While it is true that often the best advice comes from one’s own experience, there are countries to which travel with certain information helps us a lot. This is the case of Peru, a country in which there are certain aspects, such as altitude sickness, for which it is appreciated and much, have information and insider tips.
1. Book flights with time
One of the mistakes we make when booking flights is expected to last minute thinking that the last-minute flights are cheaper. Nothing further from reality. And for once this is fulfilled and lucky enough to find a fair deal breaker on the dates you need, other times it is completely upside down.
The same applies to domestic flights, you should book it with 3 or 4 months in advance is usually a good way to find tighter prices
2. Plan the trip to Peru with a logical itinerary
One of the best ways to travel is to organize the itinerary in a logical manner, following an order in visits, something that will make you a lot of time with which you can enjoy more visits in the country.
Logic tells us that surely will come to Peru through the city of Lima. We recommend that you spend one or two days to know because aside from having many interesting places, it will serve as a first contact with the country.
From here we suggest you go to Paracas, where you can make a tour of the Paracas National Reserve and also know the Ballestas Islands, before going to Nazca, famous for its amazing and magical lines.
From here we recommend you go to Arequipa, one of the most famous cities in the country to which you must dedicate at least one day to meet its most emblematic places, like the Monastery of Santa Catalina.
From Arequipa, if you have time, we recommend that you spend for the Colca Valley a couple of days before going to Puno, gateway to Titicaca Lake, one of the great wonders of Peru.
From here and after enjoying one of the most breathtaking scenery in the country, the most logical route passes to go to Cuzco, one of the jewels of Peru.
In Cusco we recommend you to be several days. One or two to know the city, another to know the surroundings, as Tambomachay, Pukapukara, Kenko and Sacsayhuaman then go to Pisac and Ollantaytambo before arriving in Aguas Calientes, the gateway to one of the most incredible jewels in the world: Macchu Picchu.
After learning this incredible wonder we recommend you to make a stop at the salt mines of Maras, Moray and Chinchero on the way back to Cusco where, if still you have got a few days, we recommend you approach to Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos to enjoy the Amazon, one of the most incredible scenery in the country.
3. Enjoy the Peruvian cuisine, one of the best in the world
If anything in Peru that is required is to taste the amazing Peruvian cuisine, one of the best in the world.
Famous dishes like ceviche or causa limeña are just a few examples of the hundreds of dishes you can taste in a country known worldwide for the quality and variety of its cuisine.
If you allow us advice, be sure to try the cuy chactado. We know there are people for whom it will not be a particularly pleasant experience, the cuy is like our guinea pig, but we believe it is a good way to get into the Peruvian cuisine and learn more traditions.
4. Altitude Sickness
Putting these tips do not replace or much less to the advice of a doctor, we want to explain some tips to combat altitude sickness or soroche
- One of the first recommendations we got when we started taking height is soroche or altitude sickness is caused largely by a psychological factor. That is, go with fear as we ascend, think too much about the symptoms or control the height can cause us to start noticing the first symptoms, caused by nerves.
- Another recommendation is not to eat too much during the ascent as the days being in height. This is because the high altitude digestions are slower and hence also heavier.
- Getting enough sleep and not perform on efforts are some of the tips that are often given to combat altitude sickness.
- A part of these recommendations, perhaps best known, we also chew coca leaves, the way to do it is to put together a catalyst 5-6 leaves in the mouth and chewing them for about 4 minutes and repeat this action to be in the mouth about 12 -15’ll still munching leaves for approximately 10 minutes, at which point you will notice a bit numbed tongue and lips and can stop chewing.
We did the day we were leaving from Arequipa to Colca and started to climb, reaching nearly 5000 meters Patapampa.
Besides chewing leaves, we were taking coca tea and triple mate with coca sweets these days.
These were the tips that we take to combat altitude sickness and we worked perfectly except for a slight headache we noticed the day we slept in Chivay.
Regardless of these recommendations to us our doctor also recommended taking Edemox, a drug that although it is not particularly prescribed for this purpose, as a side effect, helps the body not to suffer the soroche.
5. What clothes led me to travel to Peru?
One of the questions most often are asked is what kind of clothes you have to be as you travel.
We recommend carrying various types of clothing, since according to the area, you can find you one time or another.
- For the coast: For cities such as Lima, Paracas or Ica we recommend you wear light clothes, preferably cotton and sneakers or flip-flops.
Keep in mind that between the months of April and November, the Peruvian coast has fairly low temperatures and high humidity.
- For the mountains: Places like Arequipa, Puno and Cusco, we recommend you also bring forth light clothes, although at night you will need a jacket and / or foulard that shelters a little.
As footwear is highly recommended to wear boots if you are going to do some walking.
In the cooler months between November and April, we recommend bear warm and waterproof clothing.
- For the jungle: whether you go to Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado, we recommend you to wear light clothing, light-colored and overcoat sleeve and long pants to avoid as much mosquito bites.
Does not forget the boots for hiking, mosquito repellent and a raincoat especially for storms.
