Top Peru hotels
Altitude Sickness - Soroche Cusco
28 Reviews This is very real and can be extremely dangerous if you don't take care. Most people will get mild symptoms including breathlesness and tiredness. The first day may also give you a headache and...
See All 59 Warnings Or Dangers in Cusco
Trail Dangers Machu Picchu
6 Reviews Being so high above the sea level, most visitors suffer the "altitude sickness". In the first 2-3 days you will feel a little headache and some stomach problems. To fight that is advisable to drink...
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Weather Wise Machu Picchu
3 Reviews Visiting Machu Picchu in January, during the rainy season, we'd read to dress warm and expect rain and fog. The day we went it turned out warm, bright and very sunny. I knew about the higher altitude...
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Food / Drink Machu Picchu
6 Reviews Coca tea and chewing coca will help you adjust to altitude sickness. For most, chewing coca will make you a little slap happy. I guess everyone reacts to it differently. I felt my heart racing like I...
See All 37 Warnings Or Dangers in Machu Picchu
Bathrooms Machu Picchu
4 Reviews Quite simply, there aren't any. You'll quickly lose your inhibitions about relieving yourself in the great outdoors, because you won't really have a choice when necessity calls. The trek group with...
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Timing Machu Picchu
2 Reviews If you want to experience the mysticism of Machu Picchu without distractions, then you better plan to rise bright and early in order to catch a few quiet moments of sanctity and solitude....the tour...
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Be careful, a hottie with a lama expects a small tip if you take her picture.I say hottie because Peruvian ladies seem to wear many sweaters on top of one another: I remember, during our train incident (see transportation tips) one grandmother who was shivering under layers and layers of wool while all of us gringos were sweating in our T-shirts.
Just remembered this. It's common knowledge not to drink tap water from developing countries but I was informed by locals not leave my water uncovered. Apparently there are some type of insect that lay their eggs and this may occur in your water if you leave it uncovered. If you drink the water it will make you sick but is not dangerous.I've never heard or read about this in any books, even when I looked it up on the net. I can't confirm, but it's better to be safe than sorry...just make sure to put the cap back on your bottled water or naglene bottles. I didn't see any reasons for the locals to tell me otherwise.
This is only for you sensitive types there. Right after I got off the plane, just hit me hard with a massive headache that didn't put me in the best move. My friends tell me that Cusco is at the same elevation as the base of the ski lifts in Breckenridge, which I've skied at for 6 years in the past. Even though it only took me one day to recover while in Colorado, in Cusco it took me a couple of days and 3 to make me feel like normal. It won't lay you up in bed, but it is rather annoying. Advil helped but the altitude sickness pills didn't for me.
Be a little wary where you put your wallet while walking around here, and I guess other places. Was caring mine around in the front pocket of my pants and I guess that somone noticed it. Party of two guys came at me, one from behind with a water gun and got me with it in the left ear hoping that I would jerk that way to see what was going on, but for some reason, didn't bug me that much (although it did feel like someone spit in my ear). Then the other guy came from the front with a coat over his right hand and tried to dig into the pocket with my wallet. Gave his hand a brush off and pushed him away. Pretty smooth move by them if you ask me. Just kept my wallet in my inner zipper jacket pocket after that one. Otherwise, still a good place to check out. Maybe wear some ear plugs :)
You're gonna get sick. Well at least a little bit. For example I NEVER eat lettuce anywhere that I won't drink the water and Peru certainly qualifies. Take some Imodium and Cipro for the really nasty stuff.
Australia has a Consulate in Lima headed by an Honorary Consul. The Consulate provides limited consular assistance which does not include the issue of Australian passports. You can obtain full consular assistance from the nearest Australian Embassy which is in Chile: Australian Embassy Isidora Goyenechea 362113th Floor, Las Condes, SANTIAGO DE CHILE Telephone E-mail consular.santiago@dfat.gov.au Contact details for the Consulate are: Australian Consulate-GeneralAvenida Victor Andres Belaunde 147Via Principal 155Building Real 3, Office 1301San Isidro, Lima 27, PeruTelephone (51 1) 222 8281 Facsimile (51 1) 221 4996 E-mail: info.peru@austrade.gov.au
Peru is listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. Some airlines may require passengers to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country. If in doubt, check with your airline. If you have visited Peru in the last six days prior to your date of return to Australia, Australian Customs officials will ask you to present a valid yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate on entry into Australia.
Cusco is a very poor little city and there is a lot of homelessness and begging in the streets. This includes the children too, I'm sorry to say. On our first day there we were followed to our hotel by a boy trying to sell us postcards. We weren't sure how to deal with him and thought, at first, that it was kind of cute I guess. We didn't want any postcards, but we told him maybe tomorrow. Sure enough, he was waiting outside our hotel the next day! We were shocked. Why wait for us, when there are plenty of other tourists to sucker? After a while we just became so immune to the whole thing that we were pros at not making eye contact and at saying no and having them leave us alone. Just be wary of it - it's very depressing to see these young kids all dirty and hungry trying to sell you things and beg you for food. You want to help them all, but it's impossible, so you end up not helping...
Please be sure that if you're going to venture to Machu Picchu and try to hike Waynapicchu mountain, that you are in relatively good shape. It's quite a hike on the way up, and becomes very challenging on the way down once your legs are tired and weary. Going up it's pretty steep, but the good thing is that there are plenty of shaded spots to stop and catch your breath. Make sure to bring plenty of bottled water with you, and a snack for some energy. I found that sucking candies helped keep my throat moist (through all my huffing and puffing) and provided a nice little sugar kick. I assure you that reaching the top and seeing the views are worth the struggle, but it catches up with you. The next day, I was so achy that it hurt just to "be".
If you visit the jungle and buy one of those souvenir cerbatanas through which indians blow little arrows, PACK IT AND CHECK IT IN when you take the plane. They are considered weapons and won't be allowed in cabin.I didn't know and had to leave it in the security check at Lima airport (though they said nothing in the Iquitos-Lima flight!).
7 Reviews and 251 Opinions We did not stay here, but it was pointed out to us as the hotel used for some of the VIPs that came...
Hostal Rumi Punku Cusco
7 Reviews and 486 Opinions Very nice hotel including all amenities, even wi-fi. Recommend the tours booked via Sergio at the...
Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel Machu Picchu
303 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Peru attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Peru sightseeing.
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Q: We will be traveling in Dec. can only spend about 6 days in Peru. Would appreciate any suggestions on how to best use our time. ...
A: Firstly, if you stay on the coast, be prepared for heat and humidity. If you go inland, be prepared for altitude. I imagine you will be arriving first off in Lima? Six...
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