Peru

Deep in the Peruvian Andes our excitement was tenable. After 3 days on our Jungle adventure trek we had arrived at the locked bridge covering the ‘Urubamba River’ (Quechan for sacred river) At 4.30am the air was fresh, the Southern Cross and Orion’s belt shone brightest in a sky, which illuminated our mountainous surroundings. The Urubamba River skirts the base of the Machu Picchu, like a castle moat the Urubamba stops eager trekkers getting an earlier start that everyone else. 5.00am sharp the hustle begins. It takes the average person 60 minutes to climb from river to ruin entrance. Talking is minimal and panting audible. Bianca set a steady pace and we found a rhythm. All would be worth it at the top!

It was 45 minutes exactly when we emerged from the stair path. Legs wobbly like jelly and enough back sweat to make Africa green again. Then we got our first sighting of the ruins, not through a screen but in person. That breath taking moment, that view makes the hard yards, the trek, and the pain up the mountainside disappear. The sight truly is something spectacular.

Of all the countries in Latin America visited to date, Peru has forced its way to be our personal favourite. For us Peru has everything we need. From the North of Peru sun, ceviche and surf entertained us for what could have become weeks. Lima, the capital and largest city in Peru is renown for its world-class gastronomy. Lima satisfied our hunger for the finest traditional Peruvian cuisines then provided evenings of romance as we strolled the cliff top boardwalk. South of Lima is the heart of Peru’s tourism. History of Inca intertwines with hikes and beautiful scenic nature. Wildlife thrives in Peru, be it Penguins in Paracas, Condors in Colca or pink dolphins in the rivers of the Amazon.

Travellers in Peru, get the best of all worlds, Intrepid travel with expert cuisine, the world’s longest left hand waves, its highest lakes and the deepest canyons all once inhabited by one of the world most interesting cultures.

Yes, Peru has risen to the pinnacle of our favourite destinations and cannot be missed.

*This blog was written in 2016, please note some things may have changed*

Transport

Cuenca, Ecuador to Mancora, Peru

We decided to take a night bus as we hate wasting our days on buses. It is safe to cross the border from Ecuador into Peru at night.

There is around 3 bus companies that go by night into Ecuador, we shopped around and bought tickets with Super Semeria one day in advance. To us, they seemed like the best company – toilet on board, semi cami seats and the air con wasn’t cracked up to -1000, they even passed out a small treat of Oreo’s and a juice.

The bus left at 10pm, around 2am you arrive at immigration. Surprisingly, it was super fast and very easy. The only form required is the entry form into Peru. Get your exit stamps, and then at the very next counter, get your entry stamp into Peru. The process took 10 minutes and there were no hastles.

*Note there are no exit fees leaving Ecuador nor there are no Entry fees into Peru.

Mancora to Trujillo

This is quite a long journey (602km), aka another overnight bus.

Time to get used to it. South America is so big night buses are a necessity.

Our bus company for this leg was El Sol, the cheapest bus. We DO NOT recommend them if you want decent seats or some sleep.
The buses in Peru are very nice. As we learned it is worth spending a little extra money to get the 160° semi cama or 180° total cama bus seats. Otherwise you, like us will arrive at your destination very jaded. However, if you still want the cheapest option this bus is for you. One and a half hours late we arrived. This journey took 10 hours.

From Trujillo we took a taxicab for 15 minutes to the neighbouring town called Huachaco. We recommend staying here for a more relaxed vibe and some very good surf.

Note – While travelling via bus do not put your bags in the overhead compartments. Store them on your lap or hook onto the seat in front of you. Always pad lock the zips. Many people get robbed on the buses so be weary of your belongings.

Trujillo to Huaraz

We booked online through Movil Bus Company. They have just as good of a reputation as the popular Cruz Del Sur.

We decided to see how the flash-packers live and bought the VIP 160° recline first class seats for a few dollars more. We were served the same food and drinks as economy although the seats were more comfortable and wider, like sitting in a lazy boy. We arrived ahead of time at 6am in Huaraz.

Lucky me I slept the whole time, very smooth. Brett on the other hand had a terrible sleep as usual, as he is a tall guy and still could not stretch out his legs…

Huaraz to Lima

We booked an overnight bus with Cruz Del Sur, this time in a regular-class seat.

Brett had the same experience on both, so we thought we would save the extra $9 each on the VIP seat next time.

On all of these types of buses you will be served food, drinks and a movie will play. Seats are still comfy even in second class, reclining to 140° and with less arm room. The journey took a little longer than expected, just over 9 hours as unfortunately there was a bus crash on the highway during the middle of the night. Thankfully not ours.

Lima to Paracas

This trip is a 4-hour journey, no overnight bus here. We booked online with Cruz Del Sur, presented our tickets on our phones for check in and off we went. You still get one meal provided even on the shorter ride.

Paracas to Huacachina

Backpacker’s Solar Hostel, on the main road was offering a minivan direct to Huacachina for cheaper and faster than any local bus we could find. It was a no brainer.
Departd at 11.20am and arrived at 12.45pm – Quick and easy, door to door.

Huacachina to Cusco

17-hour bus ride awaited us to get from Huacachina to Cusco. Because it was such a long journey we decided to take a Cruz Del Sur bus and pay the extra Soles for the VIP seats.

We boarded the bus at 8.30pm in the evening and after 20 minutes on the bus we were served some decent food. Everyone had a little T.V on the back of the seats in front of them with a variety of movies and T.V programmes.

We dozed off (with a little interrupted sleep) and woke up around 7am, in which the bus stopped for a break to stretch our legs. Shortly after we were served breakfast and stayed awake until we arrived in Cusco at around 11.30am.

Finally we arrived! It wasn’t so bad of journey. We did feel a bit under the weather on arrival, but we think that was due to the altitude as we had not yet acclimatised.

Cusco to Arequipa

Cruz del Sur overnight bus, this time in regular seats. This journey took 10 hours.
We boarded the bus at 8pm and arrived around 6am in Arequipa. It was relatively comfortable, the day before we had completed our Machu Picchu trek and were very tired, so passed out easily. Brett was aided by some sleeping pills and this was one of the better sleeps on an overnight bus.
Once at the bus station it should be 8 Soles to get to central Arequipa, where most hostels/hotels are located.

Arequipa to Puno

We decided to take the cheap local bus option to Puno (Lake Titicaca).

We turned up to the bus station in Arequipa the morning we wanted to leave and found a bus leaving in 10 minutes. Buses usually leave Puno ever hour and there are many bus companies to choose from.
We choose San Cristobel Del Sur Bus Company, which took 6 hours, you could get tickets cheaper with other companies but we would then have to wait another hour. The bus was very basic, with no toilet on board – You get what you pay for and this was less than half the price of a Cruz Del Sur bus. We got there – so we were happy.

Puno, Peru to La Paz, Bolivia

Crossing the border to Bolivia can only be done during the day as the immigration office is only open certain times in the morning and the afternoon.

We booked our tickets a few days in advance at the main bus station in Puno with the bus company “Titicaca Bolivia”. The bus left at 6am and the journey took seven and a half hours. We arrived at 2.30pm (Bolivia time).

We had a bit of trouble with our original bus being delayed (or not existing) and the salesman put us onto a different bus. Original plan was 5hrs direct to La Paz through Desaguadero boarder. Instead we departed an hour late on a separate bus going through Kasani border and with a bus change at Copacabana.

Bus attendants will give you forms to fill out prior to arriving at the immigration office. Once through the boarder we stopped off in Copacabana and changed to a smaller local bus, then headed straight to La Paz.

Depending on your nationality you might need to pay an entry fee or obtain a visa. As New Zealanders we did not need to pay any fees.

However, when travelling through Copacabana there is a city tax which everyone must pay. Further into the journey it costs to go on the barge across the lake. In both instances we had no cash (these extra costs were never mentioned prior). “Nosotros no dineros, Lo Siento” was our line and we got through both situations without paying. Do so at your own risk.

Tip – Bolivia is one hour ahead of Peru so make sure you change your clocks.

Accommodation

Mancora

Loki Del Mar – Loki Hostels are a very popular chain throughout Peru and Bolivia with a reputation for wild backpacker parties. The Mancora branch, Loki Del Mar has the feel of an all-inclusive beach resort (only not all inclusive). An enormous pool is surrounded with deck chairs for bathing in the dry sun. Hammocks dot the surrounding areas and are covered with shade for an escape.

The rooms are basic and look as if they could be hosed down in worst-case scenarios, this is a ‘party-backpackers’ after all. Large lockers come equipped with internal power sockets, perfect for keeping electronics safe while on charge. The rooms also come with a terrace.

To get the most out of Mancora, you have to experience the party scene, relax poolside and test yourself on the waves, staying at Loki Del Mar hostel is perfect for all of the above!

Huanchaco

Casa Amelia – Huanchaco is a beachside surf town 15 minutes from Trujillo. Casa Amelia is no ordinary hostel, relatively small to others and with less of a reputation.
Most guests’ at Amelia’s stay weeks or months at a time. The size of the hostel creates a homely feel. If you like surfing, rent a board tailored to suit your level and head straight out, you can catch long left-hand breaks straight out from the doorstep!

The rooms are clean with a soft bed and come with towels. The staff at Casa Amelia are relaxed and genuinely friendly, helping to answer the barrage of questions we usually throw out on arrival with an unwavering smile. This quaint little homely-hostel has been one of our favourite little places to stay at in South America. We highly recommend.

Huaraz

Caroline Lodging – Run by a nice Frenchman this hostel spans across two separate buildings. The original and biggest of the two buildings is where the reception, dorm rooms and kitchen are. The kitchen is small and lacks many utensils but makes up for that with a magnificent unobstructed 4th floor view of the surrounding snow capped mountains, a perfect backdrop for the complimentary breakfasts.

The hostel is quite old and the rooms tend to reflect that, a 60s to early 70s décor is reminiscent of a grandmothers house. This is a hikers lodging, it doesn’t need to be flash. You will not find a party at Caroline Lodging. The only 5am antics being enthusiastic hikers awake and ready to disembark on tours of varying difficulty and length. All of which can be booked through the hostel at competitive prices.

Lima

Loki Hostel – For an unknown reason to us, Lima is not rated among many travellers. What we found was one of our new favourite Latin American cities.
Perhaps it is our love of food. Lima competes with the best food places in the world alongside New York, London and Tokyo.

Loki hostel is in the centre of Miraflores, a popular place to stay for tourists. Walking distance to many shops, restaurants and bars. It felt like a very safe neighbourhood to walk around by your self at any time.

The hostel building is quite small compared to the other Loki hostels but serves its purpose. The rooms are kept tidy and cleaned everyday, large lockers lock everything away. Free coffee/tea are available everyday and you can purchase reasonably priced hearty meals at their restaurant. Like all Loki hostels, there are events and (drinking) games to play every night of the week to get you in the party mood.

During your stay in Lima we recommend Loki Lima hostel, for great location, friendly staff, and an excellent party scene!

Paracas

Hotel Gran Palma – We upgraded to a hotel during our stay in Paracas. It is a good change to sleep on a soft mattress with some privacy on your trips, especially when travelling for extended periods.

As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted by the lovely front desk, which made sure our check-in went smoothly. During our 2 nights here we stayed in a twin room with en-suite, the facilities were very clean and brand new, the bed was comfy and had 2 soft pillows each. The room also has a T.V, fan and wifi within the room. A breakfast buffet is also included and served on the rooftop with a view over the Paracas harbour and out to sea.

Huacachina

Banana’s Adventure – Huacachina is a small desert oasis 5 minutes drive from Ica. You could probably run around the oasis in 3 minutes, so there is not a lot of hostels or hotels compared to many other places. We choose Banana’s adventure hostel, it was the most highly rated in town. When we arrived we quickly noticed why.

We were greeted to the friendly staff who showed us to our rooms. Brett and I stayed in a 4-bed superior en-suite room; it was clean and tidy and with comfortable bunk beds. The whole room felt new and the bathroom was luxurious, what you would expect from a hotel. It gets very hot during the day so the pool is the hangout area. Cool off then catch a tan and relax in one of the deck chairs. The bar and restaurant is right next to the pool. Order some delicious food with vegetarian options and enjoy the happy hour cocktail specials. The garden area is social and grand with hammocks and chairs for hanging out.

Bananas is not the cheapest hostel in Huacachina but Included in the price is a free breakfast and excursion. We chose the sand boarding and sand buggy activity, although they also offer wine tours.
Including the extras into the cost of what is a really fun hostel makes the price well worth it.

Cusco

Loki Hostel – Loki Cusco is the Jewel in the Loki Hostel family. The second biggest Party hostel in the world, Loki Cusco can sleep up to 300 and will easily cater to a party of triple those numbers. The notorious flaming blood bombs, a key part in every Loki hostel flow with an insane regularity here. Loki knows how to party all right! Events are thrown every night and social drinking games encouraged.

The hostel Dorm rooms where the nicest we have experienced at a Loki before. Large lockers roll out from under each bed and a valuables/charging locker can be found near reception. WIFI signal is strong throughout the public areas in the hostel and good computers with fast connections are available for use. Pool and table tennis tables help the social atmosphere and also pass the time while you spend a few days acclimatising to the altitude. The hot showers are a godsend for aching bodies after treks and despite the guest numbers at the hostel there was always a shower/bathroom available.

Loki Cusco is set back on a hill above San Francisco Square and is walkable distance to everything. The elevation provides amazing views from the outer facing dorm rooms, especially after dark when the city lights up. Cheap laundry services, local and vegan restaurants, tour agencies and a decent supermarket are all on the same street.

Tip: Walk up the hills slowly, Cusco’s altitude is 3300m above sea level and the altitude takes its toll.

Arequipa

Friendly AQP – We arrived on the night bus from Cusco at 6.30 am, unfortunately check in wasn’t until 11am. We hung out in the lounge area with WIFI and the backyard until we could check in.

We really liked this hostel as the rooms were comfortable and clean, the showers had hot water and there was a kitchen. Breakfast is included, you can choose between eggs and bread or banana pancakes. – Of course we choose the banana pancakes! -They were the best we have had in any hostel, coming complete with a serving of dulce de leche. My mouth waters…

The hostel has a rooftop, where we had dinner, beers and watched the sunset – it was very romantic! The WIFI connection was strong, so we could catch up on some blog posts, which is always a plus for us. We totally recommend staying at this quaint hostel.

Puno

Ayama Hostel – We found this hostel on hostel world; it was one of the cheapest that had all the facilities we needed and a private room. The hostel had an apartment feel, it was not very social so if you are looking to hang out with people and socialise, I wouldn’t recommend this place.

If what you are looking for is a quiet relaxed place, then this is the hostel for you.
The bedrooms were clean, spacious and comfy with enough blankets for the cold evenings. The bathroom was standard and had hot running water.
A simple breakfast of bread, ham, cheese and jam, served with tea or coffee is included with your stay. There was also a kitchen available for guests to cook.
The hostel is a five-minute walk to the Main Square and shops. For its price, it was a nice enough hostel to stay in.

Recommended restaurants

Mancora

La Rustika de Jose is a Peruvian restaurant on the main strip in Mancora. They offer cheap and delicious “meal of the days” – including a starter of ceviche, a main of battered fish, rice and salad. All for 10 Sl. Bargain!

Green eggs and ham – A really great place to go for breakfast and lunch. They have a menu with everything for 15 Soles. Enjoy ceviche, pasta, Tuna steak burrito and more! It’s right on the beach so the view is spectacular.

Kim Sushi Bar – if you like sushi, the check out this sushi bar. The fish comes caught local and fresh, the sushi is absolutely delicious. Be warned: It is not cheap.

Huanchaco

Fruit and vege market – Found off a side street, if you ask one of the locals they will point you in the right direction. All sorts of fruits and veges are here at crazy cheap prices. You can buy quinoa, chia seeds, flour and grains by the gram or kg. We stocked up on the super foods quinoa and chia seeds along with some nuts to snack on.

Huaraz

California Café – A little bookstore café where you can waste away the entire day. Taste cakes, comfortable couches and a reliable Wifi connection makes California café a perfect place to come up with your next travel plans.

Lima

One of the top 3 places to eat in the world! Treat yourself three times a day. We had a huge list of restaurants to try, but here are our very favourites:

La Lucha Sangucheria – A popular Peruvian sandwich fast food joint. Perfect for breakfast or lunch. We ordered the Pan con Chicharron and Pan con Lechon sandwiches. Both a different type of pork.
It was so mouth-watering and delicious we could not stay away from this place. Delicious Peruvian fast food to try!

Mangos – This is one of the best spots in Lima, right on the Malecon in Miraflores, overlooking the water (amazing sunset spot). We came here for the buffet lunch. Mangos’ is the perfect place to sample a variety Peruvian food all in one go. How could you pass up the opportunity?

We arrived and took a seat out on the terrace so we could admire the view, we gorged in the Peruvian food. The dessert… Uuh well it was absolutely delicious. We gained a belt buckle size by the end of lunch.

Puro Peru – Another Buffet restaurant this time situated in Barranco, the locals in Loki Lima recommended this to us. They come here at least twice a month, as the quality in food is exceptional. We took their advice and we all went to Puro Peru together for a buffet lunch. As we had already been to Mangoes are expectations were already quite high but Puro exceeded them! They didn’t have an amazing view but the quality in food and choice of food was a lot better. I had a huge list of Peruvian food to try and I could get all the food in one hit. They also had a better seafood section, which was my favourite… they even served scallops! However the dessert section wasn’t as good and we preferred the desserts at mangoes. We really enjoyed this restaurant and would recommend this to anyone visiting Lima.

Edo Sushi bar – If you are a sushi lover this is the place to eat! There is a lot of Japanese influence in the Peruvian food (for example ceviche), so around the city you can find many Japanese Peruvian infusion restaurants. Sushi here is a lot cheaper than many countries in the world and being so close to the ocean, you know everything is very fresh!

Cusco

Green point restaurant – after a few days of upset stomachs we decided to hit up green point, a well-known popular vegan/vegetarian restaurant. The food here tastes so delicious and natural, we couldn’t get enough of it. They have a huge variety on the menu with different cuisines around the world. We ordered the menu of the day for 15 soles, which came with soup, buffet salad bar, main, dessert and drink – Bargain! For the main they served a Peruvian dish called Causa, another of my favourites.

Pachapapa – one of the best restaurants in Cusco to try local Andean dishes. It has won many awards and once you go, you can see why. If wanting to try guinea pig (Cuy), I suggest trying it here, as it is known for this dish – that is if you are brave enough.

Tip – you must call 24 hours in advance to reserve the Cuy.

Huaraz

• Huaraz is the mini Switzerland of Peru; it has some of the best hikes in South America with amazing snow capped scenery and climbing high altitudes to get there.
• We choose to do the Laguna 69 trek, as we are not much of hikers and had limited time; this was a great 1-day trek. We booked the trek within our hostel – Caroline hostel. We were picked up at 5am and drove in a van for 2-3 hours where we stopped at a restaurant to have breakfast. Food is not included in the trek so we suggest bringing your own breakfast and packed lunch. Once up the mountain there are no places to buy food. Also bring enough water for the day. It takes 2 ½ to 3 hours to hike up to Laguna 69; you will reach 4600m above sea level, so it can be quite tough as the air is thin. Once you reach your destination, it’s absolutely stunning; the water is so blue it looks like a painting. Here you can relax or if brave enough like Brett, you can go for a swim in the freezing cold water. The journey down should take around 2 ½ hours and then you are back on the van to Huaraz.
• Santa Cruz trek – is another popular trek, unfortunately we did not have enough time, as it would take 3-5 days to complete. You can do this trek either by yourself or with a guide. On the Santa Cruz trek you climb to 4750m above sea level and visit various villages and more stunning glacial lakes.  
• Relax in the Chancos Hot pools – After a long day or few days of hiking, relax your muscles in some hot pools. Primitive steam caves are 100% natural and with around 10 caves, each is fairly private. They also have private hot water baths for additional cost.
• Check out the markets – here you can buy many souvenirs and gear needed for any trek – be it beanie, gloves or clothing. In Huaraz it is a lot cheaper than Cusco where the same things are sold and it is a lot easier to bargain, as it is less touristy than Cusco.

Huacachina

• Sand boarding – The main reason that everyone visits this small desert oasis is not only to see the vast amount of sand dunes but also to go in a sand buggy and travel to distant dunes to go sand boarding. This is different of course to snow boarding, as you will go down on your boards face first to get more momentum. It is really an activity to try and a unique experience. Note – When staying at banana’s adventure hostel you can get this activity for free!
• Go on a Pisco tour – all around town or at your hostel you can book in a wine/pisco tour. As the national drink is Pisco, it is a good way to learn how the drink is made and of course sample all the many different types of flavours!
• Capture some beautiful sunset/sunrise photographs – Brett and I decided to wake up for sunrise and climb the sand dunes at 4.30am for a 5am sunrise. At this time, not many people get up this early so it was nice to have it nearly to ourselves watching the sun bright up the sky.
• We also watched the sunset with many other people for 6pm, the sunsets is at a better position that when it rises so it was great to get the whole Oasis and sunset in the photo. Take a few beers up to enjoy the sunset – it’s very romantic.

Tip – remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so get in your preferred position early.

Camera tip – use a wide lens to capture the entire Oasis and surrounding dunes.

Cusco

• Machu Picchu Trek – the most popular tourist attraction to see when visiting Cusco. There are many different hikes to choose from depending on your hiking level. As we like the outdoors as much as the Average Joe, we decided to do the Jungle trek which involved around 2.5 days of hiking instead of 4 and with different adventure activities included. Otherwise many people decide on doing the Inca trail, which we have heard, is amazing, but this kind of tour needs to be booked in 6 moths in advance. If you are not interested in hiking or have a short amount of time, you can train from Cusco to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Caliente) and then take a bus to the ruins – this of course is very expensive. If you are not fussed then we recommend waiting until you arrive in Cusco to book your tour, as they are relatively cheaper than online.

For more information on our experience, how we went on the 4-day Jungle Trek and any tips/advice, check out our blog post here.

If we could give you one tip, it would be to make an effort and book one month in advance to climb up Huayna Picchu – it is the bigger mountain in the photo. It’s an hour of difficult ascent but the view from the top is totally worth it and absolutely breath-taking. We whole-heartedly recommend purchasing this ticket.

• Hike up to Rainbow Mountain or known as Vinicunca Mountain. You can do this trek in a day but will have to leave at 3am to have enough time. The cost of a 1-day hike is around 75 Soles. It is a difficult trek as it is 5000m above sea level; make sure you are acclimatised in Cusco before attempting this hike.
• Sacsayhuaman on the northern outskirts of Cusco, is an Inca ruin site with some of the finest stone masonry found by the Incas. Rocks weighing up to 130 tonnes fit together with perfection. Three walls run parallel for over 350m. The ruins are thought to be a temple to the sun. You can visit the sites on foot from Cusco or take the Pisac bus up to Tambo Machay. Open daily 7am – 5.30pm.

Tip – the site offers free guides for students (don’t forget to bring your ISIC card), it is courtesy to offer a small tip at the end.

• Take a free walking tour – Loki hostel offers free walking tours daily at around 2pm. The tour starts from the hostel and goes down and around the main square. Lots of interesting information to take in and don’t forget to ask the guide their favourite local restaurants to go to.
• Go shopping at San Pedro market – This market offers everything! It is a great place to buy souvenirs, equipment and clothing for your trek and even some food and drinks, all at such cheap prices! Don’t forget to barter with them as they always start with a higher price. Brett had to literally peal me away as I bought so many gifts for our family here.
• Take a seat in the Plaza de Armas (main square) and admire the La Catedral.
• Mirador de San Blas is a beautiful look out with a view over all of Cusco. It is a quirky area with cobbled streets and white washed houses. Be careful as it is a bit of a walk up a hill from the main square, it can be quite difficult in high altitude. Take it slow and remember the view is worth it in the end.
• Visit the “Museo Inka” – learn about the development of culture from pre-Inca to the modern day. See a collection of artefacts from throughout history including textiles, ceramics, jewellery and technology. Entrance costs $4 and is open Monday to Friday 8am – 7pm and Saturday 9am – 4pm.