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Home , Chiclayo, Kuelap, Puno, Sillustani

Peru is an incredibly fascinating country. Here are 3 examples of what lies beyond:

Peru is one of the last great remaining wildernesses on the planet, especially our vast Amazonian forests The Best Culinary Destination in the World. You will see the remnants of ancient Inca culture. Throughout the Amazon and , you will meet their descendants. Here you will find: 1.Where to go (and not to go) in Peru. 2.What to do (and not to do) in Peru. 3.When to go to Peru. 4.Moving around Peru and a key question – should I hire an operator? (the answer is yes and no and either and neither ) 5.Boring but important information on Peru – tips and tricks.

FIRST, WHAT IS YOUR REASON TO COME TO PERU? After and here is my personal categorization of Peru travelers: Nature fan: “I want to see the Amazon. I love nature and wildlife.” Trekker: “I just want to get away from it all in remote Andean trails” People person: “I want to hang out in the Andean towns and enjoy the great scenery, food and folk” Archeology buff: “I can’t get enough Inka ruins”

SECOND, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE? THE SHORT STAY 1-week vacation (9 DAYS) 4 Days to explore Cusco and Mapi

Nature Fan: Hit the Tambopata National Reserve for 3 nights and get the chance to see the Macaw Clay Lick as well as 8 species of monkeys. Trekker: get the short, 3-night version of the Ausangate trek south of Cusco. People person: take the Belmond train from Cusco to . In Puno spend 2 day at Amantani Island and in Archaeology Buff: from Cusco, fly back to and head out to Chachapoyas. Take the lift to the ruins. THE NOT- SO- SHORT STAY 2 weeks (16 days) 4 to Machu Picchu and Cusco

Nature Fan: visit Tambopata for 6 nights: giant river otters on the lake, a canopy tower and maybe harpy eagle, clay lick and dozens of macaws inside the Tambopata National Reserve (our 3 lodges cover all) + visit Paracas on Peru`s desert coast.: penguins, sea lions and hunters of birds. Trekker: From Lima, take a bus northeast to Chiquian for the 9-day Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. People person: 3 nights Puno and Lake Titicaca as above + 2 nights in & 2 nights in Colca Archaeology buff: Visit Trujillo where and Huasca de la Luna are located + with Moche remains such as Sipan, Fly to Chachapoyas and visit Kuelap but add a side visit to the Gocta Falls.

THE LONG STAY (23 day of vacation)

Time for a mix and match – if you love nature, go trekking, or if you love ruins, add on a visit to Puno! Mix and match at will. Plus Mancora and the Northern Beaches and

1.Tambopata 2.Ausangate 3.Chiquian - Huayhuash 4.Chachapoyas and the Kuelap ruins 5.The twin cities of Chiclayo and Trujillo 6.Puno and Amantani islands 7.Paracas 8.Arequipa and the Colca valley.

Rainforest Expeditions : Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas & Tambopata Research Center.

When visiting Refugio Amazonas, be sure to find out if there is a harpy eagle nest. When mother harpy is around, you don’t want to miss her. If you go to Tambopata Research Center, be sure to buy a beer for the resident scientists at the bar. You will be fascinated by their work. If you are on the 4 pm flight out of you will have some hours to kill. Have some great Brazil nut ice cream at Gustitos del Cura on the Main Square and then walk a few blocks to the Billinghurst Bridge for a panoramic view of the Madre de Dios river. Trekking Ausangate takes anywhere from 3 to 6 days. You will need to acclimate. You need to stretch your legs at 3000 meters + before heading up to 4500+ meters. You want to do that Ausangate Lodge. Let Ruben Santander, the super friendly owner, point your way. Take a daily hike based on his recommendations.

At a hundred bucks a day, you can afford Huayhuash. What you may not be able to afford are the full 9 days it takes to walk around these pristine peaks. So here is my tip: if you can't do the full thing, hire Miguel Lopez to organize the trek and tell him to lead you up to Mitucocha. It will take a total of four days. Be sure to have some choclo con queso (Andean corn with goat cheese) at Conococha on your drive to Chiquian (the gateway to Huayhuash).

Not everyone knows Kuelap. If Machu Picchu had a sister, it would be Kuelap. Spend a night at the rustic but unique Private Conservation Areas of Milpuj and Huiquilla. Milpuj will show you rare dry grasslands, whilst Huiquilla will showcase Peru’s moist cloud forests where you can still see woolly monkeys and spectacled bears now and then. These are not fancy hotels, but they are fancy experiences.

We call Chiclayo and Trujillo the North Coast. Outside of Lima, you will find our best food here. Go to El Squalo in Trujillo and find out why. And if you don’t mind driving a bit to get out of town book a room at Chaparri Ecolodge. 60 minutes from Chiclayo and you are in Peru’s largest and best-preserved dry forest – boas, spectacled bear and all. Heinz Plenge, Peru’s most renowned wildlife photographer set this up two decades ago. Puno, the Uros Islands, and Taquile are full of tourists. Amantani is not. Try to get someone to take you out on a boat for a short excursion and start chatting out in the middle of the world’s highest navigable lake. We recommend staying in a hotel in Lake Titicaca. If you can spare the time and money, book a trip to Isla Suasi by way of Amantani.

Paracas is well known for its penguins, flamingoes, and sea lions. People also fly over the from here.

When in Arequipa, trek down to the bottom of the world's deepest Colca canyon and then head back up. It is a workout. It is hot. It is high. But it is worth it. Stay with Gloria and have her organize your trek. While you're there be sure to visit the hot thermal baths at Coporaque. Even if everyone says that you have to travel to Peru from May to October when the weather is best. You can travel to Peru in February and you can do the same in July. You just have to pick your places and vice versa.

Remember Peru is a tropical country with 3 remarkable areas: the coast, the Andes, and the Amazon. “Tropical” is certainly accurate for Amazonia. It is always hot and humid and moist. From June to October, Lima gets 10º-15ºC but the north is pleasant all year. Finally, our third region, the Andes, can be warm and hot. Above 3000 meters of elevation sometimes dip below freezing point. The best time to go to Tambopata is animal- related. You want to go when there are the most “bird minutes” on clay licks – September through December. September and October also coincide with the “jaguar window”. If you travel during any other month you will still have sighting opportunities, just not as many as September or October. Best Time to trek Ausangate or Huayhuash. This season begins in May and ends in October. Best Time for Chiclayo, Trujillo and Paracas. For these seaside destinations, the best months are January through March. Best Time for Puno and Arequipa. Visit the Andes when there is a festival, especially if you're there for the folklore: February, June As for Kuelap – Visit from March to October if you want cloud-free photography. There are essentially 3 ways to move around Peru: by bus, by train, by plane.

Renting a car and driving means dealing with chaotic drivers and much driving in Peru involves the Andes: lots of winding roads at high elevations.

Trains are great. Available only in 3 destinations: Cusco, Puno, and Arequipa. The train ride from Cusco to Puno takes you through the beautiful Andean highlands. Buses are tough to call. They are supposed to be the inexpensive alternative to planes. We recommend Redbus.

The two best-known airlines are Latam and Avianca. Both fly throughout the Americas. You will also find Sky Airlines and Viva Air. Should I get a Tour Operator?

In places like Paracas, Puno, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Trujillo, and Kuelap you don’t need to hire an operator. Hire operators at these locations if: You want to add value (such as an expert-led tour), If you detect a really good deal (often available to fill up open space in large groups) If you don’t want to spend lots of time on planning (usually high-end tour operators) Or if you feel unprepared or uneasy about booking directly. There are three locations(from our course) that require an operator: Huayhuash, Ausangate, and Tambopata. It is not a good idea to go out trekking in the high Andes or hiking in the Amazon without the proper guidance and equipment. As for whom to hire? In Huayhuash and Ausangate contact Miguel Lopez and Ruben Santander. Let me add the very high-end operator Andean Lodges for Ausangate. In Tambopata, of course, we recommend our company, Rainforest Expeditions. Here are the essentials to keep you away from trouble

1.Beware of the altitude

Travelers are more susceptible to altitude sickness if: They make rapid ascents Live permanently at a low altitude level Are younger Strenuous exercise while ascending to high altitude levels To prevent altitude sickness you should go up slowly, take it easy, and give your body time to get used to the altitude. The body has an amazing ability to acclimate to the altitude, but it needs time. For instance, it takes about a week to adapt to an altitude of 5000m. 2.Buy your Machu Picchu tickets early

There are a limited number of trains running to Machu Picchu. There are also a limited number of visitors allowed in the citadel. Buy trains at the Peru Rail or Inka Rail websites, tickets at the clumsy website of our very own Ministry of Culture.

3.Keep Small Change on You

Although Peru is full of ATMs and credit card processors, you will find some remote areas that won't accept them – especially when on a trek. So imagine a small store full of water bottles that can only be purchased in cash. Typically 10 or 20 sol bills are fine. Also, remember 50 cents is standard fare for use of public bathrooms. 4.Careful with the voltage

Electricity in Peru runs at 120 volts. So If you´re country has 220 you may want to double-check your electronics. Typically, most equipment can handle both. Even if your equipment handles 120-220 volts you should unplug when your devices are charged to avoid damaging your circuitry. I tell you from experience.

Be sure to heed the packing lists, health advice, and food recommendations strewn about the interwebs. But do pay attention to these particular four.