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Cusco General Tips

Tips and photos for Cusco vacations and tourism, posted by real travelers and Cusco locals.
Local Time 9:54 pm Friday, July 25, 2008
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The Route I took
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  • Updated By Amareyui on September 6, 2004
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  • Cusco General Tips
    by Amareyui
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    Lima-Cusco-Arequipa-Nazca-Ica-Pisco-Lima

    All of the fellow travellers I met along the way were travelling in reverse. They wanted to get acclimatized at the higher altitude in Arequipa before setting out to Cusco/Puno. I was eager to go to see Machu Picchu first, the reason I chose this route.

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    Immunizations when traveling to Cusco
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  • By jackfruit on January 29, 2004
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  • The only main danger in Cusco is altitude sickness and if you allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude, you should have no problems. Please check my AMS tip here for more info on altitude sickness.

    Diamox isn't necessary - I would recommend taking it easy and letting the body adjust to 3400m instead of changing the body metabolism by ingesting diamox.

    Coca leaf tea served everywhere in Cusco and also on the camino inca trek helps acclimatize. It thins the blood and allows better transport of oxygen to the extremities.

    Malaria is not a danger in Cusco because of the altitude. However if you plan to travel to amazonian Peru from Cusco, please make sure that you have a doctor prescribed malaria prophylaxis like mefloquine.

    Other than the usual medical travel kit containing Cipro and Immodium (for upset stomachs and loose stools), aspirin and acetominophen (for headadches, fever and bodyaches) and muscle relaxants, etc disease prevention in the area need not be a big concern.

    For detailed information, check out the CDC site for Peru at:
    http://www.cdc.gov/travel/tropsam.htm

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    Getting acclimatized in Cusco
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  • By jackfruit on January 28, 2004
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  • Steep street off Plaza de Armas - Cusco
    Steep street off Plaza de
    Armas
    by jackfruit
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    The streets of Cusco are very narrow and steep in many sections. Because of it's high altitude location, it is best to take your time to acclimatize here for atleast a few days (with the help of lots of the locally grown and brewed coca leaf tea). Explore the town on foot, but take it slow. This will aid the acclimatization process.

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    Ollantaytambo
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  • Updated By hartti on March 11, 2004
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  • Ollantaytambo Pub - Cusco
    Ollantaytambo Pub
    by hartti
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    A nice small town close to Cusco, wonderful scenery from the terraces. The pub was just on the back yard of a little shop. There clients could have freshing drink among dogs and ducks. Price of beer was moderate (3 sols). (Pisco sour I did not ask, it really did not come into my stupid mind!) The table was not needed.

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    Boleto Touristico
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  • By bicycle_girl on October 31, 2006
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  • Boleto Touristico - Cusco
    Boleto Touristico
    by bicycle_girl
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    The boleto touristico is a ticket that you purchase in order to enter to several museums/archeological sites in Cuzco and also in the Sacred Valley. For the cost of 70 Soles, you will be granted admission to 16 sites. Some of the time you do not have the choice to buy it to visit the sites, but you have the options to buy a partial ticket (for the Sacred Valley only, or for Cuzco only) and students get a discount providing they have a card with them. The boleto is valid for 10 days, and the visitting hours of each site, along with address and directions is indicated behind the ticket.

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    Touristic Ticket: Boleto Turistico
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  • Updated By chrissyalex on July 5, 2003
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  • Ollantaytambo - Cusco
    Ollantaytambo
    by chrissyalex
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    The boleto turistico will be one of the most important things you will purchase in Cusco. This ticket allows you admission to sixteen of the most important sights in and around Cusco and the Sacred Valley. You cannot get into some of the churches or museums without this ticket. The cost is only $10 US for adults and $5 US for children and students. This is a bargain,even if you only visit half of the sites on the ticket. You can buy this ticket at one of the many tourist offices in Cusco. I purchased mine at my hotel upon arrival. Be sure to carry it with you at all times. You may be strolling around and come upon one of the included sights in your wanderings.
    The boleto allows admission to the following attractions: La Catedral,Iglesia de San Blas,Museo de Arte Religioso,Municipal Palace Museum,Museo Arqueo Logico de Qoricancha,Museo de Santa Catalina,Sacsayhuaman,Q'enko,Puca Pucara,Tambomachay,Pisac, Ollantaytambo,Chinchero,Pikillacta, and Tipon.

    The ticket is a cool thing to put in your scrapbook because your name is on it and there are full color pictures of all the attractions.Also, the places you visited are marked on the ticket.

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    Main Square: Quick Pics in Cusco
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  • Updated By chrissyalex on July 11, 2003
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  • Sacred Valley - Cusco
    Sacred Valley
    by chrissyalex
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    Have some of your film developed in Cusco. We found a photography shop just off the Plaza de Arms which processes one-hour-photos for only eleven soles (less than $4 US) This is less than half the price of having a roll developed in my hometown. We decided to try it out and had a roll processed They really did a wonderful job and the next day,we had some more rolls developed there.The picture on the left was processed there.
    Directions: From the Plaza de Armas, Walk north up the street named Triunfo Hatunrunmiyou a short way. It located on the right and has a one-hour photo sign out front. The name of this store is Nishiyama Laboratorio Fotografico

    Included in the price of the film processing is a very cute mini album to store your photos in with a picture of Machu Picchu on it.

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    Inquisition
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  • By SirRichard on May 11, 2005
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  • Nice, uh? - Cusco
    Nice, uh?
    by SirRichard
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    Spain left another legacy in Peru, that related with religion and the infamous Inquisition Court. There is a little museum about that by the Cathedral, but it was closed when I was there, under restauration.
    But you could see this significant stone coat of arms in the facade...

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    Sacred Valley: Suprises are abound!
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  • By Amareyui on June 5, 2003
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  • The haunted - Cusco
    The haunted
    by Amareyui
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    My favourite...
    Machu Picchu is a no brainer.
    But aside from that, I must say I like the Sacred Valley alot. It provides a more realistic feel of the daily life of the Peruvian who lives in the sierra, and to a lesser degree the ancient Inca culture. Their heritage seems like an integral part of their lifes, instead of a commercial product attitude as seen in Cusco.

    Suprises and some more suprises.
    Goat runs over by a bus, abandoned site acts as bus station, road detour, road construction, bus going the wrong route, bus drivers going on strike, hole in the wall of bathroom, haunted dog staring at you from the roof, numerous others.....
    The best travel plan in Peru is to not have a plan at all.

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    Alleys of Mountain Towns
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  • Updated By Amareyui on June 7, 2003
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  • Pisac - Cusco
    Pisac
    by Amareyui
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    Take some time to walk around the mountain towns before moving on the next one. This is the one big advantage of not joining tours, so take your time.

    Locals found it very strange to see me walking along the alleys by myself, and often stared at me. They were more curious than hostile, but sometimes it did rub on me a bit when I got stared whereever I went.
    The doors of the houses were always left open, so I often stopped and took a quick peek to see how it was like inside.
    There were very little other tourists when I travelled through the valley, so it was kind of exciting to have places with only locals showing up.

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    More Cusco Tips
    Overview
         		General Tips
    Tips: 64 - Photos: 57
    Restaurants
    Tips: 107 - Photos: 57    		Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 128 - Photos: 82
    Things To Do
    Tips: 419 - Photos: 371    		Nightlife
    Tips: 29 - Photos: 13
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 78 - Photos: 72    		Tourist Traps
    Tips: 17 - Photos: 13
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 55 - Photos: 27    		Transportation
    Tips: 66 - Photos: 40
    Local Customs
    Tips: 50 - Photos: 39    		Packing Lists
    Tips: 21 - Photos: 10
    Shopping
    Tips: 35 - Photos: 24    		Sports Travel
    Tips: 16 - Photos: 12
    Flights
    Tips: 16 - Photos: 11

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