Most Inspirational Moment
Michu Picchu was awe inspiring and enchanting, it surpassed any expectations I had, just amazing. The homestay on Amantani Island on Lake Titicaca was fantastic, our 'mum' was wonderful and cooked us the most delicious dinner and breakfast. She was so lovely to be around and chat to even with the language barrier. In addition, I had the best (and only!) good night's sleep there. The Nazca Lines were amazing, we didn't manage a flight over them due to fog, but seeing them from the tower was still great. Cuzco and Arequipa are both wonderful cities to explore and had a very comfortable feel when walking around them. The hot springs in Chivay are worth doing, very relaxing and fun. Seeing wildlife (penguins, sea lions, pelicans, flamingos, vicuñas, llamas, alpaca, condors) along the way was fascinating, and what can I say about the scenery throughout the whole journey... just magnificent!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Diana was very good. She was extremely organised, efficient and knowledgable. She made sure the trip went smoothly and she was proud to show and teach us about her country.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take Peruvian Sols with you if possible, or if you take US dollars or Euros then change a decent amount at the airport in Lima as you don't get to a money exchange for 3 days due to the itinerary. I was advised to change just $30-40 at the airport, but this was insufficient and the advice was inaccurate apparently due to the tour now starting on a Friday.
Many ATMs charged 18 sols for withdrawing cash, look for BCP as apparently they don't charge.
Take clothes for warm and cold weather, it really was necessary. In one day you can need hats and gloves in the morning, shorts and t-shirts at lunchtime, and then back on with the woolies in the evening!
Although the bus journeys sound long they were in fact very comfortable with a toilet on board and lots of stops. The altitude did effect most people but only for short periods and it was manageable. Be aware if you have high blood pressure as the altitude can affect that. As well as drinking water to prevent dehydration, drinking electrolytes is important as too much water flushes those out. But the guide was experienced in dealing with any symptoms of altitude and gave good advice.
Be prepared for early starts pretty much every day, leaving at 7am was a lie in!! There were a couple of mornings free for a more relaxing morning.
I took a few useful souvenirs (shopping bag, soap, pencils) from home for my homestay mum and she was delighted. You can buy items such as candles, pasta, salt etc from the market there though if you don't take with you.
The optional excursions were all worth doing.
Try to stay awake on the bus so as not to miss the outstanding scenery!
