Going to Lima/Machu Pucchu next month

[s3n8]

What should I do/see/eat/drink while I am there? Besides the obvious.

Have to work a few days, then I should have 5 or 6 days to ourselves. Travel up to Cuzco/Machu Picchu and back is going to be most of 2 whole days of that though.

 

[arturo7]

It has been several years since I was there but Cuzco/Machu Pichu is worth the time. We did 2 nights. Definitely worth it. MP is one of the coolest places on the planet, don't rush it. Try to find a place up there to sit still for a while and take it all in. (slowwwwww dowwwwwwwwn)

Lima is a good time. We had a ton of fun with the locals. Of the local beers Cusquena(sp) was the favorite. Try the sea bass ceviche. Try the corazon' from the street vendors. I'm not saying it is awesome, but you should try still try it.

If you are a sports fan, seek out a futbol match. You will see a cross-section of the populous and the goings-on will make fandom in the US seem boring.

Cheers, have a great trip!

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

i was just in Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley a month ago. was great.

you should drink Chicha. it is a corn based Peruvian homebrew. pretty tasty. i got pretty dosed on it. Also, make sure to get some coca, and when you chew it, add a few pinches of baking soda to your mouth, it changes the pH in your mouth so you absorb more.

 

[s3n8]

We are staying 3 nights in sacred valley, so we are planning on seeing the ruins one morning and one afternoon. I am sure there are lots of touristy things to do in town while we are not in the ruins. While in Lima, I will be in corporate housing in Miraflores, which I am assured is very nice and close to great dining etc.

I am not much of a sports fan, but was in Amsterdam during the euro cup 08 while the netherlands was playing russia. I felt left out. I think i was the only one in the city that was not wearing orange. Even though i could not care less about pro-sports, i had a great time. Didnt watch any of the match though.

chicha check... coca... not sure. I have trouble enough sleeping.

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

coca leaves are very mild. it is basically like having a very nice espresso, except it also cures altitude sickness and motion sickness. i honestly could not have hiked Machu Picchu without it.

 

[Rottnme]

Keep this stuff coming! My sig other and I are in the process of planning a trip for next year sometime.

 

[OLB]

I really liked cuzco when I visited over 10 years ago. It was great walking around at night too. I can't say enough about MP. Like someone above said, find a nice spot and just take in for a while. They have coca tea in convenient tea bags also, it really helps with the altitude.

 

[k1v1116]

I was young when I went to peru so I cant help to much with drinking related things to do. Cuzco and the surrounding area are beautiful there are lots of other Inca ruins in the area in addition to machu pichu. You should bring lots of film/digital storage.
Until you know how you're adjusting to the altitude dont do anything strenuous for the first day or two in cuzco, its also a good idea to put off the trip to machu pichu for a day or so because there are a lot of stone steps to climb when exploring the ruins and if you havent adjusted it can make you sick.
My friend's family is from Lima, so if you have any specific questions I can ask him.

 

[eelpout]

chicha? is that the stuff made with spit? or something they chew up and spit?

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

chicha? is that the stuff made with spit? or something they chew up and spit?

traditionally, in rural towns, the maize that chicha was made from was ground up, then chewed by the "brewer." the brewer would spit it out, make little pancakes of it, let them sit in the sun (basically using the enzymes in the spit plus the sun to mash the maize), and then the brewing began. most of the time, this is not done any more except for in the very small towns.

 

[s3n8]

Just got back, had an awesome time. Lima is ok, we stayed in Miraflores, which is an odd mix of ultramodern with old city mixed in. Larcomar could be in San Diego, people were great, food was great, beer selection was pretty disappointing. I found a couple canned british offerings from Green King at the local grocery. Nothing nice to say about that, so I will refrain .

My wife was pretty scared of the elevation in Cuzco, so we went right from the airport to the hotel in Aguas Calientes. The cab ride to Ollantaytambo was awesome, I thought we would be heading downhill... The scenery was surely epic. Still a lot of people living the old way, dressed in very traditional clothing. That was pretty neat, but sad, as I think those traditions and cultures are fading. The train trip from Ollantataytambo to Aguas Calientes was also awesome. The Urubamba river is unlike anything I have seen in North America. A truly wild place. Everywhere I looked, I saw just epic scenery. It sounds cliche, but its true. I have never been anywhere quite like it. The ruins at Mahu Picchu were quite spectacular, but I think the setting was as impressive, if not more so. Took 27 hours to get home, am very spent, but definitely worth it. We spent 3 nights in Aguas Calientes, the people at the hotel all seemed confused that we would stay so long. I liked having 2 whole days up top. Definitely a must see. I took 600 some pictures, once I see if any turned out, I may post some. I bet one or 2 is worth posting.

 

[tdavisii]

I was there for eleven days. I did the four day hike on the inca trail to machu picchu. If you do the whole hike by the time you get to Macchu Picchu it will be a let down. The hike and all the ruins along the way are 100 times better then MP itself. Ive been to Lima one other time as well. Definitly each some ceviche. It rocks