Peru

Welcome To The Peru Travel Guide

Hola, Buenas Dias, Allillanchu! Welcome to our Peru country guide! We’ve had our bucket lists filled with Peruvian adventures for quite some time now and we are excited to say that we have finally checked the boxes! We were fortunate enough to complete the four day three night Inca trail, to via Ferrata our way to sleep in the skylodge, to hike and explore the rainbow mountains, and to immerse ourselves in Peruvian culture. In this guide, you will find valuable information about preparing for and spending time in Peru as well as our personal experiences while there. We’re here to make sure that you have all of the information that you need, to help you prepare mentally and physically, to help pack all the necessary travel essentials and to encourage you to finally book your trip to Peru so that you can knock some things off your bucket list!

What can I expect from Peru?

If in Cusco and surrounding areas, you can expect to find an immersion of Quechua and Peruvian cultures. This makes this area of Peru extremely unique in that there is a variety of old and new customs and a blend of culture. Throughout the country, you can expect changes in climate and landscapes due to changes in altitude. You can expect to discover picturesque treks that are sure to satisfy your bucket list as well as a multitude of adventure sports to satisfy any sense of adventure that you may have. In the Peruvian Amazon, you’ll find yourself engaged in learning about the flora and fauna. Across the country, you’ll be delighted to find an array of unique foods including purple corn (and drinks), a ridiculous number of potatoes grown locally, guinea pig as a delicacy, coca tea, ceviche, all the Pisco sours your body can tolerate, and exceptionally crafted foods along the Inca trail. After a trip to Peru, you can expect to head home with a happy heart and a clear mind.

Things to See and Do in Peru

Machu Picchu

Inca Trail

Cusco

Pisaq

Maras Sal Salt Flats

The Sky Lodge

Rainbow Mountains

Peruvian Amazon

Typical Costs When Traveling

For the first time ever, in Peru, we used a travel agent, Crossing Andes, to book our trip. For a flat fee it included all of our accommodations, our flights within Peru, all of the activities and the majority of our meals. The total for this was $3,500 each.

Accommodation – We stayed in hotels, tents and pods suspended above mountains.

Food -All our breakfasts were at our accommodations or along the Inca trail, lunches were in the different towns along the way. Dinner was slept through some nights and other nights we went to nicer restaurants in Cusco.

Transportation – We flew in and out to Lima for around $750 each. We then flew on to Cusco as part of our package through Crossing Andes. The also arranged all of our transportation within Peru.

Suggested daily budget – $30-$60 USD (Note: This is a suggested budget assuming you’ve booked everything ahead of time through an agent. This is money to cover tipping, drinks, souvenirs and the occasional extra meal)

Money Saving Tips

Research tipping etiquette and don’t over-tip.
Always choose the included breakfasts at the hotels!
Travel during off seasons. If inca trail is on your list pay attention to when the trail is closed for maintenance.
Eat snacks throughout the day and have a combined lunch/dinner later in the afternoon.
Negotiate! Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices if shopping in local markets, lots of things don’t have prices written on them so you’ll have to ask.