Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [88]
The most useful routes link Central Lima with Miraflores along Av Arequipa or Paseo de la República. Minibuses along Garcilaso de la Vega (also called Av Wilson) and Av Arequipa are labeled ‘Todo Arequipa’ or ‘Larco/Schell/Miraflores’ when heading to Miraflores and, likewise, ‘Todo Arequipa’ and ‘Wilson/Tacna’ when leaving Miraflores for central Lima. Catch these buses along Av José Larco or Av Arequipa in Miraflores.
To get to Barranco, look for buses along Av Arequipa labeled ‘Chorrillos/Huaylas/Metro’ (some will also have signs that say ‘Barranco’). You can also find these on the Diagonal, just west of the Parque Kennedy, in Miraflores.
Taxi
Lima’s taxis don’t have meters, so negotiate a price with the driver before getting in. Fares will vary depending on the length of the journey, traffic conditions, time of day and how well dressed you look. Plan for paying extra for registered taxis and any taxi you hail outside a tourist attraction. As a (very) rough guide, a trip from Central Lima to Miraflores costs around S12, while Central Lima to the airport will run about S20. Fares from Miraflores to the airport generally start at about S40. You can haggle the price – though this is often harder during rush hour. If there are two or more of you be clear on whether the fare is per person or for the car.
The majority of taxis in Lima are unregistered (unofficial); indeed, surveys have indicated that no less than one vehicle in seven here is a taxi. During the day, it is generally not a problem to use either. However, at night it is generally safer to use registered taxis, which have a rectangular authorization sticker with the word SETAME on the upper left corner of the windshield. Registered taxis also usually have a yellow paint job and a license number painted on the sides.
Registered taxis can be called by phone or found at taxi stands, such as the one outside the Sheraton in Central Lima or outside the LarcoMar shopping mall in Miraflores. Registered taxis cost about 30% to 50% more than regular street taxis and can be hired on a per-hour basis.
The following companies all work 24 hours and accept advance reservations:
Moli Taxi (479-0030)
Taxi América (165-1960)
Taxi Lima (271-1763)
Taxi Móvil (422-6890)
Taxi Real (470-6263; www.taxireal.com) Recommended.
Taxi Seguro (241-9292)
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AROUND LIMA
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PACHACAMAC
01
Situated about 31km southeast of the city center, the archaeological complex of Pachacamac (430-0168; http://pachacamac.perucultural.org.pe; admission S6; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) is a pre-Columbian citadel made up of adobe and stone palaces and temple pyramids. If you’ve been to Machu Picchu, it may not look like much, but this was an important Inca site and a major city when the Spanish arrived. It began as a ceremonial center for the Lima culture beginning at about AD 100, and was later expanded by the Waris before being taken over by the Ichsma. The Incas added numerous other structures upon their arrival to the area in 1450. The name Pachacamac, which can be variously translated as ‘He who Animated the World’ or ‘He who Created Land and Time,’ comes from the Wari god, whose wooden, two-faced image can be seen in the on-site museum.
Most of the buildings are now little more than piles of rubble that dot the desert landscape, but some of the main temples have been excavated and their ramps and stepped sides revealed. You can climb the switchback trail to the top of the Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun), which on clear days offers excellent views of the coast. The most remarkable structure on-site, however, is the Palacio de las Mamacuna (House of the Chosen Women), commonly referred to as the Acllahuasi, which boasts a series of Inca-style trapezoidal doorways. Unfortunately, a major earthquake in 2007 has left the structure highly unstable and, as a result, visitors can only admire it from a distance. (Because of the extensive damage – and because there have been no funds available