Peru 🇵🇪
Hi!
We are Sinéad and Hugh and recently travelled/ backpacked around the world for 180 days and this is our recommended route through Peru.
Peru was our favourite country in South America and although we had high expectations before going, it somehow exceeded them! Cusco and the Sacred Valley is nothing short of magical and there is a reason Machu Pichu is on so many peoples bucket lists! From exploring Lima to sand skiing in Ica, the rest of Peru also has a huge amount to admire! Not to mention the people and the food are just wonderful! Recommendation: Go! ⛰️ 🎿 🌈
We want this blog to be short and to the point, only highlighting the essential information we needed during our trip, especially those tips that helped us stick to our budget!
However, as we went along, we put a daily 60 second vlog up to give a better flavour of what we got up to – if you want to check it out!
Peru was Day 55-69 on our Instagram and TikTok!
Helpful Facts about Peru
Population: ~35m (45th)
GDP: ~ $567bn USD (45th)
Average Net Monthly Salary: ~ $409 USD (77th)
Main Spoken Language: Spanish
How to Say:
- Hello – Hola
- Please – Por favor
- Thank You – Gracias
Currency: Peruvian Sols ($1 USD ~ 4 Sols)
Money Situation: Cash is very much king in most places outside of Lima. Card is still accepted in lots of touristy spots but have cash on hand at all times. Lots of ATMs and most charge a fee of $3-$6 but we found that the Bank de La Nacion ATMs did not charge a fee!
Fun Facts: Machu Picchu is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and it does not disappoint!
Personal Observations: Peru is magical place with Cusco and the Sacred Valley unlike anywhere else in the world! Also, the food in Peru is by far the best we experienced in both Central and South America. It is also extremely cheap with 3 course meals available for as little as €4!
Average Costs in Peru for Backpackers
Average Costs in Peru per day per person:
🛏️ Accommodation: €15 – we stayed in private en suite rooms and these rooms were split between 2
🥘 Food & Drink: €14 – we cooked in where possible as eating out was a bit on the expensive side
🚌 Transport: €7 – see itinerary below for our route
🤿 Activities: €14 – this can vary hugely but includes our trip to Machu Picchu!
💶 Total: €50*
*Included visiting Machu Pichu, hiking rainbow mountain and sand skiing in Huacachina!
Total Cost for 8 days per person: €735
Budgeting:
Budgeting for any trip can be complex, especially if it is a long one with many destinations, countries and different costs of living!
We created and used a Travel Budget Tracker which we used for our full 180 day trip and helped us stay below budget!
You can download it here and will get a easy-to-follow Youtube tutorial on how its used!
Top tips we found to keep the costs down:
- Accommodation: Don’t just use Hostelworld but also look at Booking, Agoda and Revolut stays to find the best deals! Always, always, always study the reviews as well – but be aware that someone else’s ‘okay’ could be your ‘great’! (As was the case many times during our backpacking trip!)
- Food & Drink: Try to get breakfast included with your accommodation where possible and eat the local food!
- Transport: Booking in person in stations was cheaper for us 99% of the time but sometimes you still cant beat the convenience of busbud!
- Activities: These vary greatly from place to place so just make sure you have budgeted enough for your personal desires as these are one of the reasons that make travelling so special in our opinion!
Itinerary for Peru
Day 1-4:
Cusco
This incredible town 3,400m high in the Andes has an intangible magical feeling to it. Used as a base for most to explore the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain its ancient streets are also enchanting! Make sure to do a walking tour while here to learn all about the Incas and their intriguing customs and building techniques! 📜👷🏾🧱
How to get from Colombia to Cusco:
Fly! We took a flight from Medellin via Bogota straight to Cusco! There are also multiple flight from Lima everyday too. The alternate mode is of course a long bus with many options if coming from the north or south of Peru. But be aware the roads are extremely twisty!
Day 5-6:
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu can be explored at the end of hiking trails up to 14 days long if that’s what your into! For us we did a 2 day, 1 night trek to explore this ancient village. It is hard to describe the ancient atmosphere of this place in words, all we can say is if you are lucky enough to get the chance, go and see it for yourself – we promise it will not disappoint! We had an incredible time with @machupicchureservations who are a local company with excellent guides! ⛰️🪨🥾
How to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu:
Depending on the tour company you go with it will either be walk, bus, train or a combination of all three!
Day 7-8:
Cusco
After experiencing the wonders of Machu Picchu we would encourage everyone to return to Cusco and spend a couple of extra nights taking in the town and the streets and visiting some other incredible sites you may have missed – be that Rainbow Mountain or in Sacred Valley itself! 🌈🗿
How to get from Machu Picchu to Cusco:
Again, depending on the tour company you go with they will bring you back to Cusco in most cases!
Day 9-11:
Ica
This desert town near the oasis of Huacachina is a must see for all adventure loving travellers out there! From dune buggy riding to sand skiing this place will keep you entertained for days. You can even use it as a base to go further south and fly over the mystery that are the Nazca Lines! 🏜️🌵🐪
How to get from Cusco to Ica:
We took the shortest time option as it was not that much more expensive than the long (long) bus journey! This was a flight to Lima, 1.5 hours, and then the bus from Lima to Ica, 4 hours. The other option is the ~16 hour bus!
Day 12-15:
Lima
The capital of Peru and a city with so many neighbourhoods to explore! Situated on a cliff top overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the centre of Peru’s commerce has a lot to offer, not least some beautiful sunsets! The food scene here, like much of Peru, is incredible and we would encourage working some nice restaurants into your budget! 🌅🏙️📍
How to get from Ica to Lima:
Bus! Travel time will be between 4-6 hours depending on the bus you go with. There are many options but we would recommend going for “VIP” for A/C and more comfort as it isn’t that much more expensive!
Stay, Eat & Do in Peru for Backpackers
Cusco
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Cusco
- Hawka Inca Hostel is the best value hostel in Cusco with breakfasts, free fruit, tea and coffee all day! They also do free luggage storage and packed breakfast if you are leaving early (even 4am which is quite common for some of the excursions!). Highly recommend.
- Paradis Suites Hotel is great value for money with spa, pool & massages if booked in advance, breakfast okay. However it is not in the old town which must be taken into consideration!
- Antigua Casona San Blas if you want a much fancier option with all of the luxury bells & whistles in a central location look no further!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Cusco
- San Blas Street – just stroll up and down, so many options!
- La Boheme Crepe – excellent crepes, sweet & savoury and wonderful balcony views
- Nicks Food – both Mexican & Curry options – what more could you want!?
- Jacks Cafe – a big feed, ‘western’ options but not too cheap
- Local Menus – so many wonderful places in the old town that do 3 courses for 15 to 30 Sols!
- Kaldi Coffee – coffee with a view
- Espresso 18 – coffee with a view
- Local Markets: San Blas & San Juan – excellent value, local merchants and great experience!
🧗♀️ Do: What to do in Cusco
- There a too many places to explore in Cusco and the surrounding areas that you will need to cut your cloth to measure!
- Walking Tour of Cusco – a great way to acclimatise to the altitude on arrival and get a basis of understanding. Learn about the Incas, their building techniques & history
- Sacred Valley – there are numerous sites and tours to explore this magical place. We highly recommend Machu Picchu Reservations as trip and tour guides!
- Rainbow Mountain – magical colours at 5000m in altitude! A must see!
- Sacred Valley by Quad – a great way to see a number of sites in one day
Salkantay Trek – 4/5 days hike to Machu Picchu. The more affordable hiking option that comes from the other direction to the Inca trail.
Inca Trail Trek – 2/3/4/5 days hike to Machu Picchu depending on your choice! The traditional route and restricted number per day. Hence it is the most expensive option but the most mysterious, steeped in history. Take a combo of train and hike for the 2 or 3 day tour options!
Machu Picchu
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Machu Picchu
- You cant actually stay in Machu Picchu itself but you can stay in the valley below in Aguas Calientes. Depending on the tour you go with, they will have accommodation booked if on a multi-day trek for the night before you see this magical place.
- You can do it yourself but we don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays.
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Machu Picchu
- Once again, you cannot eat in Machu Picchu itself but there are a bunch of food options in Aguas Calientes.
- If you have booked with Machu Picchu Reservations or an alternate tour they will have you sorted already!
🤿 Do: What to Do in Machu Picchu
Observe the wonders of the Place and learn about its incredible history, all we know about it today and its unlikely re-discovery in 1911.
Ica
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Ica
Ica Adventures 2 – THE place to stay in Ica. Excellent value with a decent breakfast. You can order in from Chinese or burger joint via the hostel for better value. They give popcorn free every night and a welcome drink on arrival. They also have good value on day activities to Huacachina & Paracas!
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Ica
- Unlike Lima and the rest of Peru, our cuisine experience here was not up to the same standard unfortunately. We ate in our hostel ordering from the Chinese menu a couple of times and went out for Pizza once.
🧗♀️ Do: What to Do in Ica
- Must visit Huacachina! This desert oasis is one of a kind and going for a ride on dune buggies around it is worth the thrill!
- Sand Ski / Board the dunes of Huacachina! Whether a skier, boarder or beginner we highly recommend this activity a hugely unique experience!
- Visit Paracas and do boat trip – this UNESCO protected area along the coast is full of wildlife including sea lions and penguins
- Take a trip further south to see the Nazca Lines. These other-worldly desert lines are best seen from above and there are fly-over tours that do just that!
Lima
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Lima
- Alpes Lima Kennedy Park is an excellent hostel with the best breakfast included we had on our entire trip! It is central in Miraflores and you can do walking tours from here and other activities are available, to book reception. There’s a gym that is 10 Sols pp and Sauna 30 Sols pp
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Lima
- Shimaya Ramen Miraflores – does excellent ramen and sushi too!
- La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla – silly good “sandwich”
- Haití Café Bar Restaurant – decent grub!
- Hotel B in Barranco – fancy spot for sunset drink!
🧗♀️ Do: What to Do in Lima
- Do a Walking Tour of the Old Town
- Go to the Magical Lights Show, only 4 Sols pp
- Walk the Clifftop along the Coast starting in Miraflores and get a crepe along the way!
- Go to Barranco for a sunset drink – check out Hotel B if you want to splash out
- Fancy Restaurant – Lima is home to some of the best restaurants in the world!
Add our Peru Google Map!
We pinned all of crucial locations as went along – including hostels, hotels, bus stops, restaurants, cafés and must-see sights!
Feel free to save our Google Map for Peru if you wish!