Traveling Peru

Peru Map and Trip Itinerary Machu Picchu

Old man playing guitar in a restaurant at Paracas beach, Pisco

“El Candelabro”, ancient giant drawing (geogliph) near Paracas, Pisco

Penguins colony on Ballestas Island, Paracas National Reserve, Pisco

Wild life on Ballestas Island, Paracas National Reserve, Pisco

Sea lions laying in the sun on Ballestas Island, Paracas National Reserve, Pisco

Huacachina Oasis, Ica

Preparing for sandboarding on the desert dunes near Huacachina Oasis, Ica

“Freestyle” sandboarding on the desert dunes near Huacachina Oasis, Ica

Desert dunes landscape near Huacachina Oasis, Ica

Dune buggy after extreme desert dune ride near Huacachina Oasis, Ica

“The Astronaut” geogliph, Nazca Lines Area, Nazca

“The Hummingbird” geogliph, Nazca Lines Area, Nazca

Secondary street in Cuzco, the Inca Empire Capital (elevation 3,200 meters)

Plaza del Armas, Cuzco

Women handcrafting in open market, Pisac, Sacred Valley

Group of girls in open market, Pisac, Sacred Valley

Little girl looking for her mother, Pisac, Sacred Valley

Machu Picchu, the lost Inca citadel, one of the most beautiful and enigmatic ancient sites in the world

Terraces for agriculture at Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu and Urubamba river canyon

Walking pigs in Ollaytantambo, Sacred Valley

Group of men in Ollaytantambo, Sacred Valley

Traditional dressed woman, Ollaytantambo village, Sacred Valley

Sunrise on Lake Titicaca, Puno (elevation 3,820 meters)

Floating islands (Uros) community, Lake Titicaca

Family preparing cookies for tourists on floating island Chumi, Lake Titicaca

Woman selling handicrafts on floating island Chumi, Lake Titicaca

Traditional boat made of tortora reed, near floating island Chumi, Lake Titicaca

Woman handcrafting, Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Afternoon landscape, Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Woman selling handicrafts on the path to Amantani Island summit

Sunset on Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca

View of Amantani Island from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca

Woman handcrafting on Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca

Woman selling handicrafts on a street in Arequipa

Wild animals (Vicunas) in Peruvian “Pampa” (elevation 4,200m), near Arequipa

View of “El Misti” volcano, a 5,900 meters summit

Girl with “baby” alpaca in the Peruvian pampa

Small handicrafts market in pampa

Pampa landscape

Highest viewpoint (4,910 meters elevation) on the way to Chivay village, Colca Valley

Traditional dance at the evening tourist party in Chivay village, Colca Valley, Arequipa area

Road to Canyon del Colca

Inca terraces along Colca river, still fully used for agriculture

Inca terraces along Colca river

“Condor viewpoint”, Canyon del Colca, one of the deepest canyons in the world

“Condor viewpoint”, Canyon del Colca

Little girl asking for candies, Colca Valley

Little girl selling handicrafts, Colca Valley

Abandoned restaurant in the desert, on the way to Chilean border

“Candelabro” giant cactus, north of Atacama Desert, Chile

Wild Vicunas in Parque Nacional Lauca, Chile

Lago Chungara, one of the highest lakes in the world at 4,500 meters, Parque Nacional Lauca, Chile

Lago Chungara and volcano Paranicota, Parque Nacional Lauca, Chile

Some facts… Total days spent on the continent: 20 Total money spent (excluding the air ticket, including gifts for home): 950 USD Traveled approx. 4,000 km by bus, taxi and train Main source of information: Lonely Planet guide Temperature range during the trip: 2 to 40 degrees Celsius Average cost of accommodation: 5 USD per person/night Average cost of a meal: 2.5 USD per person Average taxi ride: 0.8 USD

And some experiences… Most impressive place: Machu Picchu ruins (despite its popularity and high cost) Most breathtaking place: Canyon del Colca Most peaceful place: Amantani and Taquile islands, Lake Titicaca Funniest happening: laying in the bed up to 11 AM in the middle of the desert, thinking it is heavily raining outside – because of the “rain like” noise of a damaged toilet Most extreme adventure: riding the desert huge sand dunes with speeds of up to 120km/h, on 40 degrees sand slopes, in a dune buggy (like a roller-coaster without rails) Most expensive: getting to Machu Picchu ruins (about 110 USD for transportation and entrance only) Highest elevation reached: 4,910 meters above sea level Best value for money: Lake Titicaca tour (2 days, including: meals, 6 hours boat trip, 3 spots visited, accommodation in villagers’ houses, traditional party, bi-lingual guiding, all for only 15 USD) Most unusual experience: policemen discreetly watching our back for thieves in Lima, for about 2 hours, just because we were tourists carrying expensive cameras.

All pictures in this presentation are copyright protected. Usage of any of these pictures in any commercial material without the author’s permission is strictly prohibited. Thank you! © 2005 Tibi Dima Image enhancement: Leão Pelado Leão Pelado