary and would you hire a private guide to get us through all of this smoothly!

Friday: arrive to Lima from US west coast at midnight; stay overnight at Lima airport hotel

Saturday: am flight from Lima to Cuzco; tour of Cuzco on the way to the Sacred Valley with an overnight in Sacred Valley (great new Westin hotel in Urubambra) - this will deter altitude problems!

Sunday: Tour Sacred Valley in am from Urubabra to Ollantaytambo, catch train in early pm from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, overnight in Machu Picchu - not sure if we'll stay in Sanctuary Lodge or in Aqua Calientes

Monday: Machu Picchu in am; late afternoon train back to Cuzco

Tuesday: tour Cuzco in am if needed, fly to Lima in late morning, overnight in Lima

Wednesday: fly Lima to Santiago, overnight in Santiago

Thursday: tour rest of Santiago on the way to Valparasso before boarding the ship? Whew - what an itinerary and a sea day from Valparasso will be well appreciated! :o

[greatam]

After researching, am I too ambitious with this itinerary and would you hire a private guide to get us through all of this smoothly!

Friday: arrive to Lima from US west coast at midnight; stay overnight at Lima airport hotel

Saturday: am flight from Lima to Cuzco; tour of Cuzco on the way to the Sacred Valley with an overnight in Sacred Valley (great new Westin hotel in Urubambra) - this will deter altitude problems!

Sunday: Tour Sacred Valley in am from Urubabra to Ollantaytambo, catch train in early pm from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, overnight in Machu Picchu - not sure if we'll stay in Sanctuary Lodge or in Aqua Calientes

Monday: Machu Picchu in am; late afternoon train back to Cuzco

Tuesday: tour Cuzco in am if needed, fly to Lima in late morning, overnight in Lima

Wednesday: fly Lima to Santiago, overnight in Santiago

Thursday: tour rest of Santiago on the way to Valparasso before boarding the ship? Whew - what an itinerary and a sea day from Valparasso will be well appreciated! :o

 

Just a few comments:

 

1. If you arrive at midnight, forget getting a hotel room. By the time you get through Customs/Immigration, grab you luggage, etc., etc., it will be close to 1:30-2AM. The Lima airport hotel is EXPENSIVE!!! AND you need to get on a plane to Cusco by no later than 9AM (the 5:40AM, 6AM flights are ideal). The later you wait in the day, the more chance you have of NOT making it to Cusco. Cusco sits in a bowl. The clouds start rolling in about 10AM. IF the cloud cover is thick, the pilot will circle and circle and MAYBE he will find a window to drop through the clouds. If not, back to Lima you go to try again the next day. It is much easier to just suck it up, sit on the mezzanine level around Mickey D's with all the backpacker kids, get to Cusco (or Sacred Valley) early, and either be REALLY tired and sleep well or take it VERY VERY easy in Cusco and see the sights after you have slept.

 

2. You MAY have to book the Monasterio in Cusco to be able to stay at the Sanctuary. There ARE places to book the Sanctuary separately. Just have to do the research.

 

3. MAKE SURE you make it to the Pisac market on Sunday.

 

3. I think you need a little more time in Cusco-cruising through on your way to the Sacred Valley probably won't give you much of a look. And if you are actually going on a tour, you may as well stay in Cusco because the altitude will effect you at least somewhat. The tour guides LOVE to get people out and climbing the local ruins and walking up and down the hilly streets in Cusco 4 hours after they get off the plane. SURE way to get AMS. So either go STRAIGHT to the Sacred Valley or stay in Cusco for the night.

 

Enjoy!!!

[Mparis184]

We just got home from Peru yesterday afternoon - what a fabulous county. I took 2,700 photos....great mountains and people to photograph.

 

Your itinerary is packed full but that's what you have to do - so much to see, so little time.

 

We did get an RX from our Dr and took the altitude sickness pills. Several people in our tour group did get sick ( they didn't think they needed an RX) a good way to ruin a once in a lifetime trip to Machu Picchu. Drink lots of water and walk slowly, take it easy. Have a great trip.

 

Marion

[marazul]

If you can, avoid taking the altitude sickness pills. They do have side effects.

The BEST way to prevent problems is a preventive oxygen treatment. Ask for oxygen as soon as you arrive at your hotel in Cusco or the valley. Do 10 minutes of oxygen and you will be fine. All hotels keep oxygen tanks and they are available on request - no charge.

[dabear]

Just a few comments:

 

1. If you arrive at midnight, forget getting a hotel room. By the time you get through Customs/Immigration, grab you luggage, etc., etc., it will be close to 1:30-2AM. The Lima airport hotel is EXPENSIVE!!! AND you need to get on a plane to Cusco by no later than 9AM (the 5:40AM, 6AM flights are ideal). The later you wait in the day, the more chance you have of NOT making it to Cusco. Cusco sits in a bowl. The clouds start rolling in about 10AM. IF the cloud cover is thick, the pilot will circle and circle and MAYBE he will find a window to drop through the clouds. If not, back to Lima you go to try again the next day. It is much easier to just suck it up, sit on the mezzanine level around Mickey D's with all the backpacker kids, get to Cusco (or Sacred Valley) early, and either be REALLY tired and sleep well or take it VERY VERY easy in Cusco and see the sights after you have slept.

 

2. You MAY have to book the Monasterio in Cusco to be able to stay at the Sanctuary. There ARE places to book the Sanctuary separately. Just have to do the research.

 

3. MAKE SURE you make it to the Pisac market on Sunday.

 

3. I think you need a little more time in Cusco-cruising through on your way to the Sacred Valley probably won't give you much of a look. And if you are actually going on a tour, you may as well stay in Cusco because the altitude will effect you at least somewhat. The tour guides LOVE to get people out and climbing the local ruins and walking up and down the hilly streets in Cusco 4 hours after they get off the plane. SURE way to get AMS. So either go STRAIGHT to the Sacred Valley or stay in Cusco for the night.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

To add a few comments based upon our trip a few years ago;

. We were able to fly into Lima at 6:50am and caught a 9:50am flight to Cusco. Although we took rx a day before our trip, when we toured Saxiwoman (sp) that afternoon, I did feel some effect from altitude.

2. we stayed another day in Cusco to tour and it was worthwhile.

.3 On day 3 we took the train train to MP and toured that afternoon. We stayed at the Pueblo in AC after discussing the differences between it and the Santuary (which is by the entrance of MP, but there is nothing else there on top of the mountain. If cloudly you will not see the MP from your window). The Pueblo has alot to offer & won alot of awards (look it up) and there was an interesting market in town.

4. We caught the 1st bus early the next day back to MP and sat nearly alone watching the clouds leave the mountains (magical) b4 the day tourists arrived. Later that day we took the train back to Cusco.

5. We did go to the Pisco Sunday market Where we bought a few things and also Olloytombno.

6. We then returned to Lima and there was a small market there as well.

7. GREAT TRIP ENJOY!

[wrp96]

To add to the advice about LIM, definitely skip the airport hotel. We looked into it for our layover on our trip home, and even with someone who had just been released from a medical clinic, the quality of the hotel was not worth the $200 price tag, even for our 12 hour layover, and you will have decidely less time than that. Coming into Peru, we arrived at 9pm from the states and our flight to our destination left at 5:30am. By the time we got through immigration/customs and got our bags dropped off for our onward flights, it was after 11pm. So we only had a bout 4.5 hours before we had to go back through security.

 

Be aware that they clean the floors in the food court (McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Papa Johns) overnight so it can be quite noisy. BUT, there is a restaurant called 4D right across from the Starbucks (it overlooks the check-in area) that has padded benches, including one room that has a long line of benches and is quiet and they do allow people to sleep in there (food is decent too). Another good spot to lie down is after you've come up the escalators from the check-in area, just to your right is an internet cafe and massage area. There is an open area of floor space and it is dark and quiet at night. Lots of people slept on the floor there.

 

 

As to Cusco airport, beware the bathrooms there. Nasty doesn't even begin to describe the few ones that were open and in some areas of the airport, like our gate area, the bathrooms were completely closed. According to signs they were remodeling them, so hopefully they will eventually improve, but best to be forewarned. Note: I spent the week prior to this in northern Peru where in some places our only choices were outhouses - I would've preferred that to the bathrooms at Cusco airport, as at least there I was expecting it.

[marazul]

For LIM, check your airline for access to the lounge. Paying the one time fee could be a great investment. Bathrooms will be clean and you can stretch out for a few hours.

[greatam]

For LIM, check your airline for access to the lounge. Paying the one time fee could be a great investment. Bathrooms will be clean and you can stretch out for a few hours.

 

Great thought but I don't think any of the lounges are open past 12:30AM. The LAN/Sumac/VIP lounge is open about the latest. Just before the last plane takes off, they close them up to clean. I have been run out of there about 12:30-1AM.

 

Can you imagine the backpacker kids in there if they found out they could get showers/food/booze for a pretty cheap fee? I am sure that is why it they close.

 

Plus the OP will have to transfer to the domestic side of the airport AND check in unless he has a continuing ticket.

[Mparis184]

If you can, avoid taking the altitude sickness pills. They do have side effects.

The BEST way to prevent problems is a preventive oxygen treatment. Ask for oxygen as soon as you arrive at your hotel in Cusco or the valley. Do 10 minutes of oxygen and you will be fine. All hotels keep oxygen tanks and they are available on request - no charge.

 

Many of us in the group took the pills without any side effects. We were away from the hotels from early in the AM until later in the evening. I don't think a 10 minute treatment is the "cure" for altitude sickness.

 

Marion

[marazul]

The purpose of the pills is to increase the oxygen level in your blood. You can do it by using oxygen or by taking drugs. Your choice.

 

But the oxygen works. Our group did it only once when we arrived in Cusco and were fine for the five days we were in the area. We used it again when we arrived at the much higher elevation in Puno and were fine for three more days.

 

It was the recommendation of our guide who insists that all her groups do it upon arrival. She says she sees more people who have unpleasant side effects from the Diamox than the occasional person who needs a second round of oxygen the day of arrival. And yes, take it easy the first day and drink coca tea.

[greatam]

Diamoxx has some nasty side effects AND it is particularly harmful to people who are allergic to sulfa drugs.

 

I have never tried the "oxygen on arrival" but I RUN (well, a fast walk) to the little kiosk in the back of the Cusco airport parking lot to drink coca tea and buy bags of coca leaves. Keep drinking it constantly all the time I am in Cusco or Puno (where I go to buy alpaca sweaters for import) and chew the leaves if I am feeling any effects. Nasty tasting but a darn sight better than that horrible headache, gasping for air and feeling absolutely horrible. After the first time I got sick in Cusco, I really, really take precautions because once you have AMS, you are more prone to getting it every time you go to altitude.

[Jade13]

 

2. You MAY have to book the Monasterio in Cusco to be able to stay at the Sanctuary. There ARE places to book the Sanctuary separately. Just have to do the research.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

We booked a night at the Sanctuary Lodge and are not staying at the Monasterio in Cusco. We are staying at one of their hotels in the Sacred Valley but it was booked separately.

[mconthehighseas]

I have looked at package tours to this area, and all the ones I have seen have you stay only one night at Macchu Picchu or Aguas Calientes, and then move to Cuzco. Does anyone know of a package that has a longer stay?

 

While I do want to see the Sacred Valley and Cuzco, the main reason for the trip is Macchu Picchu, so I don't understand what that has the least amount of time in these tours. Is there a government restriction to how long you can stay?

[marazul]

You can see MP in one day or one and a half. But if you want to stay two nights, that would be nice too. I strongly recommend the Sanctuary Lodge. It is all inclusive and it gives you extra time at the ruins since you don't have to wait for the bus to take you up and down.

There is a lot to see in Cusco and the area, MP is not the only thing. And skip the package - it is really easy to do all your travel arrangements. Search this board.

[Mparis184]

It all comes down to how much you want to spend on your trip. We used Gate 1 Travel - their Affordable Peru package. We upgraded our hotels and they were all comfortable. We didn't spend any time in the hotels, only to sleep, so I didn't look for luxury accommodations. I think the hotels in Aguas Calientes are more expensive than hotels in the Sacred Valley and if your tour operator offers overnights in that area you will pay top dollar. In the past few months the government has limited the number of tourists visiting MP. Everyone has to have a reserved entrance ticket for a specific time. They are limiting the crowds.

 

You can make your own arrangements and not go with an organized tour group and guarantee yourself more time near MP. I was happy we used the tour group for this trip. We were on the go for 10 days and there were a lot of arrangements to make...hotels/flights/bus/train, etc. We never book tour groups but I was happy I used Gate 1 Travel this time - they had great guides.

 

We enjoyed the bus ride through the Sacred Valley to Puno for our visit to Lake Titicaca. Puno had many local festivals while we were there and the people dancing in the streets in colorful costumes is a memory that will stay with me forever. I have 2,700 photos to help me remember all the magical moments of this trip.

 

Marion

 

Marion

[YAC]

Thanks to everyone for your great suggestions, but as I dig deeper, plans change and have more questions! I"ve been able to find a flight that will take us into Lima at 7:45 am and then on to Cuzco arriving at 11:20 pm via Lan. So, if we did most of the bookings ourselves, we would still need to arrange someone to pick us up at Cuzco airport, store our luggage while we tour Cuzco in the pm before getting to Sacred Valley later that day and stay in Urambama for 2 nights. We would also like someone to take us around Sacred Valley and definitely get us to Ollantaytambo for the 10:32 am train to M.P.! Can we just hire someone at the airport or just do it via a taxi? Has anyone used the left luggage storage in Lima airport? This could be an alternate way of not having bring the large luggage for the cruise! All advice and suggestions are most appreciated! Thanks for your kind responses!;)

[mconthehighseas]

YAC - thanks for reminding me about all the arrangements needed for luggage. That's extra logistics I hadn't thought about.

 

And thank you to marazul and Marion for your insights on MP. Handing all the arrangements over to a package sounds easier, but being on the go for 10 days straight sounds exhausting, and it might mean we would need a vacation from our vacation!

 

Things to take back to my family when we meet to plan our trip!

[greatam]

Thanks to everyone for your great suggestions, but as I dig deeper, plans change and have more questions! I"ve been able to find a flight that will take us into Lima at 7:45 am and then on to Cuzco arriving at 11:20 pm via Lan. So, if we did most of the bookings ourselves, we would still need to arrange someone to pick us up at Cuzco airport, store our luggage while we tour Cuzco in the pm before getting to Sacred Valley later that day and stay in Urambama for 2 nights. We would also like someone to take us around Sacred Valley and definitely get us to Ollantaytambo for the 10:32 am train to M.P.! Can we just hire someone at the airport or just do it via a taxi? Has anyone used the left luggage storage in Lima airport? This could be an alternate way of not having bring the large luggage for the cruise! All advice and suggestions are most appreciated! Thanks for your kind responses!;)

 

You could be setting yourself up for a huge disappointment and also AMS with this schedule. I have been to Cusco well over 20 times (I import stuff from Peru). And IIRC, 3 out of 5 times I have taken a plane out of Lima LATER than 9AM, I have ended up BACK in Lima the same day. One time was on consecutive days-couldn't get into Cusco either day. I think my little Lima hotel was getting tired of going BACK to the Lima airport to pick me up for another day, as the last time I left, they told me I should "say a prayer to the rain/cloud Gods".

 

As posted previously, the clouds roll into the bowl that is the Cusco airport. IF the pilot circles and circles and CAN'T find a clear way through the clouds, back to Lima you go to try again another day. They shut down the LIM-CUZ flights for the day as a general rule. And planes the following day could really be full if there are a lot of cancellations. Either take the extra day-arrive Lima late night, go to a hotel, enjoy seeing some of Lima, and take the EARLY plane out of Lima the next day or suck it up and sit in the airport with everyone else.

 

The object of staying in the Sacred Valley is to lower the chance of getting AMS. By going on a tour of Cusco before you go to the Sacred Valley, you have just increased your chances of getting AMS A LOT. No hotel to get oxygen or drink coca tea, no place to lay down and rest and most of the tour guides take you to places where you either have to climb or have to walk up and down hills or climb stairs, which is DEFINITELY a way to get AMS until you are acclimated. And you are thinking of going DIRECT from the airport in Cusco for a tour in Cusco??? 99% of the tours allow 4-5 hours of rest, oxygen and coca tea BEFORE there is a tour and there are a lot of people on those tours who get sick because it is just too much for their bodies to go from sea level to 11,000 feet and get enough oxygen to climb/walk up and down hills and stairs. Your method is a disaster, IMHO

 

Go from the Cusco airport DIRECT to the Sacred Valley. ANY decent hotel has a car service/driver at their disposal. DO NOT get into just any old taxi. You could find yourself in a VERY nasty position. Tourists have been mugged and robbed by street hailed taxis and ANY taxi driver except one connected to YOUR hotel will try to get you to go to THEIR hotel or take THEIR tour. STAY AWAY from street hailed taxis. I even call my hotel in Cusco to send a car when I want to go back to the hotel after a day out and about.

 

You can leave luggage in Lima at the airport. The left luggage facility is in the DOMESTIC arrivals area. You will arrive from the USA at the international arrivals side of the airport. Then you will walk to the domestic arrivals area and return to the domestic departures area for check in. There have been recent (within the last 2 years) stories of luggage being pilfered at left luggage. I have left my large luggage there numerous times BUT since the pilfering stories started showing up, I have had my luggage WRAPPED with shrink wrap BEFORE I left it (about $8-10 per piece) About $5.00 per piece per day for storage. CASH only-although they will take US

 

Don't forget to allow enough time between flights for all this. PLUS after you check in for your domestic flight, you will have to stand in line and pay DEPARTURE tax out of Lima BEFORE you can go through security.