Peru travel tip

• VISA
• MONEY
• GUIDE BOOK
• HEALTH
  
• GENERAL TIPS
  • Machu Picchu
  • The Sacred Valley
  • The Nazca lines

VISA

EU citizens staying less than 90 days don't require anything more than their passport. It'll be stamped with a small size black stamp.

MONEY

GUIDE BOOK

I had Footprint (Peru- Peru- Ecuador) and LP (7th April 2010 in Italian) both very useful as usual.

HEALTH

I had the usual vaccinations: ephatite A, B, typhus and tetanus; given the season and the low temperature there's no need for no risk for Malaria.
What should be your concern is the Altitude, in particular if you land directly in Cuzco (3.600m) you may feel it. I had a strong headache for few days and there's nothing you can really do against it beside avoid doing any effort and getting some pill (Moment) for headache. The obvious suggestion is to come from low lands (i.e. from Lima) and getting slowly acquainted. You can chew Coca leaves if you think it may help (plenty of stalls selling them); we did and I don't remember any relief

GENERAL TIPS

• MACHU PICCHU
  
  
  
  
  - How to reach Machu Picchu
  The only way of getting to Machu Picchu other than on foot (Inca Trail), is by one of the frequent buses shuttling from Aguacaliente (20min).
  Then the only way to reach Aguacaliente is by train (again unless walking the Inca Trail) leaving from the Poroy station of Cuzco (5h) or from the Ollantaytambo station (half way from Poroy and Aguacaliente) (3h). Generally from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu there are more trains and it's cheaper, on top of that you can conveniently end the Sacred Valley tour here, without returning to Cuzco: that's why the majority of the people get on the train here (on the way back it could makes more sense to do the whole way till Cuzco)
  Reaching Ollantaytambo from Cuzco can take the whole day if you enjoy the Sacred Valley or it's just 1,5h by minibus from Cuzco
  The station of Poroy (the nearest Cuzco towards Machu Picchu) is 30min by minibus from Cuzco.
  
  - How to buy entry ticket and train ticket
  Since July2011 there is limited daily number of people to access Machu Picchu so unless you want to risk popping up at the ticket counter at the entry gate in the morning and being rejected (especially in August), the only way is to buy tickets on line http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/ and print them. It may seem easy but we got mad to have the site working with the transaction (you pay by Verified Visa credit card).
  As per the train ticket you can pop up at the station in Cuzco and buy them or buy on line as we did : https://www.perurail.com/en/ , again be ready to get mad with the website
  Most of the travellers do believe Perurail is the only train company operating, in reality there's also http://www.incarail.com/, from Ollantaytambo to Aguacalientes.
  DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED ON FINDING TRAIN TICKETS FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY!!
  
  
  

• How to visit the Sacred valley
  Sacre Valley is the Valley nearby Cuzco full of Inca Highlights. You can spend even two days wandering around, however the best compromise is to spend one day on the way from Cuzco to Ollantaytambo.
  You can use minibus (as we did) and some parts walking or getting a taxi, or rent a car with driver for the whole day.
  Take into consideration that after a whole you'll be fed up of Inca Site, for instance the ones we visited for me where enough:
  
  -Saqsaywaman, Q'ennqo, Pukapukara: Inca ruins at walkable distance from Cuzco if you allow half day. don't expect too much, although just the view over Cuzco is worth the walks. If you are tired jump on one of the frequent minibuses shuttling to/from Cuzco
  
  -Morray: concentric Inca terraces: quite curious mistic place that is conveniently on the way from Cuzco to Ollantaytambo (get the minibus, be dropped off at the cross road and get a taxi (you'll find waiting there) for the missing 6km)
  
  -Salinas: Evaporating terraces to get the salt from the water: the most amazing site I've seen (even more impressing than machu Picchu!). get the minibus from Cuzco to Ollantaytambo and be dropped off after 1.5h (the driver will know the exact point). Then walk for 30min uphill. there's also a small shop where you can buy the salt. If you have your own mean it's worth to reach Salinas from the top (a completely different road)
  
  -Ollantaytambo: Inca Ruins: don't expect too much, apart of flocks of tourist visiting the place waiting for the train to Machu Picchu
  
  
  
  
  
• How to fly over Nazca lines
  "Do I have to book in advance?" this is the most common question when it comes to Nazca lines. We popped up at Nazca airport at 10.30 am and after 40min we were on the plane. I had the feeling that although being plenty of tourists, there is so much availability (at least 6 companies operate at the airport) that the risk of staying grounded is minimum. Although in few travel reports I read it happened, this might be the case if you are a group, but I hardly believe if a couple.
  The flight take 30min flying over almost all the 12 lines (you will get a map to spot them) and it costs 100$ + 20$ (taxes) for almost all the companies at the airport (at least 6!!), unless you are in a group then you can negotiate.
  The whole drawing of some lines is very clear (colibri'- UFO, monkey ...), for some others having studied the map beforehand helps a lot.
  Generally I reccommend, since although being a truly touristic attraction, it's quite unique both for the lines and for the flight.
  If you are prone to motion sickness take some pills and don't eat beforehand.