• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Visiting Lima, Peru

W

Wake95

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Messages
153
Reaction score
5
I will be in Lima on a medical mission trip for a week in mid May. This will be my first trip there. Looking for some advice on things to do/not do while there. I will be working in a hospital in Lima during the day. Evenings will be free. Also thinking of going a few days early to have time to explore some. I would love to see Machu Pichu. Is it worth the effort? Any advice on the best way to do it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Wake95 said:
I will be in Lima on a medical mission trip for a week in mid May. This will be my first trip there. Looking for some advice on things to do/not do while there. I will be working in a hospital in Lima during the day. Evenings will be free. Also thinking of going a few days early to have time to explore some. I would love to see Machu Pichu. Is it worth the effort? Any advice on the best way to do it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Lima is a great gastronomic city. They have 3 of the top restaurants in the world in Astrid y Gaston, Central and one other I can't think of right now. I'm assuming you'll have accommodations arranged for you, but if not Miraflores and Barranco are two of the nicer neighborhoods on the coast. It's not a city overrun with tourists as a lot of people skip it entirely or just spend a night, but there is a fair amount to check out in the historic center including a number of good museums focused on art and history; Museo Larco and National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History are two I would recommend. Paragliding over the cliff at Miraflores is pretty awesome as well.

Machu Picchu really is incredible and worth a visit if you have the time. I think 5 days is best so you can spend a couple days in Cuzco/acclimate to the altitude, then visit the Sacred Valley and finally take the Hiram Bingham train up to Aguas Calientes which is the closest town to Machu Picchu itself. From there you can walk or take transportation in the morning to the ruins. Get there when it opens to avoid massive crowds and be able to watch the sunrise. If you have less time you can cut out the Sacred Valley and the indigenous markets of Ollaytantambo and Pisac, but I would still highly recommend a couple days in Cuzco as altitude sickness can completely ruin your plans if you try to be too active.
 
Better to acclimate in the valley/MP before cusco. Cusco is significantly higher than both the valley and MP.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Be sure to try the cuy...it's outstanding.
 
My niece is studying in Peru this semester. She's in Cusco. The pictures she's sent of the Andes are breathtaking.
 
Best way to avoid altitude sickness? Will be going from sea level to 11,000 ft in an hour and a half and then wan tto feel up to going to machu piccchu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Wake95 said:
Best way to avoid altitude sickness? Will be going from sea level to 11,000 ft in an hour and a half and then wan tto feel up to going to machu piccchu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Drink water. Take acetazolamide. Drink some coca tea when you get to Cusco. Take it easy for a day and you'll be fine.

Definitely find ceviche.
 
bojanglefunk said:
Better to acclimate in the valley/MP before cusco. Cusco is significantly higher than both the valley and MP.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You could go to the Sacred Valley to acclimate, then do Machu Picchu, but you'd need to acclimate again in Cuzco after. Going to Machu Picchu directly is what gives most people problems. The altitude isn't as high but people are usually quite active hiking the steps to Machu Picchu or climbing Wanya Picchu or to the Moon Temple which then leads to altitude sickness.

In Cuzco you're likely doing little physical activity which is why we usually recommend acclimating there for a day or two with a city tour and some museum visits.
 
Wake95 said:
Best way to avoid altitude sickness? Will be going from sea level to 11,000 ft in an hour and a half and then wan tto feel up to going to machu piccchu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

when we walked into our hotel in Cuzco they asked us to sit down and drink some coca tea before checking in. definitely helps.
 
HuskyDeac said:
You could go to the Sacred Valley to acclimate, then do Machu Picchu, but you'd need to acclimate again in Cuzco after. Going to Machu Picchu directly is what gives most people problems. The altitude isn't as high but people are usually quite active hiking the steps to Machu Picchu or climbing Wanya Picchu or to the Moon Temple which then leads to altitude sickness.

In Cuzco you're likely doing little physical activity which is why we usually recommend acclimating there for a day or two with a city tour and some museum visits.
Click to expand...

We did our acclimation for MP in the Sacred Valley since its still higher than MP but not as high as Cusco and it made Cusco much more tolerable as well - my wife struggled in Cusco the day we arrived before going down to the Sacred Valley, but after a few days down there she was better when we came back.
 
bojanglefunk said:
We did our acclimation for MP in the Sacred Valley since its still higher than MP but not as high as Cusco and it made Cusco much more tolerable as well - my wife struggled in Cusco the day we arrived before going down to the Sacred Valley, but after a few days down there she was better when we came back.
Click to expand...

Yeah that makes sense. Altitude sickness is a weird thing in that you have no idea who it will affect. I've done hiking at 4,500m+ and seen professional dancers struggle while the pack a day smoker was leading the pack. Always good to be cautious.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top