Tips; Traveling to Peru
Looking to Travel to Peru?!
My Best Friend Lauren & I had one of the best weeks of our life traveling all around the country of Peru!
Here are 15 tips that I KNOW will help you enjoy your trip even more!
Bring ONLY A Backpack
In order to see the best sights in Peru; your travel time accumulates more than you think. On buses, trains and planes there is no room for suitcases or larger bags, almost always our bag would go right in front of us, with little to no leg room. We said several times, “I am so glad we only brought a backpack.”
Pack A Roll Of Toilet Paper
To use a public restroom in Peru; you must always have sols. On average, it was around 1-2 sols per person. Once you pay, they will give you a small amount of toilet paper (by small I mean a few squares.) I don’t feel the need to say much more.. other than you might need some extra at certain times! Lol.
Have Sols (Peruvian Money) On You At All Times
This was one of my biggest regrets on the trip. I usually am pretty good at going to my local bank before a trip and exchanging money… however my local bank did not have any Sols on them, I had to place a money order at least a week in advance. In Peru; they are super hard to find, ATM’s aren’t on every corner, and once you find an ATM there is a fee. Lauren & I wanted to buy from all of the cute local shops but would always run into the problem of not having enough Sols. Soooo…. moral of the story order Sols from your bank a few weeks ahead of time and you should be set!
Book A Hotel w/ Air Conditioning
Peru is humid & sticky. Now, let me stress that we were perfectly fine, but it would had been a lot more comfortable with some air circulation in our rooms. Although the fresh air is super nice, it gets really hot during the days. Having the option of having an air conditioner to turn on and off would help you cool down after your long days outside!
Try Peruvian Dishes
If you have had “Peruvian” in America, you haven’t had a real Peruvian Dish (I mean that in the nicest way possible, hehe.) Food is widely different all across the world, and let me tell you Peru’s dishes are definitely within my top 3! The picture below was a local dish I got in Downtown Cusco, all I remember is it tasted very ******** good. Throughout the entire trip we made sure to try a different dish in every restaurant we went to. Food is art and damn its amazing.
Pack Bug Spray & Sun Block
The UV was 13 the day we hiked Machu Picchu, (I didn’t even know a UV of 13 was possible.) Lauren & I got so sunburned that we are both are still peeling, a week and a half later. Not only did we get burned but there were bugs everywhere and it was driving us nuts! Bug spray & sun block are a necessity. I’m sure you know, with rain and humidity, comes bugs.
Embrace The Culture
Part of traveling around the globe is to learn and embrace all cultures…. right?! Well Peru is definitely a place to do this, from their daily routine to the way they treat others is beautiful. They love one another as if they are all family, and they really gave me motivation to help others instill that positive outlook in life. (:
Travel Between April - August
The dry season in Peru is between end of April to August. Even though it may rain a bit in the mornings, it will still be sunny with bright blue skies almost daily. Keep in mind that it is peak season, so it will be super busy and hotels, flights and tickets will fill up. So make sure you book early!
Bring A Refillable Water Bottle
With the elevation you need to keep hydrated 24/7. When traveling on the bus and train, there is no time to get water or snacks in between as well as no service aboard the train. Meaning, you need to be prepared and make sure you always have an extra water so you can constantly refill!
Pack Granola Bars/ Light Snacks
Personally, I like to have light snacks with me at all times. I do not like to be hungry, HA! One morning, Lauren & I could not find any food around the area and did not have any time to keep looking, if it wasn’t for the protein bars we had, it would’ve been a long 4 hour ride.
Have At Least One Pisco Sour
The Pisco Sour is Peru’s “local drink.” And boy is it strong! But a good light and fuzzy strong, lol. Is is made with Pisco (Liquor), egg whites, and lemon juice. The taste was a lot better than I was expecting, promise!
Book Train & Bus Tickets In Advance
This is a must need! Especially during the peak season, which is now, Machu Picchu entrance tickets might be sold out for weeks. It is important that you book an entrance ticket with the time at which you will arrive at the top. As far as the bus and train tickets; you will first need to take a two hour bus ride, following a two hour train ride. You will then arrive in Aguas Calientes. I will attach the website as to where you buy the entrance tickets and the bus/train company.
If Traveling to Cusco; Fly
If you are planning on visiting Machu Picchu (which I highly recommend,) you will want to catch a short flight over to Cusco. It is already such a long trek to get to the town of Aguas Calientes (town of Machu Picchu,) that taking a flight is the fastest and most efficient way. We used Viva Air, which is an equivalent to a Spirit Airlines in the states. They have 3 -4 nonstops a day, so you have options as far as timing. I will attach the website to Viva Air.
Have A Picnic At The Top Of Machu Picchu
Please do this!! If you wish you get to the “famous picture spot,” you will hike for about 30-45 minutes STRAIGHT up hill. If you aren’t used to hiking, you will need to take it slow. Once you get to the top and find a resting spot, you will be exhausted and hungry. Whether it be just a sandwich or some fruit and cheese; its worth carrying with you!
Learn Basic Spanish
If I could put 100 explanation points at the beginning of this tip I would. In Peru, there is little to absolutely no English spoken at all. I thankfully know enough Spanish to communicate the necessary subjects. But if you know nothing, it will be a very difficult country for you to travel too. Plus learning a new language can never hurt you right?!
