How to plan my trip to Peru
Planning is one of my favorite parts of a trip since/when I discover everything I want to do at a particular destination. I love planning a trip!
- However, planning a trip can be a daunting and overwhelming task, especially if you are busy with school/work or haven’t done it often. Where should I go?
- How long should I stay?
- When should I book hotels, flights, and tours?
I prefer to book everything in advance, so I won’t be worried and waste time once I get to my destination.
How many days should I stay?
Many people believe that two days in Lima is enough. I mainly decided to stay for three days because I also want to go to the beach and ride my bike in some parks.
Where should I stay?
Lima’s best places to stay are the city center, Miraflores, and Barranco.
The center offers cheaper accommodation and the advantage of being close to many tourist attractions.
Miraflores is an upscale neighborhood and high-end business district. It has hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping centers. Accommodations here tend to have higher prices.
La Puerta Verde in Barranco is considered the most romantic and bohemian part. It has many houses and palaces in colonial and republican styles, parks, a lovely promenade to the beach, numerous clubs, bars, restaurants, the famous Bridge of Sighs, and a beautiful bay view. Accommodations here are reasonably priced.
Therefore, this article will describe how to plan a trip to Peru: Lima, Cusco, Chinchero, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu). If you plan to go to the Peruvian Amazon or any other place in this country, you will need more information.
How to organize and how much does a trip to Peru cost on your own
Everything you need to know to travel to Peru on your own with requirements, best time, places to visit, number of days required, tips to avoid altitude sickness, how to get around, recommended tours and guided visits, and a lot of information to organize your trip. Trip to Peru.
Shall we start? What is needed to travel to Peru?
People with passports from Spain and the European Union do not need a visa to travel to Peru as long as the visit is exclusively for tourism and they stay up to 90 days. We always recommend checking with your embassy to avoid problems upon arrival.
The countries that do not need to process a tourist visa are those that are part of the European Union, Oceania, the United States, Canada, and the following American countries: Antigua Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
What is the best time to travel to Peru?
You can travel to Peru throughout the year, but to visit Machu Picchu (see our post), you have to take into account the different seasons,
How to get to Peru
The most crucial airport in Peru is Lima. You can get here from Europe by direct flight with Iberia, Air Europa, LATAM, or a more economical stopover, like Avianca.
Tips for a trip to Peru on your own
Travel Insurance
Essential on every trip. We tell you from experience that we have used it a lot of times, and the peace of mind that comes from not having to look for your life if something happens, that the doctor comes to your hotel or they indicate the nearest clinic.
There are a lot of clinics, and if you don’t know which one to choose! Here we leave you the one we use, which we know from experience works spectacularly; in medical tests, etc., in Latin America. We have used it many times, traveling worldwide, and the response has always been outstanding.
Hiring travel insurance here gives you a 5% discount. If you have doubts about which modality to employ, contact us.
One of the best options is to have the internet on your trip to Peru. You receive the card, and once at your destination, you will have data by simply inserting the SIM card or activating the eSIM on your mobile and data roaming.
In Peru, you have 5 GB and 12 GB plans for 34 Euros with a 5% discount with our Organizotuviaje code.
This way, you can navigate WhatsApp, social networks, GPS, or browsers without worrying.
It only works with unlocked mobile phones and is compatible with the country you are traveling to :-). Today, most mobiles work without problem worldwide, but just in case, confirm it.
Altitude Sickness in Peru
On a free trip through Peru, the places where you can have problems with altitude are Cuzco, Arequipa-Colca Valley, and Puno. And if you travel to Bolivia, La Paz, and the Salar de Uyuni.
Cuzco does locate at 3,350 meters. You will be above this height in the excursions made from Cuzco to see the Sacred Valley and various Inca ruins. On the other hand, Machu Picchu is at a lower altitude, only 2,400 meters.
To cope with the altitude, we only used coca leaves. No medication. Also, we drank coca tea (infusion) daily for breakfast or tea directly. We made the tea with 3 or 4 coca leaves in boiled water, letting it rest for a few minutes and releasing the essence. With that, we had no problems.
We also didn’t notice anything strange in the body, which you asked us a lot through Instagram Stories while we were telling you about the experience. We left it all saved, so you can still see it on our profile.
Chewed coca leaf is bitter, but you can add sugar to the infusion. It will taste much better for you.
As for advice for the first few hours, it is best to rest the first day and not make any effort. And if you go out, stroll, drink tea and chew coca leaves.
Recommendation: At the airport, there is a basket with coca leaves. Take several that will serve you for the first hours.
Places to visit on a trip to Peru on your own
We spent a month and a half in Peru, with 15 days of volunteering in Cuzco, so we can recommend very well how to get around and what to see. And even so many days, we didn’t have time to visit areas like Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, or Paracas.
These are some ideas about “what you can do and see in Peru for free.” Everything depends on your available days, but it is best to travel for at least 15 days to know the most important things.
Lima “The Capital”
Lima is a city that is well worth walking around and getting to know. Do not miss its historic colonial center, a World Heritage Site, beautiful Plaza de Armas and cathedral, the Barranco neighborhood, and the Puente de los Suspiros.
And, of course, do not forget to try the best Peruvian cuisine. Exquisite!! Take note of the cevicherías Beto; there are several in the capital.
Huacachina
The Huacachina lagoon and desert is one of the few natural oases found on the American continent and an essential stop on a trip through Peru. Do you want to know how to get to Huacachina? Check our post.
Arequipa and Colca Valley
With its condors, the white city of Arequipa and the Colca Valley (see our post) is other important place on a trip to Peru.
