Peru – Flight & Few First Days
I have always wanted to go to Peru; it's always been on my bucket list. The main reason was to go and see Macchu Picchu, one of the great wonders of the world. I went to Peru in November of 2017 for two weeks. I took a flight to Lima (the Capital), and from there, booked another plane immediately to Cusco, which is where you can arrange tours to go and see Macchu Picchu from most hostels. If the service isn't available at the hostel/your accommodation, there are plenty of tour companies in and around the main square who you can work with.
Flight and First Couple Days in Cusco
I flew into Lima, and when you get out of the arrivals section of the airport and step outside, Lima is pretty modern. When I first got to Lima, the main objective for me was to get closer to Macchu Picchu, so without leaving the airport, I booked a flight to Lima and got on a plane about an hour later. The flight from Lima to Cusco is very short, less than 1.5 hours. When you get to Cusco, it is very, very different from Lima. It has that "Old City" feel to it, with rough roads, virtually no high-rise buildings, and plenty of archaeological sites for you visit and explore. It is quite different, especially with the sacred sites and architecture you can find scattered around the city.
ALTITUDE WARNING: When you go to Cusco, you have to understand that is sits around 3,400m above sea level! That is just over 11,000 feet! If you are going to Cusco, I caution you to be careful with the altitude, and give your body time to adjust. On your first day in Cusco, don’t do ANYTHING. I did a walking tour on my first day there, and was in pretty rough shape. My advise would be to give yourself at least ONE FULL DAY to adjust to the thinner air, even if you are in very good shape!
Here are some videos from my YouTube channel! The channel is TravelAndLoveLife and you can access it here! Here are some videos from around Peru:
Hostels and Accomodation
When I travel and I love to look at hostels first. They are a preference. If you haven’t stayed at a hostel before, I would suggest you try it out. They are cheap, it is very easy to meet people, and some of them can be REALLY good. The size of the dorm rooms and the conditions will depend on where you are, but often times they are a very good option! If you are okay staying in a shared dorm, and are willing to use shared facilities (Washrooms, common rooms, kitchen), then hostels are worth a shot. Plus the staff are usually quite knowledgeable and willing to help with whatever you need! For more about hostels and some of the best I have stayed in, check out the article Hostels – The Good and the Bad!
While in Peru, I stayed in hotels everywhere I went. This included Cusco, Aquas Caleantis (Close to Macchu Picchu), Huacachina, and Lima. The hostel in Cusco that I stayed in is called Wild Rover Backpackers Hostel. It is located about 10 minutes walking from the Plaza Del Armes, the main square in Cusco.
The hostels in Cusco have everything that you need. The facilities are nice,