Travel? Why not! Peru

While looking for countries where Yellow fever is endemic* we ran across Peru. The Amazon falls into the endemic zone, the Machu Picchu area is borderline and both are places I want to visit.

Things to do in Peru include

• Inca and Pre-Inca Archeological sites
• Amazon River Cruises on multi-tiered river boats
• Off-Roading
• Rock climbing
• Mountaineering
• Surfing

Travel

• 8 hours non-stop NYC to Jorge Chavez International Airport Lima, Peru
• All regional air connections are though Lima

Sights

Lima

Lima is the international Entry point and transit hub for all air connections in Peru.

• Cathedrals and monasteries
• Mansions
• Quite a few Quirky Museums
• Beautiful Plazas
• Huacas, Adobe Pyramids
• Surfing

Huaraz "International Friendship Capital"

• Trekking, Rock climbing, Mountaineering
• Huascaran National Park, includes  Cordillera Blanca "The White Mountain Range" part of the Peruvian Andes

50 minutes Lima to Huaraz by small plane(weight restrictions), 8 hours by road.
Located at 10,000 feet, May to September are the dry months, "Andean Summer" and cooler than the warm, wet months of October to April.

Cusco

Gateway to the Sacred Valley

• Inca Trail, 4 day trek to Machu Picchu, advanced booking required. 
• Machu Picchu
• Access to Machu Picchu is by train, boarded 20 minutes outside of Cusco with a travel time to Machu Picchu of 4 hours, a few different price options available.
• Most hotels near Machu Picchu are in Aguas Calientes.
• The only hotel right outside the gates of Machu Picchu is the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. 
• Off-road excursions to the Colca Valley

At 11,200 feet, the best time to visit is June to October, with the rainy season from November to March.
Cusco is a 1.5 hours flight from Lima, 16 flights a day or 21 hours by bus.

Iquitos
Once a thriving rubber port, it is in the Peruvian Section of the Amazonian River Rainforest. November to May is the wet season, the rivers is at its highest in May and then at its lowest in October. The change can be as much as 30 feet. Sights vary depending on the water height, high water allows canopy viewing and better cruising while low season allows for jungle hiking and better fishing.

• Amazon river cruises
• City tour

Iquitos is 2 hours from Lima by medium size plane with 5 flights a day. Only air and river access.

Chiclayo

• Plaza de Armas
• Main Cathedral
• Moche Route, pre-Inca archaeological sites
• Archeological sights (pyramids of Tucum) 
•  surfing

A 1 hour flight from Lima with 4 flights a day or 12 hours by bus.

Puno
Located at 12,500 feet, even higher than Cusco's 11,200 feet.

• Floating Reed Islands
• Lake Titicaca
• Naval Museum on the lake
• Coca Museum

A 2 hour flight from Lima or a 10 hour train ride from Cusco.

* We don't have a desire to contract Yellow fever, but already had the vaccination and want to defray the cost across several trips.