Peru Itinerary April 4 - April 18, 2009

Saturday April 4th

American Airlines #1564
Departs SFO 9:25am arrives LAX 10:55am

LAN Airlines #601/AA #7734
Departs LAX 1:20pm arrives LIM (Lima Peru) 11:55pm

Pick up from airport by taxi sent from Hotel in Lima

April 4th - April 6th, Lima Peru (Saturday, Sunday, early departure on Monday morning)

Hostal El Patio
Diez Canseco 341, Miraflores Lima, Peru
Tel: 51-1-444-2107, 51-1-715-0986 , Fax: 51-1-7171878
http://www.hostalelpatio.net/

Full day in Lima on April 5th.

April 6, 2009
TACA airlines #007
5:40 AM - Lima, Peru - arrives 7:05 AM - Cuzco, Peru

Pick up from airport by taxi sent from Hotel in Cusco.

April 6th - April 12th ( Monday through Sunday, This is holy week in Cusco, Sunday is Easter.)

Hotel Rumi Punku
Calle Choquechaca 339
Cusco Perú
Telf.: +51(84) 221102
Fax: +51(84) 242741
www.rumipunku.com

Monday April 6th through Easter Sunday afternoon in Cusco and surrounding area.
First 24 hours very slow and mellow so we can acclimate. Cusco is over 11,000 ft altitude. Light food and no alcohol with only light walking around is advised for the first 24 hours.

April 12th Sunday
Transfer to the Sacred Valley and Inca Town of Ollantaytambo

April 12th - 16th Sunday through Thursday

Hotel Pakaritampu
Located on the road just up from the railway station
Teléfono: (51-84) 204020 - 204104 - 204106
Fax: (51-84) 204105
www.pakaritampu.com

April 13th Tuesday
Spend day exploring Ollantaytambo and Sacred Valley

April 14th Wednesday
http://www.perurail.com/web/tper/jdm_interface.jsp (train schedule)
Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu
5:35am arrives Arrives Aguas Calientes 7:01am,

Depart Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo by train
7pm arrives Ollantaytambo 8:25pm

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
The bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu takes about 20 minutes and costs US$6 each way (US$12 return). The ride itself is spectacular as the narrow track winds its way up the mountainside. It can be a bit scary at times with almost vertical drops plunging down into the Vilcanota Valley below especially when you meet a bus coming in the other direction! The scenery is lush cloud forest with great views of the sacred mountain Putucusi on the opposite side of the valley. If it wasn't for the rush to get to Machu Picchu this ride would be an attraction in itself. If you look closely out of the window you can see splashes of pink and orange flowers growing on the slopes - these are actually the orchid Wiñay Wayna which can be commonly seen throughout the region. The buses are clean and modern with air-conditioning. You have to buy your bus ticket before you get on the bus in the morning. There is a small ticket office just opposite the departure point which opens at 5:15am. The first group of buses depart from Aguas Calientes at about 5:20am then at 10 minute intervals throughout the day depending on demand until about 4pmIt speeds things up if you buy your bus ticket in advance, either from the ticket office in Aguas Calientes the night before or from the Consettur offices in Cusco (located in Avenida Pardo opposite Parque Espana - its a short walk from the main post office or just ask a taxi driver to take you there which will cost 3 Soles / US$1). Each bus departs when it’s full. The last buses depart Machu Picchu at about 5:30pm,

Machu Picchu opens at 6am and stays open until 6pm.
Tickets to enter Machu Picchu can no longer be bought at the entrance to Machu Picchu itself. You now have to buy the entrance tickets at the Machu Picchu Cultural Centre in Aguas Calientes (10m from the main Plaza, opens at 5:15am). The entrance fee is 122 Peruvian Soles (which is approximately US$44). There is a 50% discount for students with a valid ISIC card. They only accept payment in Peruvian Soles and rarely have any change so make sure that you take the exact amount. If you don't they'll just tell you to come back when you have the correct change.! If you can, best to buy the entrance tickets the day before. Alternatively you can buy the tickets in Cusco at the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) offices which can be found at Calle San Bernado a few blocks from the main Plaza de Armas). The tickets are valid for 3 days from the day of purchase which means you have time to travel to Aguas Calientes, stay the night and enter Machu Picchu the following morning. However once you enter Machu Picchu they are only valid for that day. If you want to return to Machu Picchu the following day then you have to buy another ticket.

April 15th,
Repeat Machu Picchu trip if exploring site another day. Can take later train up to site and come back earlier. Various times available.
Alternative exploring sacred valley and sites around if not going back to Machu Picchu

April 16th Thursday

Return to Cusco in afternoon for one night stay at:
Hotel Rumi Punku
Calle Choquechaca 339
Cusco Perú
Telf.: +51(84) 221102
Fax: +51(84) 242741
www.rumipunku.com

April 17th Friday
Taca Airline # 008
7:55am - Cuzco arrive 9:20am Lima

Radisson Hotel San Isidro
AVENIDA LAS PALMERAS, 240
SAN ISIDRO, Lima27
511-422-3887

Morning to evening in Lima, food, rest. Our flight leaves at 1:40am in the morning on Friday night really Saturday morning. We leave for airport around 10pm.

Lan Air #2604, AA#7736
departs 1:40am arrives LAX 8:15am

American Airlines #581
departs LAX 12:00pm arrives SFO 1:20pm

Pick up at airport by family!