Going for the first time to Cusco with my gf. We'll be there for a week, and mostly want to see beautiful views and eat amazing food. It'll be mostly a chill trip (it's out only vacation week this year), so besides the obligatory day trip to Machu Pichu, we don't plan to be moving too far from Cusco itself.
Still, I'm interested on getting tips from anyone who's been there, specially if they're different than what most tourist offices would tell you. Any particular must-see place, must-try food, must-anything?
Any tip would be appreciated.
Bumpity bump
>>1086608
>bumping after seven minutes
Relax dude, /trv/ is a slow board. Don't need to bump more than once every few days, honestly. Wish I could help you but I've never been. Sounds exciting, OP. I hope you have a safe and fun trip!
>>1086610
Funny... I'm OP and it wasn't me who made the bump.
Thanks for the good wishes.
>>1086603
>Doesn't say when he's going
You're a pathetic loser and don't deserve to get any useful help.
>>1087056
Next week bro :^)
>>1088267
Well, then - you're such a pathetic, miserable excuse for a trip planner that I hope you have a godawful time, and I'm sure that's what's going to happen.
>>1088274
Don't listen to this retards OP. What is your budget and what are you interested in doing?
Chilean bro here, I can try to help.
>>1088277
So you think the peak of the El Niño wet season is a good time to visit?
Go to the iPerú office (the i stands for information, so it's not just to look cool) and ask for their folder. Any questions you have you can ask their.
Buy the boleto turistico and start with the arqueological sites. Particularly Ollantaytambo and Pisaq I recommend. Also the cathedral, for 5 soles extra you get a ticket you can use for three other churches.
If you like lamas and alpacas, and also if you don't, you must enter and alley just southeast of the Plaza de Armas right next to a church. Look for entrances to a field to your right.
>going to Peru for only a week
>spending a shitload of money on machu picchu
Brazilian here and this thread interests me.
I'm going at the end of the month. My trip is roughly:
Santiago - 6 days
Cusco - 4 days
Lima - 4 days
When visiting M. Pichu, it seems that it's better to stay at Aguas Calientes for a night. Is that right?
Do I need trekking shoes for the most popular (2-3 hours) trails?
>>1088628
why lima for 4 days? i did the trail so i cant help with that, but i wouldnt stay in lima for 4 days if i didnt have to.
you could do the parasailing in miraflores tho, that was fun
>>1086603
You should have booked an ayahuasca retreat. Now it's too late.
>>1088628
>Lima - 4 days
It's actually 2 days, lol
>>1088605
Thanks, I'll write those down to check when I'm there.
>going to Peru for only a week
Well I'm southamerican too, so going to Peru for a week isn't that bad an idea. It's a short and inexpensive flight.
>>1088642
>You should have booked an ayahuasca retreat. Now it's too late.
I'm actually interested on this, but as a separate trip later on (again, going to Peru isn't an expensive trip for me). Everywhere I see the subject mentioned, people recommend to only do proper jungle retreats, like the ones in Iquitos. The ones from Cusco don't seem to be as reliable.
>>1088277
[spoiler] Soy chileno tambien... quise preguntar acá pq me han dado buenos datos pa otros viajes que he hecho antes. Voy a responderte en ingles para que siga siendo para todos, ya que saltó otro interesado entremedio [/spoiler]
I want to hear mostly about places to see inside the city. Things people here have done themselves and enjoyed.
We'll take a free walking tour on the first day there to get a general idea, that's an obvious one. But besides that, any small tip would be considered -- where to eat (we love peruvian food), where to go at night (already got a tip about a place called "Mama Africa"), interesting buildings or whatever.
As for arquelogical sites and sights outside the city, I guess we'll prefer places we can actually go and return the same day.
And as for the Machu Picchu visit, we don't want to take day-long trekking routes (I'm thinking 3-4 hours trails would be fine), so I'm not sure if we should take the short option and go directly on train and return to Cusco the same day, or take it easy and stay for a night at Aguas Calientes.
>>1088580
El Niño in Southern Peru means drought
>>1088642
>ayahuasca retreat
kek, literally the package tour of psycadelics
I heard some popular ones in Brazil have upwards of 300 people in one room. That's probably 300 20 something edgy tourists as well. Imagine the horror.
>>1088701
>>1088783
The one I went to allowed only up to four participants max. We happened to only have three total, myself (from Minneapolis) a chap from London and a woman from Washington D.C. It was run by a married couple in The Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Spoiler alert: The most incredible and important experience of my life so far.
Yes, there are a lot of bogus retreats out there. Research well and choose carefully.
Will I be fine with USD in Peru and Chile?
will I have to book hiking trips in advance or is the day before okay?
don't drink chicha from the stalls in the street. I did and got sick for two days.
is stargazing in arica possible?
just came back from cusco .
i recommend :
coricancha
sacsayhuaman
pachacutec statue.etc .actually just walking aroudn cusco you get to discover great stuff
health recomendations :
dont drink the tap water.
dont eat at the market
dont eat anything being sell on the street
places i ate woithout getting sick:
maikhana. an indian buffet for 15s (4usd)
any restaurant around the square is actually clean and delicious pic relates >ceviche i had at "brasa grill" or soemthing like that.
general recomendations. bargain everything. if you are astudent get your isic card is 13usd but you get half price at machu pichu and great discounts in historical places around cusco
(this card can be obtained in a stripcenter near the square)
>>1090076
not really but in the outskirts is possible
>>1090040
you can trade usd in peru anywhere specially in cusco, you can pay with dollars in cusco too .. but not in chile
>>1090283
i forgot something .. if you are gonna take buses or coaches inside peru always buy the first floor and the single seat if posible and take buses at night .. while on daylight buses stop everywhere to pick up people or drivers stops to eat something its really annoying avoid this by traveling by night .. also you can bargain bus tickets...and put a lock into your baggage
>>1090283
>not really but in the outskirts is possible
yes that's what I mean
