Travel Information

• For the moment there are two train companies providing trains to Machu Picchu; PeruRail and IncaRail
• Both companies offer a standard and superior train
• PeruRail also offer the Luxurious Hiram Bingham Train to Machu Picchu
• Cusco’s San Pedro Station is no longer used
• All trains leave from either Poroy or Ollantaytambo Station
• Ollantaytambo Station is a good option as it allows you to combine the Sacred Valley tour with the train to Machu Picchu
• Poroy Station is the station closest to Cusco at about 40 minutes’ drive form the center

Expedition Train; This is the most economical option for the trains to Machu Picchu and was designed to replace the “Backpacker” train. The Expedition train is a modern train with 4 seats socially located in front of each other. The carriages have large panoramic windows to fully appreciate the countryside as it rolls on by. All wagons have air-conditioning, and heating. Snacks and hot and cold drinks are available during the entire trip. Luggage can be stored in the racks placed above the seats. This train has departures from Poroy as well as from Ollantaytambo station.

Vistadome Train; The very comfortable middle class train from PeruRail. The wagons have large panoramic windows and even windows in the roof of the train providing its passengers with great panoramic views. All wagons have plush leather seating with plenty of leg room, air-conditioning and heating. Snacks and hot and cold drinks are available during the entire trip. This service departs daily from both Poroy and Ollantaytambo station.

Hiram Bingham Luxury Train; The very luxurious (and pricey) train to Machu Picchu and one of the most famous train rides in South America. The train is an Original Pullman train complete with all decorations and colored in a majestic blue and gold. The wagons are all with warm and cozy interiors that feature elegant upholstery. As passengers step on board they are encompassed in a world of polished wood, gleaming cutlery and glittering glass. The train holds up to 84 passengers and has four wagons, two dining wagons, an observation wagon with bar and a kitchen wagon. Besides the train drive the Hiram Bingham train ticket also includes; brunch (Cusco – Machu Picchu) and dinner (Machu Picchu - Cusco) on board, exclusive bus return to the citadel of Machu Picchu, entrance to Machu Picchu, guided tour in the citadel and afternoon tea at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.

Executive Train; The Executive train is the most economical option with IncaRail. The wagons hold only 50 passengers and are equipped with panoramic windows and comfortable seats with a table in the middle. During the whole ride there will be healthy snacks and hot and cold drinks available. The Executive train only leaves from Ollantaytambo station.

First Class Train; The luxury train from IncaRail; The train holds only 30 oversized plush seats and has even more legroom than the Executive train. During the trip healthy snacks and hot and cold drinks are available and there is a good selection of books about Peruvian history available. The First Class Train only leaves from Ollantaytambo station. 

• Taxis are quite cheap in Peru
• Be sure to take taxis displaying the company number
• Negotiate the fare before getting in the taxi
• Take well known bus companies for long distance travel in Peru

Peruvian public transport can as is the case for many South American countries be quite frightening initially to people coming from the states or Europe.  It seems that Latinos need less space to push a car through a car jam and especially are less laid back when it comes to driving. Nevertheless as you will not have your car here, chances are quite small you actually will have to get involved in this chaos. Most of the time you will have a driver, be it a bus, combi, taxi or what have you not. These drivers range (as in any other country) from great to terrible but most will drive “proactive”.  In general there are several types of public transport to get around in Peru.

In the cities most common public transport are combis and busses. Combis are small minivans that have their fixed routes that are shouted out by the helpers in the back. Some of these combis are suicidal experiences and not recommend if you do not know the city and hence the stops. Busses are the same as combis except bigger and even cheaper. In return the combis do their routes faster than the busses. Besides all these options there are off course also Taxis. Taxis in Peru are everywhere and are very cheap in general but nevertheless a headache for many tourists. This is because Peru does not know the taxi meter system automatically telling you the fee at the end of the ride. No, in Peru one has to negotiate the price for the ride in advance. This would not be that complicated were it not that most tourists do not have an idea of the distance and even less of the price for a ride. Therefore when you want to go in a taxi, stop the taxi and have clear the maximum price you want to pay for the ride. Then tell the place you would like to go and drop the taxi driver’s initial offer with at least 25%. In general in Lima you can count about 5 soles (US$2) for a 10 minutes’ drive and this can be multiplied for longer rides. Whenever taking a taxi it is important to go with your gut feeling. In case you don’t feel comfortable with the driver or his first impression, do not board the taxi and take the next one. In general secure taxis are the one with a large sign on top with the number of the central. Unmarked taxis are better to avoid.

Inner-city public transport in Peru is relatively well organized and with the improving road quality all over the country more and more an option to get around. There are hundreds of bus companies all serving a large number of destinations and routes. The most common routes are over the Panamerican Highway and from here routes go inland over the Andes to the Amazon Jungle. Peru is starting to control more and more of the bus companies and implementing new regulations for long distance busses. Nevertheless the number of malfunctioning busses and even worse bad or even unlicensed drivers is still quite high. Therefore it is strongly recommend using well-known bus companies for overland travel. Many routes are over 15 hours long and only the better companies hold to the obliged resting times and two driver systems. The most known companies for long distance busses are; Tepsa, Cruz Del Sur, Oltursa and Cial. Most of these busses include meals and provide two types of classes standard and superior. 

For most South American countries there are several vaccinations that are strongly recommend and some that are obliged for some regions. The most common recommended ones are:

• Yellow Fever 10 years (Obliged for some countries such as Bolivia and Colombia)
• Typhoid 3 years
• Hepatitis A 10 – 20 years (depending on the vaccine)
• Polio 10 years
• Tetanus 10 years

Traveler’s diarrhea can be caused by change of climate, water and food. You can reduce the risk of contracting it by drinking only bottled or sterilized water (never tap water), avoiding ice in drinks, fruit juices to which water has been added, peeling all fruit, not eating salad or seafood and avoiding ice-cream not of a recognized brand. If suffering from diarrhea, it is advisable to eat little but to drink plenty of clean water with mineral replacement supplements, or fizzy drinks (no fruit juice or milk). Rehydration products, such as Dioralyte, should be taken to replenish lost salts. If it does not clear up or is accompanied by a fever, you should seek medical advice as you may need to take a course of antibiotics. Take with you some anti-diarrhea tablets such as Lomotil or Imodium, but we don’t recommend these be used as a preventative.

As we are not medical professionals, this information is no substitute for obtaining accurate medical information. The only one qualified to provide you with this advice is your family physician or a specialist from a Travel Health clinic.

If you are travelling to coastal and jungle regions within the tropics, you may enter infected zones and should take an appropriate prophylactic. Which anti-malarials to take depends on a number of variables, such as current illnesses and medication, previous illnesses, pregnancy, previous travel, duration of intended stay, so seek advice from your doctor or Health Centre before traveling. The best widely available repellent (in the UK) is the Jungle Formula range. The effectiveness of repellents depends on the percentage of diethyl toluamide (deet), the active ingredient. If you prefer something natural, Mosiguard can be very effective. Many other brands have only 10-15% deet and are therefore not very effective. Some repellents have up to a 95% concentration - this is very powerful and should not be used for long periods. It also has a deterious effect on leather, plastics and Lycra.

As we are not medical professionals, this information is no substitute for obtaining accurate medical information. The only one qualified to provide you with this advice is your family physician or a specialist from a Travel Health clinic.

Water-purifying tablets, e.g. Sterotabs, are a useful standby in the jungle - or when trekking off the beaten track but are ineffective against amoebae and give the water an unpleasant taste. Boiling water for 10 minutes will kill amoeba. Mineral water is available at most jungle lodges that we book from here. It is important to ensure that you have a high intake of liquids in tropical and semi-tropical regions. You should also be aware of the fact that the sun is much stronger than at temperate latitudes and sunstroke is a danger. Avoid midday sun on tropical beaches, especially in the summer. Take plenty of high factor sunscreen lotion and sun block.

• Travel insurance is highly recommended for travels to South America
• Some Credit card offer some kind of insurance that you get the services you paid for but does in general not cover issues with flights, bad weather or illness
• Feel free to ask your Travel Representative more about travel insurances

Machu Picchu is indisputably the biggest tourist attraction in Peru and the most emblematic historic site in South America. The site of Machu Picchu was built by the Inca but these are not the only ancient civilizations that have roamed Peru and left behind impressive constructions. As Peru is one of the oldest inhabited areas in South America, you can find impressive sites from different civilizations all over Peru. In the north one can find the ruins of Chan Chan, the biggest adobe city in the world or visit the Temple of the Sun and the Moon, the biggest pyramids ever found in South America. Closer to Lima you can find Caral, the oldest city ever found in the Americas. South of Lima one can visit the Nazca Lines, which still present us with the mystery of how they have been designed. From here we enter Southern Peru or the original Inca Territory as this where the Inca rose and have left most of their impressive constructions such as Machu Picchu, Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Pisac.

Without doubt, one of the main Peru tourist attractions would be the awesome hiking and trekking this country offers. Being home to the largest mountain range in the world, the Andes, Peru is a mecca for all who look for high altitude adrenaline and flabbergasting mountain views. The number of hikes is endlessly and the levels of difficulty vary a lot. You can hike ancient Inca Trails, climb “top of the world” mountains, and hike down to the Amazon basin or even do it all in one. The most famous hike is without doubt the Inca Trail taking you via the ancient route to Machu Picchu.

This popular hike does sell out quickly, but no worries the options are plenty; the Salkantay or Lares treks take you through the true Peruvian highlands also ending in Machu Picchu, or what about Choquequirao or Espiritu Pampa, two lesser known important Inca sites, the latter being the last refuge of the Inca’s after the fall of Cusco. In the north of Peru we find the famous Cordillera Blanca and the Huascaran, the highest mountain of Peru. The nice thing about the treks in northern Peru is the fact that the starting points are relatively accessible from Lima. Finally in southern Peru we find another extreme, the two deepest canyons in the world, both twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the USA, and located at 3 hours from Arequipa, the Cotohuasi Canyon; the deepest in the world and only challenged in beauty by the nearby Colca Canyon, only 150 meters less profound and home to the famous condors. Together with the Misti Volcano, without doubt some of the best hiking possibilities in South West Peru. No matter what type of hiking you may be looking for, we are positive that Peru can offer it all.

Peru is known for its artisanal products, for its wool, gold & silver and its ceramics. All these products can be found easily, cheap and of great quality in Peru. You would not be the first visitor not being able to resist the colorful jumpers and hats being offered here. For shopping the bigger cities are maybe your best choice; Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, they all have large artisanal markets close to the city center were you can find almost anything you would imagine from a Peru artisanal market. Nevertheless, one of the main Peru attractions when it comes to shopping is without a doubt the market of Pisac. This market covering several blocks of this small town is famous for all the artisanal products you can find here in a typical Andean atmosphere.

Off course this list wouldn’t be complete without including the largest part of Peru, the Amazon Rainforest. This Peru tourist attraction is full of amazing discoveries and adventures. National parks such as Manu and Tambopata hold some of the most pristine and untouched Rainforest on the continent. Head down on some of the many waterways through this dense forest in a canoe, walk over a canopy walkway through the forest treetops, fish for piranhas, evening walks, these are all experiences part of a jungle stay. Of course there are other activities such as visiting indigenous villages and doing overnight camping trips. For the more luxury seekers, from Iquitos you can embark one of the luxury cruise boats doing multiple day cruises on the Amazon River.

Agreed, Peru may not be the first destination that comes to mind when thinking about surfing, but nothing is lesser true. Surf culture always has been big in Peru and the last couple of years this is starting to pay off. With the organization of the Women’s World Championship in 2008 in Mancora, Peru recently won the world title for teams, it is safe to say that surfing is the next big thing in Peru. Having good waves all over the north coast from Lima to the border with Ecuador, especially Lima and Mancora are known for its surfing beaches. As Lima weather only allows one to enjoy the waves a couple of months a year, we would recommend going to the beaches at Mancora and combining a couple of days relaxing with surfing classes. For the advanced surfers, in Chicama you will find the longest wave in the world. Besides the surfing on waves there is another type of surf Peru has to offer;

Sand boarding. This is done on a surf board greased up with wax and then sliding you down some of the highest sand dunes in the world. A buggy will take you into the desert and drive you up these gigantic dunes for a slide full of adrenaline down to the foot of the dune. The best sand boarding you can find in the Huacachina Oasis or in Nazca.