Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [177]
Robberies in cabs have been reported. Use only official taxis, especially at night. (Look for the company’s lit telephone number on top of the car.) Lock your doors from the inside, and never allow the driver to admit a second passenger.
Avoid walking by yourself late at night or very early in the morning. Revelers returning late from bars or setting off for the Inca Trail before sunrise are particularly vulnerable to ‘choke and grab’ attacks. For tips on avoiding theft and other common scams, Click here.
Don’t buy drugs. Dealers and police often work together, and Procuradores is one of several areas in which you can make a drug deal and get busted all within a couple of minutes. Drink spiking has been reported. Women especially should try not to let go of their glass or accept drinks from strangers.
Take care not to overexert yourself during your first few days if you’ve flown in from lower elevations, such as Lima. You may find yourself quickly becoming winded while traipsing up and down Cuzco’s narrow streets. Some hotels offer in-room oxygen supplements, which may ease symptoms of altitude. For more advice on altitude sickness, Click here.
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CUZCO & THE SACRED VALLEY IN…
Two Days
Spend one day exploring the city of Cuzco, starting with an early jugo (fruit juice) in Mercado San Pedro, then getting cultural with some of the city’s many museums. Museo Quijote (Click here) and the Museo Histórico Regional (Click here) are highly recommended for fine art; El Museo de Arte Popular (Click here) and Museo Irq’i Yachay (Click here) for folksy art; and the Museo Inka (Click here) for preconquest Peruvian artifacts. After lunch, gawk at the most imposing relics left by the Incas and the Spanish conquistadors, respectively, at Qorikancha (Click here) and La Catedral (opposite). At 6:45pm check out the nightly music and dance show at the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo (opposite). The next day, get up early and board a train to Machu Picchu (Click here), Peru’s most renowned ancient site.
Four Days
Follow the Cuzco day of the two-day itinerary. On the second day join a ‘backdoor’ or ‘Inca jungle’ alternative tour (Click here) to Machu Picchu. Spend the day descending by mountain bike to the cloud forest frontier town of Santa Teresa (Click here), then soaking in its 24-hour hot springs. On Day 3, get up early and hike to Machu Picchu (Click here). Spend the night in Aguas Calientes (Click here), then catch the train to ancient, cobbled Ollantaytambo (Click here). There’s still time to take local buses to the spectacular salt pans of Salinas (Click here) on the way back to Cuzco.
One Week
Follow the Cuzco day of the two-day itinerary. On the second day, follow the walking tour (Click here) up through arty San Blas to the impressive fortress of Sacsaywamán (Click here). Flag down local buses to the nearby ruins of Tambomachay (Click here), Q’enqo (Click here) and Pukapukara (Click here). On the third day, start trekking the spectacular, rugged Salkantay trail (Click here) to Machu Picchu (Click here).
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SIGHTS
Tourists can’t easily buy individual entrance tickets to many of Cuzco’s sights. Instead, you are forced to buy a boleto turístico (tourist ticket; see opposite). Only a few museums, churches and colonial buildings in and around the city can be visited for free or for a modest admission charge. Almost all have local guides who persistently offer their services. Some speak a varying amount of English or other foreign languages. For more extensive tours at major sites, such as Qorikancha or the cathedral, you should always agree to a fair price in advance. Otherwise, a respectable minimum tip for a short tour is S5 per person in a small group, and a little more for individuals.
Opening hours are erratic and can change for any reason – from Catholic feast days to