Travel Guide Peru

The natural untouched beauty of the mighty Andean mountain range, the majestic Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca Islands that are barely affected by the modern world. Street markets and Andean culture in Bolivia, sand-boarding in the Atacama Desert and 4×4 drives across the Bolivia salt flats. All this can comfortably be experienced in about a month travelling through this awe-inspiring part of South America.

Below is a suggested one month backpacking itinerary, starting and finishing in Peru and travelling by bus throughout.

Fly into the ancient Inca capital of Cusco, Peru. With Machu Picchu on its doorstep, Cusco is a tourist hot-spot where you can organise tours into the Amazon rainforest, explore Inca culture and history, become acclimatised to the Andean altitude, and see the many Inca ruins, most notably the Inca city of Machu Picchu. If you’re into trekking, the 4 day Inca Trail finishing at Machu Picchu at sunrise is a must. In and around Cusco, there’s a wide selection of museums, galleries, Andean villages and markets to explore.

From Cusco, head to Puno on the shores of the enormous Lake Titicaca. Whether you book onto a tour or just turn up at the pier and get on a boat is up to you, but you won’t want to miss a trip to the remote islands on Lake Titticaca. The floating reed islands are postcard-perfect and on Isla Amantani, staying with a local family will give you a real insight into life in this remote part of the world where life has barely changed for centuries.

Next head by bus to Copacabana, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. The highlight of this is the day trek up the coast to a little village where you can hire a small boat and driver to take you across to Isla Del Sol. The scenery is spectacular, and what a night on Isla Del Sol may be lacking in luxury and comfort (supplies are carried up by mule and water is at a premium), the Island more than makes up for in spectacular scenery and walking opportunities.

Back to Puno and on to La Paz, a major city in Bolivia. One of the highest cities in the world, La Paz is nestled in the mountains which provide a perfect backdrop for wandering the stall-lined streets, and exploring the bustling markets and museums.

From La-Paz, head south and get on a 4×4 tour through the immense salt flats at Salar De Uyuni. You’ll end up at the Chilean border and on to San Pedro de Atacama, the centre of tourism in the spectacular Atacama Desert. You can go sand-boarding, mountain biking, horse riding and trekking with San Pedro de Atacama as your base, but however you choose to see it, experiencing the desert should be on your list.

Next, head to the Northern Chile coastal town of Iquique, a place where high desert plains abruptly meet the Pacific Ocean creating spectacular cliffs and probably one of the top paragliding destinations in the world. Amazing climate, familiar food and travelling in comfort will all probably be appreciated in Chile after a few weeks in Peru and Bolivia.

Next, head North to Arica and on to the barely discovered gem, the highlight of Northern Chile; Parc Nationale Lauca. One of the best ways to explore this area is to hire a car in Arica for a couple of days. Stay in a rural village like Putre, and explore the spectacular natural landscapes of snow-capped volcanoes reflected in crystal clear lakes, spot flamingo, alpaca and vicuna and buy Andean handicrafts from the villagers.

Continue North into Peru and head for Arequipa. This beautiful city has lots to offer the visitor, not least a trip into the nearby Colca Canyon. From the village of Cabanaconde on the Canyon rim (about 100 miles from Arequipa), you can trek into the canyon in a few hours where you bathe at the Oasis (sheer bliss) and stay in a hut by the river. Your hosts (a local family – no need to reserve, in fact it’s probably not possible to reserve) will cook you a meal, light you a fire and provide you with basic accommodation. The sense of tranquillity in such a remote location and the expansive natural surroundings mean a trip into Colca Canyon should feature on every traveller’s itinerary.

After another day or so relaxing in the cafes and restaurants of beautiful Arequipa, it’s a convenient transport hub for flights back to Lima and home, or on to your next destination.

Excluding the cost of flights and travel insurance, and travelling independently as a backpacker, this trip is likely to cost around $1800 – $2500 per person.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/exotic-locations-articles/vacation-inspiration-1-month-itinerary-peru-bolivia-and-chile-2205694.html#ixzz0r82kbz9q
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During Your Stay in Peru

Accommodation
If you are booking with us you can be assured that your accommodation will have been vetted by us.
Should you have any problems, if you are in a group you can contact your group leader or guide.
Should you be travelling on your own, you will have contact details of either ourselves or our local agent, Book a Hotels in Peru to have a pleasant stay.

Health
* Only drink bottled or boiled water.
* Be careful with raw vegetables and fruits.
* Avoid eating from street food stalls.
* Avoid spicy food until your stomach has become accustomed to the change in diet.
* Altitude sickness (soroche) may be prevented by resting on your first day in the highlands and eating light food. Drinking coca leaf is recommended.
* If travelling to the highlands or to the jungle, make sure you take insect repellent and a raincoat or waterproof poncho.
* If you need medical assistance, contact the staff at your accommodation or your travel agent/tour operator.
* We can provide travel insurance if required, but check the cover provided through your credit card.

Business Hours
Banks
Many banks in Peru are open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday, but in some place the siesta is observed, so they are open as follows:

Monday to Friday – 9 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6.30 pm
Saturday 9 am to 12 am

Changing Money
It is preferable to change money in banks and authorised exchange bureaux (open approximately between 9.30 am and 6.00 pm). The US Dollar exchange rate varies, so check before changing your money. For other currencies, check with the exchange bureaux. To find out the exchange rate please visit Hotels in Peru

ATMs/Cash Machines – 24 hours
Many of these are in a secure location accessed only by your card.

Offices
Monday to Friday – 8 am to 7 pm with one to two hours lunch break

Shopping
* In general, stores, shops, shopping centres and crafts markets are open every day from 9 am to 8 pm.
* Bargaining for prices is acceptable in markets as well as with beach or street vendors. This practice is known as regateo. Do be aware that a few traders will try to charge gringos more.

Documents
You should always carry your personal documents with you as you may be required to produce them at any time, particularly in banks, to police or to security guards to gain access to premises. If you wish to hire a car, you will need an International Driving Permit. (In the UK these can be obtained from main post offices).

Valuables
You should avoid unnecessary risks by depositing your valuables in the hotel safe or in a bank and only carrying low denomination banknotes and travellers cheques.

Post Offices
Expect to queue. These are generally found near the centre of towns and are open at roughly the same times as banks.

Telephone/Internet
There are many internet cafes, many of which contain telephones, in addition to public phone boxes.
We recommend that you purchase a telephone card for making phone calls. These are available from kiosks and supermarkets. Be careful with internet cafes, as not all are on broadband and you can lose your connection while in the middle of composing an e-mail. You should ask if they have banda ancha (broadband).

Transport
We recommend taxis as the means of transport (rickshaw/motorcycle taxis in Iquitos). It is usual to tip the driver if he carries your luggage for you. The hotel will arrange a taxi for you, for a certain time or place, or you can always pick one up on the street. It is normal to negotiate the fare with the driver before setting off. The hotel will tell you what you should expect to pay.

Safety
We should like to stress that Peru is a safe country to visit, providing you take normal precautions.
There is no more terrorism than found in Europe or North America and crime is not a major problem.
But we should like to make these observations:

* If you decide to use public transport, be careful of the areas they pass through and take particular care of your belongings. Do not wear a hat if you are sitting beside the open window of a bus, as it might be snatched. Snatch thieves particularly like gorros (baseball caps).
* Be discreet when carrying valuable items. Do not carry large amounts of cash.
* Carry your money and ID in a money belt, but be aware that thieves have been known to slit the bottom of these, but to do this they have to be very close to you. Therefore get away from anyone who attempts to crowd you. Keep an eye on your bags and luggage.
* We have experienced someone coming up to us and asking if we have any change. When we show him what we have, thinking he wants to change something, he takes it and says thank you; he’ll pay us back.

Then he runs off.
* Take normal precautions against pickpockets.
* Do not carry your case, handbag or backpack on your back.
* Do not change money in the street.
* Avoid walking alone or in dimly lit areas at night.

Food and Drink
Peruvian cuisine offers a great variety of typical dishes from the Coast, the Highlands and the Amazon Region. Ask about ingredients as some may be hot or very spicy – problematical for stomachs not used to it. Also, there are restaurants serving international food.

As for drinks, try chicha morada (purple corn juice), chichi de jora (fermented red or yellow corn drink) or any fresh fruit juice. Inka Kola is a very popular gaseosa (soda) which is less fizzy than Coca Cola. They call it the golden cola and it is much more popular than Coke.

Tipping
In Peru, the tipping amount varies from one place to another and will depend on your satisfaction with the service you receive, but beware that as you leave airports “porters” will descend upon you and try to take your baggage, although you may not need it carried.
Book a Hotels in Peru to have a pleasant stay.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/your-stay-in-peru-2188802.html#ixzz0r3Yhi1wo
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If you are traveling Peru and want to take a relatively short trip into the Peruvian Amazon that will not break the bank, you should consider a trip to Puerto Maldonado in the tropical Amazon Basin and then into the depths of the jungle from there. Located in the South Eastern part of Peru, you will certainly enjoy the biodiversity paradise along the Madre de Dios River. With three conservation areas in Madre de Dios, the Manu Biosphere Reserve ( A UNESCO world Heritage Site since 1987), the Tambopata – Candamo Reserve and the Bahuaja – Sonene National Park., this entry point into the Amazon Basin is a great way to enjoy your Peru vacation.

Founded in 1901 and later made into the capital of Madre de Dios region (1912), Puerto Maldonado is built on the logging, gold dredging, Brazil nut collecting, boat building and eco-tourism industries. Eco lodges in the surrounding reserve are the main drawl for travelers into the area. Upon arrival you will most likely be transported by van to the river where you will travel almost immediately to your eco-lodge into the jungle by boat. There are also several ‘retreat centers’ in the area for people wanting to experience yoga camps and Amazon shelters for a few days. If you are staying in town, there are a number of taxis to get around and motorcycle taxis are very popular due to the price of gasoline. If you have some time in the center, visit the Plaza de Armas and Monkey Island, a medium sized island home to hundreds of monkeys in the middle of the river. You can also visit the Lumber yard, market, the El Jaguar Zoo and Disco (yes there is a nightclub in the zoo!), the obelisk and the snake rescue center.

Where ever you decide to stay, try to visit the highly recommended Taricaya Research Center on the Madre de Dios River while visiting as it is home to the highest canopy walkway in South America, runs an animal release program and an active conservation projects. It is also highly suggested that you do at least one jungle tour to watch the dawn break and the jungle come to life as well as one night tour to enjoy the nocturnal wonderland the jungle has to offer. Many of the jungle lodges that you can stay in offer a complete package that includes the organized jungle tours at dawn and in the evening and some even offer a trip to the Taricaya Research Center as well.

As you explore the jungle you will encounter a vast array of flora and fauna, many of which are endangered such as the Harpy eagle, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, the Orinoco goose, and the giant river otter. In the region there are nearly 600 species of birds, over 1,000 species of butterflies, over 100 types of mammals, 127 species of amphibians and reptiles and at least 94 identified species of fish! You will want to bring your camera to share your Amazonian adventures with your friends and family back home.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/entering-the-jungles-of-peru-2015851.html#ixzz0qHXUQUr7
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Peru has so much to offer all of its visitors- the extreme biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest , The majestic Andes mountains, Cusco- the capital of the Inca Empire, Machu Picchu- one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, some of the world’s deepest canyons, an entire coastline of incredible beaches and ocean vistas… The list in endless! If you want to travel some of the desert coastal areas south of Lima, you should definitely check out the highlights of Ica and the famous Oasis of Huacachina before visiting Nazca!

Ica, the capital of the Ica Region was founded in 1563 by the Spanish conquistador Geronimo Luis de Cabrera. This colonial city has a chill vibe and a wonderful warm dry climate giving you a sense of calm and relaxation when you arrive. The planes of the Ocucaje desert surround the city where you will find Huacachina, a famous vacationing oasis. Ica has a great Regional Museum with pre-Columbian mummies with elongated heads perhaps from trepanning, or the creation of burr holes in the skull.

Ica is a very important agricultural region of Peru. Cotton, asparagus, grapes and olives are produced for exportation in this ‘land of the sun.’ Part of the grape production goes to one of the greatest drawls of Ica: Pisco! You can spend days visiting local bodegas (distilleries) where they produce local Pisco, an alcoholic drink made from the same grapes of Brandy. Each bodega will show you their production and storage areas and then offer a few sips of each before you head into there onsite bar or bar / restaurant to share a few drinks with friends and locals. The main square is a nice place to stroll if you want to relax for a while as well.

Although the August 15, 2007 earthquake severely affected the city, Ica has made a large effort to ensure that tourism continues without a hitch. This said, you will certainly see some of the remnants of the earthquake when traveling to and from, and even around the city. Few of the church towers have been reconstructed, but it also gives the city a charm molded by a sense of perseverance and a sincere authenticity that is not always present in major tourist destinations.

You can either stay overnight in the city or head out to stay in Huacachina, an oasis a few miles outside of the city. The oasis is situated in the center of enormous sand dunes and is a main attraction for most tourists. Here you can participate in a variety of outdoor activities such as sand boarding, dune bashing in a buggy and boating on the lake. If you just want to relax, there are cafes lining the sides of the lake and plenty of sand to tan on. Those that are interested can take guided tours into the desert where hundreds of whale fossils have been found- many tourist even stumble upon new fossils while exploring the area.

If you want a great few days while traveling Peru, check out the south coastal city of Ica and its neighbor Huacachina!

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/peru-travel-visiting-the-south-coast-of-peru-2029530.html#ixzz0po90KPh8
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Create your own Peru Experience with the help of our family run business, experts in Peru Holidays because we have lived there and run a travel organisation in Peru, where we specialised in Peru tours.
We can help you plan the perfect Peru holiday because we only specialise in Peru. Not only do we know the popular destinations but we have an intimate knowledge of the parts of Peru unknown to most people.

We have a good range of itineraries or programmes or we can make a holiday especially for you.
Enjoy the perfect trip with the experts on Peru travel.
Peru – the only place on Earth that has it all, book Hotels in Peru to have a pleasant stay:

* The Peruvian Atacama Desert that makes the coastline so beautiful and includes tropical beaches;
* The lush jungle ; its amazing variety of flora and fauna including 1,800 species of birds and the source of the Amazon;
* The splendour of the Andes, with their snowcapped peaks and deep ravines;
* Its archaeloogy, including the mystical splendour of Machu Picchu; and magnificent testimonies of an ancient civilisation that dates back 6,000 years;
* Its culture, with examples of the fusion between the Hispanic and Latin way of life;
* Its cuisine – probably the best in the world;
* Its architecture – such a wide variety; from ancient villages to colonial cities and the modernity of downtown Lima and Miraflores.

Peru is an exceptional destination for a pleasure trip, come and check it by your own. Hotels in Peru is perfect for your staying in Peru. The writer, Kelly Donovan has good recommendations that you should consider.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/peru-experience-2188851.html#ixzz0pcesVglw
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