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Peru 2009 roundtrip
"Huacachina-Nazca-Arequipa-Puno"
From Lima we went straight to Huacachina with the Cruz del Sur bus company (http://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe). We booked everything before the trip via internet. Works fine and buses are punctual, clean and safe.
Huacachina we staid 2 days in the hotel El Hucachiner (http://www.elhuacachinero.com). Nice and clean hotel with excellent food. We directly booked the sand bugy trip with them. A must do! And the sandboarding is nice as well.
Then we went to Nazca to see the famous lines. We staid at the Hotel La Maison Suisse. There must surely be better places. I would not recommend it. Pretty pricy for what you get. Even if the nazca lines are famous I think they are somehow overestimated. It's ok to see them ones, but it was not of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. In downtown you find plenty of pollerias. Food is very cheap. We staid 1 1/2 days in Nazca. Not much to do besides seeing the lines.
From Nazca we drove to Arequipa. Always by using Cruz del Sur. Arequipa is very nice and it is worthwhile to do one of the half day sightseeing bustours that bring you around the whole city and suburbs. Many very good cuy restaurants. Just get the Lonely Planet and choose a Cuy restaurant. Many nice bars to hang around. On the plaza de armas there is an excellent steak house. Just beside the Sonesta Posadas del Inca Hotel (http://www.sonesta.com/arequipa/). Excellent hotel and really downtown. We staid 2 days in Arequipa. We didn't have the time to see colca canyon, but apparently it must be wounderful to see the condors fly in the morning.
From Arequipa we went straight to Puno and staid at the Posada del Inca Tikikaka (http://www.sonesta.com/LakeTiticaca/), also an excellent hotel. There is an old steam ship just in front of it. Interesting to visit. We did a one day tour of lake titi kaka. First to see the floating villages of Uros and then moved over to the island of Taquile. Isla del Sol is also very nice, but farther away and already in Bolivia. Everybody tries to sell you super expensive packages for the day trips on the lake. Just go to the harbour, ask some prices and pay 3/4 of what they ask, or half of it ;-)
From Puno we took the Inka Express Bus (http://www.inkaexpress.com/). Very clean and safe, and an excellent guide. The bus stops 4 times to do some sightseeing which makes the ride enjoyable. The landscape of Peruan highland is amazing.
In Cusco we staid at the Casa Andina Cusco Plaza (http://www.casa-andina.com/peru/hotels/cusco-hotels/classic-cusco-plaza/hotel.php). Very centrally located and a nice hotel. Cusco is very nice but avoid the cheap restaurants around plaza the armas. If you stick to the Lonely Planet you are pretty safe for the restaurants. Make sure to go to the local market. Very interesting. From there we went onto a 4 day Lares Trekking with Wake Up Peru (http://www.incatrekkers.com). Good operator with knowledgeable and friendly guides.
Day 4 was then Machu Picchu. One of the best things I have ever seen. Make sure to be at the entrance early enough to get a permit for Wayna Picchu. Only 400 are distributed per day. Either you take one of the first buses. Start queuing up at 05:00! or walk from Aguas Calientes to the entrance. 1 hour uphill with only stairs after stairs. But it's a nice experience.
From Cusco we took a flight to Lima and staid a day in Lima in the Casa Andina Lima Miraflores but got an upgrade for the private collection hotel of Casa Andina :-) (http://www.casa-andina.com/peru/hotels/miraflores-hotels/private-collection-miraflores/hotel.php) very cool hotel. Lima was not that interesting and best thing you can do is a bus sightseeing tour.
