Peru Things to Do Tips by canuckmike

Isla Taquile

Isla Taquile is an island located in Lake Titicaca that is a pleasant trip from Puno. This is a nice place to wonder around as it's very scenic and people like to wear wool caps. Of the real islands located in the vincinity, it's the busiet of them but still not a really busy place. There is a main town where there are some amenities and some ruins to wonder around. I only stayed for half a day because I was on a small tour of this island and Isla Amantani which is where I spent the night and Taquile was a stopover on the way back to land. I can though see why people can stay here for a couple of days.

Aguas Calientes

Well the main reason to visit this place is it's close approximate to Machu Picchu which is about 8 km away. Whether you did the Inca Trail and need a place to clean up and relax afterwards or you trained it in (this is where the train stops and drops of people on their way to Machu Picchu). It is obvious this place is designed for tourists. There is a vast choice of hotels, restaurants and cafes. Most of them are along the main road that goes up a hill thats fairly steep. Besides being the transit point of Machu Picchu, there are hotsprings here.

Islas Ballestas

Although you cannot land on these islands, you can take a boat tour around them to see all the wildlife on the islands. We did a tour here and it was not much at all, you shouldn't have to pay more than US$10. The tour lasts about an hour and you get to lots of different animals including sea lions, penguins and like 15 different bird species. Bring a light jacket and a hat.

Directions: The islands are located almost directly west of Pisco but the boats leave from Paracas.

Cuzco, Cusco, Qosq'o

However you want to call it, it is probaly the premier destination in Peru, if not all of South America. Whether you come to visit the continent's oldest continously inhabited city, enjoy Inca architecture, a jumping off point for Machu Picchu or the Sacred Valley, hang out with other travellers from around the world and the list goes on, there is something for just about everyone. Originally designed in the shape of a puma this capital of the department with the same name sits at an altitude of 3,416m above sea level. For the most part I enjoyed my visit. Staying in nice old buildings, good food, just about all the amenities a traveller needs and the what not . Somethings I did not enjoy was a mild case of altitude sickness and be harassed constantly by people selling one thing or another in main areas.

Huayna Picchu

If you go to Machu Picchu you will definetly see Huayna Picchu to the north-northwest. Register at the booth just before the trail that leads up the mountain so staff we know to look for people if they don't show up at a certain time. There is a fairly well kept trail up the mountain although you need to be in decent shape to climb it. At the top there are some more ruins and spectacular views of the surrounding area. If you are not used to the altitude, take your time climbing up the mountain. Being Mr.tough guy, I raced up the mountain passing most people. When I got to the top, all of a sudden I became quite scared and was clinging to everything because I thougt I was going to fall off the mountain.

Desert

When in Peru you should check out the coastal desert. It covers a sizeable portion of Peru's land. Obviously like most deserts it is not all sand dunes but a lot of scrub area. Although the sand dunes are quite nice and provided a range of activities (I went sandboarding and dune buggying). Also with many people when they think of Peru they think of mountains and jungles not realising that Peru has a wonderful desert.

Directions: Along the Pacific coast especially south of Lima.

Miraflores

Although the picture is not all that impressive, this is upscale residential area of Lima. This is an excellent place to start your trip especially if you have arrived from a more developed nation. Here you will find westren and upscale restaurants, movie theatres outdoor cafes, beautiful parks, foreign embassies (Canada and Brazils are the ones I visited here), 5 star hotels, decent beaches etc. In the Lima area this is where I spent most of my time. Miraflores is at the south end of Lima.

Lima

Big, overcrowded, stinky air Lima is the capital of Peru that houses a third of it's population. Founded on January 6, 1535 this City of Kings is a place just about every traveller to Peru will encounter. It is an excellent place to get yourself orientated to exploring Peru. There is enough museums and beautiful architecture to keep you occupied for a couple of days or you could be a place where you can slow your pace and unwind for a while. Although it is an interesting city, I don't think Paddington had this in mind.

Directions: Right in the middle of Peru's Pacific coastline.

Machu Picchu

I'm not going to repeat the history of Machu Picchu because it is on here so much and because someone will have it better written than I care to do. What I will tell is that if you are to to travel to Peru you must go to Machu Picchu. End of discussion on that. Take your time to discover Machu Picchu. It is truly an amazing place. It is beautiful from almost every angle and you can still find places to be alone. You may want to bring a light rain coat, sun screen and your own food and water because it is expensive there. Also respect the place, it is fragile and we want to keep it there for generations to come.

Cementerio De Chauchilla

Located just outside of Nazca this cemetery is well worth the trip. Here you can see mummies, various bones and skulls, broken pottery and more. You walk along a trail and you look down into the tombs. Make sure you bring a hat and some water because it is in an open area that is dry and hot. The entrance was 5 nuevo soles but we did it with a tour that drove us out there.