Preparing a hiking trip in Peru

October 6, 2009

You are planning a hiking trip in Peru but you don’t know what to do or how to organize it. I will give you the tips and information necessary for an unforgettable expedition.

Two things you need to be aware: Altitude and planning ahead. Most cities that you will stay will have high elevation (Cusco, Puno, Chivay, Huaraz, …). Arequipa is only at 2300 meter altitude which is OK. Normally peoples start to feel altitude problem at around 2600 meter. You need to organize an itinerary with this in priority, because it may disturb your trip and comprise it all together. You need to consider a progression of altitude and enough adaptation at different altitude to acclimatize. The cities are lovely so staying longer in each is not a problem.

Second, you also need to plan ahead of time for the different permit. The most important one is for the Inca Trail (I’m talking the four days expedition). I suggest at least 6 month ahead because there is a limit of 500 persons per day that can walk this trail (including the guide, cook, porters, etc.). By the way I strongly recommend using a local agency or one in your country, as it is not possible to hike some trail without local guide. An agency in your country is often the best due to the language difference. They will organize everything and they have the experience because they are doing this many time each year.

Be careful about hotel reservation. Hotel reservations are often forgot or are far from the center. In that case you will need to take a taxi too many times each day. Even if the taxi prices are not costly, it’s a waste of time for nothing.

You will never have problem finding a taxi. Almost everybody is a taxi driver in Peru. Some of them have a sheet of paper with the word taxi written on it as an equivalent of a permit.

Speaking of taxi, be prepare for an experience with taxi. Most taxi drivers don’t have a taxi permit and anyone can be a taxi driver. I suggest noting the plate number of taxi before getting in. Negotiate a price and remind it to the driver to make sure of both price and destination (hotel drop). Also please note that they often don’t look behind them when changing line and often they don’t make a total stop at road crossing.

Bring some American money with you for paying hotel but for the rest, you will need Soles (Nuevo Sole). Be careful with American money because most of Peruvian don’t accept damage money. If it is fold too much, tear a bit or has writing on it, they won’t accept it. This is a protection against corruption.

I hope I did not scare you with too much precaution. Don’t forget, Peru have nice cities, great mountains and Peruvian peoples are lovely. It will be an unforgettable vacancy.

Related posts:

  1. Captivating Scenery Of Wildlife In The Upper Amazon - Peru
  2. Affordable Disney Vacation - Take Your Family On A Trip To Remember
  3. A trip to San Francisco
  4. Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation - How To Take Your Family On A Trip To Remember
  5. Keep Current with your Currency When Traveling Abroad

Written by admin· Filed Under camping, explorer , Tags: 

Comments

Got something to say?