Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [462]
Wilderness Travel (510-558-2488, 800-368-2794; www.wildernesstravel.com; 1102 Ninth St, Berkeley, CA 94710) Offers luxury treks, from four nights to two weeks, throughout the highlands and the Amazon.
Wildland Adventures (206-365-0686, 800-345-4453; www.wildland.com; 3516 NE 155th St, Seattle, WA 98155) Environmentally sound, culturally sensitive treks around the Sacred Valley and the Cordillera Blanca, as well as Amazon tours.
From the UK & Continental Europe
Amazonas Explorer (01437-891-743; www.amazonas-explorer.com) Rafting, mountain-biking, trekking and multi-activity trips in the Amazon and the Andes, plus custom itineraries.
Andean Trails (0131-467-7086; www.andeantrails.co.uk; The Clockhouse, Bonnington Mill Business Centre, 72 Newhaven Rd, Edinburgh, Scotland EH6 5QG) Mountain-biking, climbing, trekking and rafting tours in some unusual spots.
clubaventure (08-26-88-20-80; www.clubaventure.fr; 18 rue Séguier, 75006 Paris, France) A reputable French company organizing treks and tours.
Guerba Adventure & Discovery Holidays (01373-826-611; www.guerba.co.uk; Wessex House, 40 Station Rd, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3JN, UK) Trekking, activity and family-focused tours of the Andes and the Amazon.
Hauser Exkursionen (89-235-0060; www.hauser-exkursionen.de, in German; Spiegelstrasse 9, D-81241 Munich, Germany) Among the best German companies offering Andean treks.
Journey Latin America (020-8747-8315; www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk; 12 & 13 Heathfield Tce, Chiswick, London W4 4JE, UK) Cultural trips and treks in the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash and to Machu Picchu.
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GETTING AROUND
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AIR
Domestic-flight schedules and prices change frequently. New airlines open every year, as those with poor safety records close. Most big cities are served by modern jets, while smaller towns are served by propeller aircraft.
Airlines in Peru
Most airlines fly from Lima to regional capitals, but service between provincial cities is limited. The following domestic airlines are the most established and reliable.:
LAN (airline code LPE; 01-213-8200; www.lan.com) Peru’s major domestic carrier flies to Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Iquitos, Juliaca, Piura, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto and Trujillo. Additionally it offers link services between Arequipa and Cuzco, Arequipa and Juliaca, Arequipa and Tacna, Cuzco and Juliaca, and Cuzco and Puerto Maldonado.
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DOMESTIC DEPARTURE TAX
At most airports, the departure tax for domestic flights will generally be about US$6, though the fee does vary (ever so slightly) from department to department. In most cases, you will pay the tax in cash (dollars or nuevos soles) at the check-in counter before proceeding to departure gates.
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LC Busre (airline code LCB; 01-619-1313; www.lcbusre.com.pe) A small airline with small, turbo-prop aircraft; flies to Andahuaylas, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Huancayo, Huánuco, Huaraz, Iquitos, Pucallpa and Tarapoto.
Star Perú (airline code SRU; 01-705-9000; www.starperu.com) Another domestic carrier, flying to Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cuzco, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Talara and Tarapoto; with link service between Tarapoto and Iquitos.
TACA (airline code TAI; 01-511-8222; www.taca.com) Central American airline that offers service between Lima and Cuzco.
Most domestic airlines have offices in Lima (Click here). Smaller carriers and charters are listed under destinations throughout this book. The most remote towns may require connecting flights, and smaller towns are not served every day. Many airports for these places are often no more than a dirt strip.
Be at the airport at least 60 minutes before your flight departs (at least 90 minutes early in Cuzco, and two hours in Lima). This is a precaution as your flight may be overbooked, baggage handling and check-in procedures tend to be chaotic, and it’s not unknown for flights to leave before their official departure time