Weddingbee boards

My fiance and I went to Peru last October - not as a honeymoon, but just a trip. We went for like 11 days and had a phenomenal time.

Do you or your FI speak any Spanish? It is most definitely helpful, but I think most/all of the places you are going are pretty touristy and you will come across many english speakers.

We did a 5 day hike to Machu Picchu - we didn't do the Inca Trail because it was booked. We did the Salkantay trek instead. It was advertised as slightly harder than Inca, but man IT WAS HARD. I was dying by the end. Don't get me wrong - if you're in decent shape you're good to go, but I ran into problems with my knees. Regardless of the knee pain - it was the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life. You gotta be prepared to stink and sweat and not see a real toilet for 4 days, but it's a great experience. The treks are really affordable too - under $400 including food when we went. This is not really something I would recommend for a honeymoon -- unless you guys are big hikers/outdoorsy people - but it was a great experience nonetheless.

It doesn't look like yall are planning on doing a hike, though, since you said you'll be only spending 2 days at Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes. If you want to get in a little bit of hiking, you can hike from the bottom of Machu Picchu, in Aguas Calientes, up to the top - I think it takes between 1-2 hours and from what I understand is manageable (I took the bus because my knees were shot at that point).

Anyway - Machu Picchu is DEFINITELY a must see - you can't go to Peru and not go there. It's really incredible. Make sure to get a guided tour when you go, or you won't get the full experience of it. Also - DO NOT wear shorts up on Machu Picchu - there are tiny bugs you won't even notice, but you'll legs will be covered in bites by the end of the day if you don't wear bug spray and pants.

There isn't much to do in Aguas Calientes itself, so don't plan on spending much time there other than the night before/after MP. Seeing MP at sunrise is also a great experience so do that if you can.

As for Cusco --- you will need to spend at least 2 days in Cusco before going to MP. Most people don't realize this or ignore others' advice, but that area is so high in altitude that if you don't spend a couple of days in Cusco acclimating to the altitude then you will have a very hard time breathing, might get light headed, and it won't be easy to walk around. There is plenty to do in Cusco and it's a really pretty town. We went on a day whitewater rafting tour in the Urubamba Valley - HIGHLY recommend it! You can find a tour in the town center in Cusco. ALSO - get a massage in Cusco - they are like the equivalent of $8-10 for an hour and FANTASTIC. Cusco is a pretty walkable town but we took taxis at night since we were staying like a 15 minute walk from the town center and it was sort of uphill and we didn't feel like dealing. But it really is pretty safe.

We also went to the Amazon rain forest for 3 days on a tour...it was a blast. VERY hot though! I definitely recommend that, and you guys will not regret it! Saw a Monkey Island, got to feed them bananas, and a monkey sat on my head - one of the highlights of the trip. Also saw tarantulas, which was not so awesome. :)

We also went to Lima for a day, which was really nothing too exciting - just a big city.

As for safety and food --- get a Yellow Fever shot from your dr before you go. He/she will also prescribe you Cipro --- make sure you fill the Rx before you go and bring the med along with you. Do not eat any fresh/uncooked produce and you will most likely be fine. Also of course don't drink non-bottled water. In the event that you still get sick, though, the Cipro will fix you right up. Also of course Pepto Bismol would be good to have :)

Flights within Peru are fairly cheap...I think under $300 r/t (or maybe even $200?) if I remember correctly. We flew from Cusco to the city we departed from for the Amazon part of the trip.

That was probably more than you want to know - sorry. Feel free to PM me with more questions - as you can tell, I love to talk about the trip and happy to answer any more questions you might have!

Hi Bees!

My SO and I are planning on traveling to Peru this summer and I am looking for suggestions! As of now, we are thinking of doing a Group Tour for the Peru part (i.e., Machu Pichu, etc.) and then maybe having some private, relaxing time somewhere else in South America. Does any one have any recommendations or must-see places for after the group tour?

Thanks!