Peru25
TODO before we go
- buy bus tickets online 1 week in advance
- Tell the bank you are travelling
- check the bank's international transaction fees
Hi, We are considering moving our banking to RT and have opened an account to test out your bill pay system. We are going to be visiting friends in Peru from 2/25 to 3/11. 1. Could you make sure the debit card controllers know that I will be using the card in Peru? 2. Could you tell me the RT ATM per use charge and %of transaction charge on my debit card. 3. Are there particular ATM's in Peru that you charge less for?
Hi, We are going to be visiting friends in Peru from 2/25 to 3/11. 1. Could you make sure the debit card controllers know that we will be using the (3) debit cards on our accounts in Peru? 2. Could you tell me the ATM per use charge and %of transaction charge on debit card used in Peru. 3. Are there particular ATM's in Peru that you charge less for?
- find cool events or concerts happening while we are in Lima.
- order tomatoes
- make appt for car
general info
google translate
weather
- Cusco
- daylight 5:49AM-6:10PM temp: 44F-62F % days with rain 45%
- Lima
- March 80°/68° 0 days rain
altitude
Cusco is at 3500m (11482 ft). Machu Picchu sits at a much lower elevation than Cusco at 2400m (7874 ft) elevation. Aguas Calientes is even lower.
maps (see below)
exchange rate (sol or PEN)
- 1sol = $0.27
- 10 sol =$2.70
- 100sol = $27.00
- $1 = 3.7 sol
- $10 = 37 sol
- 100 USD = 368.61 PEN
In a Peru airport, it's generally better to get cash at an ATM rather than a currency exchange. Using ATMs in Peru can cost you. U.S. banks charge about $3 to $5 per use. ATM fees in Peru are 17 to 32 Sols, or $4 to $9.
Aguas Calientes travelers will find small money exchange businesses; however, the exchange rate is significantly lower than the rate in Cusco City
Maybe we should get enough cash in the lima airport from an ATM to last us through until we return to Cusco and then go to an exchange there.
docs
itinerary
TUE 2/25 Boston > Lima
fly:AA DVCIDG $1056.44 bos > 12:30PM > mia > 4:12pm AA 2708 25D,25E mia > 5:40PM > lima > 11:25pm $1056.44 AA 917 30D,30E stay: Casa delSol conf# 4666742560 pin: 5854 135+13.5=$148.50
WED 2/26 Lima > Cuscos > Aguas Caliente
First thing in the morning Store luggage at Lima Airport
fly 7:55AM > 9:15AM 13D 13E Latam LA2007 $337rt order# LA0454333MPAI WCGCNX mytrips perurail 10:30AM > 2:25PM Estación Ferroviaria Wanchaq $327 tim A11 ticket B216-00610054 peri B216-00610055 stay Inti Punku Machupicchu Hotel & Suites Booking No. 1658100792576183 PIN 1728 $79 map
THU 2/27 Machu Piccu
bus bus ticketsbuy bus tickets online 1 week in advance S hike: Booking code: TMP-PQ7XB3U Number Order: 241243 $119.70 Visit date: 27 Feb 2025 Ticket type: Ticket Machu Picchu Classic Circuit 08:00 - circuit 2 perurail: Aguas Caliente > Cuscos 2:25 > 7:30 tim B216-00610056 stay AntiguaCusco $135 Reservation Code 8AV7HK Pin 1254218
FRI 2/28 Cusco > Lima
fly 4:25PM > 5:55PM 11D 11E Latam LA2064 order# LA0454333MPAI WCGCNX
TUE 3/11 Lima > Boston DVCIDG
lima 10:00PM > mia > 5:05AM 3/12 AA 918 23D,23E mia 8:25AM >bos > 11:41AM AA 2247 20B,20C
you can’t bring a suitcase!
This was another one I googled several times before booking tickets - can you really not take your luggage? Well as it turns out neither train company that run services to Aguas Calientes allow you to bring more than a carry on bag
4:20 for $60-$111
Cusco to Aguas Calientes
Getting from Cusco Airport to the bus/train
Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport is located 10-30 min from the city’s main square. The bus/train station is Estación Ferroviaria Wanchaq. The plane lands at 9:15. The bus/train leaves at 10:30. But you have to be at Wanchaq 45 minutes early. So that means we have 30 minutes to get from the airport to the bus/train.
taxi
From the airport to different zones of Cusco city ($10 – $15). At the baggage collection carousels within the terminal there are two small desks offering airport transfers. Llama Taxis are one of these, their fleet of taxis comprises of modern and safe black Toyota saloons. The price from Cusco Airport to Plaza de Armas or any of Cusco’s tourist hotels (within the city) is 45/55 Soles (US$15). The taxis will be waiting for you at the parking zone. Negotiate the price before taking a taxi.
Beyond this just outside the door to the building to your left, a vast quantity of taxi drivers congregate (you can´t miss them). In a typical Peruvian taxi driver style, they can be a little overbearing and very persistent, but don’t let this put you off. No taxis are metered here so you will need to agree a price first before getting in. The price of these taxis from Cusco Airport to the historic center of Cusco is around 10 – 15 soles (US$ 3.50 – 5.00) for the 20-minute journey (ask your Peru Hop guide for more information about rates). Be aware that taxi drivers will start by offering a price of 25 – 30 Soles (US$ 7.50 – 10.00) or even higher. You will need patience and the ability to negotiate firmly to ensure you get a fair price. Taxi drivers are required to pay a 2 Soles parking fee when leaving Cusco Airport, and often ask for this from the passenger in addition to the pre-agreed fare, be firm and inform them this was not the agreement.
Instead, cellphone-taxi companies are popular, and the most known are TaxiTurismo +51 84 245000 and LlamaTaxi +51 84 222000.
Lima Airport
Lima Airport Map
Right after going through customs and immigration, you’ll go through a short shopping area for last-minute purchases before entering the baggage carousel hall. Pro tip: There are washrooms here that a lot of people don’t know about, so there’s never a lineup compared to the washrooms in the main terminal.
exchange money
Interbank is a major national bank in Peru and is the first money exchange option you’ll see at the Lima airport when you enter into the baggage carousel hall.
Once you’re in the main airport terminal, you can also go to the public area of the second floor where there are a selection of ATMs
Store luggage at the airport
Yes, you can store luggage at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM). The airport has a 24-hour luggage storage facility. The luggage storage is in the public international arrivals area on the ground floor. map from the hotel to leftLuggage
region recommendations and map
This seems like a very tight schedule, and, most worrysome is the ticket to Machu Picchu. They usually sell out months in advance. If you haven't purchased the ticket yet, I highly recommend prioritizing this
It is advised to arrive in Aguas Calientes one day before you're going to MP. MP has two entry periods: morning and afternoon. If you arrive in Aguas Calientes in the afternoon (which you probably will), you will miss out. I'm not sure what is the latest time you can enter MP with an afternoon ticket, so it's better to check their official website. (Also it's been a few years since I've been thwre and idk if they changed something due to covid. Definitely check their website)
google map aguas calientes Once in Aguas Calientes, there are two ways to get to the entrance of MP:
- a bus from the village to the site. Long lines and need to get up early. I woke up at 4 am in the village to get the bus.
- you can hike there. It's a bit challenging, but I wouldn't call it very difficult. I didn't hike up, but I hiked down on my way back to the village. Upwards is a lot tougher, imo, though.
I did the morning visit and was back in Aguas Calientes by late afternoon. There I took a train in the evening to Cusco and the next day I got a flight to Lima.
I definitely recommend 3 days for the whole thing: first day in Cusco and Valle Sagrado + travel to Aguas Calientes; second day Machu Picchu and travel bacj to Cusco; third day Cusco and travel to Lima.
I’d highly recommend an overnight stay at Machu Picchu or Aguas Calientes if you want to get up to experience the ruins early the next morning.
Aguas Calientes has a good range of hotels. The buses start to roll out of town up to Machu Picchu early enough for you to arrive just after the gates open, and well ahead of visitors coming by train. Staying locally also is helpful if you want to visit the site more than once. Mist clinging to the peaks can be completely bewitching, but visibility can be changeable 2,450 m above sea level. A second visit can give you a completely different set of conditions to enjoy as you explore the architecture, and time to climb Huayna Picchu.
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ministry of culture
tickets
Aguas Calientes
buy bus tickets online 1 week in advance tourist map with bus stop
Aguas Calientes has a plentiful selection of restaurants to suit your tastes and wallet. One of our current favorites is Indio Feliz, an award-winning restaurant serving Peruvian dishes with a French twist tucked away in a side street.
You can also try Peruvian street food if you time it right. Every Sunday, slow cooked chicharrones (hog roast) is sold until it’s all gone. I tried it on a recent trip and the meat was amazingly succulent, with the best crackling I’ve ever tasted.
It should be noted that the Inca Trail is closed to walkers during the month of February so restoration work can take place.
Machu Pichu
- To protect yourself from the rains, rain ponchos should be used.
- It is recommended to opt for a reusable water bottle.
- Backpacks or bags larger than 16x14x8 inches or weighing more than 10.4 lbs are prohibited.
- Older adults can carry a rubber-tipped cane but not hiking poles.
- When 0n circuit 2 you need to be careful. You must pick the ‘superior platforma’ when you see the sign or you will end up missing the classic views and you guessed it,
- you can’t backtrack.
- no toilets inside the site, I thought it might be a mistake. Turns out it’s not, so you’ll definitely want to use the bathroom at the entry gate (bring small change) before heading in.
- once you exit you can’t re-enter
- You can’t take any food into Machu Picchu
- You need to book the bus ticket to get up the mountain from the little ticket office in town, you can’t buy tickets on the bus.
- The bus has long lines and you need to get up early.
- bus tickets buy bus tickets online 1 week in advance
Description:
Reservation code: TMP-PQ7XB3U Ticket type Ticket Machu Picchu Classic Circuit 08:00 - circuit 2 Visit date 27 Feb 2025
ministerios culturas tickets
https://www.machupicchureservations.org
Cusco
Lima
Most tourists stay in the hip district of Barranco or centrally located Miraflores – and for good reason. But less-visited districts such as Pueblo Libre or Magdalena del Mar
For example, it's a good idea to pair gallery visits in Barranco with lunch or dinner in a Miraflores restaurant, or a trip to Pueblo Libre’s incredibly thorough and informative Museo Larco with a drink at the same district’s famed Queirolo pisco bar.
musee larca barranco
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/top-things-to-do-in-lima
