Machu Picchu Travel Forum

Hello,

I am planning a surprise trip to machu picchu and inca trail for my husband for his 30th birthday. My budget is limited, but I want him to have time of his life. He enjoys adventure and walking.(sleeping in tents, cooking, traking...) Has anyone got any tips on travelling from UK? Flight tips, package deals better then buying flight separately? has anyone gone there with Lama travel agency? Is anyone there who went on their own?
I am sorry for so many questions, but I really need help please.
many thanks
Blanka

The Inca trail must be booked quite some time in advance as only a limited number of people are allowed.

For transportation you may want to check my Peru (transportation) pages.

If you need someone to arrange things in Peru I might be able to get you in touch with someone who we always consult when in Peru. Just ask.

For travel to Lima check the following airlines' websites:
KLM
Delta
Continental
Iberia
American

Hi Blanka

I went to Peru last year and my budget was limited too, so I took my tours with a local tour operator, because it was much cheaper, Please check your VT mail because I'll send you a mail telling you how was my trip. I wish I've helped you.
Rodrigo

Avoid the package deals as much as possible. It is not only expensive, but you are tied to a strict schedule within a group setting, thus your freedom to wander around becomes limited. If budget is an issue, then it will be best for you to do your own bookings/pre-reservations and travel itinerary. The Inca Trail is highly regulated by the government of Peru and permits are limited in availability. There are a number of them set aside equally for visitors and the trekking staff (e.g., porters, guides, cooks, etc.), so plan accordingly. We booked our Inca Trail trek 5 months in advance and you need at least 5-6 months to do the pre-booking. You should book your space for the trek no later than April since that will enable you to do the trek by September, which is really the last month where the weather in that area of Peru works in your favor. After that, the Peruvian Andes gets cold & rainy! I've attached a link regarding Inca Trail permit availability:
http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/treks/inca_trail_trek_permit_availability.html

You can also see my Peru page for some tips (e.g., trekking agency, etc.) if you wish. Goodluck & safe travels!

I went in October 2002. We did our own thing, except we booked a tour when we reached Cusco. My wife didn't want to walk it anyway, so stayed on the train.

Your best overall first step would be to get hold of a good guide book, such as Footprint or Lonely Planet. If you're going for only a short while, you could probably borrow from your local library rather than zap your budget.

I don't know if the extended hike is good. I took just the one-day, which had walking enough without camping. The camps looked pretty sordid - for a start off pitched too near the latrines for my liking. I couldn't understand why the guides struck camp every night, carried it to the next stage and pitched again, rather than having more permanent accommodation, a la Eurocamp.

Plenty else to see in the Sacred Valley besides Machu Picchu.

Just a word of caution about altitude - it's not particularly high at below 2500m but even that will make you slow down.

Some photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john37perry/sets/72157594234834284/

Thank you ever so much for your reply. Honestly, I didn't expect so much so soon. I find it very helpful. I am planning the trip for end of March beg. of April 2009. I found package deal for 12 days for about 1500 - 1600 GBP for one person incl flights ( thats the biggest expense), simple accommodation, all excursion of Lima, Cusco, Sacred valley, Inca trail and Machu Picchu. Here is the web page
http://www.llamatravel.com/holiday-peru-P00-2008-intro.aspx
Maybe, it's not a good idea and it would be better to book everything straight with people and organisations in Peru and allow my husband to have some freedom to explore. On the other hand, it might be dangerous. I don't know - I am bit lost. Would you be so kind and advise?
I really appreciate it
many thanks
Blanka
I can't thank you

That seems a little expensive to me.

I don't think there's anything particularly dangerous, but in any case your husband sounds like an adventurer. If you just went all the way in padded luxury, what tales would you have to tell? Mix with the natives a bit (and save money).

Expedia tells me you can fly London to Lima for about £650. I doubt accommodation and food would cost as much as £20 a day. So two weeks = £280. I'm not sure of flight price Lima-Cusco, let's say £100 each way. Inca trail might be US$200. So total cost around £1250 (each).

I don't think I'd particularly want to stay in Lima, I'd be for going straight on. Cusco is a backpacker city. 84% of tourists to Peru go there. They are used to it. Plenty of small and adequate hotels. Like I said before, have a look at the Footprint guide.

At least one of the bars on the main square in Cusco sells Boddingtons (or did when I was there). You could blow some of that £250 you've saved!!

The price for the package deal to Peru seemingly is high to me. I definitely know that I spent much less than that. I created my itinerary and booked all of my internal flights and accommodations as well as tours & trek. My overall vacation included all of the suggested points of interest from your agency and more (e.g., Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, 4-day Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, Lake Titicaca). My overall price is way cheaper than what was quoted to you and it included everything, I really mean everything (internal flights/accommodations/train/taxi, tips, souvenirs, airport tax, food allowance per day for 14 days--and I ate well!, etc.). I also gave generous tips to the service providers (e.g., trekking staff, waitstaff, drivers, etc.). The 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu alone cost $465 and this is already included in my total budget which is way lower than what was quoted to you.

I will suggest for you to do your own itinerary not only because it is the most cost-effective, but that it also gives you more freedom.

See below link to compare domestic flights throughout Peru: (Unfortunately, I came upon this website much too late after I booked all my flights & accommodation, but I hope it will help you out save some of those precious hard-earned money! This site definitely gives you much better & competitive rates than anywhere else, trust me on that--I've done my research).

Weblink:

http://www.enjoyperu.com/

Click "APUNAKE" on right-hand side of the screen to start searching/comparing domestic flights via major Peruvian air carriers (e.g., Aerocondor, Star Peru, Lan Peru)

Also, see my Peru page for other tips (e.g., trekking agency, etc.) if you wish.

Goodluck & do enjoy your trip!

...oh, and my total vacation cost also included R/T airfare from Boston to Lima via Delta Airlines & it's still way lower than what you've indicated!

In today's newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/mar/14/archaeology.conservation

Hello Rodrigo,

would you be so kind and send me your email again to blankahrad@yahoo.com, as I might have deleted it by mistake.
thank you very much
Blanka

I would like to thank everyone who replied to my question. I found all replies very helpful and I am not going to buy one of those package holidays for sure. Instead, I will spend some time going through your homepages, travel guides, tips etc...and go from there. I wanted to book the flights now, but I couldnt find any airlines that would sell tickets from London to Lima for March - April 2009.(is it a good time to see MP?) The return flight has to be within 330 days, so I have to wait.
Anyway, I will try to prebook as much as I can and the rest will be up to my husband when he gets there. I am so grateful that I found this travel forum. Thank you all once again.
Blanka

Hello Blanka,

Glad to hear about this update. March-April is still rainy season in the MP area. Make sure to bring appropriate gear (e.g., raincoat/poncho, umbrella, etc.). As it is high in altitude, it can get quite cold, so dress in layers.

It may still be too early to buy your R/T flight from London-Lima at this time. Try booking your flights 8 months before you go. As for local tour operators, there are many to choose from. Try to get as many leads as you can. I also suggest to check with Noel aka nhoolb who has good & reliable contacts in Peru. Take Care! Do enjoy your trip planning and future trip!

-Marissa-