A taste of Peru

Mike Frank on 29 October 2019
Having recently had clients returning from a Peru trip I booked and giving great feedback, I decided with my wife Peru would be our main holiday destination this year.

After treating ourselves to Latam’s business class on their 787 Dreamliner, and after an overnight stay at Lima’s airport hotel, we flew to Cusco, an hour’s flight, to begin our guided tour adventure. First stop was the Incan sites of Moray and Maras, before visiting the Salineras natural salt pans. The first three night were spent at the Casa Andina Sagrado hotel in the Sacred Valley, which came with it’s own pet alpacas grazing on the hotel lawns.

After 3 days touring the attractions and Inca sights of the Sacred Valley it was off by train to Aguas Calientas, the town at the foothills of Machu Picchu. Our guide met us at the crack of dawn, as did the rain that morning, so after taking the bus up the winding mountain track to reach Machu Picchu, we waited a while for the rain to cease before being taken around this magnificent sample of Inca architecture. The swirling clouds often coming from well below in the valley added to the mystique of the location.

After several hours up at Machu Picchu, it was time to get the bus back down to town and onwards on the train to Poroy, near Cusco, a slow leisurely scenic journey of nearly 4 hours. Our hotel was the colonial Costa del Sol Ramada, very different to the Casa Andina. Our same guide met us next morning for a tour of the city and surrounding Inca ruins in the hills above the city.

After a free day, next was a 10 hour bus trip to Puno, which was actually a luxury coach complete with tour guide and hostess which we didn’t expect. The trip stopped at more historical sights and a beautiful Baroque church en route as well as a lovely buffet lunch at a scenic stop at half-way where the people coming the other way on the bus meet. Later, the bus stopped at the highest point on the route, at over 14,200 feet, which didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would. Given the Andean scenery and information from the bus guide, the journey actually passed quicker than can be expected.

Puno is the main city on Lake Titicaca and the Casa Andina, a few minutes out of the main city was again our hotel choice. Next day was a full day spent on Lake Titicaca and it’s islands, where it’s inhabitants show their ancient cultures, way of life and display textile techniques and other traditions. After a lunch cooked by traditional underground ovens using hot stones, it was onwards on the boat to the floating islands, where reed bales are made in sufficient numbers to turn into small islands that support the communities that live on them. A very unique way of living for sure.

From Puno, our flight back to Lima was from the airport at Juliaca, an hour away, which it has to be said is an unattractive city so thankfully we didn’t stop there. Another guide met us to take us to the Miraflores area of Lima which is the location of Huaca Pucllana pre-Inca temple and it’s Larco Herrera museum. We decided to avoid central Lima and it’s awful traffic and stay in Miraflores, with another excellent Casa Andina hotel stay.

It was a trip that all went better than we had expected, with lovely hotels and superb guides escorting us. Our trip was arranged by our ground handlers for South America, so I will be delighted to source your South American holiday through them too.