Anyone for Peru Oct. 11 - 19??

[kjd469]

Hi...just wonderng if anyone else here is going on the Peru trip on Oct. 11 -19 We are so excited - it looks amazing. If anyone has done this trip already, any insight would be great...thanks.

 

[slacker43]

My husband and I are booked for the Oct. 11th Peru tour. We can't wait either. A little nervous about the altitude sickness I have heard about. Would also like some input from previous tours.

 

[kjd469]

Nice to know we won't be alone...haha. So excited too!! I found someone on Tripadvisor who said the trip was awesome, and the hotels were great. That's about all I've been able to find out. I guess we'll just have to wait and be surprised, which is nice too... I'm kind of worried about the altitude thing also, however, we live at fairly high altitude already, and I think where we're going it's only another 1000 feet or so to what we are used to, so hopefully it won't be a problem. We are 42 (him) and 39...how about you? We are Canadian but live in Mexico, so we'll be flying in from Mexico City the on the 10th, 'cause it's a late flight. Not long now..woohoo!!

 

[kristilew]

We did the first departure of this trip, in June. You will LOVE it! Here is a link to our trip report http://lewisfamilyperuadventure.shutterfly.com/

A few tips:
Drink plenty of water, on the way there and while you are there. This is the best defense against the altitude sickness.

Take extra memory cards and camera batteries. You will want to take a LOT of photos. And the altitude saps the batteries really quickly. (We used the eneloop batteries and they lasted the longest)

Take a sweatshirt or fleece - it gets chilly at night.

Pack any bottles inside a plastic bag - you will not believe what the altitidue does to lotions, shampoos, etc.

Take a current adaptor - the hotel only has a few.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

 

[sayhello]

Nice to know we won't be alone...haha. So excited too!! I found someone on Tripadvisor who said the trip was awesome, and the hotels were great. That's about all I've been able to find out.

Chris, one of our guides on my Southwest Splendors trip, also does the Peru trip, and he could not say enough great things about the tour. He had just returned from their "trial run" trip before doing our tour. He said it was fantastic, and a really great trip. He almost convinced me to take it (and I probably will at some point!)

If you get Chris, you'll love him, although, from what I hear, all the guides are fabulous!

Sayhello

 

[kjd469]

Kristilew....thank you so much for posting. I've just spent the morning oohing and aahing at your pictures (yes, you did take A LOT of pictures - LOL!). Now, I am so super-excited, I can't stand it. One question - I noticed your family was wearing hiking shoes in a lot of the photos....would you recommend them or would regular running shoes be o.k. Thanks again for your link - you have a beautiful family!

 

[kristilew]

I would definitely take hiking boots. Much of the terrain, and many of the streets, are rocky and rugged. We really appreciated those thick lug soles and the good ankle support. There are several days where you are, in fact, hiking.

We had the beach trekkers from landsend for our rafting day, and we wore sneakers for walking around in the cities - Cusco and Lima. Probably could have done sneakers for Ollantaytambo (second part of rafting day) but was just as glad to wear the boots. The streets were cobbled and rough.

I would take a pair of moccasin type shoes for wearing around the hotels in the evening. Most of the activites are outside, and it was really too cold for the sandals I had brought, but by the end of the day I wanted something other than boots. It would have been nice to slip into a pair of comfy cozy flats.

Thanks for your sweet comment on my family

 

[slacker43]

Just getting back to ya. We are 31 and 30. We finally got all of our info and air tickets for the trip. Just a few weeks away, we can't wait. We will be getting into Lima late (9:45) on Saturday. It will be a long day for sure. Still excited though.

 

[kjd469]

2 weeks to go Slacker....can't wait. Haven't got our ABD box yet, as it is at our travel agent's office in Canada...Hubby is making a trip back to Canada this week, so he's picking it up then...excited to see what's in it.

Does anyone know if we should bring U.S. money to Peru, or should we exchange for Peruvian money?

 

[kendall]

Does anyone know if we should bring U.S. money to Peru, or should we exchange for Peruvian money?

I've traveled to Cusco and the highlands three times, though not with Disney. Most recently, two years ago, we did a 17 day family trip, hiked the Inca Trail, and as a warm-up we hiked from Pisac to the ruins above Pisac (note that trail along the face of the mountain - yeah, we were there - I never wanted to look down - that was scarey as all get out). We spent quite a bit of time in Cusco and the surrounding areas.

Money - US dollars will be fine. Make sure your bills are crisp and in good condition- no tears or stains. In fact, go to the bank and get new bills as it will make your shopping and spending easier. A bill is a bill here - not so in Peru. US dollars are preferred.

Altitude - drink lots of water - it is easy to dehydrate. Take it easy the first day at high altitude. Enjoy the coca tea when you first arrive - it really does help with the altitude.

Shoes - hiking boots are preferred if you are going to do any kind of real hiking. Athletic shoes with good tread and good support will work for city and sacred valley tours (including Ollataytambo) that I see on the Disney agenda. If you don't have good supportive tennis shoes, then I would recommend light hiking boots. I wouldn't advise sandals but I would advise having comfy shoes to relax in!

According to the itinerary, Disney initially stays in the Sacred Valley, which is a few thousand feet lower than Cusco, so altitude won't be as much of a problem. By the time you stay in Cusco you will be better aclimatized.

Bring sunscreen - the sun is strong

Bring a sweatshirt - you are at a high altitude and when the sun goes down, so does the temperature.

If you are a star gazer, you will enjoy looking at the southern hemisphere sky - the constellations are beautiful and the sky very clear and easy to see the stars.

If anyone is ever interested in a return trip to Cusco, I have friends in Cusco and would recommend their home to you. They will accomodate travelers in their home (located in a safe neighborhood) and provide room and meals for a very reasonable rate. I stayed with this husband and wife back in 1998, 1999 and again in 2006 for my family's trip. And of course, home cooked meals can't be beat!

Any other questions I would be glad to answer! I love Peru!

 

[kendall]

And one more thing about hiking boots. If you do buy boots, break them in for about a month at home before you wear them in Peru!

 

[kjd469]

Thanks Kendall...lot's of good advice.