Welcome to our Travel Blog
Hola! My name is Julie. I'm Canadian and I've been living and travelling around Peru since July 2022. I'm a Holistic Naturopath and as well a French and English teacher as a second language.
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I live in Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and I work part time for Enjoy Cusco. On this page, you will discover briefly all the places I have visited and also some travel tips and important things you should know if you travel to Peru for the first time. My goal is to give you
the essential informations you will need if you plan a trip to Peru.
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Enjoy!
Peru is one of the World’s most varied countries because of its biodiversity. From its coast on the Pacific Ocean, to its deserts, jungle to mountains, Peru is synonymous with natural beauty. It is one of the World’s ten most biologically diverse countries and the home to more than 5000 archaeological sites. Peru is a paradise for lovers of adventure, offering a range of outdoor sporting activities. Here you'll find my highlights of this magical country and the prime tips so you know what to do in Peru and create your dream itinerary.
Please note
Before you start to read this blog, keep in mind that my goal is not to give you a biography of the richness of Peru's
history and culture. There are many Websites where you can find all the information that might be interesting for you.
My goal is to share my experiences and insights to help you in the planification or your trip.
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You should note that I'm not a city girl! I've been to Lima for 1 or 2 days 4 times and except the touristic part of it (Miraflores)
I didn't really visit the city and honestly, I'm not interested either. So I didn't include Lima in this blog even though it's the capital.
Below I divided my trips in 6 categories. Please note that they are not the ''exact'' geographycal location, in terms of
the North and South of the country, but rather to the North and South of Lima.
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I also want you to know that I'm passionate about archeological sites and I don't like museums. I visited a few when I
was doing group tours but it's not my cup of tea. But, if you are a nature lover and you love outdoor activities,
I will have some suggestions for you. I hope you enjoy this blog, it's written in simplicity and with my heart.
Don't hesitate to send a message if you have questions, I will be happy to answer them
and help you plan your trip.
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*** If you read this blog on your cell phone, I'm sorry, it doesn't look as nice
as the computer version.
The Jungle & Lake Titicaca
The Amazon rainforest is from the east of the Andes to the borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia. Peru has the second-largest portion of the Amazon rainforest after the Brazilian Amazon. And last but not the least... Lake Titicaca, which is Said to be the birthplace of the Incas
Top recommandations
There's alot of things to consider when planning to trip to Peru. My first recommandation would be - don't plan a big schedule! Especially in the mountains. Why? First, the altitude! Most people will need 2 days to get use to it (see below). Also, when you are walking in the mountains, it's not like at sea level. You wont walk as fast and might need to take more breaks than usual. Second : the distance! Even if you see that from one city to another there's only 100 kms, it might take 4 hours to drive that distance because of the wavy roads. You want to enjoy every minute of your trip, not feel stress, so allow yourself time.
If you are a solo traveller or 2 - 3 people, I know it's cheaper to join a group tour, but don't forget that they are on a schedule and the tour might not include the whole archeological site and only a small portion of it. Moreover, in group tours, the guides talk alot and if you are like me and not interested in what they have to say, you feel like you are wasting your time in 1 spot. My recommandation is to only hire a driver. While you take your time to visit, he will sleep in the car.
Travelling long distances around Peru is easy! There are many bus companies and they are almost ''fighting'' to sell you a ticket. Even if it's easy and convinient to book online (Peru Hop, Busbud, RedBus...), you will pay more. You can just show up at the bus station an hour before and buy a ticket. Most of the companies will also sell you a ticket the day before. When you have your ticket in hand, you will also have to pay for a tax (which is different depending on the city. In Cusco it's 1.30 soles). There's a small booth in the middle of the terminal where you pay the tax and the cleck will put a sticker on your ticket as proof of payment. I love taking the night buses. You don't have to pay for a hotel and you wake up at your destination. Cruz del Sur and other companies have the nice comfortable ''lazyboy'' recliner seats and you can easily sleep.
If you want to explore the Valley, you can easily take the collectivos. A couple of soles will take you a long way. For exemple, from Cusco to Urubamba, it's 7 soles. From Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, 3 soles. Doing so, you can travel for cheaper and experience the lives of the peruvians by sharing with them their means of transportation.
Things you should know – Beware !
If you are from the North hemisphere like me, from the moment you will step out of the airport, you will see lots of stuff you are not use to, and experience frustrating things. I remember the first time I came in Peru in 2010, I was really scared to see how people were driving and how many trash we could see everywhere along the road. On my second trip in 2018, I saw a couple of things too that shocked me but since I live here... OMG! Sometimes I ask myself what the hell I'm doing here?
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In the list below, you will learn what you could expect to see and experience when you are in Peru, depending on the lentgh of your trip, and if you are doing only group tours or if you are a backpacker who will use public transport. So sit thight and enjoy reading my ''negative highlights'' while travelling in Peru!
Altitude sickness
Perhaps the number one fear that travelers have when visiting Cusco and other high-altitude areas in Peru is altitude sickness. The dramatic change in altitude can cause nausea, headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms. It is important to remember that your body will acclimate once you have been in the high altitude for a couple of days. Drinking a cup of hot water with coca leaves will help you and you can buy a Muña essential oil that you will breathe in your hands and massage a couple of drops on your neck. Just remember to listen to your body and take it easy.
A constant negotiation
Everywhere you go, you have to constantly negotiate prices. Why? They automatically overcharge you as a ‘’gringo’’. Not only in the taxi, but also on the bus, at the market, but also in the laundry place, or even in some restaurants (''normal restaurant'' if you go to more expensive restaurant, it wont happen). Life in Peru is a constant negotiation, especially if you’re a foreigner and don't speak Spanish. But… they are nice while trying to overcharge you.
Punctuality
Peruvians give a whole other meaning to the word ‘'time'’. La hora Peruana (Peruvian time) refers to the stereotype of Peruvians showing up late – and not just 15 minutes late… As an expats, I’ve struggled with my landlords, gardiners, carpenters, friends or coworkers who says they’ll be there in the morning and are a no-show until after lunch… or not at all, and they won’t call you or text you to let you know they are late or not coming! When discussing the time for a meeting or a dinner, I always ask: ‘’Is that Canadian time or will it be la hora Peruana’’? So beware if you need to go somewhere, even the taxi driver of transportation service that you booked way in advance might be late or don’t come at all so we always need a back up plan.
Restaurant
When it comes to dining out in Peru, there is no standard for tipping. That said, Peru’s tipping culture (or lack thereof) should be an exception to the rule of “do as the locals do.” As a visitor, go ahead and leave your waiter or hostess a tip that seems appropriate to you.
Dog and cats
They are untamed, off-leash, often un-spayed/neutered, and sometimes un-vaccinated. They are everywhere in the streets, in stores, in restaurants… Yes, in restaurants, especially cats. I often had cats coming to me to ask food or just to be pet. Beware! Usually dogs are nice and won’t do anything, but they can also bark, growl and run after you. Often the owner is standing right there watching rather than controlling their dog. If you are afraid of dogs, just stay calm and try to ignore them.
Credit cards
Cash is preferred in Peru. Many shops and restaurant will be cash-only. Markets definitely will be. Credit Cards are typically accepted at hotels and higher-end shops, restaurants and stores but be careful, some of them will charge you 4 or 5% more if you use a credit card. Always ask before paying.
No one has change
This can be VERY inconvenient. Unless you’re making a big purchase, you can’t pay with a large bill because the vendor won’t have change. If a vendor does have adequate change, they claim they don’t until you tell them you won’t make the purchase. Pretty often, you will see the ladies at the market asking change all around the other ladies for change. Even my accountant asks his coworkers just to give me back 6 soles… So when you go shopping, make sure you have lots of it!
Littering
One of the first things that tourists notice when they come to Peru is the garbage everywhere. For me, it’s really sad to see so much garbage and that people open a candy bar and throw the wrapper on the ground, collectivo and taxi drivers open their window to throw their empty coca cola bottle… People throw bags of trash onto the street and they get torn apart by dogs.
Dangerous Drivers
Speeding, running stop signs, illegally passing on either side, going the wrong direction on one-way streets, driving drunk, 5 queen mattresses on the roof of a regular car… Anything goes! You must know that a lot of people paid for their licence and don’t even know the rules and regulations. For this reason, the municipality puts speed bumps all over the place so that people have to slow down. When you cross the street, be careful, even if it’s on a crossway path with the big white lines, they don’t have a clue that pedestrian should have the priority. When in a car, you might be scared a couple of times…
Public urination
In Peru, people pee everywhere with little shame or effort to hide it. So don’t be surprised if you are walking don’t the street and see men peeing… and it’s not because they are drunk! I even saw kids doing it in the middle of the Plaza de Armas. So ladies, dont be offended if you see other penis other than your boyfriend... I've seen many... unfortunately.
Bathroom
Always keep toilet paper in your pocket/purse! Public restrooms usually aren’t stocked with toilet paper, so be prepared to pay 1 sole for a few squares upon entry. Public restrooms in Peru are infamous with international travelers. From seatless toilets to humble holes in the ground, I’ve seen it all! Don't expect them to be clean, especially at archeological sites. Some of them don't have running water so you might see big buckets full of water in the middle of the room and you'll have to put water in the toilet to flush. Don't forget to follow bathroom etiquette and toss toilet paper in the wastebasket rather than flush it.
Cutting in Line
No matter where you are (the bank, pharmacy, grocery store, movie theater...) people do NOT respect lines. People behind you in line will physically push you forward or try to get around you. It is not uncommon for someone to come along, say ‘’perdon’’ and squeeze their way in front of you. When you finally arrive at the counter, someone may just step in front of you and begin talking to the person at the register or making their purchases. You need to be ‘’aggressive’’ and if someone tries to step in front of you, say ‘‘no, I was here first!’’ If you follow what you think are the traditional expectations for waiting in line, you could be there all day.
Respect
For what us ‘’strangers’’ consider respect, here in Peru it’s really different! As mentionned above with the line cutting or the respect of time, here they don't really care and you will hear firecrackers or fireworks in the middle of the night, the neighbour’s chainsaw at 5 am, or the other neighbour's loud music at 1 am… anything goes. What annoys me the most, is people in buses and collectivos watching videos on their phone without earphones... plus driver's music on the radio, your ride will be cacophonous! Mentality is different here so don't be offended because for what we consider ''lack of respect'' for them it's normal.
Kids
To finish off, just a quick note on kids. Don't be surprise to see young kids working in their parents stores or at the market. On their lunch time from school or during the summer break, young kids work. Also, moms are like kangaroos, they carry their babies or young kids on their back and they bring them to work as well. When shopping, you will see toddlers sitting on the store's floor playing or sleeping of mom breastfeeding. It is part of their culture to have their kids with them.