willmore

Good afternoon folks. Looking for some advice here. Jim (my husband) and I are starting to plan for our 2012 trip. We are thinking of travelling to machu picchu and galapagous islands.

Has anyone visited these areas? Any experience with tour operators or travelling alone (although I understand at some point you have to hook up with a agency for part of the visit).

Any advice and/or info would be greatly appreciated. We have researched it briefly on the internet and have found so many tour agencies that its difficult to know which one is good and also honest...

Thanks in advance.

dfjordan

member dakota44 lives in Lima from what I recall. I suggest you send him a PM. I´ve never been there myself but believe you need to plan well in advance as the number of visitors to MP has a daily restriction

Cape Blue

I used Peru Treks for the 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu this year - they were pretty good. You can, of course, just take the train to Aguas Calientes and bus up the last bit - depends on how fit you are.

Cusco was a nice city to spend a few days in and around, Lima was mediocre, I'd only spend 2 days there.

Mitzyboy

Cracking idea Wilmore
Machu Picchu and generally touring South America is what is in our minds at the moment. I know I will be disappointed with MP, because when I get there it will be full of tourists, and I want it quiet. For that part, I am told the best thing is to stay at the hotel up there and then you can get out there early

I'm interested in what people tell you also. I must admit I have bottled it a little because of worries about safety in various countries in S America when travelling alone

dakota44

You do not have to use an agency to visit Machu Picchu. You do, however, now need to purchase your ticket to enter the site, well in advance. They limit visitors to 2,500 per day, which is a good thing in my view. You can actually buy the tickets online from the government. The link is included in this page along with other information on getting there, tour operators, hotel recommendations and a lot more. http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/...chu/index.html

I disagree with Cape Blue about Lima. I suppose it is what you make of it. There are some great things to see and do in Lima if you take the time. Plenty of Museums such as Museo de Oro, Museo Larco which has some fascinating stuff, for only two examples. San Frances de Asis Cathedral with the catacombs below, Huaca Pucllana which is an ancient ruin under restoration and a great restaurant there. So many great restaurants to try with world famous chefs. The Inca Market. A must see is Brisas del Titicaca where they have shows with traditional Peruvian dances and music, like a dinner theater. Quite nice. http://www.brisasdeltiticaca.com/

As for safety in Peru, be smart and you should have no issues. Don't go where you should not ( the same rule you would follow in any major American city) don't be flashy or overly touristy looking. Be wary of overly friendly strangers because that is not the nature of Peruvians. When they know you, they are great friends, but they are not overtly outgoing to strangers. Walking at night is fine in certain areas, not so good in others. I live in Miraflores, one of the best districts of Lima, and I walk everywhere, even at night, although I will avoid dark obscure streets that I am unfamiliar with. There are plenty of good tips on safety available.

Anyone coming to Peru is more than welcome to contact me and I will try to give them the best advice possible.

Another good resource here is the South American Explorers Club. They have some good resources there. There is a clubhouse in Lima as well as in a few other cities in South America. Their website also has good information on tours, hotels etc. http://www.saexplorers.org/clubhouses/lima

Hope some of this helps and feel free to ask more if you feel the need.

As an aside, there is more to see in Peru than just Machu Picchu. With enough time to do so, the best route to take is to rent an apartment here for perhaps two weeks, plenty of them available in Miraflores but do contact me first to verify they are legit, and cost less than a hotel in most cases. For example you can rent very nice two or three bedroom apartments for from 600 to 1,000 a week, less per week for longer stays (you can rent something quite nice for 1,200 or so per month). This is great for a couple but even better if you are travelling as two couples. Using that as a home base you can take short hops to other cities, Cusco, Arequipa, Cajamarca etc, and return to Lima without the hassle of having to make a new reservation at a hotel. Flights to anywhere you would really want to go in Peru are usually no more than an hour to an hour and a half. Two or three days in any one city is usually plenty. Of course you need to rent hotel rooms where you go, but there are some very inexpensive possibilities. I went to Arequipa and stayed at as great Hostel that was run by a Dutch woman, I think Dutch. Very reasonable in price, very clean and nice. As I recall it was about $25 a night.

For the adventurous, head to Marcahuasi. High in the mountains not too far from Lima, but at least 3 or 4 hours by bus, and not the best bus, and then a horseback ride if you prefer not to walk, to a high plateau that was once home to an ancient civilization. Some amazing stone sculptures to see there. It has never been proven they are actually sculptures, or natural formations, but with a look one can question how hundreds of these things, could have been natural erosion etc and only occur on this plateau and nowhere else around. Good link here. Scan through the photos, you need to get 7 or 8 photos in before you will see the sculptures. One actually highly resembles the head of the Sphinx. No hotels here folks. You need to plan on camping unless you take a tour from the link below. They use a good bus and I believe there are cabins. Some mysterious things are said to happen there during the night, so it is a popular place for the more adventurous to visit. This is a site for a tour there and the following links are informational. http://www.perutravels.net/peru-trav...-markawasi.htm (This excursion will take us to the Markawasi Plateau on the Andean Sierra that is world-known for its frequent UFO sightings. Also on the plateau, there are dozens of different rocks in various different shapes and sizes. There is no explanation as to their origin. The plateau is divided in two circuits: the Humanity Circuit, with rocks in the shapes of human beings (including an astronaut and a pilot flying a plane), and the Treasure Circuit, with rocks in the shapes of animals and temples. Shapes of animals include a lizard, a turtle, and an elephant, and temples include an altar and an amphitheater. The plateau and the Cachu Cachu Lake are also known for their healing powers.) http://www.alanmatthew.com/#/marcahu...S8X3105_-_Copy http://www.robertschoch.net/Mystery%...0Markawasi.htm http://www.angelfire.com/pe2/markawasiperutrails/

Cape Blue

You do however need to use a trekking company if you want to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. If you do the trail you arrive at the Sun Gate at around 6am and get to enjoy MP before the hordes arrive.

Dakota will know Lima a lot better than me, I only spent a week in Miraflores. I did enjoy and evening out in Barranca (sp?) and I am not saying that Lima is bad, just its not a London, Paris, San Francisco, or even a Buenos Aires.

I would spend a few days in Cusco and environs - its a nice city to mooch around (beware altitude).

I found Peru felt pretty safe, no different than the US.

dakota44

I agree that Lima is not cosmopolitan like Paris etc, but it has its attractions. You were close on the spelling. Barranco.

willmore

Thanks everyone for your input. Im sure Ill have more questions as my plans are finalized and get closer to the date. Looks like I may be travelling alone as jim has now decided to go on a skiing trip to europe with his ski buddies

Anyway hopefully this time the trip will come to fruitation as long as the bottom doesnt fall out of the canadian economy......

Cape Blue

FYI - I travelled on my own and I met many people (both sexes) doing the same.

Mitzyboy

In South America? Did you ever feel at risk?

dakota44

While some do it, I don't recommend a woman travelling alone in some places in South America. In large or reasonably sized cities, with common sense, you would be fine. I seldom see foreigners travelling alone here, although it is not really totally uncommon. They often hook up with others at a Hostel etc. and then form a sort of group. Travelling alone can be boring, I would think. Unless your Spanish is quite good you would have some issues.



While I do not consider Lima, Miraflores specifically for example, to be overly dangerous for me (some districts are much more dangerous ie: Lima Centro, the old part of the city, as well as San Martin de Porres and others) I have known one of our teachers robbed and beaten when taking a taxi late at night. A student and her female friend being kidnapped in a taxi in Arequipa, threatened at gunpoint, robbed and left on a deserted road outside of the city, a teachers fiance being robbed while he was using his car as a taxi in Lima among other such things. Buses have been held up at gunpoint on the road from Piura to the beach area of Mancora. Highway robberies are not uncommon, often by luring the victim with what appears to be a stranded motorist or accident victim.

Taking the wrong taxi from an airport can get you robbed or worse. In Lima there is a company called Green Taxi that services people arriving at the airport. The drivers all wear identification badges around their necks. Before you enter the general waiting area there will be other companies with secure taxis, but they charge insane prices. Green Taxi works well. In Arequipa, they have a company called Blue Taxi. They seem to have all Toyota Yaris sedans, dark blue. Very safe and they can be called to take you anywhere you need to go there. There are similar companies in other cities. I follow a few basic rules for taking a taxis on the street and I have done fine.

None of this is unheard of in the U.S. and contrary to the U.S. certainly no one here is going to walk into work or a store with an AK47 and kill a bunch of people. Danger can be found everywhere. The problem arises when it is obvious you are a foreigner, a potentially rich target and alone. It happens. The police are not always honest, especially when you get outside of Lima. The Caribineros de Chile make the Peruvian and other South American police forces look sick by comparison. Lima has a tourist police and they are much more reliable and generally speak English.

Not trying to be frightening, but simply being honest. If you want to travel I suggest you try to hook up with the South American Explorers Club and possibly be put in contact with others you might be able to travel with or find a friend who has the time to go with you. If you are prepared to learn the do's and don'ts of travelling alone in a foreign place, then you should be fine. If you decide to go it alone, at least here in Peru I can help you with any information and guidance that you need as well as put you in contact with people that you can trust in a few other cities.

Cape Blue

Not at all, I have travelled (backpacked) in India, Nepal, China, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Morocco, Turkey, Israel, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru (plenty of others but have run out of puff) and I have reasonable appreciation of risky areas.

I did not find Peru risky (and when I say that, I mean significantly above the risk in the UK, Spain or US etc), I met several women travelling on their own both when I was in Lima and in Cusco. They did not feel concerned, just took normal precautions about being alone late at night or in poorly-lit areas.

Of all the areas I've been to I found Guatemala felt the most risky as a foreigner, on that trip I was with 4 friends, all big lads and we still thought we had a reasonable chance of getting mugged.

willmore

PMSL - you know I almost got run off one of the travel forums when I asked the same question after reading the travel advisories about SA that the canadian/american govt posted......"high travel risk" and "do not travel".....

how dare I even imply that there may be danger in SA when you consider how violent and dangerous the states is......

willmore

Thanks everyone especially D for all the info.

I have travelled alone during my university years but found it boring, so if I cant talk my sister in travelling with me - I may just grab a tour......very excited in any case....hope everything works out....

dakota44

The fact is that one persons idea of risk is not necessarily another persons. There are risks and it is for each person to decide how averse they are to them. Some have a stronger acceptance of risk than others. My preference is to point out the potential risks and suggestions on how to deal with them. To me that is more rational than glossing them over.

Get in the wrong taxi at the airport at night and you will get robbed or worse, be taken to withdraw all money possible out of your accounts at a teller machine and dumped somewhere with nothing, assuming you are still in one piece. That has happened to people that I know. So the risk is there, and so is the solution to avoid it. Better, in my opinion to highlight the risk and give the proper advice. A well informed traveler is a safer traveler. Anyone who would rag on you for asking about a legitimate concern has no business commenting at all. Unless they are prepared to give advice on how to avoid problems they should be quiet.