Family trip to southern Peru
In and around Peru
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On a Monday, I decided I had nothing better to do, so I signed onto a trip with my family to Peru. We left that Friday. It was my first trip there, but I have a feeling that it will not be my last. Peru was stunning -- its landscape, culture and history.
Unwittingly, we took a trip that closely resembled what guidebooks call "the Gringo trail." Yes, fellow travellers, that makes me grit my teeth, as it probably does you. Who wants to be the Gringos, trekking the Gringo trail? Not me. But, there is a good reason why all the Gringos take a similar route -- there are some great things to see.
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From Lima, we went to Paracas, Ica, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco, Macchu Picchu, Cusco, Lima. The trip lasted about 15 days, including about four days of trekking to get to Macchu Picchu (woe is me, the original Inca trail was already booked and we were stuck on a FAR, FAR second).
After running through all these cities and sights, we only touched the southern half of the country (and left much there untouched, as well). I'd love to hear from those who have seen the north and the jungle, to know how it compares.
So, for those who have been, those who are planning to go, or those just reading along, I hope you'll join me for a quick spin through Peru.
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Traveling Tom
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1
Lima, briefly
We got to Lima at 11 p.m., and took an long cab ride to our pension in San Isidro, which is one of the ritziest parts of Lima. The pension, a very... Continue reading »
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2
Islas Ballestas
We left our comfy Lima hotel around 3 a.m. to catch an overnight bus into Paracas. Beware the local bus, at least if you want to get any sleep. E... Continue reading »
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3
Ica ... a good place to stay in a comfortable hotel
After an all-night journey and the stunning Islas Ballestas, we cruised through the desert to Ica.
The desert around Ica is now one of the bi... Continue reading »
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4
Nazca: Mystery in the desert
Leaving Ica, we met with another driver and a tour guide sent by the travel agency. We picked up a Colombian professor who was also touring to se... Continue reading »
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5
Arequipa: The white city
More so than any other city in Peru, I wish I had more time in Arequipa. It is known as the white city because most of the buildings are built wi... Continue reading »
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6
Colca: Condors, Incas, adventure
We left Arequipa early in the morning with Felix, our driver and guide. He pulled up to the hotel in his van, along with his wife, and we loaded... Continue reading »
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7
Puno and Lake Titicaca
We rolled into to Puno late at night, so all we saw were thousands of lights glowing in a semicircle around a black expanse -- Lake Titicaca, the... Continue reading »
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8
Cusco, city of the tourist
A mid-morning flight took us from dank Juliaca to glorious Cusco. (note: LAN flights can be reasonably had, and if you can afford a few extra buc... Continue reading »
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9
Jungle trek to Machu Picchu
Before I go into a frightfully long narrative on the jungle trek, let me get out an important piece of advice for any folks planning to travel to P... Continue reading »
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10
Machu Picchu
The sun rose above the mountain at 7:15 a.m., flooding the temples with the first rays of sunlight. Here it was, the pinnacle of the Peru trip: the... Continue reading »
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11
Incan temple, Incan museum
Since this is the second entry on Cusco, I'll skip most of the major stuff. Honestly, we did a lot of souvenier shopping during the second visit, w... Continue reading »
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12
Last stop, Lima
From the mountains of Cusco, we descended over the ocean to Lima's seaside airport. It was, as it nearly always is in Lima, overcast and gray. We h... Continue reading »
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