Here I bring you the last major trip of the year, Peru and Bolivia. The land of the Incas, long standing civilization and lives in harmony with the elements of nature. Two of the most popular travel destinations, Machu Picchu and Salar de Uyuni, in South America have consistently been on the list of top 50 dream places for travelers. Sometimes, people might prefer to visit these two locations separately in a different seasons because the best time to visit Machu Picchu is during the dry season, May to October, but in order to see the reflective surface of Salar de Uyuni, you must visit during the wet season, December to March. Another best part of this trip was that I met a lot of new friends!
Meet my new friends in this trip. Elisa & Tindaro, from Italy!!! Picture was taken in Uyuni.
Machu Picchu
Sunset at Cusco Airport
I like photographing landscapes, so I told myself that I would fit both places in regardless of how difficult it may be given the circumstances. There are countless many places I want to visit around the globe, but my days off are limited and lifetime is limited, so why not give it my all and try to make it possible and have an adventurous trip. However, the itinerary purely based on the paper frightened me because it is completely stacked. Some may describe it as insane, naive, or even idiotic. Hey, you know what? Be yourself and do what you enjoy doing, and soon you will realize that your true potential is beyond the sky and off the charts! Start living from this moment.
Salar de Uyuni
Itinerary (~9 days locally)
11/21: Mega Bus Philadelphia to NY. Stay at Fairfield Inn NY JFK Airport. Cost: $10 + $159.56
11/22: JFK-BOG-UIO-LIM via Avianca business flight promotion. Cost: $650
A330 Seat 1A: First row is the best with extra leg space
Outlet on the right side
Seat controller on the left side
Seat is 2-2-2
BOG - LIM: A320
No flat seat...
Leg space is a lot smaller compared to A330
11/23: LIM-CUZ via LATAM flight. Cost: Avios 4,500 + $11.42
11/23: Cusco-Machu Picchu via Inca Rail with Yoyager Bimodal train. Cost: $76
Didn't feel that not much different compared to Inca Rail
11/24: Machu Picchu-Ollantaytambo via Inca Rail with Yoyager Bimodal train. Cost: $75
11/25: Ollantaytambo-Cusco via Uber/Taxi. Cost: $20.70
11/26: CUZ-JUL via LATAM flight. Cost: $39.65
11/28: Puno-La Paz via boat & bus. Cost: $37.20 + $35.51
I encountered a local strike in Puno, so all buses stopped operating for half day. Paid $37.20 to take a boat to go around, but the boat was so slow that the bus eventually caught up to it...
Apparently we crossed the border when we were not supposed to. Border between Peru and Bolivia
11/29: La Paz-UYU via overnight bus.
12/1: UYU-LPB via BoA flight. Cost: $117. There were probably only 5 customers on the entire flight!
12/2: LPB-LIM via LATAM flight. Cost: Avios 7,500 + $88.56
12/2: LIM-SAL-JFK via Avianca business flight. Mega Bus from NY to Philadelphia. Cost: $10
A330: 2-2-2
Food was average. Chicken, tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and salad with ham.
Another average meal as expected. Potato salad, chicken, carrot, and rice.
Seat 1A
Attractions
I will share the pictures I took at each of the attractions I went to and how I felt about them. But you can certainly find other optional attractions in the Q&A section at the end and what I would recommend based on my own research. Recommendations will be the one I would like to visit but could not due to lack of time I had there, so do your own due diligence while planning your own trip.
Cusco
Cusco was once capital of the Inca Empire and is now known for its archaeological remains. Nowadays, the city is often the first stop for visitors who wish to visit Machu Picchu in Peru. You will find many Spanish architecture as you walk around the city. Most of popular attractions are in Plaza De Armas, which is the central square in the old city. Nearby there is Temple of the Sun, which has many of archaeological remains of Inca stonework.
- In Peru, man wears wedding ring on his right hand
- Many stores do not open until 8 or 9 am
- If you need any photography gears, visit Foto Nishiyama and nearby area on Av El Sol and Mantas St. Make sure you shop around for the price before pulling the trigger!
- Entrance of Starbucks is on Loreto alley in Plaza De Armas. Get the special local fruit Frappuccino.
- Sacsayhuamán is another good spot to view entire Cusco
Frappuccino made with some local fruits.
Center of Plaza De Armas in Cusco
Cusco Cathedral
Plaza De Armas
Museo De Historia Natural
Plaza De Armas
Ahuacpinta alley right next to Palacio del Inka, Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco
Aguas Calientes
I did not plan to stay at Aguas Calientes for one night originally. In hindsight, it was not a bad idea because it lets your body fully adjust to the high altitude. Just make sure there is consistent hot water at your hostel by reading through the online review. However, it's understandable to not stay here for one night since there isn't really anything to do here.
Aguas Calientes train station
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes - Hostel I stayed at, meh, it was whatever
Hostel room. Note that it doesn't have an elevator. Be aware of how much luggage you have!
View from our hostel room
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Intersection between Av Imperio de los Incas and Avenida Hermanos Ayar
Bus station to Machu Picchu is at the end of this road - Avenida Hermanos Ayar
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Intersection between Av Imperio de los Incas and Avenida Hermanos Ayar
Intersection between Av Imperio de los Incas and Avenida Hermanos Ayar
Machu Picchu
You should get all tickets from a local travel agency except for train tickets since you can negotiate for a cheaper price or get a bundle discount. If you plan on hiking the Huayna Picchu during peak season, then you probably want to purchase your ticket in advance as well because it runs out quickly. Make sure to print physical tickets regardless of what anyone tells you. Despite reading some warning about requiring a guide to enter Machu Picchu, we didn't have a guide and entered without any issue.
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge: Right outside of Machu Picchu entrance!!!
Machu Picchu entrance
Machu Picchu - Historic stones
MP Mt RT - 3 hours. Sun Gate RT - 1.5 hours. We gave up 10 minutes in for MP Mt lol...
Entrance of Machu Picchu mountain
Most popular shot of Machu Picchu. Turn the picture 90 degree to the left and see what happens!
Group photo with Machu Picchu
If you choose to walk down on the right side to see llama, you aren't allowed to come back up
Machu Picchu - llamas
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu - llamas
Machu Picchu - llamas
Machu Picchu
Gotta take selfie with llamas
Ollantaytambo: Moray, Maras, Chinchero
Generally people will spend a day to do a typical itinerary in Ollantaytambo: Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Moray, and Chinchero. The cost of tickets for these four places was 70 Sol. You can also choose a broader bundle including a total of 16 places, which costs 130 Sol. The cost of Maras was 10 Sol. We spent a lot more time in Moray and Chinchero and just a little over 30 minutes in Maras due to the rain.
Ollantaytambo
Entrance of Moray
Moray
Moray: Turns out that you are not actually allowed to go inside the Moray
There is a small circular hike around the Moray
Entrance of Maras
Maras
Maras
Maras: it was extremely salty!
Maras
It started to rain heavily...Luckily we still got there before it rained
Show the ticket we bought from Moray to enter the Chinchero
Chinchero
Top of Chinchero: Templo Colonial church
Top of Chinchero: It has a relatively large flat ground
What is this lol...
Chinchero market
Puno
Puno is a city right next to Lake Titicaca, and its elevation is 12556 ft (3827 meters). I would highly recommend taking altitude sickness medication a day prior your arrival here. We took a flight from Cusco to Juliaca first then took a shuttle bus to Puno. There were no Ubers at JUL airport, but you can find some people holding signs for transportation services, Yellow - Private Taxi and Red - Shuttle Bus, at the airport lobby. 80 Sol for taxi and 15 Sol for a shuttle bus. There is a casino in Puno, and I should have gone there to win my entire trip back. There are many travel agencies on Lima street, which is right next to Pino Park, and you can find a good deal for the Lake Titicaca tour as well as many restaurant choices. In the hypermarket food court, we ate Bembos, which was alright.
Right outside of JUL airport
City view of Puno
Pino Park
Street view of Puno
Puno Plaza Vea (Hypermarket): This supermarket is gigantic. It has a food court on the second floor!
Local food on the street in Puno: I didn't try it due to having stomach issues
Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Candelaria
Night view of Lima street in Puno
Puno Cathedral, right next to Plaza de Armas Puno
Lima street in Puno
Lake Titicaca - Uros & Taquile islands
We paid 40 Sol for a one-day tour that included two floating islands, Uros and Taquile. It included entrance fees, lunch, etc. After you get on the boat, there will be some local residents doing a singing performance, but it is not mandatory to tip. Everything revolves around reeds on Uros island. When a reed is pulled, the white bottom is often eaten for iodine. This prevents goitres. The white part of the reed is called the chullo. The reeds are their primary source of food, but they also fish ispi, carachi, and catfish. Chullo is also used as a source for relieving pains and helping ease alcohol-related hangovers. If you would also like to explore Amantaní island, normally it requires a 2 days tour.
Each Uros island is owned by a family
Fish around Uros island
Many handcrafted items, but the price was relatively high to me
Uros islands
Reed boats
Uros islands
Uros islands
Uros islands
Let me warn you ahead of time, I thought the hike was ridiculous on Taquile island. On the bright side, it only took approximately 30 minutes. Once you reach the top, you will have some free time to view the shore from a flat ground and have lunch at a local restaurant. In the end, I was exhausted from visiting these two islands. Although it was unique experience, I was not too fond of Lake Titicaca and the floating islands. In hindsight, I would've probably gone to rainbow mountain or death road instead.
- Locals will carry a bag with coca leaf in it, and hand them to others to greet in the morning
- Hat with two colors - Single; Hat with single colors - Married
- Large and black towel is used by women. Single curl ball - single; Double curl balls - Married
- Do not recommend people with heart issue to do the tour
- Extremely cold if you decide to live on Uros island for one night
Not even half-way to the top...
There is a soccer field at the top!?
Flat ground on the top of island
Flat ground on the top of island
Shore view from the top
After the ridiculous hike, this soup was tastier than ever lol...
Main entree choice: Trout or Omelette. It was not bad actually.
Finally we are about to return to the boat...completely exhausted
Oh, hello there!
Just few more steps...
La Paz
I had to pay an extra $37.20 and choose to take a boat to skip the strike. I was supposed to take a bus from Puno to La Paz, but there was a strike causing all buses to stop operating. I could've potentially been stuck in Puno for an extra day. I was worried because I didn't have many days left for La Paz and Uyuni. The boat was moving so slow that the bus eventually caught up to us right at the border between Peru and Bolivia. After 6 hours of being in a boat and another 6 hours of being in a bus, I finally arrived at La Paz, and I no longer wanted to take an overnight bus to Uyuni. As a result, I choose to stay at La Paz for an extra day. I strongly do not recommend taking a boat unless you are extremely desperate and short on time like me, sort of...Whether you already have a visa for Bolivia or not, you need to visit both immigration offices in Peru and Bolivia.
The first attraction was Valle de la Luna, known as Moon Valley. I paid 30B to take a taxi from my hotel to Moon Valley. It is very hot here, so make sure you have sunglasses on and use sunscreen. The entrance fee to Moon Valley was 15B.
Moon Valley
Moon Valley
Moon Valley
Each route shows how much time it takes to complete a circular hike
Moon Valley
After Moon Valley and lunch, I went to Mirador Kili Kili. It was very popular because it allows you to view the entire city of La Paz from a high flat ground. It was also a good spot to take sunset shots as well as night photos of La Paz. I paid 7B to take a taxi from a local restaurant to here.
Mirador Kili Kili
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
Another popular attraction in La Paz is Plaza San Francisco. I think it's somewhat overrated...but whatever, it doesn't hurt to come here anyway. This area was quite crowded throughout the entire day and there is a lot of street shopping you can do. Additionally, the plaza is pretty close to the red line of Mi Teleferico, known as the La Paz cable car system. Red and yellow lines of Mi Teleferico will get you to the top of the city in order to have a nice view. I recommend just taking a taxi instead of walking there even if it looks very close on google maps since the entire city is basically on a hill, it was exhausting just walking for a few minutes.
Plaza San Francisco
Plaza San Francisco
I was originally going to take the yellow line of Mi Teleferico since it was much closer to my hotel. But since I was already at the Plaza San Francisco, I went to the red line of Mi Teleferico instead and eventually got to El Alto, which is located at the top of Mi Teleferico. Note that if you wish to take night photos of La Paz, I would recommend taking the yellow line of Mi Teleferico instead of red line since there are windows blocking the view at El Alto, so it was disappointing. Ticket is 3 BOB one way.
Red line of Mi Teleferico
Top of Mi Teleferico via red line: El Alto
Night view of El Alto
Uyuni
My favorite highlight of the entire trip, Salar de Uyuni. Even though I only stayed in Uyuni for 26 hours, I was able to join three tours and was very happy with it. If you take the overnight bus from La Paz, you will arrive Uyuni early morning between 6 and 7 am. Most of travel agencies do not open until 8 am, but luckily there are some coffee shops that open early, so you can grab some breakfast and coffee there. The majority of travel agencies are located on Av Ferroviaria, and I personally didn't find much difference between them all. You can shop around and negotiate for the best price. It was very dry in Uyuni, so you should carry moisturizer with you. Since I joined the tours with Hodaka, I will provide their public price below:
- Options below are Salar de Uyuni specific
- Starlight + Sunrise: 3am - 7:30am, $22
- Sunset + Starlight: 4pm - 10pm, $22
- Day time: 10am - 4pm, $22
- Starlight: 11pm - 3am, $22
- Private tour of any option above is $130 (not per person, but per tour!)
- Uyuni one day tour: $30
- Uyuni two days tour: $80
- Uyuni three days tour: $125
Hodaka Mountain Travel Agency
Uyuni town
We spent about 30 minutes to an hour here at trains cemetery. I did not have any special feeling towards this attraction. It turned out to just be an attraction for taking Instagram photos!
Trains cemetery
Trains cemetery
Trains cemetery
Trains cemetery
Right before we got to the salt hotel Playa Blanca to enjoy our lunch, we stopped outside of the salt hotel to take some pictures with these interesting point of attractions. The lunch was somewhat average, but ironically it was still better than most of food I had in South America lol...
Outside of Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Outside of Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Outside of Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Lunch at Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
After lunch and some personal free time near the salt hotel area, we moved on to the white beach. Your driver will probably help you take some very interesting perspective pictures here at the white beach. They seem to only like using iPhones because of its rear camera position.
White beach at Salar de Uyuni
White beach at Salar de Uyuni
Fish island was probably the least interesting place for me. My friends and I had gone to Saguaro National Park in Arizona back in March, so I had seen a much bigger variety of cacti. All of the sudden, I also got a nose bleed, so I ended up staying inside the car for the entire duration we were here.
Fish island
Fish island
For starlight, sunrise, and sunset tours, they will drive around and find a specific area where it has water, so you will still be able to see the reflective sky during the off season. However, note that it is certainly not guaranteed, and if it is too windy, you won't be able to see the reflection either.
Right after the golden hour of sunset
Sunset at Salar de Uyuni
Sunrise at Salar de Uyuni
Starlight at Salar de Uyuni
Milky Way at Salar de Uyuni
Sunrise at Salar de Uyuni
Accommodation
There will be a variety of choices to choose from and even some major hotel brands in Lima and Cusco. We went with Airbnb and Hostels for most of our stay to minimize cost. After my trip, my suggestion would be to spend the money and find comfortable hotels if you can unless you desperately want to save on cost. It was somewhat stressful to be without consistent hot water when you simply wanted to take a nice shower...I will share few recommendations below but try to avoid staying in Ollantaytambo. There is literally nothing in Ollantaytambo, it was worse than Aguas Calientes. You should stay at Cusco and hire a private taxi to do a one-day tour at Sacred Valley round-trip.
JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
- Category 5 property: required 35,000 Marriott points per night or an anniversary free night from their credit card can be used on this property as well. Cash price is not expensive either.
- Staffs were kind and friendly
- Amazing buffet style breakfast: Daily breakfast for 2 as Platinum Premier Elite member (5:30 - 10am)
- 2 Pisco Sours
- On-site Jacuzzi (7am - 10:30pm)
- Right next to an amazing local restaurant: Museo Del Pisco - Cusco
Classic Inca Wall Room
Room Desk
Classic Inca Wall Room
Bathroom
Bathroom
Two Queen Beds
I normally don't eat breakfast at all. However, the buffet style breakfast at this property was simply amazing. I also hadn't had a good meal prior my stay here, so it definitely helped tremendously.
Fresh fruits
My favorite smoked salmon on the left
Waffles on the left!!!
Variety of breads
Place where you order the omelette
Patio
Patio
Hilton Garden Inn Cusco
We passed by this property quite a few times. Although we didn't stay here, I thought the location was great especially if you want to photograph the city of Cusco from a hill.
Source: Hotels.com
Hotel Stannum Boutique & Spa La Paz
I used Chase Ultimate Reward points to stay here for two individual nights. Each night I spent about 6,000 points. The hotel is located on the top of a shopping mall, so it's very convenient to grab some food downstairs. The lobby is on the 5th floor, and every room is on the 12th floor.
Lobby on the 5th floor
Reception desk on 12th floor
Lobby area on 12th floor
Fruits
Breads
Ham, Cheese, oats, etc.
Casa Grande Hotel La Paz
Recommended by one of my friends who lives in South America. According to him, this hotel has one of the highest cost-performance ratio value in all of South America. So if you are looking for a luxury stay in La Paz, I would highly recommend this property, and it only costs a few dollars more than Hotel Stannum Boutique & Spa, the one I stayed at.
Source: Hotels.com
Hotel Palacio de Sal
Due to a last minute decision, I did not have to book a stay in Uyuni because I had 3 tours back to back and went to the airport directly after sunrise. However, I found this hotel particularly attractive when I was searching for a stay in Uyuni, and the cost was between $140 to $200 per night. The price is most likely going to be on the higher end compared to most other places, but it comes with luxury amenities and quality! It has full-service spa, indoor pool, free buffet breakfast, etc. Lastly, it's right outside Salar de Uyuni!
Source: Hotels.com
Note that there were certainly many other options for luxury hotels such as Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Cusco, Belmond Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, and Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado near Urubamba. Lastly, I strongly recommended booking a nice 3-star hotel in Puno if you can.
Honorable Restaurant
Museo Del Pisco in Cusco - Right next to JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
Lomo Saltado - absolutely amazing! I wanted to order a second plate to be honest...36 Sol
Beef Burger. 30 Sol
Antipasto Vegetarian. 28 Sol. Truly a vegetarian plate, too healthy for me.
Wontons with Ajide Gallina & Lomo Saltado. 26 Sol. I liked how Lomo Saltado was stuffed inside a roll basically, and there was guacamole on the side.
Valentina in Cusco
Recommended by friends. I was having a serious stomach issue, so I actually didn't get to visit the place and try out some of their local dishes. Do your own due diligence and evaluate whether you are interested in trying out this restaurant or not.
Source: TripAdvisor
Luciernagas restaurant in La Paz - Very close to Mirador Killi Killi
I ordered a set lunch, which I thought it was a very good deal. The set cost 34 BOB, and the meal was delicious, especially the sauce! It comes with a bread with local special sauce, choice of soup, an entree, and a desert, which I chose mango ice cream.
Entrance of the restaurant
It's very common that Bolivian would eat everything with this sauce. The sauce has a little of spice in it, and it's made with tomatoes, spice, and local herbs.
Beef soup. It was delicious, but according to friend, chicken soup was even better!
Pork entree, paired with corn and potatoes on the side.
Owner of the restaurant. Extremely friendly and helpful. He moved to Bolivia, so he's definitely fluent in English.
Ali Pacha in La Paz
Highly recommended a vegetarian restaurant! Again, I was suffering through a stomach issue, so I didn't go there in the end, but I was seriously considering to go regardless. They offer a very unique experience with 3-course, 5-course, or 7-course meals. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, so if you are an Instagram user, you have to visit this place!!!
Source: online from allrestaurants
Preparation
Visa
First and foremost, you need to obtain a yellow fever vaccine and a tourist visa for Bolivia! Unfortunately, most of the travel vaccines are not required in order to live in the States, therefore, they are quite expensive. Most insurances, if not all, do not cover them either. Apparently, you can get yellow fever vaccines for free in some of the major airports in South America such as Columbia. You could also choose to get the visa at the border, but there will be a long line and make sure you have exact amount of cash. I paid $180 for the vaccine and another $160 in process fees for applying for a visa as an U.S. citizen. If you live in the East coast, you can find everything you need here to apply for a visa. Finish Sworn Statement online and print a hard copy, then bring it to the consulate or mail it along with other required document.
Use Paint to resize if needed
Referring to Bolivia visa. I couldn't proceed when I put no, so I used China visa instead
Place of the application is where you want the visa to be processed
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Save/Print this page for reference!
Altitude Sickness
Another issue a lot of travelers might face will be altitude sickness. You should ask your doctor for medication while getting the required vaccine, and usually they are taken 24 hours before you ascend to higher altitude. Drinking lots of water or coca tea and staying hydrated will help prevent the symptoms from getting worse and reduce the likelihood of getting altitude sickness. The myth is that exercise will not prevent you from the possibility of getting altitude sickness. Plan your itinerary accordingly, most travelers will plan their schedules to have 1-2 days of buffer time, so they can let their bodies fully adjust to the altitude.
Things to Pack
My itinerary is approximately 9 days. I chose to only bring a camera backpack considering how difficult it is to move around with luggage in South America. In hindsight, I should have brought a small luggage because it wasn't as inconvenient as I thought. Here are the items you should definitely bring:
- Waterproof down jacket: Very cold at night especially at Salar de Uyuni
- Bug repellent spray: Don't need if you only go to high altitude places
- Nose moisturizer: Extremely dry in Bolivia.
- Sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses: Wide range of temperature between day and light
- Toilet paper: Most of places do not provide toilet paper
- Tripod: If you are going to join a starlight tour in Salar de Uyuni
Which transportation should I take to go from Machu Picchu to Titicaca to Uyuni?
There are few different ways to travel around Peru and Bolivia, but I think the options below has a great balance:
- Machu Picchu to Cusco: Inca Rail or Peru Rail
- Cusco to Juliaca, which is basically Puno (Lake Titicaca): Flight
- Puno to La Paz: Bus
- La Paz to Uyuni: Flight
Some of my friends had done a luxury train from Machu Picchu to Puno directly, but I wouldn't recommend it based on a general itinerary. Most of time, you will visit Machu Picchu first then Ollantaytambo, so you wouldn't want to miss out an opportunity to explore Ollantaytambo. Taking a flight from Cusco to Juliaca simply save you a lot of time, and bus is never an optimal choice unless the budget is a high priority on the list. I took a bus from Puno to La Paz to Uyuni...it was a nightmare and uncomfortable. Some people may think differently, but I will not take a bus again unless I have no other choices.
Do you have any recommendations on any tour in Uyuni, Bolivia?
After reading many online reviews, I went with a tour company called Hodaka. They offer sunrise, sunset, and stargazing tours. The tour will be by a Spanish driver guide, who helps you with some words in English occasionally. They also offer free transfers to/from the airport, bus station, and Uyuni city. I have provided details of cost under the Uyuni attraction section above. To be honest, there won't be much difference from one to the other even in a private tour.
How long does it take to get a visa from start to finish?
Once my sworn statement form, passport, and authorization of credit card arrived to the Consulate General of Bolivia in New York, it took exactly 6 days to receive my passport with my visa back in the mailbox. The time frame can be different, so I would suggest applying as soon as possible.
Is there anything I can do to prevent altitude sickness?
Fitness level plays no part. It doesn't matter if you are male or female. Age does not matter. Most of people can go up to 8,000 ft (2,500 meters) without any issues. You should certainly seek medical advice and ask for some pills, and they are generally used 24 hours before ascent.
What other attractions would you recommend but didn't get a chance to visit?
To be clear, even though I did not visit these places, I have had many discussions with friends who have been there and hear what they had to say about each place. Additionally, I had done a lot of research prior to this trip and read through many reviews online to get a general idea as well.
- Rainbow Mountain
- Death Road
- Amazon in Peru
What was your main source of transportation within the city?
Taxi and/or Uber. I personally found the prices to be quite similar between the two for the most part and fairly cheap compared to the average cost of living in Philadelphia, where I am from. I will provide some examples of my taxi costs:
- Cusco airport to Plaza De Armas Cusco: 20 Sol
- Moon Valley to Luciernagas restaurant: 45 BOB
- Luciernagas restaurant to Mirador Killi Killi: 7 BOB
- Mirador Killi Killi to Hotel Stannum Boutique & Spa: 20 BOB
- La Paz airport to Hotel Stannum Boutique & Spa: 45 BOB
Do I need to purchase tickets ahead of time?
After shopping with multiple local travel agencies, I concluded that you should only book train tickets to Machu Picchu with Inca Rail or Peru Rail ahead of time. I chose the cheapest option with Inca Rail, and the first part of train was actually a bus ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. Surprisingly it was comfortable and the road condition wasn't bad either. For the rest of tickets, you should try to purchase them at the local destination since you can potentially get a better deal on bundle prices except for the train and Huayna Picchu (it may run out quick during peak season).
Is there anything I should be aware of in general?
- Expect inconsistent hot water especially in hostels and airbnbs. I would try to book a relatively nicer hotel if you can. I personally did not have a great time in terms of stays in Peru and Bolivia except the hotels I listed above.
- Don't carry large bills because it's unlikely for them to have any change. 20 or 50 Sol bill should still be fine.
- Stay hydrated to prevent altitude sickness. Drink more water than you normally would.
- Natives might ask you to take pictures together and then ask for tips.
- Fake police in Peru. Ask them for their IDs and have them call the embassy. I didn't encounter any of it.
- Be aware of your surroundings and avoid staying out late in Bolivia due to high crime rate. I didn't encounter any of it.
- Be sure to have copies of your passport/ID, travel itinerary, and any admission tickets on you 24/7.
- Most public restrooms will charge you access fees in Bolivia.
- Many stores do not open in Cusco on Sundays.
- Expect the unexpected: It's very common to have flights or buses delayed. Don't plan your itinerary like mine.
Do I have to apply for a Bolivia visa before I start traveling?
I tend to like having everything planned and ready. However, if you want to save some costs, you can actually apply for a Bolivia visa when you get to Lima or Cusco. Moreover, places like the Columbia airport even offer free yellow fever immunization. Costs of applying for a Bolivia visa in Lima/Cusco - US citizen: $100 & Taiwanese citizen: $30.
My connection flight from Lima to Cusco is after midnight, what can I do at the airport?
There is a food court right outside the security checkpoint at Lima airport. My flight was at 3 am, but security did not let me enter a few hours earlier until 1:30 pm. International flights will open at midnight, but if you are taking a domestic flight, you will wait until 1:30 pm.
Have you tried the Peruvian guinea pig?
I didn't try it, but my friends did. I was certainly not in a good condition to try it either because of my stomach issue. According to my friends' reactions, I thought it was overrated, so I wouldn't want to try it either to be honest...If you like to try something new, go for it. Otherwise, stay away from it...Instead, you should try Alpaca and Lomo Saltado for sure, two popular dishes in Peru.
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Have you tried the Peruvian guinea pig?
I didn't try it, but my friends did. I was certainly not in a good condition to try it either because of my stomach issue. According to my friends' reactions, I thought it was overrated, so I wouldn't want to try it either to be honest...If you like to try something new, go for it. Otherwise, stay away from it...Instead, you should try Alpaca and Lomo Saltado for sure, two popular dishes in Peru.
If you share the same interests as me: travel and photography, welcome to join my FB page.
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