10 Days in Peru – What I Would Do Differently

Last week, I covered our 10 day trip itinerary to Peru and my highlights. This week I am looking at what I might to differently in a future visit.

More time in Cusco
Although we had two nights in Cusco, we were mostly travelling in and out of the city, so we only had half a day to explore the city itself. We had a half a day city tour, but I would have liked more time to explore the city myself.

There are a number of museums and churches in Cusco I would have liked to visit to learn more about the history of this city which was the capital of the Inca empire.

Rainbow Mountain
When putting together the itinerary, we had considered visiting the famous Rainbow mountain, but discounted it due to worries about altitude. Many other travellers we met had made the trip and were very impressed by the mountain and the scenery. So a future trip to Peru would definitely have to include this.

Rainbow mountain (from http://www.istockphoto.com)

Sacred Valley – Ollantaytambo
Similar to Cusco, I wish we had more time to spend in Ollantaytambo and explore the Sacred Valley. There is plenty to see and many Inca ruins to visit.

Map of the Sacred Valley – Urubamba in the background

Also it is a good base if you don’t do well with the high altitude in Cusco. It is also possible to take a day trip to Machu Picchu from here.

One day Inca trail hike
I really wish I had known about this option before our trip. The main reason I didn’t do the tradtional 4 day Inca trail hike was the aversion to camping. So the 1 day hike is a good option that offers the best of both worlds. You start your hike at Chachabamba (few kilometres outside of Aguas Calientes) and after a ~6 hour hike, arrive at Machu Picchu on the last part of the full Inca trail. You view the Machu Picchu citadel from the platform on the mountain and then you are taken down to Aguas Calientes on the bus. There is no camping required and you stay overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes. You get to explore Machu Picchu site the next day.

Huayna Picchu Hike
Huayna Picchu, meaning “young mountain” is the mountain that is the backdrop of all the pictures of Machu Picchu. You can hike to the top of this mountain for a different view of Machu Picchu. Tickets for this needs to be booked in advance. It is not an easy hike, so is not for the faint hearted.

More time in Lima
We had a great time exploring central Lima and Miraflores. But we only had 1 full day in the city and I would love to spend more time in Lima. The city is home to many great places to eat and drink, including 4 out of the top 50 restaurants in the world. I would also like to visit the nearby ruins of Pachacamac, one of the most sacred temples of the Inca empire.

Visit Arequipa
Although we flew back home from Arequipa, we didn’t visit the city itself. I have since found that it is a beautiful city with many great examples of the Spanish colonial architecture. So a few days on Arequipa is on a list for next time.

Mismi
We saw the Mismi mountain peak from afar on our way to Colca valley. The peak is at an altitude of 5597m and part of the Chila mountain range. A glacial stream on Mismi mountain is thought to be the most distant source of the Amazon River. Since our visit, I have found that it is possible to visit Mismi and see the source of the Amazon whilst visiting Colca valley, so this is definitely on the list for next time.

Colca Valley
Although the Colca valley was beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the the hot springs, in hindsight I think the two days at Colca would have been better spent on one or more of the things above. But I have no regrets going to Colca as we got to see a different part of Peru, which is less well known.