Peru
S. America · not on the board yet
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Votes for PeruThe short answer
May to September is the dry season in the mountains, which is where you are going. It is also the busiest, so book Machu Picchu months ahead.
Give yourself two days in Cusco before you climb anything. It sits at 3,400 metres, and altitude ruins more Peru trips than weather does.
When to go
Best months: May to Sep
What a day costs
Per person, not counting flights.
- Hostel bed$15
- Set lunches$10
- Buses$10
- Hotel$45
- Eating out$20
- Buses and trains$20
- Good hotel$130
- Restaurants$50
- Trains and guides$40
What your whole trip would cost
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Votes for PeruHow far it is
- New York to Lima7h 45m
- Mexico City to Lima5h
- Madrid to Lima12h
- Getting aroundLong distance buses are good and cheap, flights save whole days
- When to avoidFebruary, when the rains peak and the Inca Trail closes for maintenance
Nonstop times from a few big hubs, to give you a sense of the distance. We have no idea which airport you are actually leaving from. Fares move weekly, so we leave those out.
When you land
- Airport to townUse the official taxi desks inside the terminal or an app. Do not take a ride offered in the arrivals hall.
- Cash or cardCash for markets and buses, cards in Lima and Cusco. Ask for small notes, nobody has change.
- Getting onlineClaro or Movistar at the airport, cheap, passport needed.
- What catches people outCusco sits at 3,400 metres. Do nothing strenuous for two days and the rest of the trip works.
What not to miss in Peru
- Machu Picchu, booked months in advanceEntry is capped and timed. The Huayna Picchu tickets sell out first.
- Eating in LimaOne of the great food cities. Ceviche at lunch, and the cheap places rival the famous ones.
- The Sacred Valley, slowlyOllantaytambo, Maras and Moray. Lower than Cusco, so a better place to acclimatise.
- Arequipa and the Colca canyonTwice the depth of the Grand Canyon, with condors, and a white stone city at the start of it.
Still deciding?
🧳 Plan your trip to Peru
Good to know
Curated with 
Nemo
Written and checked by hand. Nothing here about visas or entry rules: those change often and depend on your passport, so check an official source.